Foil: 15 Panel: 3 Column: 1 Line: 10

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Born May 28, 1921
University of New Hampshire, 1942 BSME
Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, 1953 MSME
PE License 1951 NY & CT

Don Richardson spent 27 years in the aircraft industry. His career began as a Flight Test Engineer at Chance Vought in 1942 working on the F4U Corsair, the XF5U-1 Flying Wing gearbox design and directly for Igor Sikorsky on various projects. He later worked at Link aviation as an Engineer in the development of the first aircraft specific Flight Simulator, then at Sperry Gyroscope (1948-c1957) where he developed the Engine Analyzer (for reciprocating engine aircraft) and received a patent on a Jet Engine version of the Engine Analyzer. Another project he contributed to was a missile nose cone attitude control device. Later, at Norden (c1957-1966) he worked on specialized instruments developed for space travel such as ultra-precise dynamic angle measurement control and contributed to the Apollo flights. Mr. Richardson was a pioneer founder of the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT and served as the second President in that organization. Along with a friend Wes Gordeuk, he researched and drew up working drawings for the Gustave Whitehead No. 21 Flyer engine built by Whitehead in 1901. This was a project designed to verify the possibility that Whitehead could actually have flown as claimed in 1901. This engine is still in the process of being built. During his career, Mr. Richardson earned 4 patents.