John G. Wilder Jr.

Foil: 35 Panel: 3 Column: 1 Line: 16

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Leader

Honored by:
Ms. Kirk Wilder

Mr. Wilder graduated from Georgia Tech in May, 1942, with a B.S. in General Engineering. During WWII he was employed by Curtiss Wright Aircraft Co. of Buffalo, New York. He worked on the P-47, XP60, xp62, and C-46 projects. At conclusion of war he was assigned to the Curtis Experimental Laboratory, which was donated to Cornell University and became the Cornell Aero Lab. It was here that he assisted with the development of the Transonic Wind Tunnel for testing of aircraft above the speed of sound. He also was involved in various projects pulse jets, ram jets and small rockets. In 1955 he departed Cornell and the East Coast, moving to Los Angeles and joined Ramo Woolridge Corp. Here he began work on the development of the first large rockets for the nation's defense. These were the Atlas, Titan and Thor Projects. He worked on these projects while also employed at United Technologies Corp, a division of United Aircraft Corp, and at Aerospace Corp. He retired from aerospace corp. as the Director of Propulsion in 1979, after 37 years of work in the aerospace industry. Since retirement he has resided in Sedona, Arizona. Where he has continued his passion for aviation by owning and flying a 1946 Luscombe Sllvaire and a 1950 Bellanca 14019 Cruisemaster. Mr. wilder will turn 80 years of age on July 2, 2000 and still is an active and rated private pilot.