Melville W. Beardsley
Encyclopedia
Melville Whitnel Beardsley (10 October 1913 in Kansas City, Missouri
– 26 November 1998 in Carmel, California) was the American
inventor and aeronautical engineer
whose pioneering efforts may have contributed to the invention of the Hovercraft
.
Melville Beardsley was born in Kansas City, Missouri
on 10 October 1913, to George and Ella Whitnel Beardsley. His father and grandfather Beardsley were attorneys. He was the third generation of his family to graduate from the University of Illinois
, where he took a degree in mechanical engineering
. From childhood he was fascinated with flight, and soon after college he joined the United States Army Air Corps
as a pilot
. By the time World War II
broke out, he was one of the Army's few experienced pilots and spent the war years as a flight instructor at Hondo Field, Texas
. The United States Army
(and later United States Air Force
which was created out of the Army's Air Corps) sponsored post-graduate education in aeronautics
and management
at Georgia Tech
and the University of Chicago
. He was USAF project officer for Northrup's famous flying wing.
but he worked on a Navy hydrofoil project in southern California about 1950, and this was
his first known involvement in marine vehicles. The air-cushion may have been a low-friction boat-hull solution, to which Beardsley added forced air as the missing element for the basic air-cushion vehicle.
It is certain that Beardsley and the British inventor Cockerell
conceived the air-cushion vehicle independently. It was not possible for them to have known of each other's work. One may say that "the idea was in the air" and inevitable.
Beardsley's further personal research led to his patents of the early 1950s. After completing another 7 years of military service, Beardsley founded National Research Associates, Inc
. (NRA) in College Park
and Laurel, Maryland
to build practical air-cushion vehicles. Beardsley's experiments led to the development of the skirt and peripheral air-flow, without which hovercraft are impractical. A patent dispute had developed in the early 1960s to determine who had first come up with the ACV-hovercraft concept, Cockerell or Beardsley. Ultimately Cockerell paid a settlement of $85,000 to Beardsley for his patent rights, equivalent to more than $1,000,000 in today's dollars, which made practical the famous Channel hovercraft.
. The large air-cushion vehicles used today by the US military are largely a product of their design and testing.
In his retirement he invented, tested, and patented the Beachbuilder system of beach erosion prevention. Beardsley died 26 November 1998.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
– 26 November 1998 in Carmel, California) was the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor and aeronautical engineer
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
whose pioneering efforts may have contributed to the invention of the Hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
.
Melville Beardsley was born in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
on 10 October 1913, to George and Ella Whitnel Beardsley. His father and grandfather Beardsley were attorneys. He was the third generation of his family to graduate from the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, where he took a degree in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
. From childhood he was fascinated with flight, and soon after college he joined the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
as a pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
. By the time World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out, he was one of the Army's few experienced pilots and spent the war years as a flight instructor at Hondo Field, Texas
Hondo Municipal Airport
Hondo Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Hondo, in Medina County, Texas, United States. It is owned and operated by the city of Hondo.-Facilities and aircraft:...
. The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
(and later United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
which was created out of the Army's Air Corps) sponsored post-graduate education in aeronautics
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
and management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
at Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He was USAF project officer for Northrup's famous flying wing.
Beardsley's Early Years in ACV Development
It's difficult to establish exactly when Mel Beardsley conceived the air-cushion vehicle,but he worked on a Navy hydrofoil project in southern California about 1950, and this was
his first known involvement in marine vehicles. The air-cushion may have been a low-friction boat-hull solution, to which Beardsley added forced air as the missing element for the basic air-cushion vehicle.
It is certain that Beardsley and the British inventor Cockerell
Christopher Cockerell
Sir Christopher Sydney Cockerell CBE FRS was an English engineer, inventor of the hovercraft.-Life:Cockerell was born in Cambridge, where his father, Sir Sydney Cockerell, was curator of the Fitzwilliam Museum, having previously been the secretary of William Morris. Christopher Cockerell was...
conceived the air-cushion vehicle independently. It was not possible for them to have known of each other's work. One may say that "the idea was in the air" and inevitable.
Beardsley's further personal research led to his patents of the early 1950s. After completing another 7 years of military service, Beardsley founded National Research Associates, Inc
National Research Associates, Inc
In 1958 Melville W. Beardsley founded National Research Associates company. NRA developed and tested over 30 air cushion vehicles, with the Air Gem Air cushion vehicle produced as their first product. NRA also sold Disney's Flying Saucers attraction under license...
. (NRA) in College Park
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
and Laurel, Maryland
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
to build practical air-cushion vehicles. Beardsley's experiments led to the development of the skirt and peripheral air-flow, without which hovercraft are impractical. A patent dispute had developed in the early 1960s to determine who had first come up with the ACV-hovercraft concept, Cockerell or Beardsley. Ultimately Cockerell paid a settlement of $85,000 to Beardsley for his patent rights, equivalent to more than $1,000,000 in today's dollars, which made practical the famous Channel hovercraft.
Beardsley Air Car Company and Skimmers, Inc.
Mel Beardsley still had a briefcase full of designs. One of the prototypes NRA made was the "Little Skimmer." It was a very basic solo ACV which could get up to 15 MPH. It was tricky to master, and took great balance! He established successively two companies in his home, Beardsley Air Car Company and Skimmers, Inc., and set out to see what market there was for sports model ACVs. Rather than add an extra engine and fan facing the rear, as in the his earlier Aqua-GEM model, Beardsley conceived a single-engine, single-fan design which was a forerunner of all modern sports hovercraft.Later life
Mel Beardsley worked from 1965-1976 with the Naval Ship Research and Development Center (NSRDC) near Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
. The large air-cushion vehicles used today by the US military are largely a product of their design and testing.
In his retirement he invented, tested, and patented the Beachbuilder system of beach erosion prevention. Beardsley died 26 November 1998.