Leonard S. Hobbs

Born in Carbon County, Wyoming, Leonard S. Hobbs became one of the important engine designers of 20th-century aviation. He began work with the Army Air Service at McCook Field in 1920, later worked for Stromberg Motor Devices, and in 1927 joined Pratt & Whitney Aircraft.

Over the years, he contributed to major advances in aircraft propulsion. Sources consulted describe his work on an aircraft carburetor capable of operating during inverted flight, his design work connected with The Spirit of St. Louis, and his leadership in developing the Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet, an engine recognized with the 1952 Collier Trophy and widely associated with the transition into the jet age.

Hobbs also wrote The Wright Brothers' Engines and Their Design, published by the Smithsonian Institution Press in 1971. That book reflects the same practical, deeply informed engineering perspective that shaped his long career, making him an especially interesting figure for listeners curious about both aviation history and the people behind it.