Robert Ellsworth Gross (May 11, 1897 – September 3, 1961) was an American businessman involved in the field of aviation. His first venture, the Viking Flying Boat Company, failed with the loss of the aircraft market brought on by the Great Depression.
Gross bet the future of the struggling new company on the (for its time) very advanced all-metal, retractable Model 10, named the Electra. This design, and its numerous descendants, came to dominate the light transport market in the 1930s and was used in numerous record-setting flights. The Electra placed Lockheed in a strong competitive position, and from 1937 the company mass-produced P-38 Lightning fighters and, from 1943, Constellation airliners, along with numerous other types.
robert, gross, businessman, other, people, named, robert, gross, robert, gross, disambiguation, robert, ellsworth, gross, 1897, september, 1961, american, businessman, involved, field, aviation, first, venture, viking, flying, boat, company, failed, with, loss. For other people named Robert Gross see Robert Gross disambiguation Robert Ellsworth Gross May 11 1897 September 3 1961 was an American businessman involved in the field of aviation His first venture the Viking Flying Boat Company failed with the loss of the aircraft market brought on by the Great Depression Robert E GrossGross centre Born 1897 05 11 May 11 1897Newton Massachusetts U S DiedSeptember 3 1961 1961 09 03 aged 64 Los Angeles California U S ParentsRobert Haven Gross father Mabel Bowman Bell mother Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 Sources 4 External linksBiography editGross was born in Newton Massachusetts He attended St George s School in Middletown Rhode Island and graduated in 1915 He attended Harvard where he was elected captain of the ice hockey team in his senior year In 1932 a group of investors led by Robert and his brother Courtlandt S Gross bought the Lockheed Aircraft Company from the bankrupt Detroit Aircraft Corporation renaming it the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation Robert Gross served as the corporation s president from 1934 to 1956 Gross bet the future of the struggling new company on the for its time very advanced all metal retractable Model 10 named the Electra This design and its numerous descendants came to dominate the light transport market in the 1930s and was used in numerous record setting flights The Electra placed Lockheed in a strong competitive position and from 1937 the company mass produced P 38 Lightning fighters and from 1943 Constellation airliners along with numerous other types Gross died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 64 Legacy editIn the 2004 film The Aviator the character of Robert Gross appeared in a brief scene played by Brent Spiner Sources editNational Aviation Hall of FameExternal links editRobert E Gross at Find a Grave nbsp This article about an American businessperson born in the 1890s is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert E Gross businessman amp oldid 1183929685, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
