R. Dale Reed

Dale Reed with model of NASA M2-F1 lifting body prototype in front of full-size aircraft.

Robert Dale Reed (February 20, 1930 - March 18, 2005) was an aerospace engineer who pioneered lifting body aircraft and remotely piloted research aircraft programs for NASA at Dryden Flight Research Center.

Career[]

Reed, born on February 20, 1930,^[1] was an aerospace engineer who pioneered lifting body aircraft and remotely piloted research aircraft programs at Dryden Flight Research Center in 1953.^[2] Reed is also known for conducting aerodynamic loads research on the X-1E, X-5, F-100, and D-558-II aircraft.

Later life[]

Reed retired in 1985, but returned as a contract aerospace engineer to work on the X-33, X-36 and X-38 research vehicles, two of which featured lifting body configurations. In all, Reed managed 19 projects and designed a dozen aircraft during his career.

He died March 18, 2005, in San Diego.

Awards[]

Before his retirement from NASA in 1985, Reed won four NASA awards ranging from the Exceptional Service Medal to an Associate Fellow Award.

References[]

^ "Robert D Reed". Fold3. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
^ https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/X-Press/50th_anniversary/driving_forces/driving_forces_p-r.html^{[bare URL]}

Sources[]

Reed, R. Dale; Lister, Darlene (1997). Wingless Flight: The Lifting Body Story. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Print
Hallion, Richard; Gorn, Michael H. (2004). On the Frontier: Experimental Flight at NASA Dryden. Washington: Smithsonian Institution. Print.
Dunbar, Brian. "Driving Forces." NASA. NASA, 12 Jan. 2009. Web. 06 June 2014.

[1] "Robert D Reed". Fold3. Retrieved May 8, 2020.

[2] ttps://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/X-Press/50th_anniversary/driving_forces/driving_forces_p-r.html^{[bare URL]}

[1]

[2]