Henry M. Crane | |
|---|---|
 Henry M. Crane, 1924 | |
| Born | Henry Middlebrook Crane June 16, 1874 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 21, 1956 (aged 81) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Occupation(s) | Mechanical Engineer Aeronautical Engineer Electrical Engineer Marine Engineer Automobile executive |
| Employer(s) | American Bell Telephone. Western Electric Crane & Whitman Crane Motor Car Company Simplex Automobile Company Crane-Simplex Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation Wright Aeronautical Corporation General Motors |
| Known for | Pontiac Six engine Crane-Simplex cars Dixie speedboat engines |
Henry Middlebrook Crane (June 16, 1874 – January 21, 1956) was an American engineer and pioneer in the automobile industry.[1][2] He was the president of Crane Motor Car Company, vice president of engineering for the Simplex Automobile Company, and designed the Pontiac Six motor for General Motors.[1][3]
Crame also designed speedboat motors for three American Power Boat Association Gold Cup champions and three Harmsworth Cup winners.[4] During World War I, he designed and oversaw the production of airplane engines for Wright-Martin which were used by both French and United States warplanes.[2] He also chaired the Liberty Engine Test Committee and helped create Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corporation, which developed and manufactured fighter planes.[5][2]
In its 1924 silver anniversary issue, the Automobile Trade Journal selected Crane as one of the "Creative Workers" who played a significant role in the development and advancement of the automobile.[6]
- ^ a b "H. M. Crane Dead; Auto Pioneer, 81" (PDF). The New York Times. January 22, 1956. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c Gardner, Lester D. (1922). Who's Who in American Aeronautics. New York: The Gardner, Moffit, Co. p. 37 – via Hathi Trust.
- ^ Donnelly, Jim (June 2012). "Henry M. Crane". Hemmings Classic Car. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
- ^ "The Gold Cup Races". www.lesliefield.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
- ^ "Engineers Named to Liberty Motor". Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut). February 18, 1918. p. 4. Retrieved May 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Creative Workers". Automobile Trade Journal. 29: 240. December 1924. hdl:2027/mdp.39015013791036 – via Hathi Trust.