Flickinger, M. L. (Maynard L.), 1900-1990

Maynard L. Flickinger was born in Barberton, Ohio, in 1900 and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1921. He came to Akron in 1923 to work at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company on the semi-rigid airship RS-1 for the U.S. Army. When that job was finished, he was assigned to the planning department. After the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation was formed to build rigid airships, he interviewed with that division's head, Dr. Karl Arnstein and was hired. One of his first projects was to draw the largest possible rigid airship that could be constructed in Goodyear's only hanger in 1925, the one located at the company's Wingfoot Lake base. In 1926, Flickinger was assigned to preliminary design. By 1929, he was one of the most trusted engineers. Flickinger also had lessons in airship flying from Goodyear's chief blimp pilot, Jack Boettner. Flickinger also worked on the design of the ZRS-4 (USS Akron) and participated in the first trial flight of that airship. He also worked on the design of the ZRS-5 (USS Macon). Flickinger contributed to the design of the Navy's L and K-ship blimps of the late 1930s that he helped to develop further in World War II. During the war and afterward, Flickinger was in charge of field service (including responsibility for service bulletins) and handbooks for the U.S. Navy airships and also the Goodyear-built F2G-1 Corsair Navy Fighter plane. After WWII, Flickinger worked on various airship proposals, including one for a nuclear-powered blimp, and on design of all the Navy blimps from the "Nan" N-ships (later designated ZPG-2) through the early-warning radar equipped ZPG-3W airship. He retired in 1965 with 42 years of continuous service. He died in Akron on October 8, 1990.

Maynard L. Flickinger was born in Barberton, Ohio, in 1900 and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1921. He came to Akron in 1923 to work at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company on the semi-rigid airship RS-1 for the U.S. Army. When that job was finished, he was assigned to the planning department.

After the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation was formed to build rigid airships, he interviewed with that division's head, Dr. Karl Arnstein. "Flick" was hired and given a job just outside Arnstein's office. One of his first projects was to draw the largest possible rigid airship that could be constructed in Goodyear's only hanger in 1925, the one located at the company's Wingfoot Lake base.

Flickinger helped to write speeches and reports for the German-speaking engineers Goodyear-Zeppelin Corp. brought to Akron to direct rigid airship construction. In 1926, Flickinger was assigned to preliminary design. By 1929, he was one of the most trusted engineers. Flickinger also had lessons in airship flying from Goodyear's chief blimp pilot, Jack Boettner.

Flickinger also worked on the design of the ZRS-4 (USS Akron ) and participated in the first trial flight of that airship. He also worked on the design of the ZRS-5 (USS Macon ). Flickinger contributed to the design of the Navy's L and K-ship blimps of the late 1930s that he helped to develop further in World War II. He was a trouble-shooter for problems that arose with the airships and contributed to solutions involving the landing gear, mooring system and load-bearing fabric patches. During the war and afterward, Flickinger was in charge of field service (including responsibility for service bulletins) and handbooks for the U.S. Navy airships and also the Goodyear-built F2G-1 Corsair Navy Fighter plane.

After WWII, Flickinger worked on various airship proposals, including one for a nuclear-powered blimp, and on design of all the Navy blimps from the "Nan" N-ships (later designated ZPG-2) through the early-warning radar equipped ZPG-3W airship. He retired in 1965 with 42 years' continuous service. He died in Akron on October 8, 1990.