Arnstein, Karl, 1887-

Karl Arnstein (b. Mar. 24, 1887-d. Dec. 12, 1974, Akron, Ohio) was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Before coming the United States, Arnstein served as Director of Technical Science at the University of Prague; honorary Director of Engineering at the University of Aix La Chapelle in Aachen, Germany, and was Fellow, both at the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. From 1915 to 1924, he was employed by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin in Germany. He came to the United States in 1924, when he began his career with the Goodyear Corporation as Vice President and Chief Engineer in charge of engineering and production. Later in his career, he directed the design and construction of the U.S.S. Akron and U.S.S. Macon for the U.S. Navy. Arnstein became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1930.

Karl Arnstein (1887-1974) worked as a designer of zeppelin airships, first for the Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin Company in Germany and later for the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation in the United States. He also designed reinforced-concrete bridges, a dirigible hangar, and a high-speed train. Arnstein was among the first to apply the techniques of modern stress analysis to aircraft structures. From 1940 until his retirement in 1957, Arnstein was responsible for engineering at the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in Akron, Ohio, which built civilian and military blimps as well as other aircraft.

Karl Arnstein was born in Prague, Bohemia on March 24, 1887. Graduating from high school in 1904, Arnstein attended the German Institute of Technology and the University of Prague, studying Philosophy, Pedagogics and Engineering; graduating Summa Cum Laude (Engineering) in 1910. He was awarded the degree Doctor of Technical Sciences (Cum Laude) in 1912.

From 1909-1911, Arnstein was the assistant to the university's Head of the Bridge Engineering Department, Dr. Joseph Melan. Arnstein instructed in bridge design and stress analysis and won a competition for the design of the Lorraine bridge in Bern, Switzerland.

From 1911-1914, he was employed as Chief Engineer for the firm Ed. Zublin & Cie., Strasbourg. While with this firm he calculated the design and helped build the reinforced-concrete viaduct of the Chur-Arosa electric railroad near Langwies, Switzerland. This delicate-looking but soundly engineered long-span arched bridge served as a prototype for other large, reinforced-concrete bridges. Dr. Arnstein also was responsible for engineering reinforcements to the weakened pillars supporting the tower of the Strasbourg Cathedral.

From 1915 to 1924, Dr. Arnstein, on the personal invitation of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, accepted a position with the Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin concern of Friedrichshafen, Germany and soon became Chief Constructor. While there he developed the theoretical calculations necessary for the design and construction of larger, more efficient airships employing aluminum (duralumin) alloy joints and girders, including the L-59 "Africa ship," the commercial airship Bodensee, and the U.S.S. Los Angeles (LZ 126/ZR-3).

At the recommendation of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, Paul W. Litchfield, the president of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company selected Arnstein to head a group of engineers at the newly-formed Goodyear-Zeppelin subsidiary in Akron, Ohio. Arnstein served as Vice-President in charge of Engineering and a Director of the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation. Dr. Arnstein immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1924 for the purpose of building rigid airships for commerce. In 1926, Arnstein was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Engineering from the University of Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle).

Contracts to develop trans-oceanic passenger and cargo airships in the United States were not forthcoming, but in 1928 the U.S. Navy awarded the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation a contract to construct two large (6,500,000 cubic feet volume) rigid airships to be used for scouting and fleet operations. Arnstein and his team designed these airships, the U.S.S. Akron and the U.S.S. Macon, with several innovations. Intended from the start to fly using inert helium for lift, each ship incorporated inboard engines as opposed to the external power gondolas of former ships. To enhance their handling, the airships were equipped with tiltable propellers. The airships also carried water recovery apparatus to condense water vapor from the engine exhaust. The weight of this recovered water would be used to help keep the ship at equilibrium by compensating for the loss in weight the ship experienced as its onboard fuel supply was consumed. Finally, each of these airships was designed with the capability, via a retractable boom known as a trapeze, to launch and retrieve up to five scout airplanes stored within a hangar bay inside the ship's hull. This made the Akron and Macon true airborne aircraft carriers.

To construct these rigid airships, Arnstein and his team designed the air dock at the Akron municipal airport. The design of this structure incorporated a semi-paraboloid shape to reduce wind resistance. The dimensions of this dock are 325 feet wide, 1,175 feet long and 211 feet high. When the dock was completed in early 1930 it was the world's largest free-standing structure without interior supports.

Along with the big rigid airships, Arnstein directed the design of free balloons, notably the stratosphere balloons Century of Progress and Explorer II, which captured world altitude records for manned aircraft. During the 1930s Dr. Arnstein also developed a streamlined commuter train called the "Comet" for the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad incorporating monocoque construction. Dr. Arnstein also developed various types of blimps for the U.S. Navy. Among these were the L-type (130,000 cubic feet volume) non-rigid airship, derived from Goodyear's public relations blimp fleet and used for crew training, and the K-type (404,000 cubic feet volume), developed for maritime convoy escort, patrol and anti-submarine warfare duties.

In 1940, the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation was dissolved and the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation was formed. The new company expanded to become a major defense contractor during World War II and eventually built more than 150 non-rigid blimps for the U.S. Navy, including the larger M-type (625,000 - 725,000 cubic feet volume). The company also built many types of barrage balloons. In addition to lighter-than-air projects Goodyear Aircraft Corporation built airplane sub-assemblies for Martin, Grumman, Consolidated, North American Aviation and Boeing. Arnstein supervised the construction of over 4000 FG-1 Corsair fighter planes that Goodyear manufactured under license from Vought during World War II. He also directed the development of the 3000 hp F2G Corsair, one of the fastest piston engine aircraft ever built.

Arnstein made several innovations of note in the field of heavier-than-air engineering. During the 1950s Arnstein pioneered the use of high strength and heat resistant materials incorporating "sandwich type" construction and special "cross-wind" landing gear. He oversaw the development of radomes, airplane ejection capsules, high-stength laminated aircraft canopies, computers and other aviation products as America moved into the space age. In the field of airships, Arnstein directed the development of a series of radar-equipped non-rigid airships that performed patrol and picket duty along the Navy's DEW (Distant Early Warning) line. These blimps enabled the navy to project its radar surveillance capabilities over vast expanses with the objective of providing early warning of any aerial attack on the United States.

Other projects undertaken by Goodyear and Dr. Arnstein in the post-World War II era were the construction of prefabricated aluminum houses, an ultralight helicopter, and an amphibious airplane for private and commercial use. Dr. Arnstein retired from the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation in 1957, but continued as a consultant for several years thereafter. Over his career, his innovations in aircraft design were granted thirty-three U.S. and foreign patents.

Dr. Arnstein married Bertha "Bertl" Marie Jehle in 1919. The Arnsteins had four children and the family lived in Akron beginning in 1925. Karl Arnstein became a naturalized American citizen in 1930. He understood English, French, German and Czech. His outside interests included art, art history, and gardening (especially roses). He passed away on December 12, 1974.