Kenneth Wernicke Explained

Kenneth Gene Wernicke (October 12, 1932 – September 1, 2022) was an American aerospace engineer. He had a leading role in the development of the tilt rotor aircraft Bell XV-3, Bell XV-15 and V-22 Osprey.

Life and career

Ken Wernicke had a BS and MS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas.^[1]

From 1955 to 1990 he was an engineer at Bell Helicopter, and worked as a leading engineer with Bob Lichten from 1964 on the tilt rotor technology.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Along with his twin brother Rod, (who was also a Bell engineer) his son Keith and Rod's sons Tim and Kent, he was developing a rubber tracked amphibious vehicle after the US Navy requested concepts for a scout vehicle that could travel on water at high speed and proceed with all terrain capability for reconnaissance on land.^{[5] [6]} He holds patents related to flying and tracks.^[7]

Wernicke was an advisory board member of rotorcraft company Carter Aviation Technologies.

Wernicke died in Bedford, Texas, on September 1, 2022, at the age of 89.^[8]

Awards

Wernicke has received the Paul E. Haueter Memorial Award (American Helicopter Society) in 1978,^[9] and the Aircraft Design Award (AIAA) in 1983.^[3]

Notes and References

1. http://www.foils.org/mtgpapers.htm "Hydrofoil Presentations"
2. Miller, Jay. "Origin of the Species" Air & Space/Smithsonian, July 2004. Accessed: 17 March 2012.
3. Maisel, Martin D., Demo J. Giulianetti and Daniel C. Dugan. NASA SP-2000-4517, "The History of the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft: From Concept to Flight" (PDF) NASA, 2000. Accessed: 17 March 2012.
4. Whittle, Richard. "The Dream Machine: The Untold History of the Notorious V-22 Osprey" pp41+48. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010. . Retrieved: 11 August 2012.
5. Hanlon, Mike. "Killer amphibious vehicle - 39 mph on water and 55 mph on land" GizMag, 27 February 2007. Accessed: 17 March 2012.
6. Wernicke, Ken "Tracks Provide Amphibians the Sole Means of Propulsion at High Speeds on the Water" International Hydrofoil Society, 10 December 2009. Accessed: 17 March 2012.
7. http://www.patentstorm.us/search/advanced.html?ptn_no=&inv_nm=Kenneth+Wernicke&ttl=&isdt_start=&isdt_end=&fldt_start=&fldt_end=&ptn_txt=&asg_nm=&atn=&examiner=&cls=&int_cls=&doc_type%5B%5D=0&doc_type%5B%5D=1&sort=0 "List of patents by Kenneth Wernicke"
8. Web site: Kenneth Wernicke Obituary (1932 - 2022) Star-Telegram . .
9. "Paul E. Haueter Award", American Helicopter Society