Frederick H. Rohr

Frederick Hilmer Rohr (10 May 1896 — 8 November 1965) was a German-American entrepreneur and engineer who founded Rohr Aircraft, the world's leading manufacturer of aerostructures in the mid-20th century. Rohr pioneered new methods of aircraft production, including the use of drop hammers, stainless steel honeycomb construction, and overpressed forming processes which radically increased the aviation industry's overall output, critical to the Allied war effort in the Second World War. Moreover, Rohr's company was the first to sell combined engine and casing packages to major airplane manufacturers like Convair or Lockheed, which previously constructed the components in-house. Headquartered in Chula Vista, Rohr was principally responsible for the city's growth during the 20th century.