John Stack
(1906-1972) graduated from MIT in 1928 and joined the Langley
Aeronautical Laboratory as an aeronautical engineer. In 1939
he became director of all the high-speed wind tunnels and high-velocity
airflow research at Langley. Three years later he was named chief
of the compressibility research division there. He was promoted
to assistant chief of research in 1947 and then became assistant
director of the research center. He guided much of the research
that paved the way for transonic aircraft, and in 1947 he was
awarded the Collier Trophy together with the pilot of the X-1
who broke the sound barrier, Charles E. Yeager. He won the award
again in 1952 and later won the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy
among other awards. From 1961-1962 he was director of aeronautical
research at NASA headquarters before retiring to become vice president
for engineering at Republic Aircraft Corporation from which he
retired in 1971. See "John Stack," biographical file,
NASA Historical Reference Collection.
Updated September 18, 1997