Frederick B. Rentschler

Frederick Brant Rentschler (November 8, 1887 – April 25, 1956) was an American aircraft engine designer, aviation engineer, and industrialist. A talented inventor of aviation equipment, Rentschler founded Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. which created and manufactured many revolutionary aircraft engines, including those used in the aircraft of Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and James Doolittle. His is also the co-founder of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation, the predecessor of United Technologies Corporation.

Rentschler was born on November 8, 1887 in Hamilton, Ohio to German-Americans George A. Rentschler and Phoebe Schwab, whose family owned the Republic Motor Car Co. that built Republic cars from 1910 until 1916. They were also principals in Hooven-Owens-Rentschler, and his brother Gordon S. Rentschler would become Chairman of National City Bank. The family resided in the Rentschler House, which has since been named a historic site.

He graduated from Princeton University in 1909 and worked in his family's businesses as a molder and machinist. When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, he joined the United States Army. As a First Lieutenant and later Captain, he was assigned to inspect Hispano-Suiza aircraft engines manufactured under French license at the Wright-Martin plant in New Brunswick, New Jersey The armistice of November 11, 1918, ended the contract and caused the reorganization of Wright-Martin.