Richard Schreder
| Richard Schreder | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 September 1915 Tecumseh, Michigan |
| Died |
2 August 2002 (aged 86) Bryan, Ohio |
| Occupation | Aircraft Engineer |
| Spouse(s) | Doris Elizabeth Clayton, Angelike Schreder |
| Children | Richard Tabb Schreder, Douglas Lee Schreder; Carol Ann Schreder, Karen Schreder |
| Awards | Lilienthal Gliding Medal (1959) |
Richard E. Schreder (25 September 1915 – 2 August 2002) was an American naval aviator and sailplane developer, responsible for design and development of the HP/RS-series kit sailplanes marketed from 1962 until about 1982. Schreder also founded and ran Airmate, a successful drafting supplies company.
At age 9 Schreder built his first airplane, a biplane hang glider that he built from plans found in a Popular Mechanics magazine. At 19 he built his first powered airplane, a single-seater powered by a Henderson Motorcycle engine.
After receiving a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toledo in 1938, Schreder joined the United States Navy as a Naval Aviation Cadet. He served in the Navy until 1948, rising to the rank of Commander.
While in the Navy, Schreder was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the sinking of the German submarine U-158 off Bermuda on 30 June 1942 while commanding a Martin PBM Mariner. Schreder's airmanship and marksmanship were such that he achieved a direct hit on the deck of the submarine with a depth charge. Schreder and his crew were initially disappointed when the depth charge did not explode on impact, and that it merely lodged itself into the teak planking of the deck. However, they continued to circle the site after the U-boat submerged, and observed that the charge detonated after the sub carried it down to its pre-set trigger depth.
After leaving the Navy, Schreder founded a successful drafting supplies business in Toledo, Ohio, and later moved it to Bryan, Ohio. His fascination with flight continued unabated while nurturing this business, and he continued to experiment with small aircraft when he could. His next design, an all-metal low-wing single-seater called the Airmate 5, won the Experimental Aircraft Association's best workmanship award in 1954. A high-wing four-seater with a V-tail soon followed, but was abandoned before completion when Schreder tried soaring and was immediately hooked.
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