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Inventor's Lights Still Shine on Stealth Bombers
5 Jul
Summary
- Warren G. Grimes pioneered aircraft lighting in the 1930s.
- His inventions are still used in modern aircraft like the B-2 bomber.
- The Grimes Flying Lab Foundation preserves his historic test airplane.
Warren G. Grimes, a visionary inventor born in 1898, earned the title 'Father of Aircraft Lighting' for his crucial contributions to aviation safety and progress in the 1930s. He founded Grimes Manufacturing Company in Urbana, Ohio, significantly impacting the aerospace industry and his local community.
Grimes patented the electric-powered retractable landing light in 1936 and designed numerous other interior and exterior lighting systems. His company received the Army-Navy 'E' Award for production excellence during World War II. His legacy endures, with his lighting designs still incorporated into aircraft like the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and Boeing 777.
The Grimes Flying Lab, the very aircraft used to test his innovations, is now preserved by The Grimes Flying Lab Foundation, a non-profit organization in Urbana. This historic Beech aircraft is open to the public on Saturdays from April through October, allowing visitors to appreciate Grimes' enduring impact on aviation.
