Inventor And Pilot Was The Son Of A WWI Flying Ace

Inventor and pilot Dr. Forrest Bird passed away August 2 at his home in Sagle, ID, and during the final few days of his life, friends in their airplanes buzzed Bird's house and museum as a tribute to their colleague. "He loved the sound of the engines," wrote Bird's wife Pamela in an email to friends and supporters.

Bird was born on June 9, 1921 in Stoughton, MA, the son of a WWI flying ace who encouraged his interest in airplanes. According to CDAPRess.com, Bird had graduated high school at 14 years old and soloed in a Waco biplane. As a teenager, he met Orville Wright at the 1937 Cleveland Air Show.

During WWII, Bird was rated in every aircraft flown by the U.S. Armed Services. He flew over the Burma Hump with General George S. Patton, and flew a captured Junkers 88 at one point in the war.

That Ju-88 had a pressurized cabin, which gave the German's an altitude advantage over Allied pilots. Using a tin can, Bird developed the demand regulator that allowed Allied pilots to fly as high as 38,000 feet, and keep up with the Germans.

He was also credited with designing the first G-suit ... and inflatable jumpsuit that would help prevent loss of consciousness during high-G maneuvers.

Bird went on to became a doctor, and he adapted the demand regulator into a respirator to help patients breathe by forcing air into their lungs.

He was inducted in the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1995.

Bird's residence is also a 16,000 square foot museum, in which many of his airplanes are stored. The museum also houses collectable cars and other artifacts, including some donated by NASA. The CDAPress reports that several of Bird's airplanes will be donated to the Smithsonian Institute.

Bird was 94. A few days before his passing, he was called by his friend Burt Rutan, who said "I talked to him for about 10 minutes and three times during my call I could hear the sound of airplanes buzzing his house on his museum airport. Cool."

(Pictured: Dr. Forrest Bird receives the Citizen's Medal from then-President George W. Bush in 2008)

FMI: www.birdaviationmuseum.com