Hall L. Hibbard, Aircraft Engineer

Hall L. Hibbard, 92, aviation engineer who built early fighter and commercial airplanes. Born in Fredonia, Kan., he grew up in the Philippine Islands, where his father was a missionary, and studied at the College of Emporia and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He began his career as a draftsman for the Stearman Aircraft Co. in Wichita, Kan., and three years later became a chief engineer. In 1932, he joined Lockheed, where he was quickly promoted to vice president and chief engineer because of his work on the Electra, the world’s first 200 mph commercial plane. During World War II, Hibbard was responsible for design and development of the Hudson bomber, P-38 Lightning fighter, P-80 Shooting Star fighter, C-69 Constellation transport and XR-60 Constitution. Later he helped develop several military versions of the Constellation. He rose to senior vice president and director of Lockheed and was a trustee of Carnegie Institute of Technology. On June 6 in Los Angeles.