Edward L. Hoffman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Lincoln Hoffman
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Calvin Coolidge (left) presenting the 1926 Collier Trophy to Edward L. Hoffman (right). Secretary of War Dwight Davis stands in the center.
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| Born |
Edward Lincoln Hoffman
December 17, 1884 |
| Died | October 6, 1970 (aged 85) |
| Nationality |  United States of America |
| Occupation | Army Officer (1911-1937) |
| Employer | United States Army Air Service |
| Known for | first practicable parachute |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth (born Abt. 1891 in Nebraska) |
| Parent(s) | William Hoffman Mary E. Aearn |
| Awards | Collier Trophy (1926) |
Edward Lincoln Hoffman (1884–1970) was an important officer and pilot in the United States Army Air Service (USAAS). He worked at McCook Field as the head of the Engineering Division.
Even though he had no experience with parachutes, he put together a special team. This team included aviation experts like Leslie Irvin and James Floyd Smith. Together, they created the first modern, practical parachute.
In 1926, Major E. L. Hoffman received the famous Collier Trophy. This award was given for his "development of a practical parachute." It was seen as the biggest achievement in American aviation that year.
Contents
Early Life and Military Career
Edward L. Hoffman was born on December 17, 1884. His birthplace was Fort Slocum, Davids Island, New Rochelle, New York. His father, William Hoffman, was a veteran of the American Civil War.
Edward joined the infantry in 1909. By 1911, he became an officer. In 1917, he moved to the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. He became the Chief of the Engineering Division at McCook Field. In this role, Hoffman's team worked on many aviation projects. These included parachutes, special bomb sights, and even how to refuel planes in the air.
Developing the Modern Parachute
The Parachute Board
In September 1918, General Billy Mitchell wanted to find the best parachute. He asked Floyd Smith, a test pilot, to lead a team. Smith was known for his daring stunts in flying circuses. He added Guy M. Ball, a mechanic, to his team.
After World War I ended, Smith's team joined Major Hoffman. Hoffman created the "Parachute Board." This new team included Floyd Smith, Guy Ball, and others. There was also Harry Eibe, a show-jumper, and Sgt Ralph Bottreil, an Army parachutist. Engineers James M. Russell and James J. Higgins also joined.
The team tested 17 different parachute designs. They used dummies for the first tests. Floyd Smith's design worked the best.
The "Type A" Parachute
The winning design was improved and became the "Type A" parachute. It had important new features:
- A soft pack worn on the back.
- A ripcord that the jumper pulled to open the parachute.
- A small spring-assisted pilot chute to help the main parachute open.
Some people, including Major Hoffman, worried that a free-fall jump was too dangerous. They thought a jumper might pass out before pulling the ripcord. But Floyd Smith and Leslie Irvin, who were used to aerial stunts, convinced Hoffman to test the Type A. Leslie Irvin volunteered to jump, and Floyd Smith would pilot the plane.
First Free-Fall Jump
On April 28, 1919, Leslie Irvin made history. He used the "Type A" backpack parachute, which was 28 feet wide. He was in a de Havilland DH9 biplane piloted by Floyd Smith. The plane was flying at 100 miles per hour and 1500 feet high.
Irvin jumped out of the plane. He had a backup parachute on his chest, just in case. He manually pulled the ripcord, and his parachute opened perfectly at 1000 feet. Irvin became the first American to jump from a plane and open his parachute by hand in midair. He broke his ankle when he landed, but the parachute worked flawlessly. Floyd Smith filed the patent for the Type A on the same day.
After Irvin's successful jump, other team members tried the Type A. Sgt Ralph Bottreil became the first US serviceman to make a free-fall jump with the Type A. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery.
Improvements and Army Adoption
The Parachute Board found that the backpack chute took up too much space in the cockpit. So, they redesigned it to be a "seat style" chute, worn lower on the pilot's back. Hoffman's team tested the Type A parachute over 1000 times. All these tests were successful.
Because of these tests, the Army decided that parachutes must be used on all Air Service flights. Hoffman created the official US Army plans for this parachute. The Army then ordered 300 parachutes from the lowest bidder, which was Irvin's Irving Air Chute Company.
Floyd Smith later had a disagreement about the patent. The US Government paid him $3500 to transfer his patent to Irvin's company.
The Caterpillar Club
Today, the original 1919 Type A ripcord parachute is on display. You can see it at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
On October 20, 1922, Lieutenant Harold R. Harris had to jump from his disabled plane. His life was saved by an Irving parachute. People at McCook Field thought that a club should be formed for pilots whose lives were saved by parachutes.
Two years later, Irvin's company started the Caterpillar Club. They gave a special gold pin to pilots who successfully bailed out of a disabled aircraft using an Irving parachute. Leslie Irvin promised to give a gold pin to everyone saved by his parachutes. By the end of World War II, over 34,000 people had received these pins. It's estimated that 100,000 lives were saved by Irvin parachutes.
In 1926, US President Calvin Coolidge personally congratulated Major Edward L. Hoffman. He received the Collier Trophy for creating a practical parachute. This was a huge achievement in American aviation.
Later Work and Retirement
Triangle Parachute
In 1927, Hoffman's Parachute Board moved to Wright Field. It was renamed the Parachute and Clothing Branch. Here, Hoffman developed a new kind of parachute called the "Triangle Parachute." This parachute could be steered.
Hoffman's team also worked on very large parachutes. These were used to slow down bombs. They could even help recover or slow down entire aircraft. This work later helped with space capsule recovery.
After Wright Field, Hoffman became the commander at Lunken Airport. He received a patent for his Triangle chute design. However, since he designed it while in the military, it was free for public use. Hoffman started the Triangle Parachute Company. The US Army bought some of these parachutes. But they stopped using them because they were hard to pack and expensive. This led to the company closing.
In 1936, Hoffman received a reprimand from the United States Secretary of War. This was because of his business connections while still in the military.
Retirement and New Ventures
On June 1, 1937, Edward L. Hoffman retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He moved his family to San Diego. There, he started a parachute manufacturing business with Jimmy Russell in 1938. Their company was called Hoffman & Russell.
They focused on developing very large parachutes. These parachutes were designed to safely return entire disabled aircraft to the ground. They even received a patent to reduce how much parachutes swayed. They successfully tested 60-foot wide parachutes and planned for even bigger 225-foot ones. Their ideas were ahead of their time. Russell later left the partnership to work for another parachute company.
Edward L. Hoffman lived with his wife Ruth in San Diego, California. He passed away on October 6, 1970.
Images for kids
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Calvin Coolidge (left) presenting the 1926 Collier Trophy to Edward L. Hoffman (right). Secretary of War Dwight Davis stands in the center.
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Prop and wings.
