Stack, John (1906–1972)
American aeronautical engineer who played an important role in the effort
to achieve manned supersonic flight (see sound
barrier). Stack graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1928 and then joined the Langley Aeronautical
Laboratory, becoming director of all the high-speed wind tunnels and high-velocity
airflow research there in 1939. Three years later he was named chief of
the compressibility research division at Langley. In 1947, he was promoted
to assistant chief of research, a title then changed to assistant director
of the research center. Stack guided much of the research that paved the
way for transonic aircraft, and in 1947
was awarded the Collier Trophy together Charles Yeager,
the pilot who first broke the sound barrier. From 1961 to 1962 Stack was
director of aeronautical research at NASA Headquarters before leaving to
become vice president for engineering at Republic Aircraft Corp (later part
of Fairchild Industries) from which he retired in 1971.
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