Reuben H. Fleet - The Founder of Consolidated Aircraft

Major Reuben H. Fleet

Organized America's pilot training for World War I.
Organized the development of the first turbo supercharger.
Organized the development of America's first military parachute.
Organized the Airmail Service in 1918.
Bought the Wright brothers company (Wright Aeronautical) and Galludet (America's first airplane company).
Built the world's safest trainer airplanes, the PT-1 "Trusty."
Organized one of the world's first airlines, New York, Rio and Buenos Aires Line (NYRBA).
The largest manufacturer of aircraft during the Great Depression & during World War II.
Employed 41,000 people in San Diego in 1943.
Built over 18,000 B-24 Liberator and over 3,000 PBY Catalina bombers for WWII.
PBY Catalinas helped sink the Bismarck, found the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway, and rescued hundreds of pilots.
B-24 Liberators helped defeat the U-Boat menace, and conducted bombing raids deep into enemy territory throughout the war.

Consolidated Aircraft's Motto, painted on the side of the building in San Diego.
"Nothing Short of Right is Right."