Maxwell Bassett, Aviation Pioneer

Maxwell Bassett descends from #4B William Bassett of Lynn as follows:

Roger Bassett and Ann Holland
William Bassett (b. 1623) and wife Sarah Burt
Elisha Bassett (b. 1649) and wife Elizabeth Collins
Elisha Bassett (b. 1692) and wife Abigail Davis
Elisha Bassett (b. 1722) and wife Mary Woodnutt
Joseph Bassett (b. 1765) and wife Mary Allen
Elisha Bassett (b. 1788) and wife Mary Nicholson
David Bassett (b. 1814) and wife Mary Smith
Walter Smith Bassett (b. 1845) and wife Emma T. Black
Alexander Black Bassett (b. 1874) and wife Sarah Mauder Kuen
Maxwell Bernard Bassett

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Saturday, July 1, 1933

Maxwell Bassett of Philadelphia, not new to the model building fraternity, set the pace at the meet and walked away with three of the major honors. Maxwell won the choice Mulvihill (English) Trophy, the Texaco Trophy awarded in the gasoline engine powered contest, and the new International William A. Moffett Trophy. Maxwell, although only 18 years old, flew his squadron of planes in the various events to real victory and it is the first time in the history of the national meet that any one boy took three major honors.

maxwellbassett1937 Maxwell Bassett airplane kit recently for sale on ebay

Greenwich Time, April 13, 2005
Maxwell Bassett

     Maxwell Bassett, 90, and Aviation Pioneer of Stuart, FL, died Monday, April 4th in Stuart. He was born in Philadelphia, PA, and was a resident of Stuart for more than 20 years. In 1939 he graduated from the University of PA with a M.E. and did post graduate work in aeronautical engineering.

Maxwell Bassett’s work with model airplane design revolutionized the hobby from rubber band power to gas powered engines. Along with Bill Brown (who designed the first practical gas powered model airplane engine) Maxwell designed the planes that showed the world how to fly models with this type of power. In the 1930’s he created a succession of tremendously successful designs that won many awards setting national records naming some planes after his hometown “Miss Philadelphia”. He won several first and two world’s records and is in the Model Aviation Hall of Fame.

After he did post graduate work, he joined Martin Aircraft Co. in Baltimore, MD as an aircraft designer. His early project at Martin included extensive design on the B26, the Mars flying boat, and other military aircraft during WWII. Near the end of the war in 1941, Glen L. Martin made Bassett head of the advances design department to come up with a design for a projected post war airline transport which resulted in the Martin 202 in 1946, the last major aircraft ever designed by one person. With Martin he also designed the Martin 404, a precursor to the U2 spy plane, and the Titan missile. In 1961, he joined General Precision Electronics Corporation, leaving the company in 1970 and doing management consulting.

Bassett was an avid worldwide sailor and racer and explored the Island chain of the Caribbean numerous times.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years Rosamond Berg Bassett of Stuart, FL; son Alexander Bruce Bassett of Danbury, CT; daughter Beverly Kimmel of Chappaqua, NY; three grandsons and sister Hannah Dwyer of Greenwich, CT.

Arrangements are under the direction of Aycock Funeral Home, Stuart.

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