Frederick C. Durant

Durant was a descendant of Thomas C. Durant and engineer Joseph Harrison, Jr.[2] Durant's father was Frederick C. Durant Jr., an engineer educated at MIT and the Colorado School of Mines, who became president of a Telephone Company[2]

Fred C. Durant III graduated the Haverford preparatory school in 1934.[4] In 1939, Durant earned a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University.[2][1] From 1939 to 1941, Durant was employed as a chemical engineer with the E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., at Pennsgrove, New Jersey.[2]

In May 1941, Durant enlisted as a US naval aviation cadet.[2] Durant went on to serve as naval aviator and flight instructor.[2] In 1946, retired from the Navy at the rank of Commander in the Naval Reserves.[2] In 1951, Durant returned to service as a test pilot, ultimately flying some 30 different types of aircraft.[5]

At a meeting of Project Orbiter on March 16, 1954, Fred C. Durant is seen seated at the table, second from the left.

In 1947, Durant began work as a rocket engineer with Bell Aircraft in Buffalo New York.[2] From 1948 to 1951, he served as Director of Engineering at the U.S. Naval Air Rocket Test Station at Dover, New Jersey.[2] In 1953, he became the President of the American Rocket Society[2][1]

Durant was a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society,[2] the German Society for Aviation and Space Flight (DGLR),[2] and the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences[2] Durant was a consultant to the Department of Defense, Bell Aerosystems Co., Central Intelligence Agency, others.[2] From 1954 to 1955, Durant was part of Project Orbiter, along with von Braun.[2][1][3][6]

In 1961, Durant moved to D.C., where he would stay until 1999.[1] In 1965, Durant became the Assistant director of National Air and Space Museum.[2] He retired from that post in 1980.[2] During his time at the Smithsonian, Durant wrote articles for Encyclopædia Britannica on rockets and spaceflight.[2] In 1983, Durant collaborated with Ron Miller and illustrator Chesley Bonestell on a book entitled "Worlds Beyond".[7] The book features a foreword by Arthur C. Clarke.[8]

Durant was a lifelong member of Society of American Magicians.[2] He married Celeste Bennett, who died from hepatitis[2] In 1947, Durant married Carolyn Jones ("Pip"). Durnah was father to three sons and one daughters. Durant died 2015, being preceded in death by his two of his sons: Derek and William.[2][3]