Hans von Ohain

Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain was a German physicist, engineer, and the designer of the first turbojet engine to power an aircraft. Together with Frank Whittle he has been described as the co-inventor of the turbojet engine however, the historical timelines show that von Ohain was still a university student when in January 1930, Whittle filed his first patent for a turbojet engine and Whittle successfully ran his first engine in April 1937, some 6 months before von Ohain. Additionally, prior to designing engine and filing his own patent in 1935, von Ohain had read and critiqued Whittle's patents. Von Ohain stated in his biography, that "My interest in jet propulsion began in the fall of 1933 when I was in my seventh semester at Göttingen University. I didn't know that many people before me had the same thought.". Unlike Whittle, von Ohain had the significant advantage of being supported by an aircraft manufacturer, Heinkel, who funded his work.

14 December 1911

Born on the same birth date (14 December 1911): Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz • Spike Jones

Born on the same birth day (14 December): André Couto • Archie Kao • Ben Henry • Capel Bond • Chris Harris (actor) • David R. Harris (geographer) • Ellen Willis • Morey Amsterdam • Natascha McElhone • René Eespere • Tommy McAvoy • Xul Solar

Born in the same month (December 1911): Calvin Griffith • Chet Huntley • Dal Stivens • Danny O'Dea • Hortense Calisher • James Gregory (actor) • Jules Dassin • Klaus Fuchs • Louise Bourgeois • Naguib Mahfouz • Niels Kaj Jerne • Nikos Gatsos • Nino Rota • Qian Xuesen • Ryūzō Sejima • Trygve Haavelmo • Walter Alston • Wil van Beveren