William Whitney Christmas
William Whitney Christmas (September 1, 1865 – April 14, 1960) was an American physician, inventor, and aviation pioneer. He is best known for his controversial contributions to early aviation and his involvement in the development of the Christmas Bullet, an aircraft that has been widely criticized for its flawed design.
Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]
William Whitney Christmas was born on September 1, 1865, in Warrenton, North Carolina. He pursued a career in medicine and graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in medicine. Christmas later attended the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, where he furthered his medical education.
Medical Career[edit | edit source]
Christmas practiced medicine in various locations, including New York City and Washington, D.C.. He was known for his work in the field of surgery and made several contributions to medical literature. Despite his medical background, Christmas is more famously remembered for his ventures into aviation.
Aviation Career[edit | edit source]
William Whitney Christmas's interest in aviation began in the early 20th century. He claimed to have designed several aircraft, although his most infamous creation was the Christmas Bullet. The Bullet was an aircraft that Christmas designed and built in 1918. It was intended to be a revolutionary fighter plane for use in World War I, but it was plagued by numerous design flaws.
The Christmas Bullet[edit | edit source]
The Christmas Bullet was constructed with a unique design that included wings without any internal bracing, relying solely on the strength of the wing covering. This design choice led to catastrophic failures during flight. The first prototype crashed on its maiden flight, killing the test pilot. A second prototype met a similar fate, resulting in another fatal crash. The Bullet's failures have made it a notorious example of poor aircraft design in aviation history.
Legacy[edit | edit source]
Despite his failures in aviation, William Whitney Christmas continued to promote his ideas and inventions. He held several patents related to aviation and other fields. Christmas's legacy is a complex one, marked by both his contributions to medicine and his controversial role in early aviation.
Death[edit | edit source]
William Whitney Christmas passed away on April 14, 1960, in New York City.
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External Links[edit | edit source]
 | This medical article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
