Michael Gregor, born Mikheil Grigorashvili ( ka, მიხეილ გრიგორაშვილი) or Mikhail Leontyevich Grigorashvili () (1888–1953) was an aircraft engineer of Georgian origin, one of the pioneering aviators in the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Early years

Born in

Derbent Derbent, also historically known as Darband, or Derbend, is the southernmost city in Russia. It is situated along the southeastern coast of the Dagestan, Republic of Dagestan, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucas ...

, Russia, Grigorashvili graduated from the Imperial Institute of Communications in

St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...

and was trained as a pilot in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

in 1911.

Russia

Upon his return to Russia, Grigorashvili worked as an instructor for pilots and joined the army as an officer in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Georgia

The

Bolshevik coup The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. It was led by Vladimir Le ...

in 1917 forced him to retire to a newly independent

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

where he worked as a road engineer in the Georgian ministry for communications.

United States

After the Soviet takeover of Georgia in 1921, he went in exile to the

where he would naturalize in 1926. Having briefly worked for a minor aviation factory in

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

, Grigorashvili, by then known as Gregor, was recruited as an aircraft designer by the

Dayton-Wright Company The Dayton-Wright Company was formed in 1917, on the declaration of war between the United States and Germany, by a group of Ohio investors that included Charles F. Kettering and Edward A. Deeds of Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company ( DELCO ...

in 1921,

Curtiss-Wright The Curtiss-Wright Corporation is an American manufacturer and services provider headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina, with factories and operations in and outside the United States. Created in 1929 from the consolidation (business), consoli ...

in 1923, Seversky Aircraft Company in 1932 and

Chase Aircraft The Chase Aircraft Company, founded in 1943, was an American aircraft manufacturer, primarily constructing assault gliders and military transport aircraft. Lacking space for expansion, the company was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser in 1951. Plans ...

in the 1940s where he worked until 1953. In 1934, Gregor founded his own firm Gregor Aircraft which constructed an original light plane GR-1.

Canada

Two years later, Gregor was employed by the

Canadian Car and Foundry The Canadian Car & Foundry Company, Limited, and from 1957 onwards the Canadian Car Company Limited, was a manufacturer of buses, railway rolling stock, forestry equipment, and later aircraft for the Canadian market. CC&F history goes back to 18 ...

and designed FDB-1 biplane fighter.Milberry 1979, p. 111. Despite being an advanced and innovative design, incorporating all-metal construction with flush riveting, retractable undercarriage and a sleek shape, the FDB-I was overtaken by events and, after being unable to find a buyer, was lost in a fire in 1945. Despite that, Gregor became one of the founders of the Canadian aviation industry.Smith 1981, p. 49.

Final years

In the 1940s, Gregor worked as one of the leading designers for the

company. He died in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the federal capital, capital of the United States from November 1 until D ...

. "Detailed Biography of Michael Gregor, born Mikheil Grigorashvili, one of the Aviation pioneers of Russian Empire, USA and Canada."
''linkgeorgia.com,'' May 13, 2011. Retrieved: March 24, 2012.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Burkowski, Gordon and Gerry Beauchamp. "Twin Wings and not even a Prayer." ''Wings'', Vol. 27, no. 10, June 1997. * Milberry, Larry. ''Aviation in Canada''. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 1979. . * Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. ''Canadian Aircraft Since 1909''. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. . * Smith, Fred. "One to Remember: Flying the Gregor FDB-1." ''Air Classics'', Vol. 17, no. 5, May 1981. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gregor, Michael 1888 births 1953 deaths American people of Georgian (country) descent Aircraft designers from Georgia (country) American aerospace engineers Russian aviators People from Derbent Members of the Early Birds of Aviation People of World War I from Georgia (country)