Richard Walter Palmer
Information provided by Pete Palmer, descendant of Richard Walter Palmer.
Richard Walter Palmer was born 20 October 1903 in Oakland, CA, and died 23 February 1995
in Whittier, Ca.. He married EILEEN CLARK. She was born 02 September 1913 in Indiana, and
died 18 September 1972 in Whittier, Ca..
Richard Palmer was the designer of the H1 Racer flown by Howard Hughes in July of 1938 to
break the land speed record. The airplane is currently on display in the Smithsonian
Aerospace Museum with
Richard Palmer noted as the designer.
3/17/1995 Whittier Daily News
"Richard W. Palmer lived quietly here for at least 50 of his 91 years Very few people
locally knew who he was. Even fewer know he had been chief engineer for billionaire
industrialist Howard Hughes in his early years and an international botanical expert,
specializing in palm trees, in his later years.
Palmer died Feb 23, 1995, after several years of declining health, said Court Montrose,
51, who was retained by the family seven years ago to watch over Palmer's needs and
well-being. A few people in Palmer's neighborhood on Rideout Way in northwest Whittier
knew him. Penny Parker, across the street, said she was fascinated by his colorful
background and felt the community should note the passing of such a distinguished longtime
resident.
Montrose said Palmer was born in Oakland and graduated from Caltech in Pasadena in 1925
with degrees in physics and engineering. He went on to get a master's degree from the
University of
Minnesota. He entered the aircraft business as a draftsman for Lockheed in Burbank in
1929. He quickly rose to chief engineer but was laid off due to cutbacks caused by the
Great Depression. However, during his stint at Lockheed, he met Hughes.
Palmer moved to Vultee Aircraft and then joined Hughes as chief engineer. He was
instrumental in starting Hughes Aircraft Co. He designed and built the H-1 aircraft that
Hughes flew coast to coast to
break a speed record Jan. 20, 1937. the plane hangs in the Smithsonian Institution.
In a 1979 newspaper interview, Palmer recalled his years with Hughes in the 1930's.
"He was a good man to work for. Back then, he was not the recluse he became later in
life. He was basically a shy person but, when you got to know him, he was gregarious and
fun to be with" said Palmer.
Palmer found himself mingling with the Hollywood crowd during the years when Hughes was
producing such movies as "Hell's Angels" and "Front Page," and bought
RKO studio. Shortly before World War II Palmer said, he returned to Vultee Aircraft at
twice the salary Hughes was paying him. He never saw Hughes again. After the war, Palmer
founded The Palmer Company which manufactured aircraft and
missile parts. He retired in 1969. Montrose said Palmer's wife had no children.
Palmer owned several other Whittier houses before he bought the two-story,Spanish-style
home on 2 1/2 hillside acres on Rideout Way 45 years ago. After acquiring it, said
Montrose, he began planting rare trees. A lifelong interest in botany led to his
fascination for palm trees. At his death, he had more than 100 species of palms on his
land. In the International Palm Society he became an acclaimed authority on the trees. A
new species - chamaedorea palmeriana - is named in his honor.
Montrose said that Palmer was a pleasant man with a sharp sense of humor, but he didn't
talk much because "his nose was always in a book." He spent countless hours
translating German botany books
and articles into English. Montrose said he was greatly impressed by Palmer's
intelligence, his undying
curiosity, and his zest for setting goals and achieving them.
Palmer is survived by two nephews, Peter Palmer, President of Irvine-Pacific Commercial
Insurance Brokers in Irvine CA and Craig Palmer, a securities executive in New York, and a
niece, Dr. Victoria
Palmer, a veterinarian, in Newcastle, Colo."