AVIATION: The Heart of the Matter

"The war depends on the gasoline engine," said Joseph Stalin in 1941. "The country with the biggest output in engines will be the ultimate victor." It was no comfort to ex-Ally Stalin last week that Frederick Brant Rentschler, who did as much as any man to make that prediction come true, was on the move again.

Rangy (6 ft. 2), broad-shouldered Fred Rentschler is chairman and chief executive officer of United Aircraft Corp., whose Pratt & Whitney plants and licensees turned out 363,619 aircraft engines in World War II, provided just about half...

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