René Leduc

René Henri Leduc (French pronunciation: [ʁəne ɑ̃ʁi lədyk]; April 24, 1898 – March 9, 1968) was a French engineer and aircraft manufacturer, renowned for his pioneering work in ramjet propulsion. Leduc's groundbreaking designs, including the Leduc 010, 016, 021, and 022, were instrumental in advancing supersonic aviation technology. After cancellation of French Aviation Ministry's contracts for the Leduc ramjet aircraft projects, in 1958 Leduc's company converted from aeronautics to hydraulics, becoming known as Hydro Leduc and eventually focusing on production of hydraulic pumps for excavators.