Ohioian Charles F. Kettering from Loudonville and Dayton made significant contributions to the auto industry from his company, Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company ("Delco"). Among his inventions was the self-starter for automobiles, which eliminated the need for hand-cranking. Kettering also served on the board of the Dayton-Wright Company. During World War I, Kettering designed and built the world's first "guided missile," the Kettering Aerial Torpedo, nicknamed the "Bug." This flying bomb was first tested on 2 October 1918 with mixed results, and was not used in World War I.
Last Update: 7 Jun 02