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I fit weren't for the death of Edward Bayard Heath in the crash of an airplane he built, thousands of engineers might never have gotten into the electronics business.
Nobody knows just how many engineers got their inspiration and start in electronics by building their first piece of test equipment-probably a scope-from an electronic kit, which was likely made by Heathkit Co., an outfit that more or less fell into the business of build-it-yourself electronic kits years after the death of its founder.
In time, there were quite a few manufacturers of test-equipment kits, among them the Electronic Instrument Company (EICO), RCA (noted mostly for its Voltohmyst vacuum-tube voltmeter), Hickok (whose strength was in tube testers), Knight (part of the giant mail-order distributor, Allied Radio), and a handful of others. Though there are no statistics, it's likely that Heathkit was the leader.
It started in an entirely different business when Edward Heath, an early flying enthusiast (long before people had to stand in line to get on a plane), started the E.B. Heath Aerial Vehicle Company to sell aircraft parts. In 1918, the company became the Heath Airplane Co., whose primary business was selling surplus World War I aircraft components.
Note the word "surplus," a key element in the company's future. Almost 34 years later, the Heath Co. was again selling surplus, this time from the big war following the war to end all wars, and this time surplus electronic components-not surplus aircraft equipment.
Subsequently, the Heath Airplane Co. developed a light plane, the Heath Parasol, which was available in the form of just plans for $99; uncovered frame and wings for several hundred dollars more; complete without the engine for $ 699; and ready to fly from the factory for $999. This began to look like a kit business.
The Heath Parasol became a classic-a single Beater, lightweight, high-wing monoplane, designed to accept a 4-cylinder motorcycle engine. The first Heath Parasol, in 1926, was advertised in hobbyist magazines like Popular Mechanics.
Edward Heath eventually developed advanced models, first the Heath Cannonball, then the Heath Baby Bullet. While he was test flying a new version of the Baby Bullet in 1931, a structural failure occurred. The plane crashed and Heath, who was 43, was killed.