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JÓZSEF GALAMB (1881 - 1955) |
Born in Makó, Galamb finished his education in Budapest at the predecessor of the present-day Donát Bánki Technical College. After receiving his diploma in mechanical engineering he worked at the Steel Engineering Factory in Diósgyőr as a draftsman, then at the Hungarian Automobile Co., where he won a postgraduate scholarship to Germany. In 1903 he worked in many German cities as a skilled worker. When he learned of the American Auto World Fair in 1904, he used his savings to travel to America by ship in October. He found employment as a toolmaker at the Westinghouse Corporation.
He joined the Ford Motor Company (nearly two years old at that time) as a designer in December 1905. Subsequent to redesigning the cooling system for the model-N, he became the chief designer of the company, and constructed a lot of parts of the famous model-T. From 1915 he worked on the Fordson-tractor plans. In 1921 he founded a scholarship for the poor students of his native town who wished to take up higher education at trade school. During World War I he was busy designing military hardware, e. g. anti-submarine detection systems. He visited Hungary many times, lecturing at the Association of Hungarian Engineers and Architects. During World War II on Ford's suggestion, he designed a small six-cylinder car, which was completed in 1942. On doctor's orders he retired from active work in 1944.