William J. Snadecki

William J. Snadecki immigrated from what once far eastern Germany (now, Eastern Poland) via central Germany (Thuringia) to Connecticut. He set up a plumbing shop in Bridgeport which was so successful, he was one of the country's first automobile owners.

Snadecki's passion was boat-racing. He was one of the pioneers of hydroplaning boats which skimmed along, mostly above the water. He competed in many early boat races from at least as early as 1906 until at least 1931.

William Snadecki, at a boat race (left) & boat-building (right)

Bert Papp

In an interview Stella Randolph did in 1934 with Whitehead's helper, Bert Papp, Snadecki was described as follows:

"He worked with Mr. Whitehead some, but his main interest was in the boats. He had a scheme for oiling the boats and keeping them afloat with that, then the airplane wings would help carry the boat along."

Randolph interviewed Snadecki in January 1936. Snadecki told how he had seen Beach fly a Whitehead-powered airplane at Lordship and explained how Beach had detroyed the plane's engine (which both he and Whitehead had worked on) in the process.

While devloping one of his boats, Snadecki found himself in Whitehead's workshop building a 200hp, V8 engine alongside Whitehead's brother, John. According to an affidavit by John, when Stanley Beach tested the motor, he promptly sank it in the waters of Long Island Sound.

In 1963, Snadecki told Stella Randolph about how the engine parts were machined at the Coulter & Mackenzie foundry then taken out to Whitehead's shop to be fitted in the various engines. He then explained how he later set up his own motor business (in Stratford ion 1908) and developed the V-8 engine further for use in military aircraft. (When interviewed on August 28, 1935, Junius Harworth explained how Whitehead had been the first to develop a 16-cylinder engine.)

Gustave Whitehead (left), William J. Snadecki (right)

Letter from John Whitehead to Stella Randolph, Aug. 6, 1934, page 7

After that, Snadecki continued development on his own, ultimately patenting the design and setting up the Bridgeport Motor Works to produce it as a 280hp aircraft engine. (Snadecki also held patents for a boat steering apparatus.)

The "Snadecki" V8 aircraft motor, 1912

The statements by Bert Papp and John Whitehead would appear to support the conclusion that Snadecki's V-8 aircraft engine was based on (or at least influenced by) the one Whitehead had been building for him.