Renowned engineer and author Bill Milliken passed away in his sleep July 28 at the age of 101. Born in Old Town, Maine, on April 18, 1911, Milliken credited his interest in things mechanical to a cousin who exposed him to wheeled competition in his youth. Upon graduation from MIT in 1934 with a degree in Mathematics focused on aerodynamics, he began a 20-year career in the aviation and aerospace industries, concentrating his efforts in the areas of stability and control.
During World War II he served as assistant head of Flight Test for Boeing Aircraft, going aloft on the first flights of the B-29 prototype and several versions of the B-17. He later provided consultancy to the auto industry, applying his aviation knowledge and experience to the automotive sector.
A founding member of the organizing committee for the Watkins Glen Road Races, he led the rules committee and, driving his Bugatti Type 35A, took part in the very first races through the streets there in 1948. Milliken crashed on the last lap of that inaugural contest, however, flipping the Bugatti during an errant overtaking attempt and earning the dubious honor of having the turn in question named Milliken’s Corner.
As the streets of Watkins Glen were abandoned and a permanent racing circuit constructed nearby, Milliken assisted with its design, and is responsible for the resulting track’s emphasis on high speed along its lengthy straights and through its sweeping turns.
Using the knowledge acquired during his various careers, Milliken authored or collaborated on a series of books explaining the science involved in his passion. His Equations of Motion —Adventure, Risk and Innovation is all but required reading for anyone going racing, and two subsequent books written with his son, Douglas, Race Car Vehicle Dynamics, and Chassis Design, fall into that same category.
Milliken is survived by his wife of 59 years, Barbara, son Douglas and daughter Ann. A second son, Peter, died in 2001. The family has requested that any memorials benefit the International Motor Racing Research Center headquartered in Watkins Gen. To all of Milliken’s family and his many friends in and out of the sport, Vintage Racecar offers its sincerest condolences.
