Maker of water-drop tanks William H. 'Bill' Mensing dies at 88.jpg-20120802

William H. "Bill" Mensing, owner of a commercial aircraft sheet metal the best drop of water tanks to helicopters to the Los Angeles Fire Department in early 1970, he published, he is dead. He was 88.

Mensing died July 26 at home in Santa Paula, after a brief illness, his family said.

A veteran of World War II, Mensing opened a business called Precision sheet metal Sheetcraft Northridge in 1960 and became known for his ability to make new parts for damaged planes and helicopters.

In 1970, he was offered a different type of work by Los Angeles County Fire Department, which in 1957 had been a pioneer in the use of water tanks fall into the bellies of helicopters fire.

Reconstructors aircraft, the company that had tanks for firefighters, was no longer in business and the Department wanted to replicate the business of the last tank Mensing.

Working with Doug Matthews, director of the helicopter fire, Mensing made a series of innovative changes in the tanks of 360 liters, began production for the department.

"When Mensing understood, we have continued to improve," the now retired Mathews, recalled Thursday. "He came with a lot of ideas, but came up with some ideas."

Mensing has not only made the Gavarra-tank to internal changes, but they change a tank of a single drop of a drop-tank separation: instead the pilot drop the whole load of water , can be downloaded half a load at once.

"It's commonly known as the tank or tank Sheetcraft Los Angeles," said Mathews, adding that the U.S. Forest Service, the State of California, Los Angeles City Fire Department and the Ventura County Department Firefighters are among the most Mensing later began using tanks.

"He was a pioneer in the production of helicopter drop water tank and did a great job improving," said Mathews.

During the next 30 years, the product has come to dominate the activities Sheetcraft Mensing, with its tanks in use as far as Sardinia, Italy, China and South Korea.

Mensing, who has moved his operation from Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, Santa Paula Airport in 1975, he retired a few years ago.

He was born April 25, 1924, in Calexico, and later moved with his family in North Hollywood.

After graduating from high school in 1942, he joined the Navy and spent most of his time of service as aviation mechanic. After his release in 1948, he attended the School of Mechanical Mensing Aviation in Glendale California.

Leaves his wife, Alice, his children, Lisa Morgan, Kelly Mensing, Mindy Foley, Robert Moore and Barbra Mensing, her sister Prudence Safady, 19 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.