Marcel Dassault

Marcel Dassault founded his company on the principle that 'a beautiful aircraft flies well.' His tailless delta-wing Mirage III was a bold gamble that paid off spectacularly -- it became the most successful European fighter export of the Cold War, serving in 20 air forces and proving lethal in Israeli hands during the Six-Day War. The Mirage family spawned decades of derivatives, and the Rafale carries his design philosophy into the 21st century.