Mickey Finn (inventor)
Encyclopedia
Charles A. "Mickey" Finn (June 21, 1938 – April 24, 2007) was an American
inventor who specialized in designing and producing weapons systems for the U.S. military. He retired from defense work and began designing sporting equipment, including the Mickey Finn T-Bar Putter, a golf putter.
and other government agencies. In the industry he was referred to as "Q", after the special weapons supplier Q
in James Bond
fiction, and the name of Finn's original research company Qual-A-Tec.
After extensive research into black operations, author Tom Clancy
used Finn's name to add an extra measure of realism to The Cardinal of the Kremlin
. Finn retired from the defense industry due to this public mention and started a business selling military and hunting knives.
Finn won the U.S. Army contract to design and build the M9 bayonet
for the M16 rifle. Out of 49 companies that bid on the contract, Finn won because his bayonet was the only one tested that had zero percent test failure. Finn and his M9 bayonet design were profiled in the January 5, 1987 issue of People
magazine.
United States
. It later moved to Chino Valley, Arizona
, United States
. It was owned and operated by Finn and specialized in signature suppression and muzzle control devices for firearms. It also provided classified weapons systems to the U.S. government until it was forced to close when author Tom Clancy
outed Finn and his company in the novel The Cardinal of the Kremlin
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor who specialized in designing and producing weapons systems for the U.S. military. He retired from defense work and began designing sporting equipment, including the Mickey Finn T-Bar Putter, a golf putter.
Background
For thirty years Finn designed weapons systems for the U.S. militaryMilitary of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
and other government agencies. In the industry he was referred to as "Q", after the special weapons supplier Q
Q (James Bond)
Q is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. Q , like M, is a job title rather than a name. He is the head of Q Branch , the fictional research and development division of the British Secret Service...
in James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
fiction, and the name of Finn's original research company Qual-A-Tec.
After extensive research into black operations, author Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
used Finn's name to add an extra measure of realism to The Cardinal of the Kremlin
The Cardinal of the Kremlin
The Cardinal of the Kremlin is a novel by Tom Clancy, featuring his character Jack Ryan. It is a sequel to The Hunt for Red October, based on the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative and its Soviet equivalent, covering themes including intelligence gathering and counterintelligence,...
. Finn retired from the defense industry due to this public mention and started a business selling military and hunting knives.
Finn won the U.S. Army contract to design and build the M9 bayonet
M9 Bayonet
The M9 Bayonet is a multi-purpose knife and bayonet officially adopted in 1984 by the United States. It has a blade and is issued with a sheath designed to double as a wire cutter. It was designed and developed by Charles A. "Mickey" Finn at his R&D company, Qual-A-Tec. He later produced it under...
for the M16 rifle. Out of 49 companies that bid on the contract, Finn won because his bayonet was the only one tested that had zero percent test failure. Finn and his M9 bayonet design were profiled in the January 5, 1987 issue of People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine.
Qual-A-Tec
Qual-A-Tec was a research and development firm originally based in Oceanside, CaliforniaOceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It later moved to Chino Valley, Arizona
Chino Valley, Arizona
Chino Valley is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the Census Bureau, the population of the town is 10,817.-Geography:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was owned and operated by Finn and specialized in signature suppression and muzzle control devices for firearms. It also provided classified weapons systems to the U.S. government until it was forced to close when author Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
outed Finn and his company in the novel The Cardinal of the Kremlin
The Cardinal of the Kremlin
The Cardinal of the Kremlin is a novel by Tom Clancy, featuring his character Jack Ryan. It is a sequel to The Hunt for Red October, based on the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative and its Soviet equivalent, covering themes including intelligence gathering and counterintelligence,...
.
Quotations
- "Everything I design is the best, regardless of cost. In the weapons industry, if what you make has defects it costs lives. I couldn't live with that type of guilt."