Charles Horton Zimmerman (1908 – May 5, 1996), was an aeronautical engineer, whose work on novel airfoil configurations led to several notable experimental aircraft programs.

Zimmerman worked at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in the 1930s on a variety of research topics, including loads,[2][3][4] airfoils,[5][6] and aircraft stability and design.

Zimmerman's research[5] posited aircraft having flat circular bodies, sans wings, as their lifting surface.

In the 1940s, Zimmerman and the Navy began researching this idea, which led to the Vought XF5U, nicknamed the "flying pancake".

The project was classified and conducted at Hiller's Advanced Research Division.