This collection consists of fifty-three films made by North American Rockwell during Storms' association with the corporation. This collection also consists of a folder of biographical information on Storms and 213 slides, which include the following topics: Apollo projects; Soviet spacecraft at an unknown Soviet museum; and images of the Bell 47G helicopter.
Biographical / Historical:
Harrison A. Storms, Jr., (1915-1992) helped design Apollo spacecraft and many other aerospace vehicles. A former executive of Rockwell International and its predecessor company, North American Aviation, Storms made contributions to over 40 aircraft and space vehicles. Storms received his bachelor and masters degrees in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University, and an aeronautical engineering degree from the California Institute of Technology. Storms was then employed as an aeronautical researcher at North American Aviation in 1941 and during World War II contributed to the advancement of jet propulsion technology. After World War II, Storms served as Chief Engineer of the X-15 program, and also helped design the F-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre Jet, F-100 Super Sabre and the XB-70. Storms went on to become the President of North American's Space and Information Systems Division which won contracts for both the Saturn second stage launch vehicle and the Apollo command and service modules for the successful lunar landing program. Storms was the recipient of many honors and awards and a member of several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Phyllis Storms, gift, 1999, 1999-0021, North American Rockwell?
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of one large format scrapbook of photographic-quality photocopies of clippings relating to the life and career of Glenn L. Martin presented to him by the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences. Also included are 30 certificates and two oversized photographs: a signed photo of G.C. Marshall and one featuring a group of 22 men on the wing of a Martin JRM Mars.
Biographical / Historical:
Glenn L. Martin (1886-1955) was an early aviator and aircraft designer. Beginning in 1910, he quickly broke many flight records and designed and manufactured aircraft for both governments and private individuals. In 1916, he formed Wright-Martin Aircraft Aircraft Co., which included ownership of the Simplex Automobile Co. Moving his aircraft from Los Angeles to Cleveland, he continued to design and manufacture aircraft. Later, he moved his plant to the Baltimore area, where maintained the largest privately owned aircraft business in the world.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Delia Martin, gift, unknown, XXXX-0018, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
John Matthew Miller III (born June 3, 1896) was active in aviation throughout his life, as a naval aviator, air mail pilot, transport pilot, autogiro pilot, flight instructor, aircraft manufacturer, airport operator, agricultural pilot, and helicopter test pilot, working at different times for the United States Navy, the U.S. Aerial Mail Service, Pitcairn Aeronautical Corporation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; from 1927-1929 Miller operated his own business, the Miller Aviation Corporation of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The collection includes Miller's pilot licenses and log books, scrapbooks, photographs, newspaper clippings and assorted ephemera, predominantly from the 1914 to 1939 period of Miller's life.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains both original materials and photocopies of materials loaned by the donor for copying. Original materials include Miller's United States Navy Naval Aviator Certificate, an aircraft log book for the Curtiss Seagull "Jacques Cartier" (owned by The Chicago Tribune), a photo album entitled "The Miller Corporation, New Brunswick Airport" featuring images of the Miller (Corp) MCA-1 Amphibian Biplane, assorted loose photographs, correspondence from Robert Woods Johnson (of Johnson & Johnson), two panoramic group photographs of the US Navy Flight A Naval Aviation detachment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1917, newspaper clippings (several covering James G. Ray's autogiro flight over Washington, DC in 1934), assorted ephemera relating to Miller's aviation career, and two bound books: Flying Officers of the U.S.N. (US Navy): 1917-1919 and Saga of the US Air Mail Service: 1918-1927, (Air Mail Pioneers, Inc., 1962). Photocopied materials include two of Miller's pilot log books, two of Miller's pilot licenses, a scrapbook, and selected pages from additional scrapbooks from which individual photographs were copied by the National Air and Space Museum in 2001. The collection also includes Smithsonian Institution numbered copy prints of these selected photographs.
Arrangement:
Materials in this collection are grouped into Series by type; materials within a series are generally arranged chronologically, grouped by subject.
Biographical / Historical:
John Matthew Miller III was born June 3, 1896, at Tacoma, Washington. As a teenager, Miller came east to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and found summer employment with the Burgess Company aircraft manufacturers at Marblehead, Massachusetts. In 1917, following the entry of the United States into World War I, Miller was accepted into the Massachusetts School for Naval Air Service (Flight A Naval Aviation detachment at MIT), and, after two months, moved on to elementary flying instruction at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and then advanced instruction at Pensacola, Florida. He was commissioned into the United States Naval Air Service as an Ensign on March 16, 1918, and stationed at Naval Air Station Rockaway Beach, New York, where he performed patrol and convoy work off New York harbor, until ordered to inactive duty on December 15, 1918. Miller promptly joined the US Aerial Mail Service; after training in Dayton Wright DH-4 air mailplanes at Belmont Park, Long Island, Miller was posted to Bustleton, Pennsylvania, as station manager. Following his two years of air mail service, Miller worked at a number of aviation jobs, including time with the America Trans Oceanic Company (Miami, Florida, 1920), survey flights in Quebec (Canada, 1922), and managing operations for Pitcairn Aeronautical Corporation at their base adjacent to Hadley Field in South Plainfield, New Jersey (the New York terminal for the New York to Chicago and New York to Atlanta air mail routes). Miller was an active member of the New Brunswick (NJ) Aero Club, owners of a Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing based at Pitcairn's field. On August 1, 1927, Miller organized the Miller Aviation Corporation, operating out of New Brunswick Airport (a.k.a. "Miller Field"), a short-lived airfield located southwest of the city of New Brunswick. Miller Aviation offered flying instruction, local sightseeing flights, and charter passenger flights in the mid-Atlantic seaboard region. In 1928-1929, the Miller Aviation Corporation designed, constructed, and tested the Miller (Corp) MCA-1 Amphibian Biplane; sadly, the aircraft crashed during its first ground landing. After his company failed, Miller returned to Pitcairn Aeronautical as an autogiro pilot, making a number of flights through the 1930s for Pitcairn, the US Department of Agriculture, and others. During World War II, Miller temporarily rejoined the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, serving as a helicopter test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Miller later worked for the Department of Agriculture until his retirement in 1956.
NOTE: John Matthew Miller III (born 1896, died circa 1980s), the subject of this collection, should not be confused with fellow air mail and autogiro pilot John McDonald "Johnny" Miller (1905-2008), occasionally referenced in this collection. Johnny Miller was more closely associated with the Kellett Autogiro Corp (Philadelphia, PA), and was famous for being the first to land an aircraft on the roof of a building.
Provenance:
Lee M. Gunther-Mohr, Gift, 2001, NASM.2001.0036.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
This collection consists of a photo album consisting of photographs from an inspection of the Hughes H-4 (HK-1) Hercules ("Spruce Goose") in storage in San Diego, California. There is an aerial view of the hangar where it was stored as well as detailed views of various components of the aircraft and views of the aircraft's controls and interior. There is also a view of a model of the aircraft.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a spiral bound photo album measuring approximately 11.5 by 14.5 inches. The photo album was prepared by Summa Corporation (previously Hughes Tool Company) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and consists of photographs from an inspection of the Hughes H-4 (HK-1) Hercules ("Spruce Goose") in storage in San Diego, California. There is an aerial view of the hangar where it was stored as well as detailed views of various components of the aircraft and views of the aircraft's controls and interior. There is also a view of a model of the aircraft.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
The Hughes H-4 (HK-1) Hercules (NX37602) flew only one time on November 2, 1947. Conceived as a personnel and materiel carrier, the single hull prototype was designed to fly transatlantic flights to avoid World War II German submarines that were sinking Allied ships in large numbers. Completed in 1947 after the end of the war, the aircraft was nearly six times bigger than any aircraft of its time. The press insisted on calling the aircraft the "Spruce Goose," a name that its billionaire builder Howard Hughes despised. Until his death in 1976, Hughes ensured that the H-4 (HK-1) Hercules was maintained and kept in flight-ready condition.
Provenance:
Lee Saegesser, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) History Office, Gift, 1997, NASM.1997.0017
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Hughes H-4 (HK-1) Hercules ("Spruce Goose") Search this
During World War II, Curtiss-Wright addressed a labor shortage with the creation of the Curtiss-Wright Cadettes program to train women to take entry-level positions within the company and enable men who remained at the company to be promoted to more advanced positions. Louise Fayram McClain was accepted into the Curtiss-Wright Cadettes program at the University of Minnesota where she began studies in early 1943. After the ten month program, Fayram went to work in the engineering department at Curtiss-Wright in Columbus, Ohio in the landing gear and hydraulics section, working on the Helldiver and other aircraft. This collection consists of the following items relating to the Curtiss-Wright Cadettes: the April 1943 issue of the Minnesota Technalog (magazine produced by the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology) featuring an article, with photographs, about the Cadettes; Louise Fayram's certificate for the completion of the program's course on Aeronautical Engineering; a 1994 newsletter documenting the Cadettes Convention held that year in Columbus, Ohio; the August 1995 and Summer 2002 issues of the Cadette Gazette newsletter; and two photographs of former Cadettes (and spouses in one of the photos) taken in 1991 at a 48th Reunion for Minnesota Cadettes. The collection also includes a panoramic photo, measuring approximately 26 by 8 inches, which is a group portrait of Curtiss-Wright Cadettes at the University of Minnesota taken on June 24, 1943. Louise Fayram is pictured in the photograph.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the following items relating to the Curtiss-Wright Cadettes: the April 1943 issue of the Minnesota Technalog (magazine produced by the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology) featuring an article, with photographs, about the Cadettes; Louise Fayram's certificate for the completion of the program's course on Aeronautical Engineering; a 1994 newsletter documenting the Cadettes Convention held that year in Columbus, Ohio; the August 1995 and Summer 2002 issues of the Cadette Gazette newsletter; and two photographs of former Cadettes (and spouses in one of the photos) taken in 1991 at a 48th Reunion for Minnesota Cadettes. The collection also includes a panoramic photo, measuring approximately 26 by 8 inches, which is a group portrait of Curtiss-Wright Cadettes at the University of Minnesota taken on June 24, 1943. Louise Fayram is pictured in the photograph.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
During World War II, Curtiss-Wright addressed a labor shortage with the creation of the Curtiss-Wright Cadettes program to train women to take entry-level positions within the company and enable men who remained at the company to be promoted to more advanced positions. Between February 1943 and March 1945, 918 female college students, identified as mathematically advanced, took courses in aerodynamics, engineering, and design, completing more than two years curriculum in just ten months for the initial class, and even less for later groups, at seven universities (Purdue University, Cornell, Pennsylvania State University, University of Minnesota, Iowa State University, Rensselear University, and University of Texas). Curtiss-Wright paid for lodging and tuition for the participants as well as providing a stipend. Ultimately, 766 Cadettes graduated from the government-sponsored program and began work in one of the country's five Curtiss-Wright plants. Although Curtiss-Wright had promised additional funding to help the Cadettes complete their engineering degrees after the war, this does not appear to have materialized.
Louise Fayram McClain began studying mathematics at the University of Denver in 1942 but left during her sophomore year after being accepted into the Curtiss-Wright Cadettes program at the University of Minnesota where she began studies in early 1943. After the ten month program, Fayram went to work in the engineering department at Curtiss-Wright in Columbus, Ohio in the landing gear and hydraulics section, working on the Helldiver and other aircraft. After the war, Fayram resumed her studies at the University of Denver and also worked as a draftsperson for Prouty Brothers Engineering Company and later Sterns Roger Manufacturing and Engineering. Upon graduating with her degree in mathematics, Fayram married and then moved to California and worked for Douglas Aircraft as a statistician doing master scheduling work but was forced to leave due to company policy when she became pregnant. Fayram McClain was prepared to challenge the policy in court, but was dissuaded by her lawyer who thought the suit would not succeed.
Provenance:
Sheila Jurik and Laurie McClain, Gift, 2021, NASM.2021.0039
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
The Marmon Motor Car Company, owned by Nordyke & Marmon Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, was one of several automotive companies that was awarded contracts to produce Liberty aircraft engines during World War I. Hall-Scott also licensed Nordyke & Marmon to produce some of their aircraft engines. This collection consists of a photo album documenting the construction of Nordyke & Marmon Company's aviation plant, as well as operations at the completed factory. There is also a sheet in the front of the album which lists captions and dates for each photograph contained in the album.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a photo album documenting the construction of Nordyke & Marmon Company's aviation plant, as well as operations at the completed factory. The album, which measures approximately 11 by 8 inches and has a Marmon logo on the front cover, includes many images of men and women at work. The album also includes images of completed Liberty and Hall-Scott engines on test stands. There is also a sheet in the front of the album which lists captions and dates for each photograph contained in the album.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
The Marmon Motor Car Company, owned by Nordyke & Marmon Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, was one of several automotive companies that was awarded contracts to produce Liberty aircraft engines during World War I. Hall-Scott also licensed Nordyke & Marmon to produce some of their aircraft engines. The company constructed a new aviation plant in 1917 to facilitate production of these engines.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of 125 black and white photographs that Cecil Tucker collected during his tenure at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The photographs include the following Curtiss-Wright aircraft: the Curtiss-Wright Robin, including "Wrong-Way" Corrigan's aircraft; the Curtiss-Wright Kingbird, built for the Marine Corps; the Curtiss-Wright Condor, including images of the Condor T-32 built for the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, the two Condors modified for the Navy for use by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as the Condors sold to Eastern Airlines, Switzerland, and Argentina; and the Curtiss-Wright AT-9, CW-19R, and CW-22B. Famous individuals pictured include: Amelia Earhart, Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Lowell Thomas, the famous radio broadcaster. Also of interest are severala few images of aircraft with Latin and South American insignia.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 125 black and white photographs that Tucker collected during his tenure at Curtiss-Wright. The photographs include the following Curtiss-Wright aircraft: the Curtiss-Wright Robin, including "Wrong-Way" Corrigan's aircraft; the Curtiss-Wright Kingbird, built for the Marine Corps; the Curtiss-Wright Condor, including images of the Condor T-32 built for the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, the two Condors modified for the Navy for use by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as the Condors sold to Eastern Airlines, Switzerland, and Argentina; and the Curtiss-Wright AT-9, CW-19R, and CW-22B. Famous individuals pictured include: Amelia Earhart, Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Lowell Thomas, the famous radio broadcaster. Also of interest are a few images of aircraft with Latin and South American insignia.
Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.
Arrangement:
The Curtiss-Wright Photography [Tucker] Collection is arranged by subject.
Biographical / Historical:
Cecil Tucker worked for Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri,from 1928 until 1945. Tucker started as a wire man and worked his way up to the Assistant Superintendent of Factory Administration for the St. Louis plant.
Provenance:
Paul B. Tucker, gift, 2000, 2000-0033
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
International Paints (Canada) Limited was an official distributor for Titanine Dope. This collection consists of a sales brochure for Titanine Aircraft Finishes produced by International Paints (Canada) Limited that includes information on Titanine's specifications, various product lines such as primer, instructions on using Titanine, and a fold out card that features finish samples for 24 of Titanine's standard colors.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a sales brochure for Titanine Aircraft Finishes produced by International Paints (Canada) Limited. The brochure is the 3rd edition, reprint, and dates to September 1941. The booklet has 23 numbered pages and includes information on Titanine's specifications, various product lines such as primer, and instructions on using Titanine. Near the end of the booklet there is a fold out card that features finish samples for 24 of Titanine's standard colors.
Arrangement:
Collection is a single item.
Biographical / Historical:
International Paints (Canada) Limited was an official distributor for Titanine Dope. Dope was used to waterproof and harden the fabric covering airplane wings beginning circa 1910, and Titanine, an English company, produced pigmented and semi-pigmented dopes beginning in 1913 that came in a variety of standard colors.
Provenance:
Unknown, Item found in collection, NASM.XXXX.0887
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of two scrapbooks. The smaller scrapbook contains certificates, newsletters, photographs, silhouettes, small paintings, correspondence, and articles regarding both Brown and the Martin-Nebraska plant. The larger scrapbook contains oversized photographs and drawings of the B-29. The drawings were drawn by Brown.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of two scrapbooks. The smaller scrapbook contains certificates, newsletters, photographs, silhouettes, small paintings, correspondence, and articles regarding both Brown and the Martin-Nebraska plant. The larger scrapbook contains oversized photographs and drawings of the B-29. The drawings were drawn by Brown.
Arrangement:
Each album is in its own box which has been selected based on size so that it can be safely housed.
Biographical / Historical:
Julie Brown was one of the artists in the Photo-Art Department at the Glenn L. Martin - Nebraska Company during World War II. Brown studied at both the Rhode Island School of Design and the Art Students' League in New York. During World War I, she worked in the American Red Cross' Hospital Hut Service in France. In this capacity, Brown made silhouettes of soldiers in the various hospitals. After returning to the United States, her art appeared in magazines, newspapers, shows and exhibitions. After World War II started, Brown completed engineering drawing courses at Omaha University and began work at the Martin-Nebraska Company in 1943 as a production illustrator. The Martin-Nebraska Company produced Martin B-26 and Boeing B-29 aircraft during the war.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of corporate records, magazine articles, photographs and a scrapbook containing newspaper clippings on Power Jets, Ltd. Most of the material in the collection also relates to Frank Whittle and his accomplishments. Included are some of Whittle's writings and the agreements he signed for Power Jets.
Biographical / Historical:
J.C.B. Tinling, an ex-RAF pilot, was directly involved with the work of Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the first British turbojet engine. Tinling, along with R. Dudley Williams, initiated Power Jets, Ltd., a company incorporated in 1936 to develop Whittle's jet engine ideas.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Charles and Barbara Kahn, Jr., gift, 1991, 1991-0032, NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This scrapbook consists of newspaper clippings and photos of James V. Martin's aviation exploits, 1910-1916. of the 1910 - 1916 era.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists mainly of newspaper clippings, and photos of his exploits of the 1910 - 1916 era. Among these are his proposed crossing of the Atlantic in 1912, aerial bombing demonstrations, invention of the Martin Aerodynamic Stabilizer, and early form of autopilot. Also included are newspaper clippings of his wife, Lilly Irvine Martin, who was reported to be the first woman aviator to fly solo.
Arrangement:
No arrangement, just one item.
Biographical / Historical:
James Vernon Martin (1885-1956) was an aviator and inventor during the early days of aviation. He joined the Merchant Marine (1900) before attending the University of Virginia and Harvard (graduate degree, 1912). While at Harvard he organized the Harvard Aeronautical Society (1910), served as its first director, and, through the Society, organized the first international air meet in the United States (1910). He traveled to England in January 1911 for flight training and received Royal Aero Club F.A.I. Certificate #55. After returning to the U.S. in June 1911, he traveled the exhibition circuit (1911-13) before rejoining the Merchant Marine as commander of USS Lake Frey (1914). During 1915 he flew flight test for the Aeromarine Co. In 1917, he formed the Martin Aeroplane Company in Elyria, OH on the strength of nine aeronautical patents, including his automatic stabilizer (1916) and retractable landing gear (1916). In 1920 he moved the concern to Dayton, OH as Martin Enterprises and offered free use of his patents to the American aeronautical industry. He moved to Garden City (Long Island), NY in 1922, called the company the Martin Aeroplane Factory, and, two years later, sued the United States government and the Manufacturers Aeronautical Association, claiming that they conspired to monopolize the aviation industry. The suit was dismissed in 1926, but Martin continued to press his claims of collusion through the 1930s. During World War II he again returned to the sea, commanding a troop transport in the Pacific. Afterwards he tried to raise interest in a large catamaran flying boat, the Martin 'Oceanplane', but failed in the face of the growth in commercial trans-ocean service by conventional aircraft.
Provenance:
Edna Jahn, Gift, 1963, NASM.XXXX.0236
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of a page from a photo album featuring three photographs of Daisy Mae Miller dressed in her Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation uniform. The page also contains information written by Miller about her time working for Wright-Martin.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a page from a photo album featuring three photographs of Daisy Mae Miller dressed in her Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation uniform. The page also contains information written by Miller about her time working for Wright-Martin.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
In 1916 the Wright Company merged with the Glenn L. Martin Company to form the Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation. Wright-Martin was initially located in New Brunswick, New Jersey and in 1918 a second factory was opened in Long Island City, New York. The company produced aircraft, including the Wright-Martin Model R and Wright-Martin Model V. Wright-Martin also held the American license to produce Hispano-Suiza engines, the demand for which increased dramatically during World War I causing the company to shift focus to engine manufacture. Wright-Martin was dissolved in 1919.
Daisy Mae Miller (1894-1977) worked for Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation in their Long Island City facility.
Provenance:
Janet St. Pierre, Gift, 2019, NASM.2019.0033
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Victor Vernon was an aviation pioneer, flight instructor, U. S. Navy aviator, and airline executive. This collection consists of three scrapbooks that chronicle Vernon's aviation career.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of three scrapbooks that chronicle Victor Vernon's aviation career and include numerous photographs, with an emphasis on Curtiss flying boats, the Curtiss Model H America, the Curtiss rebuilt Langley Aerodrome, and Curtiss tractor type aircraft. Besides the photographs, the scrapbooks contain many newspaper clippings covering Vernon's involvement with Curtiss, and his association with the Oregon-Washington-Idaho Airplane Company, as well as correspondence with William (Billy) Mitchel, Glenn Curtiss, and C.R. Smith. Miscellaneous items include route charts, correspondence, and photographs relating to Colonial Airlines and American Airlines, photographs of Bert Acosta and Vernon's naval aviator certificates. There is also material relating to Vernon's hydroaeroplane.
Arrangement:
Scrapbooks are in original order, additional material is arranged by type.
Biographical / Historical:
Victor Vernon was an aviation pioneer who began his career on Curtiss flying boats. In 1915 Vernon went to Toronto, Canada with the Curtiss School to teach Canadian pilots. During World War I, Vernon served with the U. S. Navy as an aviator and test pilot for the Naval Aircraft Factory. From 1919-1920, Vernon was instrumental in forming the Oregon-Washington-Idaho Airplane Company. In 1930 Vernon joined Colonial Airlines, a division of American Airways. He remained with American Airlines as Personnel Director and Assistant to the President until his retirement in 1948.
Provenance:
Victor Vernon, Gift, unknown, NASM.XXXX.0221.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Photo album that, based on caption information, appears to have been created by Benson Russell Shaw. Photographs show various aircraft and notable figures in aviation, as well as aerial photographs and scenes taken inside the Wright Company factory in Dayton, Ohio and the Lawson Aircraft Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a photo album, measuring approximately 11.25 by 7.5 inches, with a black cover and black paper pages and bound with string. The album contains black and white photographs of various sizes mounted on the pages, as well as some loose photographs and a few news clippings. Most of the photographs are labeled. Based on caption information contained in the album, it appears to have been created by Benson Russell Shaw. The photographs show aircraft including various airplanes designed by Benson Russell Shaw; a 1915 Heinrich (Aeroplane Co.) biplane; Huntington (NY) 1915 Tractor Biplane; Burnelli-Carisi Biplane (1915); Curtiss JN-4 Jenny; Wright-Martin Model V; Lawson (Alfred) M.T. One Primary Training Tractor; Lawson (Alfred) M.T. Two; Lawson (Alfred) L-4 Midnight Airliner (including interior views); and unidentified aircraft models made by Benoist, Voisin, and Curtiss. In addition to Shaw, notable figures in aviation shown in the photos include George L. Bumbaugh; John Guy Gilpatric; Peter Carl "Tex" Millman; Edwin M. Post, Jr.; Giovanni Emmanuele Angelo Leonardo "John" Carisi; Alfred W. Lawson; Caleb Smith Bragg; Jesse Gurney Vincent; Glenn Hammond Curtiss; and John Rodgers. The album also includes scenes of aircraft manufacturing; a flying demonstration at the Indiana State Fair in 1911; the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; interior views of the Wright Company factory in Dayton, Ohio; aerial views taken in 1917 of various sites in New York City, including the Statue of Liberty; aerial views taken of New Brunswick and Highland Park, New Jersey; testing of "Haskelite" veneer at Haskell Manufacturing Company; and views taken of the interior of the Lawson Aircraft Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Benson Russell Shaw (1893-1961) was an early aviator and aircraft designer who also worked as a draftsman and engineer for major aircraft companies including the Wright Company and Lawson Aircraft Corporation. Shaw also founded the Aeronautical Instrument Company. In addition to designing and constructing eight different aircraft, Shaw also redesigned and built a copy of a Morane-Saulnier monoplane in 1915. Shaw served as secretary of the National Aeronautic Association and in this capacity he was responsible for the technical supervision of the Detroit, St. Louis, Miami, Dayton and Baltimore Air Races during the period from 1922-1925. Shaw was hired in 1925 to oversee Henry Ford's airports and later was chief airport engineer for Stout Air Lines. In the late 1920s, Shaw supervised construction of Grand Canyon Airport and Koch Field in Flagstaff, Arizona and the improvement of Lambert Field in St. Louis, Missouri. Shaw then moved to Washington, D.C. and was a vice president at Morris Plan Bank. In 1942, Shaw enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in ordnance. In addition to the National Aeronautic Association, Shaw was a member of the Society of American Engineers and the Early Birds of Aviation.
Provenance:
Donor unknown, Gift, unknown, XXXX.1202
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
