Major Lester D. Seymour (1892-1976) was involved in both the military and commercial sides of aviation. After service in World War I, Seymour served as Chief Engineer of National Air Transport, and later become NAT's Vice President and General Manager. From 1933-1934 Seymour was appointed President of American Airlines. The collection includes airline newsletters, annual reports, photographs, and manuals.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the following: copies of the National Air Transport Inc. (NAT) newsletter, "NAT Flypaper", 1928 - 1933; "Survey of Projected Airmail Routes" 1926; annual reports for both NAT and American Airways (later American Airlines); NAT photographs; NAT Regulations; "A Study of Transportation by Airway as related to Competition with Rail Carriers in Continental United States", 1932; NAT Bulletin Board; and the American Airlines Procedures Manual for 1934. In June of 1999, six films were found in the Film Archives that were part of this donation. The films, evidently taken by Seymour during his airline travels, have the following titles: West (Part 1 and 2); Phoenix to Los Angles; Flying Across America with United Airlines in 28 Hours; Memphis to Phoenix; and American Airways: Chicago - New York.
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 Lester D. Seymour Collection is arranged by content type.
Biographical / Historical:
Major Lester D. Seymour (1892-1976) was involved in both the military and commercial sides of aviation. Seymour rose to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, Aero Engineer-Officer, 85th Aero Squadron during World War I. After the war, he became involved in the Civilian Aero Engineer US Air Service and in the Air Corps Reserve. In 1926, Seymour became involved with the commercial airlines industry. He started as the Chief Engineer at National Air Transport, and later become NAT's Vice President and General Manager. He was also briefly the Vice President of United Air Lines after their 1933 takeover of NAT. From 1933-1934 Seymour was appointed President of American Airlines.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Lester D. Seymour, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0455.
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:
Aeronautics, Commercial -- Passenger traffic Search this
0.75 Cubic feet ((1 flatbox and one cassette tape box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Audiotapes
Newsletters
Clippings
Notes
Correspondence
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Date:
1927-1937
Summary:
This collection consists of a scrapbook, photographs, correspondence, interviews, and newspaper articles relating to National Air Transport (NAT).
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the following material: NAT scrapbook which includes 110 photographs of NAT pilots, aircraft used by NAT and the service overhaul shop; correspondence and notes by or about Walter J. Addems, E.B. Gray Egbert P. Lott, C.T. Robertson, R.T. Hopkins, and Beebe Daniels; miscellaneous material on Stout Air Services, BAT and NAT; photographs of Stout stewards; tapes of interviews with Harry Bitterman, Egbert P. Lott, and E. Brown Gray; photocopies of newspaper articles on aircraft crashes; copy of a 1933 weather report; photographs of United; and the NAT 1933 newsletter, 'Flypaper'.
Arrangement:
Arrangement by type.
Biographical / Historical:
National Air Transport (NAT), Boeing Air Transport (BAT), and Stout Air Services were three early airmail carriers. NAT was formed in 1925 by Clement Keys, and in 1927 won the bid for the New York to Chicago Airmail route. BAT received the Chicago to San Francisco route in 1927, and also carried passengers. Stout Air Service was formed in 1925 and carried mail and passengers from Detroit to Cleveland. These three companies were all predecessors of United Air Lines, which was formed in 1929.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Joseph D. Hutchinson, Gift, 1990, NASM.1991.0024, 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 <extref xlink:href="http://airandspace.si.edu/permissions"
Topic:
Aeronautics, Commercial -- Passenger traffic Search this
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first US airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) in providing a rapid form of coast to coast transportation service. This collection includes material that Daniel M. Sheaffer collected about Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT).
Scope and Contents:
This collection includes material that Daniel M. Sheaffer collected about Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), including: tickets, advertisements, brochures, route maps, schedules, TAT business documents, TAT Air Mail and Postal Telegraph documents, photographs, postcards (showing "TAT plane over" various geographical landmarks), correspondence, and scrapbooks.There is also some material pertaining to Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The photographs show TAT terminals and aircraft, and famous personalities including Amelia Earhart and Will Rogers.
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. In addition, images of some material in the collection have been excluded from online display due to possible copyright restrictions.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first US airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) in providing a rapid form of coast to coast transportation service. Daniel M. Sheaffer, as the chairman of the executive committee of TAT, was a pioneer in the development of commercial aviation for mail express and passengers. He assisted in the actual development of the TAT line and with the inauguration of the service.
Provenance:
Mrs. Daniel M. Sheaffer, Gift, unknown, NASM.XXXX.0267
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 Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), Inc. Air-Rail Service Scrapbooks collection consists of three large, fabric covered scrapbooks. The set documents the pre- and post-inaugural activities of TAT for the period of time between June and November, 1929.
Scope and Contents:
This collection includes three scrapbooks. The news clippings in Volume I cover the period of July 6-10, 1929, when the first transcontinental air-rail service was inaugurated. Volume II, covering the period of June 11 through August 23, 1929, documents the pre- and post-inaugural activities surrounding the establishment of the TAT. Both volumes contain newsprint with images of high-profile travelers and stakeholders, such as Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Ina Claire, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mary Pickford. The third volume (untitled) covers the time between September 4 and November 1, 1929, when the news of the TAT Ford Tri-Motor "City of San Francisco" disappearing in the mountains of New Mexico captivated readers nationwide.
Arrangement:
This collection is in orginal order, with each scrapbook compiled in chronological order.
Biographical/Historical note:
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first U.S. airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) to provide a rapid form of coast-to-coast transportation. Daniel M. Sheaffer, chairman of the executive committee of TAT, was a pioneer in the development of commercial aviation for passenger and express mail services. Both he and founder Clement Melville Keys were instrumental in the development of the TAT line and with the inauguration of the service.
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.
Nathaniel "Buddy" Wilson, Jr. (1936-2010) wrote to various airlines as a child asking them to send him examples of baggage labels. He was very successful and collected many from regional, national, and international airlines. This small collection consists of approximately 0.20 cubic feet of baggage labels, airmail labels, etiquettes, and other ephemera from various airlines.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of approximately 0.20 cubic feet of baggage labels, airmail labels, etiquettes, and other ephemera from various airlines including All American Aviation (USA); American Airlines (USA); American Export Airlines (USA); Bonanza Air Lines (USA); Braniff International (USA); Capital Airlines (USA); Pennsylvania Central Airlines (PCA) (USA); Chicago & Southern Airlines (USA); Continental Airways/Airlines (USA); Delta Air Lines (USA); Eastern Air Lines (Eastern Air Transport) (USA); Frontier Airlines (USA); Hawaiian Airlines (USA); Mid-Continent Airlines (USA); Monarch Airlines (USA); National Airlines (USA); Northwest Airlines (USA); Pan American Airways (Pan Am) (USA); Piedmont Airlines (USA); Southern Airways (USA); Aloha Airlines (Trans-Pacific Airlines) (USA); Trans-Texas Airways (TTA) (USA); Trans World Airlines (TWA) (USA); United Airlines (USA); Western Air Express (Air Lines, Airlines) (USA); West Coast Airlines (USA); Wisconsin Central Airlines (USA); Air France (France); Aer Lingus (Ireland); British Overseas Airways Corp (BOAC) (UK); British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (BCPA) (UK); British European Airways (BEA) (UK); British West Indies Airways (BWIA) (UK); Canadian Pacific Airlines (CP Air) (Canada); Canadian Colonial Airways (Colonial Airways, Colonial Airlines) (Canada); Central African Airways (UK); CNAC (China National Aviation Corp) Air Lines (China); KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij) (Netherlands); SABENA (Belgium); Middle East Airlines (MEA) (Air Liban) (Lebanon); Philippine Airlines (PAL) (Philippines); Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS); SwissAir (Switzerland); Transportes Aereos Centro-Americanos (TACA); and Trans-Canada Air-Lines (TCA). The collection also contains a scan made from a photograph loaned by the donor which shows Nathaniel "Buddy" Wilson, Jr. as a child (taken in 1942) along with friends standing beside a Waco UKC (ATC #528) at an airfield in Richmond, Virginia.
Arrangement:
Material is arranged by source.
Biographical / Historical:
Nathaniel "Buddy" Wilson, Jr. (1936-2010) wrote to various airlines as a child asking them to send him examples of baggage labels. He was very successful and collected many from regional, national, and international airlines. Wilson had a lifelong love of aviation and made it his career. Wilson obtained a bachelor of science degree in Air Transportation from Purdue University in 1958 and then joined the US Navy where he served at Naval Air Station Rota in Spain. Wilson then went to work as a Foreign Service officer in El Salvador for the US Department of State. During his time with the State Department, Wilson helped to negotiate foreign air routes. Wilson then went to work for the Air Transport Association, where he remained for 25 years before retiring in 1995 as Vice President of International Affairs.
Provenance:
Susan Sproul, Gift, 2015, NASM.2015.0036.
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
This collection consists of digital scans of a pilot's log book belonging to Captain Frederick Errol Davis, used from 1938-1964. This 300 page log book documents Davis' activities as a pilot for Eastern Airlines. Data recorded includes: date of flight, from and to, make and model of the airplane flown, aircraft certificate number, solo, dual, night, duration, and instrument.
Biographical / Historical:
Captain Frederick Errol Davis (1900-1996) was one of the airline industry's most respected engineering pilots and flight safety advocates between 1930 and his retirement in 1965. A native of Illinois, Davis moved to Ohio and flew his first solo flight at Cincinnati in 1927. In 1935 he set the then-record for time between New York and Philadelphia, just under one hour. His airline career began with Luddington Airlines in 1930 and he became the chief test pilot at Eastern Airlines in 1937. During his career he logged over 2000 hours of flight time in different types of aircraft. He was inducted into the Retired Eastern Pilots Association Hall of Fame in 1989 and was a member of the OX5 Aviation Pioneers Club.
Provenance:
Juliette Davis, Gift, 2001
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
Airline passenger security screening : new technologies and implementation issues / Committee on Commercial Aviation Security, Panel on Passenger Screening, National Materials Advisory Board, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council
Author:
National Research Council (U.S.) Committee on Commercial Aviation Security Search this
This collection consists of material relating to Harold W. "Toffy" Tofflemire's tenure at Eastern Air Lines, including the following: correspondence (letters, interoffice memoranda, and a telegram between Tofflemire and Edward Vernon "Eddie" Rickenbacker, president and chairman of Eastern Air Lines; Eastern Air Lines postcards; published material; and photographs.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of .25 cubic feet of material relating to Harold W. "Toffy" Tofflemire's tenure at Eastern Air Lines, including the following: correspondence (letters, interoffice memoranda, and a telegram between Tofflemire and Edward Vernon "Eddie" Rickenbacker, president and chairman of Eastern Air Lines; Eastern Air Lines postcards; published material; and photographs. There are also a few items from other airlines, including American Airlines wartime passenger brochures, and a photograph of the Apollo 8 Earth view autographed by Frank Borman.
Arrangement:
Arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
Harold W. "Toffy" Tofflemire (1904–1983) was a station manager for Eastern Air Lines (1930 - 1968). Tofflemire's flying career started in Pipestone, Minnesota, when he built and flew an airplane in 1918. He then barnstormed with friend Earl Smith in a Curtiss JN-4 through South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Kansas. Tofflemire joined Eastern Air Lines in the 1930s and was a station manager in Miami, Chattanooga, New Orleans, Chicago Midway, and Atlanta. His team started the control tower concept in Atlanta, originated the "transfer point" idea and established the reservation roundtable. Tofflemire also invented a scooter-powered baggage truck and a conveyor belt loading device for Eastern
Provenance:
David Koch, Gift, 2020, NASM.2021.0007
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 of documentation accompanied the donation of the actual aircraft to the National Air and Space Museum in 1992. Included here is memorabilia from the last flight of the B727-100 (such as receipts, records, and stationery), as well as compliance records, AMIS monthly histories, cabin maintenance forms, historical records, identification and routing tags, redelivery records, technical data cards, weight and balance records, non-routine maintenance and regular maintenance records from 12 different U.S. airports, an 8-binder 'Wiring Diagram Manual,' and microfilm and microfiche of various United Airlines documents.
Biographical / Historical:
The Boeing B727-100 is a version of the Boeing 727, which was designed in June 1959. A major innovation of the 727 was the choice of a rear-engined layout, with two Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engines mounted on the sides of the rear fuselage and a third at the base of the T-tail assembly. The 727 had an identical upper fuselage to the 707 and 720 series, with many parts interchangeable. The 727-100 version of the 727 provided standard transport for up to 131 passengers.
General:
Additional material: Memorabilia in this collection, i.e. playing cards, magazines, etc., was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum Aeronautics Division.
NASMrev
Provenance:
United Airlines, Inc., Gift, 1992, 1992-0051, 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 collection consists of 405 timetables from 177 domestic and international airlines.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 405 timetables from the following 177 domestic and international airlines: Aeromexico; Aeromech Airlines; AirBC; AirCal; Air Florida; Air Canada; Air Europe; Air Hawaii; Air Great Lakes; Air India; Air Midwest; Air New England; Air New Orleans; Air North; Air Oregon; Air Pacific; Air South; Air Sunshine; Air Tran; Air UK; Air U.S.; Air Virginia; Air Wisconsin; Alaska Airlines; Allegheny; Aloha Airlines; Altair Airlines; America West Airlines; American Airlines; American Central Airlines; American International Airways; ATA; Aspen Airways; Bar Harbor Airlines; Big Sky Airlines; Blue Line Air Express; Britt Airways; BOAC; Braniff; British Airways; Canada 3000; CP Air; Canadian Airlines; Capital Airlines; Caribbean Airways; Cascade Airways; Cayman Airways; Cathay Pacific; Chaparral Airlines; Chartair; Capitol Helicopters; Charter Airlines; Christmas Air System; Cochise Airlines; Colgan Airways; Comair; Cumberland Airlines; Continental Airlines; Delta Airways; Dolphin Airways; Eastern Air Lines; Emerald; Empire Airlines; Elal Israel Airlines; Executive Airlines; First Air; Florida Airlines; Freedom Airlines; Frontier Airlines; Garuda Indonesian Airways; GLC Airlines; Golden Pacific Airlines; Golden West Airlines; Grand Canyon Airlines; Great Lakes Aviation; Gulfstream International Airlines; Harbor Airlines; Henson Airlines; Hawaiian Air; Holiday; Horizon Air; HUB Airlines; Hughes Airwest; Jamaire; Japan Air Lines; Jet America; Jet Blue Airways; Jetstream International Airlines; Kiwi International Air Lines; KLM; Korean Airlines; Lake Central; Legend Airlines; Lufthansa; Marco Island Airways; Markair; Metro Airlines; Mexicana; Mid-Continent Airlines; Monmouth Airlines; MidPacific Air; Midstate; Midway Airlines, Inc.; Midwest Express Airlines; Mississippi Valley Airlines (MVA); Mohawk; Mountain West Airline; Muse Air; Naples Airlines; National Airlines; Newair; New Haven Airways; New York Air; New York Airways; North Central Airlines; North Central; Northeast Airlines; Northeastern; Northern Airways; Northwest Airlines; Ocean Airways; Ozark Air lines; Pacific Southwest Airlines; Pacific Air Lines; Pacific Coast Airlines; Pacific Northern Airlines; Pacific Western; Pan Am; Pennsylvania Airlines; People Express; Piedmont Airlines; Pilgrim Airlines; Pocono Airlines; Presidential Airways; Pro Air; Prinair; Private Jet; Princeton Airways; PBA; Qantas; Quebecair; Ransome Airlines; Republic; Rocky Mountain Airways; Royal Hawaiian Air Service; Royale Airlines; Simmons Airlines; SFO Helicopter Airlines; Shorter Airlines; Skyways; South Pacific Island Airways; Southern; SkyWest Airlines; Southern Express; Southwest Airlines; Suburban Airlines; Sun Air; Sun Aire Lines; Sunbelt Airlines; Sunbird Airlines; Sunworld International Airways; Swift Aire Lines; Texas International; TimeAir; Tradewinds; Transair; Trans Caribbean Airways; TWA; United Air Lines; USAir; US Airways; ValuJet; Vanguard Airlines; Vee Neal Airlines; Virgin; West Jet; Western World Airways; Wien (Air Alaska); Wings Airlines, Inc.; Wings West Airlines; and Wright Air Lines. The collection also contains the following: United Menus and Pan Am Menus; TWA Photographs; TWA, TAA, and Thai Safety Instructions; Delta and Pan Am Route Maps; Air Tran Brochure; Pittsburgh International Airport Brochure; Icelandic Airlines brochure; Air Ontario Dash 8 brochure; TWA StarStream DC-9 brochure; and an USAir Trump Shuttle brochure.
Arrangement:
Arranged alphabetically by airline.
Provenance:
Bruce Goldberg, Gift, 2020, NASM.2020.0035
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.
25.28 Cubic feet ((4 flatboxes) (20 records center boxes))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Memoranda
Scrapbooks
Clippings
Reports
Speeches
Date:
1917-1968
Scope and Contents:
This collection is mostly a public relations file on Trippe and Pan Am and includes the following material: Trippe's speeches and speech extracts (1925-1967); files relating to his awards and honors; contacts; memos; reports; newsclippings; and scrapbooks, including travel scrapbooks compiled by his wife Betty S. Trippe.
Biographical / Historical:
Juan Terry Trippe (1899-1981) was the cofounder and guiding influence of Pan American Airways (PAA) for over fifty years. Trippe entered Yale in 1917, but left to join the Navy, where he qualified for night flying and received an ensign's commission. The war ended before was sent overseas, so he returned to Yale (degree 1922) where he founded the Yale Flying Club. After graduation he worked briefly as a bond salesman, but left when, with former members of the Yale Flying Club, he purchased seven surplus naval aircraft to form Long Island Airways (1923). In 1924 he formed Colonial Air Transport, which served the New York to Boston route on the first United States Air Mail contract. He left Colonial in 1926, after a dispute over extending service to Miami and Havana, and joined with Cornelius Whitney and John Hambleton to form a new service which won the first US International Air Mail contract (1927) for service between Florida and Cuba. This company merged with Pan American Airways (PAA) under a holding company called Pan American Airways Corp (1927). Trippe served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company for 41 years (1927-1968), during which time Pan Am established an air service network spanning half the globe. Pan Am inaugurated the first transpacific passenger service (1935) and a similar transatlantic service (1939) using large flying boats. Following World War II, during which PAA provided airlift service to the United States under contract, Trippe pushed for low-cost air travel, introducing low-fare service on PAA's North Atlantic routes and the two-class seating arrangement. In 1949 the holdings and operating companies of PAA Corp merged as Pan American World Airways (PAWA). PAWA helped the spread of jet passenger service with the introduction of jet liners (1955), and the first Boeing 747 service (1966). Trippe remained in control of PAWA until he resigned in 1968, when he became an honorary chairman and an active member of the board until 1975. He continued to work a full schedule and attend board meetings until he suffered a stroke in 1980.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Juan Trippe, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0179, 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
