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50th Anniversary of the NC-4 Transatlantic Flight Collection [Richard K. Smith]

Creator:
Smith, Richard K.  Search this
Names:
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
United States. Navy  Search this
Extent:
1.9 Cubic feet (5 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Maps
Correspondence
Photographs
Diaries
Manuscripts
Microfilms
Publications
Date:
circa 1918-1969
Summary:
The 50th Anniversary of the NC-4 Transatlantic Flight Collection [Smith] Collection contains photocopies of correspondence, published materials, maps, and photographs. The collection also includes photocopies of aircraft logs, naval ship logs, weather reports, progress reports, biographies of the participants, information on the construction of the NC Aircraft and the general planning for the flight, and original material on the thirtieth and fiftieth anniversaries of the flight.
Scope and Content Note:
This collection was gathered by Dr. Richard K. Smith of the National Air and Space Museum, in preparation for the fiftieth anniversary of the NC-4's transatlantic flight. It contains photocopies from microfilm of documents found in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Record Group 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and Record Group 72, Records of the Bureau of Aeronautics. The researcher will find photocopies of correspondence, published materials, maps, and photographs. The collection also includes photocopies of aircraft logs, naval ship logs, weather reports, progress reports, biographies of the participants, information on the construction of the NC Aircraft and general planning for the flight, and original material on the thirtieth and fiftieth anniversaries of the flight.

The final box of the collection (Box 5) contains 6 reels of microfilm from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Record Groups 24 and 72 relating to the Trans Atlantic flight of the NC-4. As the processing archivist reviewed the microfilm, it appeared that many of the documents in boxes 1-4 were copied from the microfilm. These reels of microfilm are available for review upon request.
Arrangement:
Materials are arranged by subject and then chronologically.
Historical Note:
In 1917, the United States Navy developed specifications for a flying boat of sufficient range to cross the Atlantic to England. The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, in conjunction with the Navy, developed a three-engine aircraft. The Navy intended that the flying boat would serve as an anti-submarine patrol aircraft. The first of the new aircraft, the NC-1, flew on October 4, 1918, followed by the NC-2 on April 12, 1919. Even though World War I had ended, the Navy decided to continue the program in an effort to make the first transatlantic crossing by air. As the program progressed, the NC-2 was dismantled for parts for the other NC aircraft. On May 16, 1919, the NC-1, the NC-3, and the NC-4 assembled at Trepassey Bay, Newfoundland, to begin the 1200 nautical-mile flight to the Azores. The NC-1 was forced down short of the islands and sank, but the Greek vessel, Ionia, rescued the crew. The NC-3 landed two hundred miles short and taxied the remaining distance to the islands. The NC-4 completed the flight successfully, reaching Plymouth, England via Lisbon, Portugal, on May 31, 1919. Following publicity tours of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, the NC-4 was given to the Smithsonian Institution and is a part of the National Air and Space Museum collection.
Provenance:
Aeronautics Division, NASM, transfer, unknown, XXXX-0418, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.

Reels of microfilm are available for review upon request.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to ue NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Curtiss NC-1 (P2N-1)  Search this
Curtiss NC-4 (P2N-1)  Search this
Aeronautics -- Records  Search this
Transatlantic flights  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Seaplanes  Search this
Curtiss NC-Boat Family  Search this
Genre/Form:
Maps
Correspondence
Photographs
Diaries
Manuscripts
Microfilms
Publications
Citation:
50th Anniversary of the NC-4 Transatlantic Flight Collection [Smith], Acc. XXXX-0418, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0418
See more items in:
50th Anniversary of the NC-4 Transatlantic Flight Collection [Richard K. Smith]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2dfad6aa6-04c1-4530-8943-391b287eb2cc
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0418
Online Media:

Clement Melville Keys Papers

Creator:
Keys, Clement Melville, 1876-1952  Search this
Names:
Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America  Search this
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this
Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc.  Search this
Keys, Clement Melville, 1876-1952  Search this
Extent:
16.3 Cubic feet (32 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Financial records
Drawings
Date:
1916-1952
bulk 1928-1931
Summary:
Clement Melville Keys (1876-1952) was a financier and corporate organizer who promoted aviation through the post-World War I decade. In 1916 he came to the aid of the financially-troubled Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and was made an unsalaried vice president. Keys accompanied the American Aviation Mission to Europe in 1919, returning to purchase a controlling interest in Curtiss in 1920. He remained president of Curtiss until the 1929 merger with Wright Aeronautical Corp. to form Curtiss-Wright Corporation, whereupon he became president of the new company. In 1931, however, Keys resigned as chairman of T&WA following a bitter struggle for control of the airline. Mental collapse followed and Keys surrendered all his remaining aviation interests and left Curtiss-Wright in 1933.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists primarily of Keys' business records and correspondence from the 1920s and early 1930s. The bulk of the material relates to the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company/Curtiss-Wright Corporation and related firms, as well as Transcontinental Air Transport. The material includes business (operating) correspondence and records relating to Keys' financial interests.

The collection is divided into three series. The first series consists of materials dated through Keys' withdrawal from his aviation interests in 1932, followed by a second series of materials post-dating 1932. The final series consists of a small number of legal-sized documents not marked by Keys or his secretary and not otherwise placeable in either of the first two series. Because of the small amount of legal-sized material in the collection, the bulk of the collection has been stored in letter-sized containers; all legal-size documents have been placed in legal-sized containers at the end of the collection (Boxes 29-31) and a cross-reference note entered in the appropriate place in basic folder list. Larger materials have been placed in a single oversized box (Box 32) with cross-references in the folder list as appropriate.

Note: The digital images shown for this collection were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product which did not reproduce all materials found in this collection; some items have not been scanned.
Arrangement:
The processing of the Keys papers began as an intern project. The intern, however, was unable to complete the work before the end of the intemship period and I was assigned to rebox the materials that had been left unprocessed so that higher priority activities could continue. The long-term plan was that I would finish processing the collection when other projects had been completed. At this time I discovered two things: first, many of the documents had been marked for filing, apparently by Keys or Mr. Swan, his confidential secretary; second, much of the material was no longer in this order. When my work load allowed me to return to the processing of the Keys Papers, I surveyed the collection. The remaining original folder labels and cross-reference sheets appeared to confirm my first discovery - many of the documents had been marked for filing.

Most of my work since has been directed at undoing the mishandling from the initial work, most of which occurred in the files relating to the Curtiss group of companies. Almost all of the items dating from mid-1928 onwards carry some sort of filing marks: these items have been reorganized into the indicated filing units (see folder list, below). Unfortunately, enclosures often were not marked: some of these were refiled in 1987 and their provenance is, therefore, lost. A close textual analysis of the collection would be necessary to reunite enclosures with their cover letters; current work load and staff levels preclude this labor-intensive operation.

Almost all of the items dating from mid-1928 onwards carry some sort of filing marks: these items have been reorganized into the indicated filing units (see folder list). Unfortunately, enclosures often were not marked: some of these were refiled in 1987 and their provenance is, therefore, lost. A close textual analysis of the collection would be necessary to reunite enclosures with their cover letters; current work load and staff levels preclude this labor-intensive operation.

Materials pre-dating mid-1928 or otherwise unmarked have been filed by "best guess" from the correspondents and subject of the letters. Some materials doubtless remain misfiled. Researchers should examine folders that seem even marginally related to their topic for unmarked but related documents.

Titles appearing in brackets [ ] are the archivist's.

Series 1

Materials through 1932

Series 2

Post-1932 Material

Series 3

Miscellaneous Materials
Biographical / Historical:
Clement Melville Keys (1876-1952) was a financier and corporate organizer who promoted aviation through the post Word War I decade. Canadian-born, Keys graduated from Toronto University (B.A. 1897) and taught classics before coming to the United States in 1901 (naturalized, 1924). He went to work for the Wall Street Journal, first as a reporter (1901-1903), then as railroad editor (1903-1905) before becoming financial editor for World's Work (1905-1911). In 1911 he founded C. M. Keys & Co., an investment counseling firm and bond dealer. In 1916 he came to the aid of the financially-troubled Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and was made an unsalaried Vice President. Keys accompanied the American Aviation Mission to Europe in 1919, returning to purchase a controlling interest in Curtiss in 1920. He remained president of Curtiss until the 1929 merger with Wright Aeronautical Corp. to form Curtiss-Wright Corporation, whereupon he became president of the new company. During his tenure as president of Curtiss (1920-1929) and its successor, Curtiss-Wright Corp. (1929-1933), Keys brought the company from the brink of bankruptcy to a position as one of the leading aircraft manufacturers in the world. Curtiss also became the center of a group of aviation-related companies which served to market and operate Curtiss aircraft. At the same time, Keys expanded his own holdings until he was at the head of twenty-six corporations, including aviation holdings companies, such as North American Aviation and National Aviation Corp., as well as the first American transcontinental air service, Transcontinental Air Transport (later Transcontinental & Western Airline). In January 1932, Keys withdrew from all his aviation interests, citing ill health. He remained connected with C. M. Keys & Co., concentrating mainly on financial and real estate interests. Upon retiring from Keys & Co. in 1942, he started a new company, C. M. Keys Aircraft Service Co. and, after World War II, helped organize Peruvian International Airways, which began operating in South America in 1947.
Provenance:
Donated by Elizabeth Keys Stoney.
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  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Financial records
Drawings
Citation:
Clement Melville Keys Papers, Accession XXXX-0091, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0091
See more items in:
Clement Melville Keys Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg28e00e54d-1905-41ce-8b49-47f970892346
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0091
Online Media:

Charles M. Manly Papers

Creator:
Manly, Charles Matthews, 1876-1927  Search this
Names:
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Smithsonian Institution  Search this
Adler, Cyrus, 1863-1940  Search this
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this
Lahm, Frank Purdy, 1877-1963  Search this
Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont), 1834-1906  Search this
Manly, Charles Matthews, 1876-1927  Search this
Myers, Carl, 1842-1925  Search this
Post, Augustus  Search this
Walcott, Charles D. (Charles Doolittle), 1850-1927  Search this
Extent:
0.9 Cubic feet (2 legal document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Publications
Correspondence
Programs
Clippings
Notebooks
Date:
1895-1925
bulk 1903-1915
Summary:
This collection consists of material relating to Manly's aeronautical career, specifically his work with Samuel Langley's Aerodrome. The material consists of programs, publications, newspaper clippings, work notebooks, waste books, (mostly letterpress) and correspondence between Manly and the aviation and Smithsonian communities, circa 1885-1925. Correspondents include the following personalities: Glenn Curtiss, Carl Myers, Charles Walcott, Frank Lahm, Cyrus Adler, Augustus Post, and Samuel Langley.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of material relating to Manly's aeronautical career, specifically his work with Samuel Langley's Aerodrome. The material consists of programs, publications, newspaper clippings, work notebooks, waste books, (mostly letterpress) and correspondence between Manly and the aviation and Smithsonian communities, circa 1885-1925. Correspondents include Samuel Langley, Charles Walcott and Richard Rathbun of the Smithsonian; Cyrus Adler, Glenn Curtiss, Benjamin D. Foulois, Carl Myers, Frank Lahm, and Augustus Post. Of particular interest is the correspondence between Manly and Smithsonian Secretary Charles Walcott on Manly's work on the preparation of the Langley Memoir on Mechanical Flight for publication between 1908 to 1911; and his correspondence with Glenn Curtiss concerning the test flights of the rebuilt Great Aerodrome on Lake Keuka, Hammondsport, New York, in 1914, and the resulting controversy between the Smithsonian and Orville Wright.

Researchers may also wish to consult the National Air and Space Archives Division's Samuel P. Langley Collection (Accession No. XXXX-0494), and these collections held by the Smithsonian Institution Archives:

Record Unit 31, Office of the Secretary, Correspondence, 1866-1906, with related records to 1927.

Record Unit 34, Office of the Secretary, Correspondence, 1887-1907

Record Unit 7268, J. Elfreth Watkins Collection, 1869, 1881-1903, 1953, 1966 and undated.
Arrangement:
The Charles M. Manly Papers are organized in three series:

Series I --Letter Copy Books and Notebooks

Letter copy books were used to make and preserve copies of letters and memoranda --one placed a sheet of oiled paper under a page of the copy book, dampened the tissue copy page, then laid the original letter in the book under pressure for a few seconds. The quality of the copies ranges from quite readable to very faint. Because of the fragility of the paper, Archives Division staff should be consulted before working with the material.

The two notebooks in the series (Folder 4) were carried by Manly in his day to day work on the Aerodrome project and contain his notes on the progress of the work.

Series II --Correspondence

Letters in this series are arranged by year.

Series III --Additional Material

Newspaper clippings, Manly Family records, a photograph of Langley's Aerodrome No.5 in flight, and miscellaneous material.
Biographical/Historical note:
On May 9, 1898, Smithsonian Secretary Samuel P. Langley wrote to Professor Robert Thurston of Cornell University, looking for a "young man who is morally trustworthy ('a good fellow') with some gumption and a professional training" to serve as Langley's assistant in his aeronautical work. Thurston recommended a senior majoring in electrical and mechanical engineering, Charles Matthews Manly (1876-1927) of Staunton, Virginia. Langley hired Manly and placed him in charge of the construction of his Great Aerodrome, the large manned aircraft being built under the sponsorship of the Army's Board of Ordnance and Fortification. One of Manly's main contributions to the project was his vastly improved redesign of Stephen M. Balzer's five-cylinder water-cooled radial gasoline engine. Manly piloted the Great Aerodrome on its two unsuccessful launch attempts in 1903. He resigned from the Smithsonian in 1905. Manly served as a consulting aviation engineer for different government agencies and corporations, including the British War Office, 1915; the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation 1915-1919 (from 1919-1920 as the assistant general manger); and as a member of the US Commission to the International Aircraft Conference, London, 1918. Manly also completed and edited Langley's Memoir on Mechanical Flight which was published by the Smithsonian in 1911. Manly was granted over fifty 50 patents relating to automotive transportation, power generation, and transmission. In 1929, Manly was posthumously awarded the Langley Medal for outstanding aeronautical achievements.
Provenance:
Brian Bailey, gift, 1998, 1999-0004, deed pending.
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 -- 1903-1916  Search this
Airplanes -- Motors  Search this
Test pilots  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Langley Aerodrome Family  Search this
Genre/Form:
Publications
Correspondence
Programs
Clippings
Notebooks
Citation:
Charles M. Manly Papers, Acc. 1999-0004, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsoinan Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1999.0004
See more items in:
Charles M. Manly Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg214f16918-98d9-4f0a-8bf0-5d29f0e8fd55
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1999-0004
Online Media:

Dr. Arthur Nutt Papers

Creator:
Nutt, Arthur, 1895-1983  Search this
Names:
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Packard Motor Car Company. New York  Search this
Wright Aeronautical Corp  Search this
Nutt, Arthur, 1895-1983  Search this
Extent:
5.57 Cubic feet (15 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Manuscripts
Correspondence
Drawings
Publications
Date:
1915-1981
bulk 1915-1945
Summary:
Arthur Nutt was an aeronautical engineer specializing in engine design.
Scope and Content Note:
This collection consists of the personal papers of Dr. Arthur Nutt. These papers relate to his career as an aeronautical engineer with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, Wright Aeronautical Corporation, Packard Motor Car Company, Arthur Nutt and Associates, and the Lycoming division of AVCO Manufacturing Corporation. The material include correspondence, photographs, reports, manuals, handbooks, test data, brochures, speeches, and scrapbooks. Included are biographical and autobiographical materials (notes, news clippings, articles, and photographs) compiled by Nutt in an unsuccessful attempt to publish his autobiography. Two smaller collections of Dr. Nutt's papers, NASM.1988.0055 and NASM.1988.0059, have been integrated into the main collection.

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 note:
The collection is arranged into two broad series. First, is the material pertaining to his professional life. This includes Nutt's correspondence, official reports, photographs (mainly of aircraft engines and aircraft), corporate publications (brochures, handbooks, instruction books, manuals, and parts lists), aircraft engine blueprints, aircraft engine proposals, test data, speeches, magazines, and newsletters. The second series contains papers gathered mainly for Nutt's personal use and interest. Of special interest are Nutt's logbook, scrapbooks, and notes for his autobiography.

Nutt's papers are arranged both alphabetically by manufacturer and then chronologically. Correspondence, photographs, reports, speeches, and notes (except miscellaneous biographical notes without dates) are organized by the latter method. Corporate brochures, handbooks, instruction books, manuals, blueprints and test data are grouped alphabetically by corporate name, then by date (and by aircraft engine type when applicable). Magazines, newsletters, and newspapers are also arranged alphabetically by title of publication and then chronologically.
Historical note:
Arthur Nutt was an aeronautical engineer specializing in engine design. Born in New Rochelle, New York in 1895, Nutt graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1916 with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and received an honorary doctorate from the Institute in 1941. Shortly after graduation, he was hired by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation (CAMCo) and started in the assembly department. As a motor engineer and eventually, chief motor engineer, Nutt was responsible for the development of the Curtiss D-12, V-1400, and R-1454 aircraft engines. After the merger of CAMCo and the Wright Aeronautical Corporation in 1930, Nutt went to work for Curtiss-Wright as vice president of engineering. He remained there for fourteen years until 1944 when he left to become director of aircraft engineering for the Packard Motor Car Company. He stayed with Packard until 1949 when he started and headed his own engineering sales firm, Arthur Nutt and Associates. In 1951 he joined the Lycoming Division of AVCO Manufacturing Corporation as vice president of engineering. Upon his retirement from Lycoming in 1959, Nutt stayed active in numerous civic and church activities. He was also a member of a number of professional organizations, most notably the Society of Automotive Engineers and served as its president in 1940. Nutt was inducted into the Aviation Pioneers Hall of Fame in 1978. He died in Boca Raton, Florida in 1983.
Provenance:
Jean N. Welch, gift, 1987, 1987-0115; 1988, 1988-0055 and 1988-0059.
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  Search this
Curtiss R-1454 (engine)  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Curtiss CD-12 (engine)  Search this
Aeronautical engineers  Search this
Curtiss V-1400 (engine)  Search this
Airplanes -- Motors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Manuscripts
Correspondence
Drawings
Publications
Citation:
Arthur Nutt Collection, Acc. 1987-0115, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1987.0115
See more items in:
Dr. Arthur Nutt Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a222d331-d172-4b4b-90c9-2b475d91e8f0
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1987-0115
Online Media:

Roland Rohlfs Scrapbook

Creator:
Rohlfs, Roland  Search this
Names:
Aerial Advertising Company  Search this
Civil Aeronautics Administration  Search this
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Early Birds of Aviation (Organization).  Search this
Rohlfs, Roland  Search this
Extent:
0.23 Cubic feet ((1 slim legal document box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Programs
Clippings
Correspondence
Date:
1914-1973
bulk 1919-1931
Summary:
A scrapbook and photographs documenting Roland Rohlf's aviaiton career.
Scope and Contents:
A scrapbook records Rohlfs' career and includes correspondence, telegrams, programs, and newspaper articles. Loose photographs were reproduced on NASM Archives Videodisc 2B, and include family photographs as well as subjects relating to Rohlfs' career as described above.
Arrangement:
Photographs located in Videodisc Files; scrapbook is a single item.
Biographical / Historical:
Roland Rohlfs started his career establishing motorcycle records in 1914, before turning to the field of aviation. Rohlfs became an instructor and experimental test pilot with Curtiss Aeroplane Company during World War I, and he established speed and altitude records. Because of his popularity, he endorsed advertisements for such items as watches, spark plugs, parachutes and cars. In 1928, Rohlfs developed and patented an aerial neon sign, and established the Aerial Advertising Company to administer it. Toward the end of his career, he promoted private flying as a "Personal Flying Specialist" for the Civil Aviation Authority and he was an operations manager for Aeromarine Airways. Rohlfs was a member of the Early Birds.
Provenance:
Roland Rohlfs, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.0278
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:
Test pilots -- United States  Search this
Test pilots  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this
Aeronautics -- Records  Search this
Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this
Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Programs
Clippings
Correspondence
Citation:
Roland Rohlfs Collection, NASM.XXXX.0278, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0278
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b34f31d7-6da7-4803-bbc6-28acb4bb5167
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0278

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