This small collection consists of material relating to George C. Schnitzer, Jr. (1894-1925), Chief Radio Operator of the US Navy airship ZR-1 Shenandoah. The collection includes five letters written by Schnitzer to family and friends while aboard the Shenandoah; two newspaper clippings; and several photographs, panoramic photographs, and color post cards by photographer R. S. (Rell Sam) Clements depicting the Shenandoah and the US Navy airship ZR-3 Los Angeles at or near NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Scope and Contents:
The collection includes five letters handwritten by George Conrad Schnitzer, Jr., to family and friends while aboard the USS Shenandoah, and two newspaper clippings from the Friday, September 4, 1925, edition of the Newport Herald reporting the crash of the Shenandoah and Schnitzer's death. The collection also includes six colorized post cards, nine photographs, and three panoramic photographs by photographer R. S. (Rell Sam) Clements (plus one unattributed photograph) depicting the Shenandoah and the US Navy airship ZR-3 Los Angeles at or near Naval Air Station (NAS) Lakehurst, New Jersey. The name "R. F. Schnitzer" on the backs of several of the post cards is assumed to be that of Schnitzer's brother Robert Ferns Schnitzer Sr.
Arrangement:
The material is grouped in folders by type.
Biographical / Historical:
Plans for the construction of the US Navy airship ZR-1 USS Shenandoah, the first rigid airship to be built in the United States, were begun in September 1919; her parts were manufactured at the Naval Aircraft Factory and then shipped to NAS Lakehurst for final assembly. The assembly began on February 11, 1922, and the Shenandoah was christened on October 10, 1923. Despite her relatively short life of two years, the Shenandoah achieved many firsts during her operational career. She was the first rigid airship to be inflated with helium; the first to use water recovery apparatus for the continuous recovery of ballast from the exhaust gas of fuel burned; and she completed the most extended operation accomplished by an airship up to that time, completing 57 flights, logging 740 hours in the air, and covering about 28,000 miles on flights designed to train crewmen in the science of handling large airships in naval missions. Sadly, the airship was to meet a tragic end. Before dawn on the morning of September 3, 1925, over eastern Ohio, the Shenandoah encountered a severe storm. She broke in two; the control car separated and fell to the ground while the forward section of the ship rose to a great height and remained in the air for the greater part of an hour before making a free balloon landing at Sharon, Ohio, with the bulk of the airship crashing near Ava, Ohio. Fourteen of the 43-person crew were killed.
George Conrad Schnitzer, Jr., born April 9, 1894, in Newport, Rhode Island. Schnitzer enlisted in the Navy in 1912 and served as the Chief Radio Operator of the USS Shenandoah, from which he dropped letters to friends and family as the airship was in flight over Newport. Schnitzer was killed in the crash of the Shenandoah on September 3, 1925.
Photographer R. S. (Rell Sam) Clements was born September 22, 1886, in Meade County, Kentucky. After service with the US Army, Clements worked out of the Washington, D.C. area before moving to Lakehurst, New Jersey, in the early 1920s where his skills with panoramic photography made him well-suited to capture views of the new US Navy airships based at NAS Lakehurst. Clements died on June 22, 1963, age 76.
Related Materials:
See related collection ZR-1 Shenandoah Christening Invitation, NASM.1988.0054.
The radio used by Chief Radio Operator George Schnitzer aboard the Shenandoah is now part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum collection: Receiver, High Frequency Radio, Experimental, Airship, Shenandoah, A19590205000.
Provenance:
George C. Schnitzer, gift, 2002, NASM.2002.0030
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 eleven gelatin-silver photographs printed by the International Film Service as commercial post cards of the US Navy NC Transatlantic expedition of 1919, showing various stages of the flight, from the departure from NAS Rockaway (New York, USA) to shots of the Curtiss NC-4 at anchor in Lisbon, Portugal, and its crew being congratulated on arrival in Plymouth, England (UK).
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of eleven gelatin-silver photographs printed by the International Film Service as commercial post cards of the US Navy NC Transatlantic expedition of 1919, showing various stages of the flight, from the departure from NAS Rockaway (New York, USA) to shots of the Curtiss NC-4 at anchor in Lisbon, Portugal, and its crew being congratulated on arrival in Plymouth, England (UK).
Arrangement:
Post cards have been arranged in chronological order based on the card titles and assigned NASM Archives image reference numbers NASM-9A19917 through NASM-9A19927.
Biographical / Historical:
On May 8, 1919, the Curtiss-built flying boat NC-4, in company with the NC-1 and NC-3, departed from the Naval Air Station Rockaway (New York) on the first leg of a transatlantic flight. Intermediate legs were planned for Naval Air Station Chatham (Massachusetts); Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Trepassey, Newfoundland. On May 16, the three aircraft began the longest leg of their mission -- from Newfoundland to the Azores. Naval vessels were stationed along the route to indicate the route to the aviators. NC-1 became disabled, and its crew was rescued by the Greek freighter SS Iona. NC-3 was forced down but was able to taxi in to harbor in the Azores. NC-4 arrived safely in Horta (Ilha do Faial), in the Azores on May 17. After delays for repairs, NC-4 took off on May 27 and landed at Lisbon, Portugal, 9 hours later, becoming the first aircraft to make a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. The NC-4 continued via Ferrol, Spain, to Plymouth, England, arriving on May 31, 1919.
After service during World War I with the US Navy, commercial photographer Norbert George Moser partnered for a short time with the International Film Service (IFS) to publish photo post cards of Navy-related subjects. This group of US Navy "Transatlantic Flight May 14th 1919" post cards likely reproduces scenes captured by several different photographers. Note that the last card in the collection (NASM-9A19927), despite being titled as "Congratulating crew of the N.C.4 on arrival in England" is a US Navy photograph of officers of the seaplane tender USS Shawmut congratulating the crew of the Curtiss NC-4 at Lisbon, Portugal, on May 28, 1919.
Provenance:
Paul E. Garber, gift, 1982, NASM.XXXX.1102
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.
Photographs of Naval Corpsman Arthur B. "Art" Guntner and his career working with the Johnsville Centrifuge at the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory of the Navy Air Development Center Warminster. Capable of generating 40Gs, the Centrifuge was used throughout the early American space program for many different scientific simulations and experiments purposes including as a part of the training of every Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronaut.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 42 digital images of photographs on a CD and a few other materials relating to Arthur B. "Art" Guntner's time as an Aerospace Medicine Technician at the Naval Air Development Center in Johnsville, Pennsylvania. Black and white photographs show Guntner as well as other U.S. Navy personnel at work with particular emphasis on the centrifuge. Several astronauts appear in photographs including Alan B. Shepard, Jr., John Herschel Glenn, Jr., and Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom. Some images, likely scans of scrapbook pages, contain Project Mercury postage stamps and news clippings about Guntner.
Also included in this collection are promotional materials for the Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum from 2011.
Arrangement:
Arranged by material type.
Biographical / Historical:
Born and raised in the mining town of Morgantown, West Virginia, Arthur B. "Art" Guntner joined the Navy in 1958 and graduated from Aerospace Medicine School in 1960. Immediately after graduation, he began as an Aerospace Medicine Technician assigned to the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory at the Johnsville Naval Air Development Center.
U.S. Navy's Johnsville Naval Air Development Center (NADC) in Warminster, Pennsylvania was home to 30 different laboratories in the 1950s and 1960s. In the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory, the largest human centrifuge was constructed from 1947 to 1949 and operated in researching the limits of human tolerance for "G" forces. By late 1959, training and research focused on preparing the first Americans for space flight.
Given their full schedules, the Mercury astronauts weren't present for early runs or "flights" on the centrifuge. Younger staff members, therefore, served as the test subjects for the initial simulations. While working at Johnsville, Guntner flew over 350 flights in the centrifuge, tested the design of G-suits, and participated in many other classified experiments. He was personally involved in the briefing and training of the Mercury astronauts.
Provenance:
Art Guntner, Gift, 2011, NASM.2011.0037
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.
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
Naval Aviator certificate issued to Beckwith Havens by the United States Navy Department. Dated 22 March 1918 and received 5 June 1918. Pilot's license includes small photograph of Havens. License holder also contained the Uniformed Service Identification and Privilege Card of Angela C. Havens (wife of Beckwith Havens) dated 18 December 1957.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Collection 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
A Naval Aviator's certificate issued to Gillespie on 19 May 1916, which includes a photo of Gillespie.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Collection 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
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
United States. Navy. Bureau of Aeronautics [BuAer] Search this
Extent:
0.45 Cubic feet ((1 legal document box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pamphlets
Drawings
Date:
1942
Scope and Contents:
This collection consisits of the complete set of the Navy WWII model drawings and a booklet explaining the project.
Biographical / Historical:
Accurate scale model aircraft have often been helpful in training recognition of aircraft, range estimation and determination of cones of fire. In December 1941, the Secretary of the Navy asked the US Commissioner of Education for the schools to make 500,000 scale model airplanes. This alliance resulted in a joint project between the US Navy, Bureau of Aeronautics, who supplied the authoritative drawings and plans, and the US Office of Education, who perepared educational and informational material.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Paul E. Garber, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0438, Public Domain
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
United States Navy Engineering Drawings on Microfilm
Creator:
United States. Navy. Bureau of Aeronautics [BuAer] Search this
Names:
United States. Navy. Bureau of Aeronautics [BuAer] Search this
Extent:
69.84 Cubic feet (776 microfilm cartons)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Microfilms
Manuals
Date:
[no dates]
Scope and Contents:
Included in this collection are drawings for the following aircraft: Douglas AD series, BTD-1 and F3D, Grumman F4F-3, F4F-4, F4F-7, F6F-3, F8F-1, Goodyear F2G-1, McDonnell FH-1, North American FJ-1, General Motors FM-1, FM-2, Chance-Vought F4U-1, F4U-4, F4U-5, F8U-1, OS2U, Beech GB-2, UC-43, Bell HSL-1, HTL-5, HTL-6, HUL-1, Grumman J2F, JRF, Naval Aircraft Factory N3N, Martin PBM, Consolidated PB2Y, PB4Y, Lockheed R7V-1, Curtiss SB2C, North American SNJ, General Motors TBM-3, Goodyear ZPG-3W and K type airship, as well as drawings of miscellaneous equipment, several incomplete microfilm sets, manufacturer specifications and technical documentation and manuals.
Biographical / Historical:
The United States Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) maintained record copies of engineering drawings for aviation equipment operated by the Navy and microfilm copies of these drawings were created by the Drawings and Microfilm Section of BuAer's Maintenance Division for the use of the Navy. In the mid 1980s, a portion of this drawing collection was loaned to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) for processing by NASM personnel. In 1991, positive reference copies of microfilm, comprising some 3000 rolls, were loaned to NASM to assist in the processing of the hardcopy drawings and with the understanding that, should funding be available, NASM would duplicate the microfilm for its own collection as a "second security copy." The completion of the Archives II complex in College Park, MD in the 1990s allotted sufficient storage space to NARA's Cartographic and Architectural Branch for the RG72 drawing collection to be housed directly under NARA custody. As a result, NARA recalled its loan of the material, including the microfilm collection. The drawings were returned in 1994, but NARA granted an extension of the microfilm loan to allow NASM to duplicate portions of the collection which were relevant to NASM's artifact collection. The resulting 776 rolls of diazo 35mm film duplicates portions of microfilm contained in NARA RG72 and includes some records of the Drawings and Microfilm Section and Publications Section of BuAer's Maintenance Division.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
NARA, unknown, 1994, 1994-0058, 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
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder, Printed invitation with hand-lettered name., 4.25 x 5.4 inches)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Invitations
Date:
October 10, 1923
Summary:
This single-item collection consists of an invitation to the christening of the US Navy airship ZR-1 USS Shenandoah at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey, on October 10, 1923.
Scope and Contents:
This single-item collection consists of an invitation to the christening of the US Navy airship ZR-1 USS Shenandoah at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, on October 10, 1923: "The Secretary of the Navy requests the pleasure of the company of Mr. Benjamin Postman at the Christening of the U. S. S. Shenandoah on Wednesday afternoon, October the tenth at two o'clock at the United States Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey."
Arrangement:
No arrangement.
Biographical / Historical:
Plans for the construction of the US Navy airship ZR-1 USS Shenandoah, the first rigid airship to be built in the United States, were begun in September 1919; her parts were manufactured at the Naval Aircraft Factory and then shipped to NAS Lakehurst for final assembly. The assembly began on February 11, 1922, and the Shenandoah was christened on October 10, 1923. Despite her relatively short life of two years, the Shenandoah achieved many firsts during her operational career. She was the first rigid airship to be inflated with helium; the first to use water recovery apparatus for the continuous recovery of ballast from the exhaust gas of fuel burned; and she completed the most extended operation accomplished by an airship up to that time, completing 57 flights, logging 740 hours in the air, and covering about 28,000 miles on flights designed to train crewmen in the science of handling large airships in naval missions. Sadly, the airship was to meet a tragic end. Before dawn on the morning of September 3, 1925, over eastern Ohio, the Shenandoah encountered a severe storm. She broke in two; the control car separated and fell to the ground while the forward section of the ship rose to a great height and remained in the air for the greater part of an hour before making a free balloon landing at Sharon, Ohio, with the bulk of the airship crashing near Ava, Ohio. Fourteen of the 43-person crew were killed.
Provenance:
Alan S. Postman, gift, 1988, NASM. 1988.0054.
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.
France Field, Panama, Photographs [Abby Weed Grey]
Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
Circa 1928
Summary:
Nine photographs taken by Abby Weed Grey (1902-1983) of aircraft at France Field, Panama, circa 1928. The collection includes a photograph of Charles Lindbergh and the "Spirit of St. Louis.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of nine photographs of aircraft and of Charles Lindbergh at France Field, Panama.
Arrangement:
...
Biographical / Historical:
Abby Weed Grey (1902-1983) traveled the world as an army wife [Ben Grey] and was a Minnesota teacher, art collector, gallery owner and philanthropist. Between 13 December 1927 and 8 February 1928, Lieutenant Charles A. Lindbergh visited France Field, Panama, as part of a Pan-American "Goodwill Tour."
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.
Dale Butler Sigler (1885--1965) joined the US Navy in April 1908 and became part of the Aviation Corps in the summer of 1911 as one of the first group of aviation mechanics. This scrapbook was compiled by Dale Butler Sigler and consists of photographs, drawings, and ephemera regarding the early days of US Naval aviation.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
This scrapbook was compiled by Dale Butler Sigler prior to his death in 1965, and consists of photographs, drawings, and ephemera regarding the early days of US Naval aviation. In addition to Sigler, prominent figures in naval aviation shown in the scrapbook include John Rodgers; Theodore Gordon "Spuds" Ellyson; John H. Towers; Victor Daniel Herbster; and Glenn Hammond Curtiss. Aircraft shown in the scrapbook include the Wright (Co) Model B, US Navy Aircraft; Curtiss A-1 (AH-1); and Curtiss A-2 (Owl, E-1, AX-1). The scrapbook also includes information on the first two Navy airfields: Greenfield Point, Maryland and North Island, San Diego Bay, California. The scrapbook also contains a four-page biography of Dale B. Sigler and his career in naval aviation.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Dale Butler Sigler (1885--1965) joined the US Navy in April 1908 and became part of the Aviation Corps in the summer of 1911 as one of the first group of aviation mechanics. Sigler left the US Navy in April 1912.
Provenance:
United States Navy, Gift, 1966, NASM.XXXX.0295.
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 Captain Max E. Malan's Navy pilot logs, 1945-1963.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of Captain Max E. Malan's Navy pilot logs, that span his career from 1945 to 1963.
Arrangement:
Three logbooks, arranged chronologically.
Biographical / Historical:
Captain Max E. Malan, USN (1922-2018) joined the United States Navy in 1944. Malan was a career Naval Officer and served his country for 31 years as a naval aviator.
Provenance:
Tammy Malan, Gift, 2019, NASM.2019.0014
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 copy of the ZRS-4 Ring Laying Commemorative Book, commemorating the laying of the master ring of the U.S. Navy Airship Akron ZRS-4.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a copy of the book commemorating the laying of the master ring of the U.S. Navy Airship Akron ZRS-4.
Arrangement:
Item level; collection contains just one item.
Biographical/Historical note:
In 1928 the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation signed contracts with the Bureau of Aeronautics to build two large fleet-type rigid airships designed expressly for strategic scouting work with US Fleet. These sister ships carried airplanes for fighter protection and for scouting. The first of the two was the USS Akron. NAS Lakehurst was homeport for the Akron between October 1931, when she was delivered to the station, and April 1933 when the Akron was lost off Barnegat Light with a heavy loss of life.
Provenance:
Unknown - found in collection, unknown, unknown, NASM.XXXX.0495
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 black and white prints, one approximately 3" x 5 ¼" and the other approximately 3" x 4", of the Douglas World Cruiser Chicago in Hong Kong during the 1924 around-the-world flight.
Biographical / Historical:
Between 6 April and 28 September 1924 a flight of specially designed Douglas aircraft operated by the United States Army Air Service completed the first aerial circumnavigation of the globe. Two of the four Douglas World Cruisers completed the 27,000 mile trip in 371 hours, 11 minutes flying time. On June 9, 1924, the Douglas World Cruiser Chicago stopped in Hong Kong during its historic around-the-world flight. These photographs belonged to Edward Royden Carter, Sr., who was a Navy Seaman aboard the USS Sacramento PG19, which was stationed in Hong Kong in 1924.
Provenance:
Louis W. Clarke, Gift, 2002, NASM.2002.0053.
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
Hiroshima-shi (Japan) -- History -- Bombardment, 1945
Date:
[ca. 1940s, 1980s]
Scope and Contents:
Series I of this collection consists of the following: seven folders containing almost 200 photographs and negatives on display in the exhibit, four series of slides (two detailing the U.S.S. Midway used for background research, one detailing documents and photos of the Philippine Sea battle, and of the finished museum exhibit) and the exhibit script. Series II is a collection of images that were collected for the Sea Air Operations Gallery but were not used in the exhibit itself. It consists of 17 folders of photographs and negatives dealing with the following subjects: Pearl Harbor, Pacific battleship battles of 1942-1945, US and Japanese commanders, aircraft carriers, aces, the USS Enterprise, Guadalcanal, USMC air operations, Grumman workers, Manila atrocities, miscellaneous aircraft and miscellaneous photos. In Series I, 33 of the photograph negatives have no corresponding prints in the folders but are on display downstairs. Seven of the photos of a more graphic nature have no accompanying print nor are they on display. Series III consists of research material gathered in support of the Sea Air Operation Gallery. Series IV consists of slide images taken by Lt. William G. Lotz, USN, aboard the USS Midway circa 1989-1990. Series III and IV were merged with the exiting collection in 1998.
Biographical / Historical:
The National Air and Space Museum's Sea Air Operations Gallery details the operations of carriers and their aircraft, both of the World War II era and the present day. Featured are panels focusing on carrier-verses-carrier battles fought by the U.S. and Japanese navies during World War II: the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the Battle for Leyte Gulf. The exhibit also highlights other Pacific missions, from Pearl Harbor, through Midway, to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
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:
Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941 Search this
Gregory H. "Pappy" Boyington Aviators Flight Log Book
Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (One folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1936-1939
Summary:
Gregory H. "Pappy" Boyington (1912-1988) was a U.S. Marine Corps aviator. He served with Gen. Claire Chennault's 1st American Volunteer Group - the "Flying Tigers", and later commanded Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214), famed as the "Black Sheep Squadron". This collection consists of Boyington's Aviators Flight Log Book, numbered 266, covering training at Quantico, Virginia and Basic School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1936-1939.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of Boyington's Aviators Flight Log Book, numbered 266, covering training at Quantico, Virginia and Basic School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1936-1939.
Arrangement:
...
Biographical / Historical:
Gregory H. "Pappy" Boyington (1912-1988) was a U.S. Marine Corps aviator. He served with Gen. Claire Chennault's 1st American Volunteer Group - the "Flying Tigers" - and saw combat in Burma in 1941-42. Rejoining the Marine Corps in September 1942, he served as Commanding Officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214), famed as the "Black Sheep Squadron". in January 1944, Boyington was shot down during aerial combat and was made a prisoner-of-war. After his release at the end of the war, Boyington received the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman. Boyington died on January 11, 1988.
Provenance:
Samuel Moyeman, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.0860
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.
EThis collection consists of papers relating to John Earl Smerdon, Jr.'s military career including log books, pilot's licenses, photographs, correspondence, military records, and newsclippings. The log books cover the years of 1945-1963. The photographs are almost exclusively black and white and range in size from 3.5 by 2.5 inches up to 8 by 10 inches. The photographs include various views of Smerdon in uniform as well as in the cockpits of various aircraft including the North American FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury; North American SNJ Texan; Curtiss SB2C Helldiver; Vought (RF-8A) F8U-1P Crusader; Douglas A3D (A-3) Skywarrior (photograph also includes McDonnell F3H-2N (F-3C) Demon, Douglas F4D (F-6) Skyray, North American FJ-4 (F-1E) Fury, Grumman F11F-1 (F-11A) Tiger, and Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk); and the Douglas AD-5N (A-1G) Skyraider.
Biographical / Historical:
John Earl Smerdon, Jr. (1925-2000) was a naval aviator and test pilot who flew numerous aircraft, including the National Air and Space Museum's Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver (BuNo 83479). Smerdon enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1943 at the age of 17. In 1946, Smerdon was designated as a naval aviator. Smerdon served with the reserves until being transferred to the Regular Navy at the rank of Lieutenant (junior grade) in March 1949. Smerdon later served as a test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Smerdon retired from the Navy in 1963 as a Commander. During Smerdon's service with the U.S. Navy he flew numerous aircraft including the Stearman (1927) N2S-3 Kaydet (Model B75N1); North American SNJ Texan; Douglas SBD Dauntless; Curtiss SB2C Helldiver; Beech SNB-2C, SNB-3, and SNB-4 Navigator; Douglas R4D Skytrain; Douglas AD (A-1, BT2D) Skyraider; Grumman F6F Hellcat; Vought F4U Corsair; Boeing 767 Tanker Transport (KC-767); North American T-28 Trojan; Grumman S-2 (S2F) Tracker; Martin (Glenn L.) P5M (P-5) Marlin; Douglas F3D (F-10) Skyknight; Grumman TF-1 (C-1A) Trader; Lockheed P2V (P-2) Neptune; Douglas R5D Skymaster; Douglas A3D (A-3) Skywarrior; Martin (Glenn L.) P4M Mercator; McDonnell F2H (F2D, F-2) Banshee; Lockheed WV Super Constellation; Vought F7U Cutlass; Grumman F11F (F-11) Tiger; Grumman F9F Panther (Straight-Wing); Fairchild R4Q-2 (C-119F) Packet; Vought F-8 (F8U) Crusader; Grumman UF-1 (HU-16C) Albatross; Lockheed TV-2 (TO-2, T-33B) Shooting Star; Lockheed T2V Seastar; North American FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury; Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk; Beech TC-45J Expeditor; and the Piper UO-1 (U-11A).
Provenance:
David Smerdon, Gift, 2013
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 material relating to Frederick C. Phillips and the Martin (Glenn L.) (JRM) XPB2M-1R Mars (Model 170) endurance flight in October 1943 including several scrapbook pages, photographs, and a technical report on the flight. The scrapbook pages contain various items including additional technical information, news clippings, and a list of regulations and an official breakfast menu for the endurance flight.
Biographical / Historical:
Manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company, the XPB2M-1 Mars (Model 170) was developed as a prototype for the U.S. Navy in 1938 as a long-range patrol flying boat. This was converted in 1943 into a transport aircraft, designated the XPB2M-1R Mars (Model 170), which involved the addition of additional cargo hatches and cargo loading equipment as well as enlarging of the existing hatches and the removal of armament. Flight testing on the XPB2M-1R began in May 1943 and ended with a 33 hour endurance flight in October of that year. The Navy accepted the aircraft in November 1943. In 1944, the Navy ordered additional transport aircraft that were delivered between 1945 and 1948 as five Martin (Glenn L.) JRM-1 Mars (Model 170A) aircraft and one Martin (Glenn L.) JRM-2 Mars (Model 170B). The Mars was the largest Allied flying boat to enter production. Frederick C. Phillips was an engineer at Glenn L. Martin Company and served as an observer on the Martin (Glenn L.) (JRM) XPB2M-1R Mars (Model 170) endurance flight in October 1943.
Provenance:
Frederick C. Phillips, Gift, 2018
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
Martin (Glenn L.) (JRM) XPB2M-1R Mars (Model 170) Endurance Flight Collection [Phillips], Acc. 2018-0039, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
This collection consists of one Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) Flight Manual for the Grumman F-14A Tomcat.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of one Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) Flight Manual for the Grumman F-14A Tomcat obtained by Frederick Nassauer, Sr. during his time working at the Grumman Aerospace Flight Test Facility (Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant). The manual is dated January 1, 1986 and is numbered NAVAIR 01-F14AAA-1.
Arrangement:
This collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat, developed for the U.S. Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program, is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep-wing, two-place strike fighter. The multiple tasks of navigation, target acquisition, electronic counter measures (ECM), and weapons employment are divided between the pilot and the radar intercept officer (RIO). Primary missions include precision strike against ground targets, air superiority, and fleet air defense. The F-14 first flew in December 1970 and was first deployed with the U.S. Navy in 1974. The F-14 was retired from the U.S. Navy's active fleet in 2006. Frederick Nassauer, Sr. was a longtime Grumman employee working at the Grumman Aerospace Flight Test Facility (Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant) in Calverton, Long Island, New York.
Provenance:
Frederick Nassauer, Gift, 2018, NASM.2018.0021
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.