Aeronautical engineer Fred E. Weick (1899-1993) had a profound effect on light aircraft development. He was responsible for the development of NACA's low-drag cowling for radial engines, introduced the concept of "fifty foot obstacle clearance" as a measure of aircraft take-off performance, and was instrumental in the development of several aircraft, including the Piper Pawnee and Piper Cherokee.
Scope and Content:
This collection consists of transcripts of Weick's dictation for this autobiography, published as From the Ground Up: Autobiography of an Aeronautical Engineer (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988). A copy of this book can be found in the Smithsonian Library at the National Air and Space Museum.
Biographical/Historical note:
Aeronautical engineer Fred E. Weick (1899-1993) had a profound effect on light aircraft development. While working for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) he developed the NACA low-drag cowling for radial engines (1928) and built a low landing speed aircraft as an independent project sparked by a series of light aircraft design seminars at NACA's Langley Research Center (1931). He introduced the concept of "fifty foot obstacle clearance" as a measure of aircraft take-off performance, which remains a standard measure today. In 1936 he joined Henry Berliner at the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) to develop and market a commercial version of Weick's aircraft. Although the resulting Ercoupe faded in the general aviation slump following World War II, Weick moved to Texas A&M (1948-56) where he developed a series of agricultural aircraft which evolved into the Piper Pawnee series. He remained at Piper until he retired (1956 to c. 1970) and developed the Piper Cherokee with John Thorpe and Karl Bergey. After retirement, Weick remained active in aeronautics, assisting in design studies for Beech Aircraft as well as undertaking private projects in aircraft trim and control.
Provenance:
Fred E. Weick, gift, 1984, XXXX-0425
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. Army. American Expeditionary Forces Search this
Gorrell, Edgar S. (Edgar Staley), 1891-1945 Search this
Extent:
3.95 Cubic feet (9 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Correspondence
Publications
Date:
1893-1943
Summary:
This collection contains documents relating mainly to Gorrell's activities as president of the Air Transportation Association of America. The materials include copies of Gorrell's addresses and Congressional testimony, as well as press clippings concerning Gorrell's activities. The collection also includes albums of World War I vintage photographs collected by or presented to Gorrell.
Scope and Contents:
The Edgar S. Gorrell Collection is largely comprised of material relating to Gorrell's career as president of the Air Transport Association of America. The material includes his correspondence and speeches, the Congressional hearings and reports for the bills he advocated, and publications and newspaper articles about him and his career. Also in the collection are several photographs and photograph albums from World War I and other miscellaneous material.
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:
Arranged into two series:
Series 1: GENERAL. This series contains correspondence, addresses delivered by E.S. Gorrell, and publications and newspaper articles, some written by Gorrell. There are also Congressional hearings and reports, and some miscellaneous material. The documents are arranged in chronological order.
Series 2: PHOTOGRAPHS/ALBUMS. This series contains photographs and photo albums. Many of these are aerial photographs of trenches taken c. 1916 --1918, but there are also many photographs of aerial and land transport equipment.
Biographical/Historical note:
Colonel Edgar S. Gorrell (1891-1945) was a pilot and an advocate for aviation safety. He graduated from West Point in 1912 and then spent two years as an infantryman in Alaska before transferring to the Signal Corps, where he joined the 1st Aero Squadron, serving under Gen. John J. Pershing in Mexico. On one of his flying missions in Mexico, Gorrell ran out of gas and was stranded in the desert for several days before being rescued. Upon returning to his unit, he began to criticize the poor equipment US pilots were forced to use, both in terms of actual aircraft components and the signals and communication equipment used on land. In 1917 he was promoted to Captain, and in World War I he became the Chief Engineering Officer for the Air Service, and eventually the Chief of Staff for the Air Service, with the rank of Colonel. After the war, Gorrell remained in Europe representing the US at conferences and peace talks.
In March 1920, he resigned his commission in the Army and joined the automobile business. He served as the vice president of Marmon Motor Car Company until 1925. Then he became vice president, director, and general manager, and later president, of the Stutz Motor Car company of America. In January 1936, Gorrell again switched fields when he was elected the first president of the Air Transport Association of America, shortly after its conception. It was with this organization that he was known for his role in promoting safety in civil aeronautics. He was a strong advocate for the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 which provided government control and regulation of civil aeronautics, and he provided testimony before congressional committees several times. Gorrell continued to support civil aeronautics, especially through his role as president of the Air Transport Association of America, until his death, in 1945.
Provenance:
No donor information, gift, unknown, XXXX-0057
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.
TThis collection includes contains certificates, flight reports, correspondence and photographs relating to Thomas DeWitt Milling as a key role in the early years of aviation.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains certificates, flight reports, correspondence and photographs. Also included with the correspondence is a certificate of his appointment to West Point as well as various promotions to lieutenant, captain, major, and brigadier general. There is also a Wright Company flying report on Millings' training, a certificate for election into the Early Birds and a picture of him in dress uniform.
Arrangement note:
Container List: Series I: Personal; Series II: Career; Series III: Reports and manuscripts; Series IV: Oversized materials
Biographical/Historical note:
Thomas DeWitt Milling contributed mightily to the American heritage of flight. Possessor of the Aero Club of America's License 30, Expert Aviator License 3 and numerous awards and honors, Milling became a key figure in the early years of aviation. His illustrious career in both civil and military spheres garnered widespread acclaim.
Milling was born on July 31, 1887 to Judge Robert E. Milling and Ida Roberts in Winnfield, Louisiana. He attended public schools in Franklin, Louisiana and metamorphosed there from a timid child to a bold young man. Deciding on a military career, he entered the United States Military Academy in 1905.
After graduation from West Point, Milling entered the Fifteenth Cavalry and was posted to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. A year of overseeing the commissary there proved uninspiring and he was surprised and delighted when transferred to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. In 1911, both Milling and another young lieutenant, H.H. "Hap" Arnold, were sent to receive flying instruction at the Wright Brothers' Flying School in Dayton, Ohio. The two qualified for their Aero Club of America pilot certificates on the same day, July 6, 1911. It would be an association that would last for many years. Arnold and Milling became the army's first two regular pilots and served together in varied posts involving flight instruction and military testing.
Only a few months after learning to fly, Milling was to achieve acclaim by winning the Tri-State Biplane Race, flying from Boston to Nashua, New Hampshire to Worcester, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island back to Boston, a total of 175 miles. At the time, this constituted the longest cross-country race of its kind in the country. Milling flew it in a Wright biplane, without the use of a compass. It was his first night flight and its dramatic finish was accomplished with the help of several large bonfires to provide guidance. Milling won several other contests that day, against a field of experienced fliers.
At an autumn 1911 meet on Long Island, Milling again proved his skill and daring in several events. It was here that he carried two passengers to establish a new endurance record.
The next year found Milling at Fort Riley, Kansas, conducting research for the Army on aerial machine gun fire, bomb dropping and artillery fire observation.
In 1913, the Army's handful of planes were transferred to Texas City, near the Mexican border. While posted there, Milling set another record for an endurance flight with a passenger (Lieutenant W.C. Sherman of the Corps of Engineers). The nonstop flight from Texas City to San Antonio was made with a Burgess-Wright tractor biplane equipped with a 70 hp Renault engine. During the four hours and twenty-two minutes aloft, Sherman was able to make the first military map ever drawn from an airplane, measuring 15 feet long. Speaking later of the Texas City trip, Milling's commanding officer, Major General W.H. Carter, hailed Milling as "one of the foremost aviators of the world."
In addition to the above mentioned accomplishments, Milling was instrumental in the field of flight instruction, helping to establish the first Army aviation school in College Park, Maryland in 1911 and other schools across the country. The years prior to America's entry into World War One also saw Milling commanding a detachment on the Mexican border, whose mission included surveillance and the pursuit of Pancho Villa.
During the First World War, Milling began as Chief of Air Service Training, American Expeditionary Forces. By 1919, he was Chief of the Air Service, First Army.
Milling retired in 1933 due to ill health but was recalled to service in 1942 and retired again in 1946. He was later awarded the rank of Brigadier General.
Before his death on November 26, 1960, Milling received, among other honors, America's Distinguished Service Medal, France's Legion of Honor and Belgium's Order of Leopold by Belgium. Milling was also a member of the Early Birds, a celebrated group of fliers who soloed before December 17, 1916.
Provenance:
Mrs. Thomas Milling, gift, unknown year, NASM.XXXX.0133.
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.
Knabenshue, A. Roy (Augustus Roy), 1876-1960 Search this
Names:
Early Birds of Aviation (Organization). Search this
Knabenshue, A. Roy (Augustus Roy), 1876-1960 Search this
Extent:
3.6 Cubic feet (8 legal document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Diaries
Drawings
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Photographs
Date:
circa 1890s-1960s
Summary:
This collection contains approximately three and a half cubic feet of material relating to the life and career of A. Roy Knabenshue. The collection includes correspondence, photographic material, drawings of aircraft, and flight records.
Scope and Contents:
The A. Roy Knabenshue Collection (accession XXXX.0136 and related accession XXXX.0370) contains approximately three and a half cubic feet of material relating to the life and career of a daring aeronaut and the United States' first successful dirigible pilot. The collection includes correspondence, photographic material, drawings of aircraft, and flight records. The material spans over seventy years, from the end of the nineteenth century to the nineteen-sixties.
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) received these materials in several parts in the early 1960s. Material was donated by Mrs. A. Roy (Jane) Knabenshue and their son, Glenn Knabenshue. Original order, where identified, has been maintained.
Arrangement note:
Series 1: Personal
Subseries 1: Biographical
Subseries 2: Articles and Manuscripts
Subseries 3: Correspondence
Series 2: Career
Subseries 1: The Wright Company
Subseries 2: National Park Service
Series 3: Photographs and Scrapbooks
Series 4: Drawings
Series 5: Subject files
Series 6: Miscellaneous
Biographical/Historical note:
Augustus Roy Knabenshue was born July 15, 1876 in Lancaster, Ohio to Samuel S. and Salome Matlack Knabenshue. The family later moved to Toledo, Ohio where Roy's father became editor-in-chief of the Toledo Blade. It was there that Roy became interested in lighter-than-air flight after seeing a balloon ascension when he was five years old. His interest continued to grow in the years that followed and in 1899 he bought a captive balloon and its equipment. The next season, he began to take short leaves of absence from his job at Central Union Telephone Company and was operating his balloon at fairs and carnivals, charging attendees for ascensions. To protect his day job and spare his socially prominent family embarrassment, Knabenshue used the name "Professor Don Carlos" at his balloon engagements. By 1900, Knabenshue had begun to fabricate additional spherical balloons himself, for use in free ascensions.
In October of 1904, Knabenshue took a new balloon to Saint Louis to enter it in contests associated with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. There he met Thomas S. Baldwin, who had brought his dirigible the California Arrow to the event. The airship proved incapable of take off with Baldwin at the controls, and the slimmer Knabenshue was asked to substitute as pilot. Possessing no experience with dirigibles, Knabenshue accepted Baldwin's instructions and on October 25 became the first person to successfully pilot a dirigible in the United States.
Roy Knabenshue's name would be associated with the term "first" many times in the next few years. In 1905, Knabenshue built his own airship, the Toledo I, and flew it at its namesake city on Independence Day. A month later, Knabenshue made the first flight of an airship over Manhattan, taking off from Central Park and circling the Times Building. On December 17, 1908, he made the first successful night flight of a dirigible in the United States.
By 1909, Knabenshue had teamed up with Lincoln Beachey to fly airships at various events. Beachey was to fly a Knabenshue dirigible a year later at the Los Angeles International Air Meet, held at Dominguez Field, Los Angeles, which Knabenshue was instrumental in organizing. Knabenshue also raced his own airship during the event, setting several records.
His success attracted the attention of the Wright brothers, who were considering entering the exhibition field. Knabenshue was hired to manage the Wright Exhibition Team beginning in 1910, and worked with the team periodically for the next few years. Associated professionally at times with Glenn Martin, Walter Brookins and James V. Martin, by 1917 he had formed the Knabenshue Aircraft Corporation to produce dirigibles, kite balloons and parachutes. During the First World War, this company made captive observation balloons for use by the United States Navy.
In 1933, Knabenshue began working for the National Park Service. His duties included surveying air routes, and the management of an autogiro project.
After suffering a heart attack in 1949, Knabenshue retired. He died on March 6, 1960, at the age of 83, and was buried at the Portal of the Folded Wings, Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California. He had held Balloon License Number 31, Dirigible License Number 4, built ten airships and numerous balloons, was a prominent member of the Early Birds of Aviation, and had earned a significant place in American aviation history.
Provenance:
Mrs. A. Roy (Jane) Knabenshue, NASM.XXXX.0136.
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.
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.
The George Henry Mills Collection was donated to the National Air and Space Museum in 1994 by Mills' daughter, Mrs. Georgia Mills Head.
Scope and Contents:
The George Henry Mills Collection consists of 14.59 cubic feet (14.47 linear feet) of material collected from his naval career, 1918-1948. A large part of the collection is made up of records of Mills' service during World War II as the commander of the Atlantic Fleet's airship formations. The collection also includes records of his service as an official Navy observer aboard the German rigid airships Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg. Of particular interest are records of the period before and immediately after the entry of the United States into World War II: the pre-war build-up of the Navy's LTA program, the "Neutrality Patrols" as the Navy fought an undeclared war against Germany, and of the harrowing early days of the Battle of the North Atlantic as German U-boats roamed the eastern coast of the United States. Mills maintained an extensive correspondence with many of the leading figures of LTA: Charles E. Rosendahl, Garland Fulton, and Scott E. Peck --their letters provide a unique picture of the Navy LTA program during its most active and successful period.
The collection also includes numerous technical reports on aspects of LTA flight, training material, photographs, clippings and articles on LTA.
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 George H. Mills Collection is arranged in the following series:
Series I: Naval career of George H. Mills
Series II: Correspondence
Series III: General LTA Papers
Series IV: General Naval Papers
Series V: Publications, Articles, Clippings
Series VI: Lectures, Speeches, Papers
Series VII: Miscellaneous Papers
Series VIII: Photographs
Series IX: Scrapbooks; Oversized Material
Biographical/Historical note:
George Henry Mills (1895-1975), Naval officer and airship aviator, was a member of the U.S. Navy's inner circle of advocates of lighter than air (LTA) flight. Mills was born on August 5, 1895 in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, the son of John Craton Mills and Nora Poole Mills. He attended Bingham Military School in Asheville, North Carolina, and entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1914. Mills graduated from the Academy in June, 1918 and served in various fleet and shore assignments (a chronology of Mills' naval service will be found in the notes to Series I on page 2). He married Leonore Wickersham of Corning, NY in 1923; their daughter, Georgia Lee Mills, was born in 1928.
Mills was assigned to LTA training at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1931. He completed his training in 1932 and served in the Navy's LTA fleet through the 1930's. Mills flew as an observer on board the Graf Zeppelin in 1934 and on the Hindenburg in 1936. In 1935, Mills survived the crash of the USS Macon off the California coast. Mills returned to Lakehurst, serving there in various assignments; he was made commanding officer of NAS Lakehurst in January, 1940.
At Lakehurst, Mills organized blimp patrols as part of the Navy's Neutrality Patrol and helped coordinate the Navy's rapid buildup of the LTA program. When Airship Patrol Group One was formed in January 1942, Mills was named commanding officer; in December 1942 he commanded Airship Wing Thirty. In July 1943, Mills was assigned as the commander of Fleet Airships, Atlantic - the chief of the Navy's LTA forces in the Atlantic Theater. George Mills was promoted to the rank of Commodore in November 1943.
In 1945, Mills returned to sea as the captain of the troopship USS Hermitage. Before retirement from the Navy in 1949, Mills served as the chief of the Naval Airship Training and Experimentation Command (CNATE) at NAS Lakehurst.
After leaving the Navy, Mills settled in North Carolina and worked for the Equitable Life Insurance Company, and later for the National Securities and Research Corporation. Mills served one term in the North Carolina State Legislature from 1950 to 1952. George H. Mills died on October 24, 1975, the same day as his longtime LTA colleague and friend, Garland Fulton, whose papers are also part of the collections of the National Air and Space Archives. They were buried on the same day in Arlington National Cemetery.
Chronology:
Chronology of George H. Mills' Naval Service
1914 -- June 14 - Entered U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
1918 -- June 6 - Graduated from the Academy, Class of 1919; commissioned Ensign, USN September 21 - Service aboard USS New Mexico. Promoted to Lieutenant (JG)(Temporary)
1920 -- June 1 - Promotion to Lieutenant (JG)
1922 -- First LTA flight as gunnery spotter on captive balloon on USS New Mexico June 3 - Promotion to Lieutenant
1923 -- September 25 - Assigned as personal aide to RADM George W. Williams, Commandant, Sixth Naval District, Charleston, SC June 20 - Assigned as divisions communication officer on staff of VADM Henry A. Wiley, Battleship Division, Battle Fleet
1929 -- June 5 -Assistant gunnery officer and senior watch officer, USS Pensacola
1924 -- August 5 - Served as aide and flag secretary to RADM Williams as Commander Destroyer Squadrons, Scouting Fleet. Served on USS Concord, USS Dobbin, USS Whitney
1925 -- September - Continued as aide when RADM Williams was relieved by RADM Noble E. Irwin
1931 -- June 1 - Ordered to NAS Lakehurst for LTA instruction. Training flights on free and captive balloons and on airships Los Angeles (ZR-3), Akron (ZRS-4), J-3, J-4, K-1 and ZMC-2
1927 -- June 30 - Officer-in-charge, naval recruiting for North and South Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina
1933 -- September 1 - Promotion to Lieutenant Commander
1934 -- May 14 - Ordered on temporary duty as naval observer on the Graf Zeppelin. Made three round trips aboard the Graf Zeppelin between Friedrichshafen and cities in South America August 9 - Ordered to NAS Lakehurst as Operations Officer October 14 - Ordered to NAS Sunnyvale (later NAS Moffett Field) as tactical officer, pilot and navigational watch on USS Macon (ZRS-4)
1935 -- February 12 - USS Macon crashes off Point Sur, California. Mills is rescued after three hours in the water April 15 - Ordered to NAS Lakehurst as operations and mooring officer
1936 -- November 4 - Ordered to Newport News for fitting out USS Yorktown August - Naval observer aboard Hindenburg on round trip flights between Lakehurst and Frankfort, Germany
1937 -- September 30 – Assigned as gunnery officer, USS Yorktown September 12 – October 2 - Training in chemical warfare at Gas Warfare School, Edgewood Arsenal, MD
1939 -- July 1 - Promotion to Commander June – Assigned as executive officer, NAS Lakehurst
1940 -- January 15 - Appointed commanding officer, NAS Lakehurst
1941 -- July - Temporary duty, Airship Board, Washington
1942 -- December 1 - Appointed Commander, Fleet Airship Wing Thirty June 17 - Promotion to Captain January 2 - Appointed Commander, Airship Patrol Group One
1943 -- November 5 - Promotion to Commodore July 1 - Appointed Commander, Fleet Airships, Atlantic
1945 -- July 23 - Awarded Legion of Merit July 10 - Appointed captain, USS Hermitage (AP-54). Reverts to rank of captain
1946 -- August 5 - Appointed commander, NAS Moffett Field
1947 -- September 26 - Appointed chief, Naval Airship Training and Experimentation Command (CNATE)
1949 -- June 30 - Retirement from U.S. Navy
Abbreviations
ADM -- Admiral
ASW -- Anti-submarine warfare
ATC -- Air Transport Command
BuAer -- Bureau of Aeronautics (US Navy)
CDR -- Commander
CNATE -- Naval Airship Training and Experimentation Command
Cong -- Congress
GHM -- George Henry Mills
LTA -- Lighter than air flight
MAD -- Magnetic anomaly detector (often found as magnetic airborne detector)
NACA -- National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
NAS -- Naval Air Station
NATS -- Naval Air Transport Service
ND -- No date
RADM -- Rear admiral
RN -- Royal Navy
Sess -- Session
VADM -- Vice Admiral
WPA -- Works Project Authority
ZNP -- Patrol airship
ZP -- Airship squadron
Provenance:
Georgia M. Head, Gift, 1994, 1994-0022, 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 http://airandspace.si.edu/permissions
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.
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
This collection consists of speeches, papers, notes, newspaper articles and records on Elms' career, including the following areas: Transportation System Center; Electronics Research Center; Manned Space Station; Space Shuttle; Space Systems Committee; Gemini Mission Review Board; and Hearings on space topics.
Scope and Content Note:
In 1989, Mr. Elms donated this material to the National Air and Space Museum's Department of Space
History in conjunction with his interview for the Glennen-Webb-Seamans oral history project. The
collection was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives in 1993. The Elms
Collection consists of speeches, papers, notes, newspaper articles and congressional hearings. Some of the
subjects covered in the collection are: Transportation Systems Center, Electronics Research Center, Space
Station Program, Space Shuttle, Space Systems Committee, and Gemini Mission Review Board.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into two series and within each series chronologically. In the first series, the
researcher will find correspondence, congressional hearings and speeches. Series II contains miscellaneous
newspaper clippings and oversize materials. The original folder titles were inconsistent, sometimes
containing only acronyms and/or abbreviations. For the sake of clarity, acronyms and abbreviations have
been spelled out, and the project archivist has preceded each of the original folder titles with a subject
heading, project designation and/or agency title.
Biographical Note:
James Elms (1916-1993) began his aerospace career at Consolidated Vultee in 1940 as a junior stress
analyst. During WWII, he served with the US Army Air Forces at Wright Field (later Wright-Patterson
AFB) where he developed a cartridge positioner which prevented turret guns from jamming. After the war
he received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from the California Institute of Technology and his Master
of Arts Degree from the University of California. He worked for North American Aviation as manager of
the Armament Systems Department, Autonetics Division. There, he was responsible for research,
development, and design of fire control, radar and allied systems. Upon leaving North American, he
became the manager of the Avionics Department for the Denver Division of the Martin Company, where he
was responsible for design and development of guidance, flight control, and other electronic and electrical
systems for the Titan Missile. In September of 1960 Mr. Elms joined the Ford Motor Company,
Aeroneutronics Division, after a brief stint at the Crosley Division of AVCO. While at Ford, Elms was
recruited to join the senior staff of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Manned
Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas, eventually becoming Deputy Director. During the 1960s, Elms held
a variety of other administrative positions at NASA, including Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned
Space Flight, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. After his service there, Elms became the Director of
NASA's Electronics Research Center (ERC). The ERC was slated to be closed at the end of 1970. Elms
was able to rally support for the ERC and get the majority of his directorate transferred to the US
Department of Transportation as the Transportation Systems Center. This initiative saved many jobs and
allowed important government research to continue. Upon leaving official government service, Mr. Elms
continued to work as a consultant for government and private industry. James C. Elms passed away on
May 7, 1993.
Hud Weeks, pilot and restorer of early aircraft, exchanged correspondence with many early aviators and possessed a strong interest in the career of the exhibition pilot Lincoln Beachey.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists primarily of correspondence between E. D. "Hud" Weeks, a cosmetics manufacturer and aviation enthusiast from Des Moines, Iowa, and various aviation personalities and members of the Early Birds, a not-for-profit organization established in 1928 and composed of persons who had piloted an aircraft or airship prior to 17 December 1916. The collection also includes material gathered by Weeks on early aeronautical events, both in the US and abroad. Included within this collection are newspaper articles on Lincoln Beachey's life and tragic death, a great deal of photographs of the daring aeronaut and correspondence between Hud Weeks and former colleagues of Beachey's such as Art Mix and Warren Eaton.
Arrangement note:
The E.D. "Hud" Weeks Collection contains approximately one and a half cubic fee of material, including photographs, printed, typewritten, and handwritten material. It was donated to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) in two installments in 1985 (accessions NASM.1985.0004 and NASM.1985.0006).
Original order of the materials, where identified, has been maintained.
Series in the collection are as follows:
I. I. Personal
II. II. Correspondence
III. III. Lincoln Beachey
IV. IV. Oversized Materials
Biographical/Historical note:
Evert D. "Hud" Weeks of Des Moines, Iowa, first learned to fly in 1930. It was an experience that would guide his future life. A cosmetics manufacturer by trade, Weeks devoted his spare time to the collection and restoration of antique aircraft and the recreation of pioneer aircraft. To further this avocation, Weeks entered into correspondence with many early aviators and fellow collectors. Several of these were Early Birds, members of an organization having the distinction of soloing before December 17, 1916. Weeks possessed a strong interest in the career of the exhibition pilot, Lincoln Beachey.
Provenance:
E. D. "Hud" Weeks, gift, 1985, NASM.1985.0004
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 photographs and news clippings detailing Lahm's military career and his personal life.
Scope and Contents:
The Frank Purdy Lahm Collection (Acc. 1986-0044), located in the National Air and Space Museum Archives Division, is made up of approximately 1 cubic foot of newsclippings and other materials relating to his personal life and aviation-oriented career. The collection was donated by Lahm's children, Colonel Lawrence Lahm and Mrs. R.E. McMahon on September 12, 1985. The collection was formally received by NASM Archives Division in January of 1986.
The collection consists primarily of newsclippings relating Lahm's aviation-oriented military career. Also included are personal items such as correspondence, photographs, and published materials. Materials in this collection date between 1906 and 1963, with the bulk dates being between circa 1912 and 1930, when Lahm's military career appears busiest. The materials were divided into 3 Series:
1) The personal life of Frank Purdy Lahm: this includes newsclippings, personal correspondence, speeches and presentations, awards and honors both won by and established in the name of Lahm, and newsclippings in which Lahm speaks about other aviation happenings.
3) Clippings relating to aviation figures: this series contains newsclippings collected by Lahm for other aviation figures he apparently knew. While the bulk of these relate to Henry Arnold and the Wright Brothers, there is also a folder entitled "Clippings on other Aviation Figures."
As the bulk of this collection is made up of newsclippings, arrangement was made difficult by the fact that items relating to the same incident were spread out over a period of years. As such, a chronological arrangement of materials on the folder level was impossible. Arrangement on the folder level has been done by subject, with either chronological or alphabetical arrangement for items within the folder.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into 3 Series:
1) The personal life of Frank Purdy Lahm: this includes newsclippings, personal correspondence, speeches and presentations, awards and honors both won by and established in the name of Lahm, and newsclippings in which Lahm speaks about other aviation happenings.
3) Clippings relating to aviation figures: this series contains newsclippings collected by Lahm for other aviation figures he apparently knew. While the bulk of these relate to Henry Arnold and the Wright Brothers, there is also a folder entitled "Clippings on other Aviation Figures."
As the bulk of this collection is made up of newsclippings, arrangement was made difficult by the fact that items relating to the same incident were spread out over a period of years. As such, a chronological arrangement of materials on the folder level was impossible. Arrangement on the folder level has been done by subject, with either chronological or alphabetical arrangement for items within the folder.
With his prior aviation experience, Lahm was put in charge of organizing the 1908 trials of the Wright brothers' aircraft at Fort Myer, Virginia. While at Fort Myer, Lahm was the first passenger in a heavier-than-air craft, flying eight days prior to the accident in which Lt. Thomas Selfridge became the first Army flight casualty. After the accident, Lahm and the other directors were re-assigned to their original branches, with Lahm returning to the cavalry. Trial flights of the Wright Military Flyer resumed in 1909. On 9 September, Lahm and Orville Wright set the world endurance flying record with a flight of six minutes. During October, Wilbur Wright taught Lahm and Lt. Frederick Humphries to fly at College Park, Maryland, and Lahm received F.A.I. Airplane Pilot Certificate #2 on 26 October, soloing three minutes after Humphries.
Following the successful trial flights, Lahm returned to the cavalry branch and remained in relative anonymity until July 1911, when he won the National Balloon Race in St. Louis, Missouri, and placed second in the International Balloon Race, held at the same time. On 18 October, 1911, Lahm married Gertrude Jenner. In 1912, Lahm was transferred to the Philippine Islands, where he established and commanded the U.S. Army Flying School at Fort McKinley. Lahm remained in the Pacific until 1914, when he was again reassigned to the cavalry and served on the Mexican border. After his tour with the cavalry, Lahm was promoted to the rank of captain in April of 1916 and served as the secretary of the U.S. Army Flying School, Rockwell Field, San Diego, California. He remained here until 1917, when he was put in command of the U.S. Army Balloon School, Omaha, Nebraska, and promoted to the temporary rank of colonel. Later in that same year, Lahm was ordered overseas to observe British and French use of balloons in combat. Originally intending to return home, Lahm was then put in command of the American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.) lighter-than-air service. He also acted as Commander of the Second Army Air Service, A.E.F. In 1918, due to the wartime necessity for officers, Lahm was promoted to the permanent rank of colonel and continued his service with the Second Army Air Service.
Following retirement, Lahm moved back to his hometown of Mansfield, Ohio. His interest in aviation continued, and within two years he and Charles de Forest Chandler co-authored How Our Army Grew Wings, on aeronautical activities in the U.S. Army prior to 1914. Lahm also became interested in civic activities during this time, becoming involved with the Boy Scouts, various local historical societies, and with stimulating local interest in international events. He helped establish International Affairs Committees in Cleveland and Mansfield, Ohio. Lahm also spoke on the lecture circuit, relating his personal experiences and providing support for the advancement of military aviation. On 4 April, 1948, Lahm married Grace Wolfe Kenson.
On 3 July, 1963 Lahm suffered a stroke and was hospitalized in Sandusky, Ohio. On 7 July 1963 he passed away at the age of eighty-five. His body was cremated and the ashes were spread into the air from a plane flying over Randolph Field, Texas.
1906 -- Winner (with Henry Hersey) of the first Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race, 30 September to 1 October.
1907 -- Investigator of military aeronautics production facilities and bases in London, England, and Berlin, Germany.
1908 -- Awarded F.A.I. Airship Pilot Certificate #2, August, after flying the Signal Corps Dirigible #1.
1908-1909 -- In charge of the Wright Brothers test flights at Fort Myer, Virginia. First passenger in a heavier-than-air craft, flying eight days prior to the Wright-Selfridge accident.
1909 -- Learned to fly at College Park, Maryland, with Wilbur Wright. Later awarded F.A.I. Airplane Pilot Certificate #2, 26 October. Established endurance flying record with Orville Wright, 9 September.
1911 -- Married Gertrude Jenner, 18 October. Winner of National Balloon Race, St. Louis, Missouri, July.
1912-1913 -- Organized and acted as commanding officer, U.S. Army Flying School, Fort William McKinley, Philippine Islands.
1913 -- Appointed "Military Aviator" by the War Department, and "Expert Aviator #15" by the Aero Club of America, July.
1914-1916 -- Service on the Mexican border with the U.S. Cavalry.
1916 -- Promoted to the rank of captain and designated a "Jr. Military Aviator," April.
1916-1917 -- Assigned as secretary of the U.S. Army Flying School, Rockwell Field, North Island, San Diego, California.
1917 -- Temporarily promoted to rank of lt. colonel and assigned as commanding officer of the U.S. Army Balloon School, Omaha, Nebraska. Later served as an observer with British and French air units on the Western Front.
1917-1918 -- Organized and commanded the American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.) lighter-than-air service. Also served as commander, Second Army Air Service, A.E.F.
1918 -- Temporarily promoted to rank of colonel, U.S. Army.
1919-1920 -- Attended the Army War College.
1920-1924 -- Assigned to the War Department General Staff, Washington, D.C.
1924-1926 -- Served as Air Officer for the Ninth Corps Area.
1926 -- Established the Air Corps Training Center, San Antonio, Texas, 1 September.
1926-1930 -- Promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general, 17 July, and assigned as the Assistant Chief of the Air Corps.
1930 -- Returned to duty as Air Officer, Ninth Corps Area.
1935-1940 -- Acted as Air Officer for the Second Corps Area.
1940-1941 -- Served as Chief of Aviation First Army, Governors Island, NY.
1941 -- Promoted to brigadier general and assigned as Commanding General, Gulf Coast Training Center, Randolph Field, TX. Honorary promotion to rank of major general by Franklin Roosevelt, September. Frank Purdy Lahm retires with the permanent rank of Brigadier General, 30 November.
1943 -- Co-authored How Our Army Grew Wings with Charles De Forrest Chandler. Published by Ronald Press.
1948 -- Married Grace Wolfe Kenson, 4 April.
1949-1950 -- Served as President of the Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. organization.
1956 -- Lahm and his wife are seriously injured in car accident, Mansfield, Ohio.
1963 -- Frank Purdy Lahm died following a cerebral hemorrhage, Sandusky, Ohio, 7 July. Lahm was cremated and his remains were scattered over Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.
Provenance:
Lawrence Lahm, gift, 1986, 1986-0044, Not 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 Stanton's personal papers. The material includes correspondence, photographs, news clippings and articles, reunion memorabilia and records, and personal and professional writings over the course of his aeronautical career.
Scope and Contents:
This collection of the papers of Charles Ingram Stanton contains work-related photographs, personal writings on his career, periodicals, programs, financial records, published materials, maps, charts, plans, scrapbooks and audiotapes. At the time of processing, no attempt was made to transcribe the audiotapes. Please contact the Archives for information about duplication.
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 collection is arranged as follows:
Series I, Professional Life
Subseries I: Military Career
Subseries II: Civilian Career
Series II, Personal Life
Series III, Miscellaneous Oversize Material
Biographical/Historical note:
Charles Ingram Stanton was born on July 28, 1893, in Medford, Massachusetts. He graduated from high school in Revere, Massachusetts in 1911; and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts College in 1917. After graduation, he joined the United States Army and was assigned to the Signal Corps. Upon graduation from the Corps flight school, Stanton was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Although he served in the Air Service during World War I, he was never assigned overseas, but remained in the United States conducting research regarding radios and their effects in aircraft. In December of 1918, Stanton was formally discharged from the Army.
Prior to his military discharge, Stanton accepted a position with the United States Post Office Department of Aerial Mail, and began work as a test pilot. On September 15, 1920, Stanton was promoted to Superintendent of Operations, United States Air Mail Service. He later resigned from the Post Office and went to work for the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). His tenure there was terminated for unknown reasons in 1923; he then went to work for the U.S. Engineer Corp as a surveyman. From 1925 through 1926, he was employed as a civil engineer in Miami, Florida. On January 17, 1927 Stanton returned to government service as an airplane and engine inspector for the United States Department of Commerce. He was named the Chief of Airways Engineering Division, Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) on May 4, 1937. While working there, he obtained patent number 2,147,679 for an illuminating system for runways. On June 29, 1940 Stanton was named Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau of Federal Airways. Stanton served as Administrator for the CAA from 1942 to 1944 before returning to his previous position as Deputy Administrator. During his tenure with the CAA, Stanton attended several conferences and important meetings for the establishment of international airways. Stanton was instrumental in establishing the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organization. In 1944 he received an honorary doctorate from Tufts College for his contribution to the field of civil aeronautics.
On March 8, 1948 Stanton retired from the United States Government and took a teaching position at the Technological Institute of Aeronautics of Brazil as Professor of Air Navigation, and Chief of Airway Division. Upon returning to the United States in 1952, Stanton went to work for Bell Telephone Laboratories. He returned to work for the CAA in 1957, where he remained until his retirement in 1962.
Charles Ingram Stanton's love of flying did not end with his work. He remained an active member in the OX-5 Club, the Society of Air Mail Pioneers, Society of Airway Pioneers, and the Washington Air Derby Association. In addition to flying clubs, Stanton was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. Charles Ingram Stanton passed away in 1986.
Timeline:
1893 July 28 -- Born in Medford Massachusetts
1911 -- Graduated from Revere High School
1917 -- Graduated from Tufts College
1917 December 8 -- Joined United States Army
1918 December 12 -- Joined United States Post Office Department of Aerial Mail
1918 December 18 -- Discharged from the United States Army
1920 September 15 -- Appointed Superintendent of Operations, Air Mail Service
1923 November 13 -- Terminated from National Aeronautic Association
1924 -- Worked for United States Engineer Corp as Surveyman
1925 -- Worked as a Civil Engineer in Miami
1927 January 17 -- Worked for U.S. Department of Commerce as an Airplane Inspector
1937 May 4 -- Selected as Chief of Airways Engineering Division, Civil Aeronautics Authority
1939 June 1 -- Granted U.S. Department of Justice Patent Number 2,147,679
1940 June 29 -- Appointed Assistant Administrator and Director of Bureau of Federal Airways, Civil Aeronautics Authority
1942 July 20 -- Appointed Administrator of Civil Aeronautics, Civil Aeronautics Administration
1944 June 18 -- Received Honorary Degree from Tufts College
1944 September 23 -- Resigned as Administrator to return to former position as Deputy Administrator, Civil Aeronautics Administration.
1948 March 8 -- Took leave of absence to serve as head of Department of Airways Engineering, Aeronautical Technical Institute of Brazil.
1952 -- Returned to America to work for Bell Laboratories
1956 November 16 -- Left Bell Laboratories
1957 January 23 -- Worked for the Air Navigation Development Board, Civil Aeronautics Administration
1957 November 6 -- Worked as Electrical Engineer (Gen.) of Airways Modernization Board Civil Aeronautics Administration
1957 -- Worked as Chief of Airports Division, Civil Aeronautics Administration
1962 -- Retired from the Federal Aviation Agency
1986 January 1 -- Passed away
Provenance:
Charles I. Stanton, Jr., gift, 1987, NASM.1987.0076
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 first crossing of the United States by airplane was achieved by Calbraith Perry Rodgers in 1911 in his Wright EX biplane, named the Vin Fiz.
Scope and Content:
This collection consists of the following material relating to Fred Howard and his role with the Vin Fiz Special: correspondence, newspaper clippings and articles, schedules and logs for both the Vin Fiz and the Vin Fiz Special, telegrams; train registration sheets, miscellaneous notes, passenger lists, and financial paperwork.
Arrangement:
Arranged by type of material.
Biographical/Historical note:
The first crossing of the United States by airplane was achieved by Calbraith Perry Rodgers in 1911 in his Wright EX biplane, named the Vin Fiz. Rodgers decided to attempt the coast-to-coast flight in response to publisher William Randolph Hearst's New York American challenge which offered a prize of $50,000 for the first transcontinental flight to be competed in 30 days. Rodgers began his journey from Sheepshead Bay, New York, on September 17, 1911, and as the flight was punctuated by numerous stops, delays, and accidents the 30-day time limit Hearst imposed for the prize had expired before Rodgers reached California on November 5, 1911.
To finance the trip, Rodgers had secured backing from the Armour Company, a Chicago firm which was then introducing a new grape-flavored soft drink called Vin Fiz. Armour provided Rodgers with a special train, called the Vin Fiz Special, with cars for the accommodation of Rodgers' family and his support crew, and a "hangar" car, which was a rolling workshop, filled with spare parts to repair and maintain the airplane over the course of the flight. There was even an automobile on board to pick up Rodgers after forced landings away from the rail line. Fred Howard, the division passenger agent for the Erie Railroad, was placed in charge of the Vin Fiz Special and soon also took charge of the command center, juggling both railroad matters and aviation repairs. In Chicago, Howard was commended for his effort and asked to continue with the flight to California, but he declined.
Provenance:
Eileen F. Lebow , Gift, 2006, NASM.2007.0002
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 8 cubic feet of documentation on the Baker-Nunn camera, including the following types of material: drawings, photographs, manuals and reports, and memorandums and correspondence
Biographical / Historical:
The Baker-Nunn Camera, designed by James Baker and Joseph Nunn, was created to observe both natural and man-made satellites orbiting at a great altitude. This high-precision telescopic tracking camera was used by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) to track artificial satellites from the 1950s to mid-1970s. The SAO set up a highly successful optical tracking system using a network of Baker-Nunn cameras at twelve tracking stations located in Argentina, Australia, Curacao, India, Iran, Japan, Peru, South Africa, Spain, and at three sites in the United States.
Provenance:
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) via Space History Division, NASM, Gift, 2012
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 cubic feet of archival material chronicling the aviation career of Richard E. Schreder. Included are the following types of material: 95 drawings of Schreder's kit designs; logbooks; correspondence; photographs; awards; military paperwork; and Schreder interview tapes with CD copies.;
Biographical / Historical:
Richard E. Schreder (1915-2002) was a naval aviator and American sailplane enthusiast who designed and developed kit sailplanes. Schreder built his first powered aircraft, a single seat aircraft with a Henderson motorcycle engine, at age 19. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering form the University of Toledo in 1938 and he then joined the US Navy as a Naval Aviation Cadet. Schreder served in the Navy until 1952, rising to the rank of Commander. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross for the sinking of a German U-boat during World War II. After leaving the Navy, Schreder founded a successful drafting supplies business in Toledo Ohio, and continued experimenting with small aircraft. He designed an all-metal low-wing single-seater called the Airmate 5, which won the Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA) best workmanship award in 1954. Soon after however, Schreder became fascinated with soaring. He bought a Bowlus Baby Albatross and a Schweizer 1-23D before building his own sailplane designs. In 1956 Schreder built the HP-7 which he flew to a four-place finish in that year's US National Championship contest. Schreder's next design, the HP-8 won the 1958 US Nationals and established speed records in the 100, 200, and 300 km courses. Schreder's first attempt at developing a glider specifically for kit manufacture was the HP-10. That design was followed by the HP-11, HP-14, HP-15, HP-16, RS-15, HP-17, HP-18, HP-19, HP-20, HP-21 and HP-22. The aircraft were so successful the Schreder set up a company, Bryan Aircraft Inc., in 1966 to market the plans and kits, eventually selling more than 470 kits. Schreder won three US national sailplane contests (1958, 1960,1966) in sailplanes he designed and represented the United States at four international sailing contests. Due to Schreder's contribution to soaring, both in design and piloting skill, he was elected to the Soaring Society of American Hall of Fame in 1962.
Provenance:
Carol Schreder and Karen Schreder Barbera, Gift, 2008
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 contains photographs, negatives, blueprints, patents, test reports and correspondence dealing with Mount's rocket application inventions.
Biographical / Historical:
Wadsworth W. Mount (1907-1985) was educated at Amherst College and New York University. Besides practicing business and finance, he patented and successful demonstrated a number of inventions, including wire and cable carrying rocket projectors for antiaircraft and lifesaving applications. Among his rocket patents are 4 types of ordnance equipment for the US Navy in WWII. After WWII he worked with the Naval Ordnance Lab and Bureau of Ordnance requirements, and conducted experiments on the use of small rocket motors for firing steel cable ashore from ships in distress.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Wadsworth W. Mount, gift, XXXX-0368, 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
This collection contains numerous articles and papers on rocketry, as well as drawings and photographs of rockets and rocket systems. The material was collected by Sutton in the course of this work.
Biographical / Historical:
George Paul Sutton (1920- ) was an aerospace engineer and manager. He received degrees from Los Angeles City College (AA, 1940) and the California Institute of Technology (BS, 1942; MS (ME), 1943) before going to work as a development engineer for the Rocketdyne Division of North American Aviation [now Rockwell International]. He remained at Rocketdyne into the late 1960s, while also sitting as Hunsaker Professor of Aeronautical Engineering at MIT (1958-59) and serving as Chief Scientist, Advanced Research Projects Agency and Division Director, Institute of Defense Analysis for the Department of Defense (1959-60). Following his work at Rocketdyne he joined the technical staff at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
No donor information, gift, unknown, XXXX-0009, 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
This collection consists of the following types of documentation relating to SAMS: test plans and reports; drawings; maintenance logs; and memorandums and correspondence. This collection also contains optical discs from the SAMS/MIR project, which contain the raw data.
Biographical / Historical:
The Space Acceleration Measurement Unit System (SAMS) is an acceleration measurement and data acquisition instrument, not a classical micro gravity research experiment. SAMS consists of a main unit and up to three remotely positioned triaxial sensor heads. The data is used to provide investigators with a time history of this environment to improve for future experiment design. This instrument was flown on the Space Shuttle and Mir Space Station, from 1994 to 1998.
General:
Additional materials: The actual artifact, project decals and official SAMS log books are housed in the National Air and Space Museum Depart of Space History.
NASMrev
Provenance:
NASA Glenn Research Center, Transfer, 2000, 2000-0040, 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
The collection consists of newspaper clippings dating from 1886-1926; correspondence from Sept. 1904-September 1922; glass negatives and lantern slides; publications dating from 1886-1910; and a variety of photographs. Images represented include the Chanute biplane hang glider used in St. Louis in 1904, miscellaneous gliders, Chanute's gliding experiments at the Indiana dunes in 1896, and miscellaneous photos of Chanute and his colleagues.
Biographical / Historical:
Octave Chanute, born in Paris in 1832, was one of America's leading civil engineers, specializing in railroads and railroad bridges with the first bridge across the Missouri River to his credit. After developing a reputation as a scientist, writer and speaker, Chanute's interests turned to the possibility of flight. Beginning in 1891 he wrote a series of articles on his research and published them in book form, making him the first aviation historian. In 1896 he designed and constructed four gliders aided by William Avery and Augustus Herring, testing them on the Indiana shores of Lake Michigan. The Chanute team made more than 1,000 manned flights without accident, and with a few modifications his 2-surfaced glider was to become the prototype of all modern biplanes. As he grew older, Chanute turned to writing, speaking and corresponding with inventors to encourage them to continue where he had left off. He died at the age of 78 in 1910, one of the foremost pioneers in aviation.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
H.N. Staats (originally collected by William Avery), gift, unknown, XXXX-0489, 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
This collection includes: 1) Legal documents; 2) Papers related with patents; 3) Descriptions of his idea; 4) Handwritten notes; 5) Correspondences; 6) and Drawings.
Biographical / Historical:
Charles William Strobell invented Ornithopter Wing Structures. According to Dr. Strobell, these structures are effective because the wing is expandable during the downward stroke of the wing and contractible during the upward stroke of the wing.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
R.C. Strobell, 1955, XXXX-0599
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