Search Results

Creator:

Verville, Alfred V.  Search this

Verville Aircraft Company  Search this

Former owner:

Buhl (Buhl-Verville Aircraft Co, Buhl Aircraft Co)  Search this

Names:

Sperry Co.  Search this

Extent:

55.67 Linear feet (106 containers: 92 legal size document boxes, 2 shoeboxes, 11 flatboxes, 1 large format folder)

5 Film reels (1 35mm, two 16mm, and 2 8mm films)

50.008 Cubic feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Film reels

Date:

1886-1969

Summary:

This collection contains Verville's personal papers. The material relates mainly to his various aeronautical concerns as well as his involvement with military aviation. The collection includes a large number of photos tracing the development of Curtiss aircraft and Naval Aviation, and especially documenting the design, construction, and flights of a replica of the Navy's first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 'Triad', built under Verville's direction by the Bureau of Aeronautics to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of Naval Aviation in 1961. Also included are a large number of blueprints and photos of Verville-designed aircraft, especially those developed by the Verville Aircraft Co. in 1928 - 1931

Scope and Contents:

Contents of this collection include blueprints, drawings, technical manuals, reference material, correspondence, financial information, event programs, photographs, newspapers and clippings, magazines, pamphlets, brochures, journals, books.

The researcher should note that the collection also contains 35mm, 16mm and 8mm films. These films are not included in the container list but a NASM Archives staff person can assist you regarding access.

Arrangement:

Organized into series:

SERIES 1: Correspondence

SERIES 2: Institute of the Aerospace Sciences (IAS) - Navy National Naval Aviation Meeting 1961 commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation in San Diego CA featuring the A-1 Replica

SERIES 3: Technical Materials

SERIES 4: Drawings

SERIES 5: Other Papers

SERIES 6: Publications

SERIES 7: Photographs

SERIES 8: Scrapbooks, Oversize Materials

SERIES 9: Additional Material

This collection was arranged at the time of processing to better reflect its main areas of subject matter as there was very little original order preserved. Original folder titles were kept when they appeared; archivists' folder titles are in brackets. Archivist's description appears below folder titles.

Series 9 represents an accrual of documents found within the archive in 2024.

Biographical / Historical:

Alfred Victor Verville (1890-1970), aviation pioneer and aircraft designer, was responsible for a number of important inventions in aircraft design, including welded-steel-frame fuselages and retractable landing gear. He began work with the Curtiss Aeroplane Co in 1914 and, by the end of World War I had moved through a number of manufacturers, including Curtiss (1914), T-M Airplane Co (1915), General Airplane Co (1915-17), and Fisher Body Corp, Airplane Division (1917-18). In 1918 he became involved in military aviation at the United States Army Air Corp Engineering Division, McCook Field , OH (1918-25) and served as advisor to Colonel William Mitchell during his inspection trip to Europe (1922). In 1925 he co-founded the Buhl-Verville Aircraft Co (1925-27) before striking out on his own with the Verville Aircraft Co (1928-31). Through the 1930s and 1940s he acted in a number of capacities, including periods as a consultant (1932, 1939-41); at the Bureau of Air Commerce, United States Department of Commerce (1933-36); Douglas Aircraft (1937-38); Curtiss Wright Corp (1941-42), Snead Aircraft, Technical Division (1942); and Drexel Aviation Co (1942-45). In 1945 he served as a member of the Naval Technical Mission to Europe and later joined the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (1946-61). He retired in 1961, but continued to support aviation and aeronautics until his death.

Provenance:

Alfred Verville, gift, 1954

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Verville Aircraft  Search this

Alfred V. Verville  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Buhl-Verville Aircraft Co  Search this

Aircraft industry  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this

Citation:

Alfred Victor Verville Papers, Acc. XXXX-0173, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0173

See more items in:

Alfred Victor Verville Papers

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg23776ee1d-329f-45da-8290-8158702e1cc5

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0173

Creator:

Jourdan, David W.  Search this

Long, Elgen Marion, 1927-  Search this

Names:

Nauticos Corporation  Search this

Earhart, Amelia, 1897-1937  Search this

Noonan, Frederick  Search this

Extent:

4.5 Cubic feet (5 legal document cases and 13 cassette tape boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Sound recordings

Date:

1959-1998

Summary:

This donation consists of 156 separate interviews or sound sources collected by Elgen Long while he was researching and writing his book, Amelia Earhart: The Mystery Solved which promotes the theory that Amelia Earhart's aircraft came to rest at the bottom of the ocean near Howland Island.

This collection is in English.

Scope and Contents:

The donation consists of 156 separate interviews or sound sources, some comprising two or more tape sides. Most of them are interviews conducted by Long, including interviews with: crew members of the Coast Guard Cutter Itasca; Naval and Coast Guard officials; mechanics and engineers involved in the maintenance of Earhart's aircraft; New Guinea and Australia residents and radio operators; friends, family and associates of Earhart and Noonan; and advocates of alternative disappearance theories. There are also radio interviews and a few movie soundtracks and miscellaneous items. The total running time of the collection is 13,209 minutes (220sca hours). This donation also includes a hard drive which holds 387 audio files in .mp3 or .mp4 format (each file is an interview with the possibility of multiple interviews per tape).

Arrangement:

Arrangement by donor.

Biographical / Historical:

Elgen Long collected oral recordings, both interviews and sound sources, while he was researching and writing his book, Amelia Earhart: The Mystery Solved which promotes the theory that Amelia Earhart's aircraft came to rest at the bottom of the ocean near Howland Island. These tapes were also used throughout Long's partnership with David W. Jourdan, founder of the deep-sea exploration company Nauticos, during their three attempts to locate Earhart's aircraft on the ocean floor (2002, 2006, and 2017).

Provenance:

David Jourdan, Gift, 2020, NASM.2020.0025

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Underwater exploration  Search this

Flights around the world  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews -- 1950-2000

Sound recordings -- Audiotapes -- Audio cassettes -- Music

Citation:

Amelia Earhart Project Recordings, NASM.2020.0025, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2020.0025

See more items in:

Amelia Earhart Project Recordings

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e9335b2f-1f78-465d-9314-4c94c3885e5e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2020-0025

Creator:

North American Aviation, Inc.  Search this

Lockheed Aircraft Corporation  Search this

Extent:

.2 Cubic feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Newsletters

Publications

Date:

1961-1966

Summary:

Newsletters and publications from Lockheed and North American Aviation companies collected in the 1960s.

Scope and Contents:

This collection contains periodicals, publications, and one memorandum collected by an employee of both Lockheed and North American Aviation companies during the 1960s. Periodicals include four 1961 issues of North American Aviation's Skyline and one 1961 issue of Skywriter as well as three 1961 issues of Lockheed's Trajectory, and seven 1965 issues of The Lockheed Star. Publications include a "Report from Mars: Mariner IV, 1964-1965" from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Lockheed's 1965 annual report. The memoranda is from October 1965 and titled: "Lockheed's Agena Ready for Rendezvous."

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically by company name, thereunder in reverse chronological order.

Biographical / Historical:

James Hartwell collected these materials during this career at both Lockheed and North American Aviation when he was employed in the early 1960s.

Provenance:

John Hartwell, Gift, 2024, NASM.2024.0014

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.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Genre/Form:

Newsletters

Publications

Citation:

Lockheed and North American Aviation Periodicals and Publications, NASM.2024.0014, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2024.0014

See more items in:

Lockheed and North American Aviation Periodicals and Publications

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2c78219e9-51ca-49f5-a734-42e9879ceaec

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2024-0014

Creator:

Simons, Vera  Search this

Extent:

24.23 Cubic feet (24 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Philately

Photographs

Newspaper clippings

Press releases

Color slides

Audiotapes

Reports

Date:

bulk 1960s-1980s

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of approximately 24 cubic feet of material relating to Vera Simons' ballooning and art careers. Types of materials include: newspaper articles, flight covers, photographs, slides, audio recordings, and reports relating to Simons' time with Winzen Research, inc. and her "Da Vinci" and "Aerolus" projects.

Arrangement:

This collection is currently unprocessed.

Biographical / Historical:

Vera Simons (1920-2012) played an important role in balloon development and exploration. Born in Germany, she grew up in Detroit, Michigan and married Otto Winzen; together they created Winzen Research Inc., one of world's first plastic balloon companies. Simons held over two-thirds ownership of the company and became its vice president. She supervised and trained her "balloon girls" to handle polyethylene and build the giant balloons, and obtained four patents for her work improving construction techniques and envelope redesign. During the 1950s and 1960s, Winzen created balloons for the United States Navy Projects Helios, Skyhook and Strato-Lab and for the United Sates Air Force Project Manhigh, and Simons was a central figure in planning and executing those manned research flights. Simons earned her gas balloon license in 1957 and she represented the United States at the 30th Annual International Gas Balloon Races in Holland where she received a gold medal for her contributions to balloon research. When Simons divorced Otto Winzen, she sold her interest in Winzen Research and enrolled in art school. By the early 1970s she had made a name for herself in international art circles by combining art and ballooning. In 1972, Simons began planning a series of balloon flights called "DaVinci" that combined science with original kinetic art. She spent two years designing and supervising the construction of a two-decker fiberglass gondola and an 11 story tall polyethylene balloon in which she eventually set a new overland distance record in the U.S. in 1979. During the same flight, Simons dropped tiny tetrahedron balloons carrying Douglas Fir seedlings into cleared areas, took time-lapse photographs, made sound recordings, and used mirrors to create special lighting effects in the clouds for the spectators on the ground. During other "DaVinci" flights, Simons collected temperature and airflow data, and tracked the mix and movement of urban air pollutants, while also photographing landscape and cloud images that she later used in producing works of art. In 1984 Simons launched another flight, "Project Aerolus," in which three plastic balloons were launched simultaneously into the nighttime sky; one of the balloons was piloted by Joe Kittinger.

Provenance:

Don Crowell, Gift, 2015

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access.

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Topic:

Balloons  Search this

Kinetic art  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Genre/Form:

philately

Photographs

Newspaper clippings

Press releases

Color slides

Audiotapes

Reports

Citation:

Vera Simons Papers, NASM.2016.0013, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2016.0013

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg24e32e203-6ae7-46de-adc6-e758659a8ad3

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2016-0013

Creator:

Jessen, Gene Nora  Search this

Extent:

8 Cubic feet (22 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1950s-2010s

Summary:

This collection consists of 8 cubic feet of archival material documenting the life of Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen from 1950s to the 2010s. She had a successful career as a flight instructor, Beech Aircraft sales demonstration pilot, Beech Aircraft dealership owner, flight school chief pilot, commercial pilot, Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Safety Counselor, aviation insurance agent/broker, advisor to the FAA, president of the Ninety-Nines, Inc. (1988-1990), and published aviation author. Jessen also participated in the Women in Space Program, evaluating women's potential as possible astronauts at the Lovelace Medical Center in 1961.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of approximately 8 cubic feet of archival material documenting the aviation career of Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen, including her involvement with the Ninety-Nines, her career with Beechcraft Aviation, and her writings on aviation; there is also a small amount of material related to her week-long testing with the Women in Space Program. The following types of materials are included: correspondence, photographs, pilot logs, scrapbooks, photo albums, programs, brochures, maps, magazine articles, manuals, handbooks, VHS tapes, and audiotapes.

Arrangement:

When the National Air and Space Museums Archives received the Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen Collection, it was arranged alphabetically by folder name. All original folder titles have been retained. PII has been manually redacted. Any additional contextual information that was added by the processing archivist appears in brackets.

Biographical / Historical:

Gene Nora (pronounced Janora) Stumbough Jessen was born on January 10, 1937, in Springfield, Illinois. While growing up, Jessen became interested in aviation after learning about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) who served their country during World War II. She began flying while in her junior year of high school in the Civil Air Patrol and earned her private pilot license in 1956. She then attended the University of Oklahoma (OU), where she was a member of their flight team and entered her first National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) competition. While taking classes in 1959, Jessen became the first woman to work as a flight instructor for the school, which allowed her to also pay for college. During her time at OU, she earned seven collegiate-level flying trophies and remained on staff for six years after completing her English degree.

In 1961 Jessen quit her job as a flight instructor when she was selected as one of the women to participate in the Women in Space Program (1960-1962), also known as the Mercury 13 or Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees (FLATs), at the Lovelace Medical Center in New Mexico. She was twenty-four years old. Dr. William Randall "Randy" Lovelace, who designed and carried out the rigorous testing for the thirty-two male Project Mercury candidates, and US Air Force Brigadier General Donald Flickinger, were curious to see how women would fare against their all-male peers. Unable to interest the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the undertaking, they conducted the experiment in secret independently. For Phase 1, this group of women underwent the same rigorous physical testing regimen used for NASA's Mercury astronauts. All participants passed. Armed with these results, Lovelace and Flickinger lobbied both Congress and the White House to consider including women in the Astronaut Corps, neither of which were keen on the idea; On a draft response letter, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson wrote "Let's stop this now!" Before the other parts of the test could begin, the Lovelace Program was cancelled.

Jessen moved to Wichita, Kansas, and accepted a job at Beech Aircraft in 1962. There, Jessen piloted planes for demonstration purposes for the company. On July 20, 1962, she embarked on a 90-day, 40,000 mile cross-country flight with fellow pilots Joyce Case and Mike Gordon. They were known as "The Three Musketeers", named after the Beech Musketeers the trio flew in formation across the United States. She and Case were the only female pilots flying for any aircraft manufacturer at that time. Soon, Jessen became rated to fly the entire line of Beech aircraft. In her spare time, she volunteered with the Wichita Wing Scouts from 1963-1967.

In Kansas, she also met and married Leland Robert "Bob" Jessen (1925-2020), a B-29 pilot during World War II, on June 12, 1964, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1967, they moved to Boise, Idaho, where they established their own Beech dealership and, later, an aviation insurance business and Boise Air Service, a full-service, fixed base operation on the Boise Airport.

Jessen was also an avid writer. She was the aviation columnist for The Northwest Flyer, and The Idaho Statesman. Jessen also wrote several books on the history of women in aviation, including Sky Girls, a chronicle of the 1929 Powder Puff Derby.

Additionally, Jessen was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to serve on the Federal Aviation Agency's (FAA) Women in Aviation Advisory Board for five years. Between 1988 and 1990, Jessen was President of the Ninety-Nines, an international organization of licensed women pilots. She was also a Wing Scout Leader, treasurer of the Idaho Pilot's Association, an Accident Prevention Counselor for the FAA, and the Boise Airport Commissioner. She was recently inducted into the International Women in Aviation Pioneers Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. Jessen holds over 4,000 hours of flying experience and earned ratings as a commercial pilot, single and multi-engine land, single-engine sea, instrument rating and a Gold Seal flight instructor.

HONORS:

Honorary PhD, University of Wisconsin

Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame

Pathfinder Award Wall of Fame, Seattle Museum of Flight

Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award

Ninety-Nines Amelia Earhart Award

Achievement Award, International Northwest Aviation Council

Evanston Township High School Distinguished Alumni Award

Adler Planetarium Women in Space Service Award

Mercury 13 NASA Award, International Human Space Flight Day

Women with Wings Award, International Air and Space Museum

Next Generation Indie Book Award, 2010

YMCA Pioneers of the Future Award

FAA Women's Advisory Committee on Aviation

Boise Airport Commissioner

Provenance:

Gene Nora Jessen, Gift, 2023, NASM.2023.0052

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics -- Flights  Search this

Astronautics  Search this

Beech Aircraft Family  Search this

Women in aeronautics  Search this

Citation:

Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen Papers, NASM.2023.0052, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2023.0052

See more items in:

Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen Papers

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b905f10b-05ae-4366-94c0-809cf299d0bc

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2023-0052

Creator:

Arens, Charles A., 1895-1967  Search this

Names:

Arens Controls, Inc.  Search this

Early Birds of Aviation (Organization).  Search this

LWF Engineering Co.  Search this

National Air Races  Search this

Arens, Charles A., 1895-1967  Search this

Laird, E. M.  Search this

Weaver, George E. "Buck", 1895-1924  Search this

Extent:

1.05 Cubic feet (4 flatboxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Correspondence

Photographs

Publications

Scrapbooks

Business cards

Date:

1911-1960

Summary:

This collection consists of four albums and some additional material including photographs (many of which appear to be originals); news clippings; catalogues and advertisements; event programs; and other ephemera.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of four albums and some additional material including photographs (many of which appear to be originals); news clippings; catalogues and advertisements; event programs; a ledger pertaining to the Lowe, Willard, and Fowler Engineering Co., LWF (de Havilland) DH-4 and LWF Twin DH-4; and other ephemera. The collection includes images of aircraft and pilots with whom Charles Arens worked or came into contact with during his working years, and some of the photographs have been autographed. Also included are images of many aircraft at the Cicero and Ashburn Fields in Chicago; photographs taken at the 1930, 1931 and 1932 National Air Races; aerial photography; images of airships including the U. S. Navy ZR-3 Los Angeles; and some U.S. Army Signal Corps photographs. There is a considerable amount of material relating to Arens Controls Company, Inc. in Volume D, as well as in additional items that were added to the collection in 2006.

Aircraft seen in the photographs include numerous models of aircraft made by Curtiss, LWF, and Laird ("Matty") and many other aircraft including the Sperry Messenger; Sperry Curtiss JN-4 Monoplane; Verville (Alfred) VCP-R (R-1); Thomas-Morse S-4C; Standard (NJ) Handley Page O/400; Burnelli (Remington-Burnelli) RB-1; John's Multiplane (1920); Ansaldo S.V.A.; SPAD XIII (S.13); Nieuport 27; Martin (Glenn L.) MB-2; Fokker T-2 (F.IV); Stinson (Aircraft) SM-1 Detroiter; Ireland Meteor; Loening (Corp) OL-1; Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis; Lockheed Model 5 Vega Yankee Doodle; Bellanca WB-2 Miss Columbia; Fokker C-2, Civil America; Breguet Bre.19 A2 Nungesser-Coli; Boeing Model 80A; Sikorsky S-38B Amphibion untin Bowler; Howard (Benjamin O.) DGA-3 Pete; Lockheed Model 8 Sirius Tingmissartoq; Springfield Bulldog (V High Wing Racing); Wedell-Williams Model 44 I (NR 278V) (Race #s: 44, 91); Chester (Art) Goon; Robinson (W. C.) Monoplane; Curtiss NC-3 and NC-4 (P2N-1); and the Vought VE-10.

Besides Arens himself, other notable figures in aviation that are seen in the photographs include Laura Bromwell; Bertrand Blanchard Acosta; Russell L. Maughan; Alford Joseph "Al" Williams; Harold James Brow; Lillian Boyer Werner; William S. "Billy" Brock; Perry Hutton; Henry S. "Pop" Keller; Charles Augustus Lindbergh; Anne Spencer Morrow Lindbergh; Richard Reginald Blythe; Arthur C. "Art" Goebel; Ruth Elder; Lloyd W. Bertaud; Guiseppe Mario Bellanca; Charles W. "Speed" Holman; Erwin E. "Eddy" Ballough; Emil Matthew Laird; Joseph Le Brix; Dieudonné Costes; Clarence Duncan Chamberlin; Robert F. "Bob" Shank; Florence Klingensmith; Arthur Charles Chester; Will D. "Billy" Parker; Anthony "Tony" Stadlman; Stanley Van Winkle Hiller; Robert G. Fowler; Warren Samuel Eaton; Leslie L. Irvin; Benjamin Delahauf Foulois; Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold; James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle; Roscoe Turner; Otto W. Timm; Overton M. "Rusty" Bounds; Katherine (Otero) Stinson; Arthur R. "Art" Smith; Mickey McGuire; Marjorie C. Stinson; Victor Carlstom; Charles B. Kirkham; George E. "Buck" Weaver; Henry B. Crewdson; Edward Albert "Al" Johnson; Charles W. "Pop" Dickinson; Joseph Lee Cato; and Harold W. Blakely.

Arrangement:

Albums are labeled in sequence with a letter code and they are housed in this order. Additional material added to the collection in 2006 is housed at the end.

Biographical / Historical:

Charles Anthony Arens (1895-1967), an early aviation enthusiast, was active in aviation from 1911 until the end of his life. He was active at the Cicero Flying Field (1912-1919) and the new Ashburn Field (1916) in Chicago. He worked with E. M. Laird and George "Buck" Weaver of Waco Aircraft. He built and flew a biplane in 1915 which qualified him for membership in the Early Birds. He was elected secretary of the Early Birds in 1960 and was active in this organization until his death. In December 1916, Arens went to work for the LWF Engineering Company, College Point, Long Island, as a mechanic. He worked for LWF until they went out of business in 1923. He held A&E Mechanic License No. 240. In 1923 he went to work for the E. M. Laird Airplane Company. He later developed a control system for aircraft. He formed his own company in 1923, and provided controls for early Ford and Boeing aircraft. He opened his own plant in 1934, and founded Arens Controls Company, Inc. in 1939. He was also secretary of the E. M. Laird Airplane Company, which provided control systems for many World War II aircraft. Arens sold his interest in the company in 1944. He later formed a company to do engineering work.

Provenance:

Charles Arens, Gift, 1971, NASM.XXXX.0016

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this

Aeronautical engineers  Search this

Periodicals  Search this

Genre/Form:

Correspondence

Photographs

Publications

Scrapbooks

Business cards

Citation:

Charles Arens Scrapbooks, NASM.XXXX.0016, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0016

See more items in:

Charles Arens Scrapbooks

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg261e78902-d220-4e89-a281-9d3ec7be0b4e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0016

Extent:

.75 Cubic feet ((15 folders))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Date:

bulk 1940s

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of at least 300 copy prints, all of which are stamped "National Archives Luftwaffe Collection" on the back. The photographs appear to have been taken by German photographers, presumably Luftwaffe personnel, and the images are generally informal in subject and composition, more like "snapshots" than official photographs. Subjects include shots of Luftwaffe personnel and aircraft, as well as other Allied and Axis aircraft.

These prints were evidently selected and copied for NASM's collection from the larger collection of captured World War II German photography which resided at the National Archives from the mid-1940s until the late 1960s or early 1970s. At that point, the originals were returned to West Germany and are currently housed at the Bildarchive of the Bundesarchiv. While 300 prints are directly identified, there are probably an additional 100-200 images scattered in the Archives Collection which also came from this collection.

Provenance:

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

Topic:

World War, 1939-1945  Search this

World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations  Search this

Aeronautics -- Germany  Search this

Airplanes  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Citation:

Luftwaffe Photograph Collection [National Archives], Accession XXXX-0635, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0635

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e579a1fa-3ca8-4984-9f72-82a955ad4c24

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0635

Creator:

Dyott, George Miller  Search this

Extent:

1.17 Cubic feet (1 document case, 1 slim document case, 1 flat box, 1 glass plate box, and 1 map folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Manuscripts

Photographs

Correspondence

Diaries

Date:

Circa 1910-1946

Summary:

George Miller Dyott (1883--1972) was an early aviator; veteran of the Royal Naval Air Service; aircraft designer; and explorer. This collection contains approximately 1 cubic foot of material pertaining to Dyott's aviation career including correspondence; photographs; financial records; technical drawings; military records; news clippings; a World War I field diary; calling cards; and an annotated manuscript entitled, "Flying," written by Dyott.

Scope and Contents:

This collection contains approximately 1 cubic foot of material pertaining to George Miller Dyott's aviation career including correspondence; photographs; financial records; technical drawings; military records; news clippings; a World War I field diary; calling cards; and an annotated manuscript entitled, "Flying," written by Dyott. Photographic formats include black and white prints of various sizes (some of which are mounted on cardstock or matted) and 5 by 7 inch glass plates. Many of the photographs, including one entire album, are devoted to Dyott's service with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War I. Aircraft pictured in the photographs include the Dyott Monoplane; Dyott Bomber; Walden IV 1910 Monoplane (identfied here as the Walden-Dyott Monoplane); an unidentfied model of Deperdussin; Nieuport 17; Vickers (UK) E.F.B.5 Gunbus; a Sopwith Baby fitted with Le Prieur Rockets; Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2; Handley Page O/400; Morane-Saulnier Type L (Mo.S.3); Blériot XI; Farman (Henry) H.F.20 (Type Militaire Biplane); and a later photo of a Bellanca Pacemaker CH-300. There are also photographs of a Royal Navy non-rigid airship and the wreck of the Zeppelin LZ 76 (Navy L 33), as well as early equipment such as searchlights; anti-aircraft guns; an anti-aircraft armored vehicle; and various types of bombs. In addition to Dyott, other well-known people in the photographs include Henry W. Walden; Patrick Hamilton; Francisco Madero (33rd President of Mexico); Arthur W. Bigsworth; and Reginald A. J. Warneford. The collection also contains one photograph of Harriet Quimby. There are also four technical drawings dating to 1914 in the collection ranging in size from approximately 24.25 by 15.5 inches up to 41 x 14 inches. Three of the drawings are on coated cloth and one is on waxed paper. Two are for a small promotional aircraft made from an ale bottle and powered by an 80-hp Gnome engine, one is marked "Worthington Ales" and the other is marked "Little Peter." The third drawing is a three-view of a "Hydro-Aeroplane for Tropical Rivers" powered by two 100-hp Mercedes engines, and the fourth is a side drawing of an unspecified type of biplane (undated). In addition to the drawings, there is a graph on waxed paper (14.5 by 13.25 inches) tracking altitude, time, and speed for an unknown aircraft (undated). The collection also includes records relating to the design and production of the Dyott Monoplane and Dyott Bomber.

Arrangement:

Some of the material in this collection arrived grouped together in folders or envelopes. This material was housed accordingly and original folder titles were kept where applicable. The rest of the collection is organized by type of material. Folder titles created by archivist, or additional information added to original folder titles by archivist, are in brackets. Within folders, material is arranged chronologically.

Biographical / Historical:

George Miller Dyott (1883--1972) was an early aviator; veteran of the Royal Naval Air Service; aircraft designer; and explorer. Dyott was born in New York in 1883 to an American mother and a British father. Dyott was educated in the United Kingdom before returning to the United States where he learned to fly at Curtiss Field in New York. Dyott was awarded Royal Aero Club aviator's certificate 114 in August of 1911. Around this time, Dyott partnered with Henry W. Walden designing monoplanes. In the autumn of 1911, Dyott and Patrick Hamilton began making a tour of exhibition flights with two Deperdussin monoplanes (one single and one double seater) which started in New York and included stops in the Bahamas and Mexico, where they carried then-President Francisco Madero as a passenger. Dyott then returned to the United Kingdom where he designed the Dyott Monoplane, manufactured by Hewlett & Blondeau, which he brought to the United States to fly a six month demonstration tour beginning in April 1913. Dyott entered military service in 1914 and served as a squadron commander for the Royal Naval Air Service during World War I. Around this time, Dyott designed a large twin-engine biplane for use in exploring. The Royal Naval Air Service saw a potential in this design for military use so Dyott made some modifications and two prototypes were ordered from Hewlett & Blondeau in 1916. The two Dyott Bomber prototypes were built and flight tested with various engines and armament, with the second being service tested in France, but the model never entered production. After World War I, Dyott became an explorer and joined the Royal Geographical Society. In 1927, Dyott was hired to lead an expedition retracing the steps of the Roosevelt–Rondon Scientific Expedition which confirmed Theodore Roosevelt's claims about the group's discovery and exploration of the Rio Roosevelt ("River of Doubt"). In 1928, Dyott led an expedition into Brazil searching for missing explorer Percy Fawcett. Dyott also founded Dyott & Company, Ltd. in Lima, Peru taking aerial photographs and other scenic views that were sold as post cards. Dyott wrote several books about his adventures (one of which was adapted into a feature film, Manhunt in the Jungle, in 1958), and also starred as himself in two documentary films (Hunting Tigers in India in 1929 and Savage Gold, which he also co-wrote, in 1933). In the mid-1930s, Dyott retired to Ecuador where he lived largely in isolation. He conducted two expeditions searching for Inca treasure in the late 1940s before returning to Ecuador where he stayed until returning to New York to reunite with his wife and children shortly before his death.

Provenance:

Michael Dyott, Gift, 2016, NASM.2016.0019.

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access.

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations  Search this

Dyott Bomber (1916)  Search this

Dyott Monoplane (1913)  Search this

Aircraft  Search this

Walden IV 1910 Monoplane  Search this

Genre/Form:

Manuscripts

Photographs

Correspondence

Diaries -- 20th century

Citation:

George Miller Dyott Papers, NASM.2016.0019, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2016.0019

See more items in:

George Miller Dyott Papers

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg25a904b57-d4c2-42cf-9c30-5d0a6b3640e7

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2016-0019

Extent:

0.2 Cubic feet (1 slim letter document box)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1937-1987

bulk 1947-1965

Summary:

Photography in this collection was collected by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Air Transport Curator R. E. G. (Ron) Davies from a variety of unidentified sources, presumably for integration into his airline reference files. It includes a mixture of black and white and color formats from 35 mm roll film to 4.75 x 6 inch sheet film. Aircraft pictured are predominantly airliners in use in the post-World War II period, circa 1947-1965, and include views of British, European, and American airliners at airports in the United Kingdom, and passenger and cargo aircraft belonging to various Central and South American airlines photographed at Miami International Airport (Florida, USA).

Scope and Contents:

Original and copy photography in this collection includes a mixture of color positives (transparencies), color negatives, and black and white negatives predominantly in 35mm roll film format, either as cut strips or as individual frames (no complete rolls). The collection also includes some medium format sheet film in 4.75 x 6 inch, 4 x 5 inch, and 120 format sizes. A small amount of film was found in annotated enclosures, but the bulk of the material was unidentified.

A large number of the photographs in this collection appear to have been taken of British, European, and American airliners on the ground at international airports in Britain (UK), with a few views of Royal Air Force or British government aircraft. An equally large number of photographs show passenger and cargo aircraft belonging to various Central and South American airlines; these are predominantly seen on the ground at Miami, Florida (USA), although some were likely taken at other locations in the Caribbean area. Views taken in Florida also include various American airliners and a few US civil, military, and government aircraft. Views taken in Central America include a few photographs of military cargo aircraft belonging to the Colombian (Fuerza Aérea Colombiana) and Salvadoran (Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña) air forces. Aircraft types pictured include a large number of World War II military cargo aircraft modified for civilian service, particularly the Curtiss C-46 Commando and—to a lesser extent—the Douglas C-47 (DC-3) Skytrain (Dakota) and Douglas C-54 (DC-4) Skymaster. Other post-WWII American airliners such as the Lockheed Constellation family, various Douglas models (DC-6, DC-7, DC-8, DC-10) and the Martin (Glenn L.) Model 404 (4-O-4) are also seen, as well as various British airliners including the Bristol 175 Britannia, Handley Page Hermes and Dart Herald H.P.R.7, Britten Norman BN-2A-III Trislander, and Vickers Viking and Viscount. A small group of photographs focuses on flying boats used by various small airlines, particularly the Short S.25 Sunderland and S.45A Solent models.

Arrangement:

Photography is organized by format. Images found together have been grouped in the same folder or sheet. Cut strips or individual frames which appear to be from the same roll of 35mm film are presented in frame number order.

Biographical / Historical:

The post-World War II period saw an explosion in the number of new national and international airlines, many making use of readily available surplus military aircraft such as the Douglas C-47 and Curtiss C-46 modified to serve as passenger and cargo aircraft in regularly scheduled and charter operations. This period also saw the introduction of four-engine pressurized airliners such as the Lockheed Constellation and Douglas DC-6, providing airline passengers with a faster, more comfortable air travel experience.

Photography in this collection was collected by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Air Transport Curator R. E. G. (Ron) Davies from a variety of unidentified sources, presumably for integration into his airline reference files. This material was transferred to the NASM Archives from the NASM Aeronautics Department following Davies' retirement.

Related Materials:

See related collection R. E. G. (Ron) Davies Air Transport Collection, NASM.XXXX.0604.

Provenance:

NASM Aeronautics Department, transfer, 1989, NASM.XXXX.1224

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics -- 20th century  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this

Airlines  Search this

Airplanes  Search this

Airports  Search this

Curtiss C-46 Commando  Search this

Douglas DC-3 Family  Search this

Douglas C-47 Skytrain Family  Search this

Douglas C-54 Skymaster Family  Search this

Douglas DC-6  Search this

Douglas DC-7  Search this

Lockheed Model 749 Constellation  Search this

Lockheed Model 1049D Super Constellation  Search this

McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Family  Search this

Citation:

Mid-Century Airliners Photography, NASM.XXXX.1224, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1224

See more items in:

Mid-Century Airliners Photography

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2ca6c932d-5bc3-4515-a60e-5c6505f500e1

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-1224

Creator:

Lopez, Donald S.,, 1923-2008  Search this

Extent:

.19 Cubic feet

3.218 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Dvds

16mm films

Digital images

Date:

1940s-2006

Summary:

Donald Sewell Lopez (1923-2008) was a legendary figure in aviation having had a remarkable career as a fighter pilot in World War II and the Korean War, contributing significantly to aeronautical engineering and education, and playing critical roles in the planning and development of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). This collection includes slides, digital images, and audio-visual material maintained by Donald S. Lopez during his time as the NASM Deputy Director.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of 48 slides, some of which are duplicates, mostly relating to Lopez's service in World War II. The slides, most of which are black and white, depict various aircraft including Lockheed P-38M Lightning, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Dornier Do 215 B-5 Kauz 3 (Screech Owl)(Night Fighter Modification), Douglas P-70, Bell P-39 Airacobra, Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko (Moonlight) Irving (Night Fighter Model 11), North American P-51 Mustang, and Northrop P-61 Black Widow. The slides also depict Lopez and a number of people who served with him in China including Lieutenant Jessie Gray, and Lieutenant Oswin "Moose" Elker. One slide also depicts the crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell that occured in Chihkiang on January 19, 1945. There are also images of Lopez at work in the Museum and of his wife, Glindel Lopez in her wedding gown. Finally, there is an image of the William S. Phillips painting, "Into the Teeth of the Tiger," showing Lopez in combat (this piece is owned by the Lopez family). A number of these images were used in Lopez's book "Into the Teeth of the Tiger."

The collection also includes a DVD of a panel lecture at the Udvar-Hazy Center on the Northrop P-61 Black Widow on June 8, 2006 featuring Donald S. Lopez, Robert Bolinder, Louis Bost, Avery J. Miller, Robert Ferguson as speakers and Dik Daso as moderator; a CD of photographs taken at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2000 showing Lopez and other NASM staff as well as figures such as Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager, Robert A. "Bob" Hoover, Patricia "Patty" Rosalie Kearns Combs Wagstaff, James A. "Jim" Lovell, Robert L. "Hoot" Gibson, and Frank Borman; and a reel of 16mm color film, with sound, entitled Reunions: Memories of an American Experience.

Arrangement:

Arranged in original order.

Biographical / Historical:

Donald Sewell Lopez (1923-2008) joined the staff of the Smithsonian Institution in 1972 as part of the team responsible for planning the construction and opening of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). As assistant director for Aeronautics, Lopez was instrumental in developing the exhibits that welcomed visitors at the museum's opening on July 1, 1976. Lopez became deputy director of NASM in 1983, a position he held until 1990. He served as senior advisor to the director before retiring in 1993, holding a position as senior advisor emeritus until he was again appointed deputy director in 1996, a position he held until his death. Before coming to the Smithsonian, Lopez was already an aviation legend: he was a fighter pilot in the 23rd Fighter Group of the 14th Air Force - successors of the legendary Flying Tigers - in China. He flew Curtiss P-40s and North American P-51 Mustangs, demonstrating his extraordinary flying skills under the leadership of famous war heroes Col. Tex Hill and Gen. Claire Chennault. During his two years in China, Lopez flew 101 missions and tallied up five victories, the required number to be recognized as an "Ace." Lopez was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and three Air Medals for his service during World War II. After the War, Lopez became an Air Force test pilot and then served in combat again during the Korean War flying North American F-86s. Lopez then served at the Pentagon, during which time he also earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology and a master's degree in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology. Lopez served at the US Air Force Academy as an associate professor of aeronautics and chief of academic counseling before retiring from the US Air Force in 1964 at the rank of lieutenant colonel. Lopez then worked as a Systems Engineer on the Apollo-Saturn Launch Vehicle and the Skylab Orbital Workshop for Bellcomm, Inc. Lopez was a member of the American Fighter Aces Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association and was a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Lopez was the recipient of many honors and awards, including being named an Elder Statesman of Aviation by the National Aeronautic Association (1995); the Federal Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Leadership Award recipient (1999); the Frank G. Brewer Trophy in Museum Education recipient; being inducted as a fellow by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (2006); and being honored as one of the living legends at the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends at Rickenbacker Field in Columbus, Ohio (2007). Lopez's publications include Into the Teeth of the Tiger (Bantam, 1986), The National Air and Space Museum: A Visit in Pictures (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989) and Fighter Pilot's Heaven: Flight Testing the Early Jets (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995).

Provenance:

Donald S. Lopez, Transfer, 2008, NASM.2008.0042

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Genre/Form:

DVDs

16mm films

Digital images

Citation:

Donald Sewell Lopez Collection, NASM.2008.0042, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2008.0042

See more items in:

Donald Sewell Lopez Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg298a1da39-2edc-4594-a9c4-0c11c346239f

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2008-0042

Creator:

Preston, James "Jim"  Search this

Department of the Navy  Search this

Extent:

15.54 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Place:

Indian Ocean

Date:

1981

2022

Summary:

Materials created and maintained by James "Jim" Preston for his 1981 assignment to document life aboard the USS America (CV-66) during an extended deployment in the Indian Ocean.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of photographic material created by James L. "Jim" Preston during his 1981 assignment to document life aboard the USS America (CV-66) during an extended deployment in the Indian Ocean. The collection includes 81 rolls of black and white still picture film, each with an attached contact sheet, as well as 1 roll of color still picture film. The collection also contains 59 black and white print enlargements, measuring 8 by 10 inches each, some of which contain crop markings. The collection also contains scans made from the black and white negatives by the donor of approximately 371 different images and 22 image files containing quotes given by US Navy personnel that accompany the photos. The collection also includes a PDF copy of the original "Life at Sea" story that appeared in All Hands magazine; a PDF copy of the blog written by Preston for the National Air and Space Museum's (NASM) website in 2022 entitled, "Life at Sea: The Thirty-Hour Day"; a PDF copy of a NASM Flickr gallery created by Preston to accompany the blog post; and the 339 digital image files used the Flickr gallery which are a subset of the scans listed above.

Arrangement:

Original order.

Biographical / Historical:

James "Jim" L. Preston is an accomplished public affairs specialist with more than 20-years of experience as a photojournalist, photo editor, designer, and director. His career began as a U.S. Navy photojournalist working with the Blue Angels and All Hands Magazine. He began his civilian career in newspapers as a photographer at The Denver Post, becoming the Director of Photography after five years. He also worked as a photographer and photo editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Photo Director at the Houston Post, Assistant Managing Editor of Photography at The Sun in Baltimore, and Director of Photography at The Cape Cod Times. Preston served as the Deputy Director/Senior Photo Editor for the White House Photo Department for the final three years of President Obama's administration, assisting in the daily editing of the visual historical record of the President. He finished his professional career as the Supervising Photographer for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Preston met the 14th Chief of the U.S. Navy Office of Information, Admiral Bruce Newell Jr., and suggested an assignment documenting the life aboard an aircraft carrier during a long deployment. With the goal to share this story with friends and families back home, the Admiral granted Preston permission to join USS America (CV-66) on April 4, 1981.

Provenance:

James L. Preston, Gift, 2024, NASM.2024.0022.

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Aircraft carriers  Search this

Sea stories  Search this

Citation:

"Life at Sea" Photographic Collection [Preston], NASM.2024.0022, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2024.0022

See more items in:

"Life at Sea" Photographic Collection [Preston]

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2973456c0-95ec-4c75-90f7-23ae361f31e6

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2024-0022

Creator:

Fairchild, Sherman M.  Search this

Extent:

10 Cubic feet (( ))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Date:

bulk 1900-1945

Scope and Contents:

This collection consisted of 10 cartons of photographs that were at first loaned, and then donated, from the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) in 1968 when they were dissolving their library. After the photographs arrived at NASM, they were divided and placed in the Technical Files. As of 2009, 817 images have been identified and cataloged as being from the Sherman Fairchild Collection. The images include shots of balloons, gliders, airships, aircraft, aircraft instruments, engines, uniforms, aerial photographs, and early concepts of flight.

Biographical / Historical:

Sherman Fairchild (1896-1971) had a long and varied aviation career; included in his many contributions to the aerospace field was his work with aerial cameras and his aircraft companies, including Fairchild Industries.

Provenance:

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Gift, 1968

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access.

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Balloons  Search this

Gliding and soaring  Search this

Aerial photography  Search this

Aeronautical instruments  Search this

Airships  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Citation:

Sherman Fairchild Collection of Aeronautical Photographs, Accession XXXX-0952, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0952

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2bdedb606-88e7-49b0-9335-244eb46d9680

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0952

Creator:

Glenn L. Martin Company  Search this

Names:

Glenn L. Martin Company  Search this

Martin, Glenn L., 1886-1955  Search this

Extent:

119.9 Cubic feet (110 records center boxes)

114.4 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Manuals

Date:

1932-1972

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of 84 cubic feet of negatives and 22 cubic feet of photographs chronicling the history of the Martin Company, including the following subjects: aircraft plants; historical themes; people; aircraft programs: historic, US Army, US Navy, civilian export; experimental or projected designs; research and development programs; structures and materials; manufacturing processes; space tools; nuclear power programs; missile programs; and space programs. The collection also contains photograph log books which have information about the images.

Biographical / Historical:

The Martin Company was founded by aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin during World War I. Martin was mainly a producer of military airplanes for the US Army, Air Force, and Navy. Martin has also built several commercial types, including the model M130 Clipper, with which Pan American Airways opened transpacific commercial air service. Since the 1950s, Martin has been active in the development and production of a wide variety of rocket, missile and space programs, including lifting-body vehicles. Martin was also a pioneer in nuclear power units for remote sites.

General:

This collection also contains 26 photo logs and tech manuals.

Provenance:

Martin Marietta Aero and Naval Systems, 1989, 1989-0141, 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

Topic:

Martin Model 130 Clipper  Search this

Aircraft industry  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics, Military  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Manuals

Identifier:

NASM.1989.0141

See more items in:

Martin Aircraft Company Photograph Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg29d05a3cf-e0bd-4db3-af6f-7c71d550e1c7

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-1989-0141

Creator:

Kendall, Evelyn Way  Search this

Extent:

4.41 Cubic feet (8 boxes; 1 map folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1783-1969

Summary:

The Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection documents early aeronautical history from the 18th century to the 1960s in art, prints, photographs, posters, manuscripts, and ephemera.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of eight boxes of material, comprising approximately 4.41 cubic feet of material, consisting of works on paper – photographs, sheet music, broadsides and handbills, postcards, trade cards, newspapers and magazines. Fine art – paintings, prints and engravings, and objects – were retained in the National Air and Space Museum's Art Collection.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged by size of the collection material, from small to large.

Biographical / Historical:

The Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection documents early aeronautical history from the 18th century to the 1960s. From the early 1920s to the 1960s, Evelyn Way Kendall amassed over 1,000 works of art, prints, photographs, posters, objects, manuscripts, books, and ephemera documenting the history of flight. The artworks and archival material in her collection convey a sense of the wonder and excitement experienced by those who witnessed the birth of flight during the ballooning era, and at the dawn of powered flight in the 20th century. 

Provenance:

Archives of the Norfolk Charitable Trust, Gift, 2015, 2015.0053

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.

Topic:

Aeronautics in art  Search this

Aeronautics -- History  Search this

Ballooning  Search this

Balloons -- History  Search this

Citation:

Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection, Acc. 2015.0053, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2015.0053

See more items in:

Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2c021aa13-9ca6-4cc5-8390-2336e623aa48

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2015-0053

Creator:

Brownstein, Herb  Search this

Names:

United States. Army Air Forces  Search this

United States. Army Air Forces. 19th Bombardment Group  Search this

United States. Army Air Forces. 19th Bombardment Group. 14th Bombardment Squadron  Search this

United States. Army. Air Corps  Search this

Kurtz, Frank  Search this

Smith, Weldon H.  Search this

Extent:

1 Cubic foot (3 boxes)

Container:

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Diaries

Photographs

Maps

Reports

Manuscripts

Publications

Interviews

Correspondence

Date:

1939-1943

Summary:

The Swoose: Odyssey of a B-17 Collection consists of materials collected during research by Herbert Brownstein, the author.

Scope and Content:

This collection consists of materials collected by author Herbert Brownstein during his research for the book The Swoose: Odyssey of a B-17. Fifty-four of the images collected were used in the book. These images feature the aircraft, its crew, its insignia, air fields where it was stationed and maps of the flights of The Swoose. Mr. Brownstein collected approximately six hundred additional photographs from former crew members and other sources which were not used in the book. Included among these are images of air bases including Milne Bay, New Guinea; Marreba, Australia; Clark Field, Philippine Islands; Port Moresby, New Guinea; Del Monte, Philippine Islands; Randolph, Texas; Wheeler, Hawaii; Brooks, Texas; and Kelly, Texas. Aircraft featured include the Bell P-39, Douglas C-47, Boeing B-17B, Boeing B-17G, North American B-25B, Curtiss P-40, North American N4J Pensacola Trainer, and Boeing B-17 Suzy-Q. Aviation field maps include those for Northeast Australia, Malaya, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and the Philippine Islands. Individuals represented include Henry Godman, Weldon S. Smith, Lyndon B. Johnson, Frank Kurtz, Sir Charles Burnett, Brigadier General George Acheson and several group shots of crew. There are also histories of the 14th and 19th Bombardment Groups, operations, battle honor lists, damage reports, debriefing reports, and crew lists as well as periodical articles about the aircraft and its crew.

Arrangement:

The collection has been organized into three series:

SERIES 1: Photographs Used in The Swoose: Odyssey of a B-17 SERIES 2: Photographs Collected but not Used in The Swoose: Odyssey of a B-17 SERIES 3: Official Government Documents, Periodical Articles, Miscellaneous Material

Biographical/Historical note:

The Swoose was the name given to Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress serial number 40-3097 by Weldon H. Smith, one of its crew members. The aircraft flew four historic trans-Pacific flights: California to Hawaii, May 13-14, 1941; Sydney, Australia to Hawaii and back, May 17-30, 1942; and Brisbane to Washington, DC, August 4-12, 1942. It was stationed in the Pacific theater during the first two years of World War II (1941-1943) and was assigned to both the 14th and 19th Bombardment Groups. In the Pacific, The Swoose carried out bombing and transport operations in the Philippines, Java, and Australia. In 1943, the aircraft was stationed in Panama. The aircraft remained in service until 1953, when it was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum. In 2008, The Swoose was transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Provenance:

Herb Brownstein, gift, 1994, 1996, 2000, 1994-0024

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Permissions Requests

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics, Military  Search this

Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress "Swoose"  Search this

Genre/Form:

Diaries

Photographs

Maps

Reports

Manuscripts

Publications

Interviews

Correspondence

Citation:

The Swoose: Odyssey of a B-17 Collection, Acc. 1994-0024, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.1994.0024

See more items in:

The Swoose: Odyssey of a B-17 Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2d84f0417-6719-4ce0-9507-a4a71424b725

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-1994-0024

Creator:

Arango, Javier, 1962-2017  Search this

Extent:

4.46 Cubic feet

0.641 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Catalogs

Diaries

Manuals

Maps

Programs

Photographic postcards

Photographs

Scrapbooks

Date:

1900-1955

bulk 1905-1918

Summary:

Early aviation catalogs, photographs, periodicals, class notes, and scrapbooks as well as other materials collected by Javier Arnago detailing the evolution of early aircrafts built before and during World World I.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of early aviation materials, collected by Javier Arango, pertaining to the development of early 20th century aircrafts. The bulk of the material consists of air meet programs and memorabilia, engine and aeroplane catalogs, articles and periodicals, maps and charts, postcards and correspondence, class notes and technical manuals, scrapbooks and journals, and a variety of photographs. Materials in English, French, German, and Dutch. Aviators pioneers include: the Wright Brothers, Henry Farman, Louis Bleriot, Hubert Latham, Glenn Curtiss, Louis Paulhan, and other French and American pilots. Aircraft manufacturers represented include: Wright Brothers, Curtiss-Wright, Blériot (France), Antoinette (Société Anonyme Antoinette) (France), Deperdussin (France), Farman, Voisin (France), and other American, French, German, and British inventors prior to World War I.

Arrangement:

Collection organized into eight sections by material type. The first three sections 'Aeroplane Catalogs,' 'Engine Catalongs,' and 'Air meet Programs' are in original order, which is alphabetically arranged by company, aircraft, or engine name and thereunder chronologically by year. The 'Periodicals' section is also alphabetically arranged by title and thereunder chronologically by year. 'Additional Text Materials,' 'Scrapbooks and albums,' and 'Class notes and journals' alphabetically arranged by creator's surname or title. The 'Photographs' section is organized by subjects or event, orginially grouped by Arango, and thereunder alphabetically arranged.

Biographical / Historical:

Javier Arango (1962-2017) was an investment consultant, aircraft collector, avid pilot, and board member of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. Graduating at Harvard University, he studied the history of science and became an authority of World War I aviation focusing on the progression of warplanes. Establishing his Aeroplane Collection with the construction of a triplane in 1980, he began collecting original materials from the 1900s and 1910s. With a passion for understanding and preserving the history of flight, Arango amassed an exemplary study of the evolution of early aviation.

Provenance:

Javier Arango Living Trust, Gift, 2022, NASM.2022.0033

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this

Aircraft supplies industry  Search this

Airplanes -- Design and construction  Search this

Airplanes -- Motors  Search this

Antoinette Aircraft Family  Search this

Bleriot Aircraft Family  Search this

Breguet Aircraft Family  Search this

Bristol Aircraft Family  Search this

Burgess Aircraft Family  Search this

Curtiss, General, Aircraft  Search this

Deperdussin Aircraft Family  Search this

Ford Tri-Motor Family  Search this

Gallaudet Type C Military Tractor Biplane Family  Search this

Lockheed Aircraft Family  Search this

Moisant (Monoplane Co) 1914 Bluebird Monoplane  Search this

Nieuport Aircraft Family  Search this

Sloane Aircraft Family  Search this

SPAD Aircraft Family  Search this

Voisin Aircraft Family  Search this

Genre/Form:

Catalogs

Diaries

Manuals

Maps

Programs

Photographic postcards

Photographs

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Javier Arango Early Aviation Collection, NASM.2022.0033, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2022.0033

See more items in:

Early Aviation Collection [Arango]

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a7794054-9fbe-430c-8b18-ec5aa5cd48e7

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2022-0033

Extent:

9.4 Cubic feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Color slides

Color photographs

Black-and-white photographs

Newsletters

Black-and-white negatives

Color negatives

Date:

1956-1987

Summary:

The Jules "Jay" Mermoud Collection reflects his career as a producer, cinematographer, and media graphic specialist for McDonnell Douglas (then Douglas Aircraft) from the mid-1950s until his retirement in 1987. Mermoud worked extensively with NASA at a variety of locations within the United States. This material is particularly rich in documenting the early space missions of Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Apollo-Soyuz, the Thor and Skybolt missions and a variety of Douglas/McDonnell Douglas aircraft such as the F-15 Streak Eagle.

Scope and Contents:

This collection is approximately 9.4 cubic feet and includes photographs, negatives, 16mm motion picture film, oversized photographic prints and posters, photo albums, slides, textual material including brochures, newsletters, press kits, annual reports and news and magazine clippings.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into four series: Textual Material; Photographs, Negatives and Slides; Oversize Materials and Audiovisual Material. The first series is subdivided into three subseries: NASA and Spaceflight; McDonnell Douglas, Aircraft, Rockets and Missiles; and Miscellaneous.The second series is subdivided into four subseries: Photo Albums; NASA and Spaceflight; McDonnell Douglas, Rockets and Missiles; and Miscellaneous.

Biographical / Historical:

Jules "Jay" Mermoud (1925--1991) was born Monett, Missouri. After graduating from high school, he joined the Army Air Corps prior to the end of World War II. He then attended the University of Southern California and earned a Bachelor's degree in Cinema in 1952. Upon completion, he briefly worked as a film extra and appeared in such movies as "Above and Beyond" and "Pat and Mike." From 1952 until 1956, Mermoud was employed by three television stations as a cinematographer, film director, editor and on-camera moderator that took him to various cities including Albuquerque, New Mexico; Fresno, California; Los Angeles, California; Tulsa Oklahoma; and Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he was the host of an outdoor show called "Oklahoma Outdoors." He also met and married his beloved wife Marilyn in 1954.

Two years later, he landed a job with McDonnell Douglas' Tulsa Division as a producer/coordinator where he was responsible for scientific and engineering camera instrumentation support for special testing programs relating to the Douglas RB-66 and WB-66 Destroyer development. From 1958 to 1963 he was a photo coordinator, producer and director at the Atlantic Missile Range where he instituted all contractual photography range support in the Thor, Thor-Able, Skybolt and Saturn rocket programs. Beginning in mid-1963, he was responsible for all photography coordination relating to crewed spaceflight at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. While living there, Mermoud's wife Marilyn was an active member of the Women's Clubs of Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach. Marilyn was also a member of the Space Pioneer Wives. In July 1969, the family relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, where Jay became Supervisor of Cinematography, later advancing to Section Manager of Photo Services a mere two years later. He was promoted again at McDonnell Douglas when he was named the Staff Specialist of film and television production and program development.

Mermoud's striking photographs appeared in such publications as Industrial Photography, Janes' All the World's Aircraft, National Geographic, Aviation Week, Missiles and Rockets and Popular Science and at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum. He was also an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed playing jazz bass and piano.

Provenance:

Frank Mermoud and Jean Pickett, Gift, 2023, NASM.2024.0006

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics  Search this

Avionics  Search this

Color photography  Search this

Apollo Project  Search this

Gemini Project  Search this

Mercury Project  Search this

Douglas Aircraft Family  Search this

McDonnell Aircraft Family  Search this

United States Air Force  Search this

Genre/Form:

Color slides

Color photographs

Black-and-white photographs

Newsletters

Black-and-white negatives

Color negatives

Citation:

Jules "Jay" Mermoud Collection, Acc. NASM.2024.0006, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.2024.0006

See more items in:

Jules "Jay" Mermoud Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg265fdcea9-9ac1-43e7-8d57-2bb379e0252a

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-2024-0006

Creator:

Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this

Names:

Hudson-Fulton Celebration (1909)  Search this

Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this

Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this

Wright, Wilbur, 1867-1912  Search this

Extent:

5.66 Cubic feet (13 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Publications

Manuscripts

Correspondence

Photographs

Date:

1881-1934

bulk 1905-1915

Summary:

The collection is the result of Major Hammer's passion for amassing material related to aeronautics and technology, and it is arranged into eleven series: articles, clippings, correspondence, drawings and blueprints, leaflets, legislation, minutes, miscellaneous, photographs, programs and publications. Housed in 23 folders, the correspondence is the most comprehensive series, reflecting the original order which grouped the letters into series by topic. Much of the correspondence concerns the planning of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909, and the involvement of Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss. There is also a scrapbook of black and white photographs providing front and side views of specified airplanes. Each page has 3 photos showing different views of the same plane accompanied by a label with additional information. (See written copy for details. Also, please see information written on 8x11 notebook paper.)

Scope and Contents:

The William J. Hammer Collection reflects Hammer's great interest in aeronautics --a passion he cultivated for several decades by accumulating a veritable storehouse of materials. Hammer's important contributions to the early development of aviation are also evident in this collection.

The collection of materials listed in the finding aid is arranged into two series. The first series includes correspondence, reports, handbooks, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, magazines, articles, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous materials. The second series is comprised of photographs of various sizes, scrapbooks, scrapbook pages and miscellaneous materials (the front pages of newspapers, certificates, posters, etc.).

Hammer's papers are arranged both chronologically and alphabetically. Correspondence, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, miscellaneous materials, scrapbook pages, articles and newspaper clippings are organized by the former method. Reports, handbooks, magazines and booklets are grouped alphabetically by either title of publication or author. Photographs are arranged either by subject or chronologically.

The reader should note that at some point, Hammer produced a series of large format photographs. These mounted photographs are duplicates. Due to the very fragile condition of these particular images, the photographs and are not available to researchers.

Additional photographic material regarding Hammer Collection photographs can be found in the NASM Archives Images database. An Archives staff member will assist you with research using this database.

Box 13 of the William J. Hammer Collection has not been scanned.

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 William J. Hammer Collection is arranged by content type.

Biographical/Historical note:

William J. Hammer was born in Cressona, Pennsylvania, on February 26, 1858, was an associate of Thomas Edison and an early aviation supporter and enthusiast. He began his career as an assistant to Edward Weston of the Weston Malleable Nickel Company. In 1879, he moved on to a new position as laboratory assistant to Thomas Edison at Menlo Park, New Jersey. His duties ranged from aiding in conducting experiments on such devices as the phonograph, telephone and ore separator to acting as Edison's key person in further developing the incandescent electric lamp. By 1880, he was made chief engineer of the Edison Lamp Works. A year later, Edison dispatched Hammer to London to be chief engineer of the English Electric Light Company. In this position, he helped construct the Holborn Viaduct Central Electric Light Station in London. This was the first central station ever built for incandescent electric lighting. In 1883, Hammer became chief engineer for the German Edison Company. This task included planning and supervising the construction of all Edison plants in Germany. He returned to the United States late in the following year and acted as chief inspector of central stations of the parent Edison Electric Light Company. In 1886-87, Hammer was general manager and chief engineer of the Boston Edison Electric Illuminating Company. In 1888, he worked as an independent engineer and supervised the completion of the then-largest isolated electric lighting plant, located at the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. During that year, Hammer also was chosen as consulting electrical engineer to the Cincinnati Centennial Exposition. Subsequently, Edison selected him as his personal representative to the Paris Exposition of 1889. This assignment rounded out Hammer's eleven years with Edison. During his time as one of Edison's most trusted and important employees, Hammer devised a number of innovations to the incandescent electric lamp. He designed and built the first electric sign, which spelled out the name "Edison". While in Germany, he invented the automatic motor-driven flashing electric lamp sign. This particular sign flashed the word "Edison" letter by letter and then all at once. At the International Electrical Exhibition, held in Philadelphia in 1884, Hammer also constructed the first flashing column of electric lights.

Upon his return to the U.S. in 1890, Hammer worked as an independent consulting electrical engineer by assisting in a variety of electrical projects, carrying out tests, giving lectures and providing expert testimony in patent disputes. He based this modest enterprise in an office in New York City and continued in this occupation until 1925. His career as an electrical engineering consultant was interrupted by World War I. In June 1918, he was commissioned a major in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the Inventions Section of the War Plans Division of the General Staff in charge of Aeronautical and Electrical Inventions at the Army War College, Washington, D.C.. By December of that year, he was attached to the Operations Division General Staff at the War Department (Inventions Section). During the war and on into 1919, Hammer also worked for the U.S. Patent Office by identifying any aviation-related patents likely to convey too much information to potential enemies. In conjunction with his War Department duties, he acted as a member of the Advisory Board of Experts affiliated with the Alien Property Commission.

Busy as he was with his private consulting work, Hammer also immersed himself in other scientific activities. He took a particular interest in radium after visiting Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris in 1902. The two discoverers of radium gave him some samples of this substance. Soon after returning to the United States, Hammer experimented with radium. His research yielded numerous useful applications for this material such as radium-luminous powders and paints that were used to coat everything from watch and clock dials to aeronautical instruments, switches and toys. Hammer also advocated the use of radium for cancer and tumor treatment. Beyond his interest in this material, he invented selenium light-sensitive cells and recommended many practical uses for them. He also conducted a great deal of laboratory work on X-rays, ultraviolet and cathode rays, phosphorescence and wireless communications. Accordingly, he lectured and published extensively on many of these fields of research and study.

Hand in hand with his overall interest in science and technology, Hammer had a particular passion for aeronautics. Beyond paying careful attention to the rapid progress made in this field at the turn of the twentieth century, he also played an active role as participant and supporter. He made his first balloon flight over France during the Paris Exposition of 1889. His last lighter-than-air journey took place in 1931 aboard the U.S. Navy dirigible Los Angeles. Moreover, he attended and officiated over many balloon, airship and airplane exhibitions and races. Hammer was a member of the Aero Club of America and a director of the Aeronautical Society. This latter group made the first ever purchase of an airplane in January 1909. He served as expert and secretary of the Aeronautics Committee on the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission of 1909 and wrote the contracts for Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss to fly their airplanes for this event. This occasion in New York was important as it marked the first time a large gathering of people in the U.S. witnessed heavier-than-air powered flight. As a friend of the Wright brothers, Hammer testified as an expert witness on their behalf during various patent litigation suits. His contact with aviation pioneers went beyond the Wrights and Curtiss. He also knew and interacted with, among others, Samuel Langley, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henri Farman and Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. Even his work with radium had applications for aviation. Hammer developed radium-based luminous compounds and used them on aircraft instruments so pilots could more easily view their cockpits' dials and gauges.

Hammer's last years were filled with serving as Historian General of the Military Order of the World War, as well as participating in many scientific, engineering and aeronautical committees and societies. During this time, he was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Elliott Cresson Gold Medal, John Scott Medal from the Franklin Institute and the Cross of the Legion of Honor from France. Up until his death on March 24, 1934, he also labored in his efforts to organize a vast personal collection of rare and valuable scientific artifacts, photographs and other materials accumulated since his days with Edison. Following Hammer's death, this important collection was left in the care of his daughter Mabel (his wife of twelve years, Alice, having died in 1906). Some years later, International Business Machines (IBM) acquired it. In 1962, IBM donated the William J. Hammer Scientific Collection to the Smithsonian Institution. The bulk of the collection resides with the National Museum of American History's Archives Center. In the mid 1980s, the aeronautical portion of this collection was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives.

Provenance:

IBM (Mr. William J. Hammer Collection), gift, 1961, XXXX-0074, 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.

Topic:

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this

Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this

Periodicals  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Publications

Manuscripts

Correspondence

Photographs

Citation:

William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0074

See more items in:

William J. Hammer Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b19d3684-d8df-43fc-ba10-9da9e20ed7c2

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074

Extent:

0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

November 3, 1908

Summary:

Official program issued by The Aeronautic Society in conjunction with the Federation of American Motorcyclists for the "Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races" held at the Morris Park Aerodrome, New York, on November 3, 1908.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of an official program, bound in a hard-cover library binding, issued by The Aeronautic Society in conjunction with the Federation of American Motorcyclists for the "Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races" held at the Morris Park Aerodrome (formerly the Morris Park Racetrack), Westchester, New York, on November 3, 1908. The front cover features a reproduction of the front cover of the September 1908 edition of Aeronautics magazine showing the US Army "Signal Corps No.1" (SC-1) (Baldwin) airship in flight during US Army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia, in August 1908. Interior pages include a list of events (alternating aeronautic activities and motorcycle races) and information about The Aeronautic Society.

Arrangement:

Single item catalogued as NASM Archives item number NASM-9A20341. Digital scans are presented in page number order.

Biographical / Historical:

The Aeronautic Society was founded in New York in July 1908 to promote interest in and support the development of aeronautics by assisting its members in carrying out experiments, encouraging investors, bringing together people working in related aeronautical fields, and providing facilities where experimenters could carry on their work. A committee immediately set to work to find a suitable location for these activities, eventually settling on a defunct racecourse just north of New York City. Morris Park Racecourse had operated as a fashionable horse racing facility beginning in 1889 but closed in 1904 due to lack of attendance. In September 1908 The Aeronautic Society leased the property from the City of New York for two years for use as the Morris Park Aerodrome. The Society wasted no time in organizing its first public event, to be held at their new Aerodrome on Election Day of the same year, November 3, 1908. They joined with the Federation of American Motorcyclists to present the "Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races," interspersing aeronautic events with motorcycle races over the course of the day. The air show was a rousing success with the public, with over 20,000 people filling the stands and the infield.

The Aeronautic Society (later known as The Aeronautical Society of America) secured a second location for use as a flying ground at Mineola, Long Island, New York, in January 1910; in April 1910 a fire damaged much of the Morris Park Aerodrome facility. The property was eventually sold to developers and the land subdivided into building lots. Morris Park was originally part of Westchester County, New York, but later became part of The Bronx, the northernmost of the five boroughs which make up New York City. The Aeronautical Society appears to have disbanded in 1918 at the end of World War I.

Related Materials:

Additional information on The Aeronautics Society (later known as The Aeronautical Society of America) and the 1908 Morris Park event can be found in the William J. Hammer Collection, NASM.XXXX.0074, https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074:

Series 1: Professional Materials, 1.1 Correspondence, Box 1, Folder 8: Correspondence, Hammer and the Aeronautical Society, November 1908 - July 1933. https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074/ref58

Series 1: Professional Materials, 1.7 Leaflets, Box 3, Folder 17: Leaflets and handbooks, The Aeronautical Society, 1911-1920. https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074/ref111

A cleaner copy (NASM 00139297) of the 1908 Morris Park event program can be found in the Hammer collection in Series 1: Professional Materials, 1.6: Programs, Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races. https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074/ref835 NOTE: NASM 00139297 (NASM-2A39297) includes the back cover of the program featuring an advertisement for N.S.U. Motorcycles; in the case of NASM-9A20341 the back cover is obscured by the library binding and is not visible.

Provenance:

Smithsonian Institution Libraries, transfer, 2010, NASM.XXXX.0956

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this

Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this

Motorcycles  Search this

Citation:

1908 Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races Program, NASM.XXXX.0956, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0956

See more items in:

1908 Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races Program

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2c36c2ee8-f0dd-45e2-8a49-a9d40d23630e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0956

Creator:

United States. Air Force  Search this

Names:

United States. Air Force  Search this

United States. Army Air Forces  Search this

United States. Army. Air Corps  Search this

United States. Army. Air Service  Search this

United States. National Guard Bureau  Search this

Extent:

1.69 Cubic feet (128 microfilm rolls)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Microfilms

Date:

circa 1920-1953

Summary:

This collection consists of duplicate microfilm of individual aircraft records for the United States Air Force (USAF). The microfilm covers aircraft owned by the US Army Air Service, Army Air Corps, Army Air Forces, USAF, and the National Guard starting in July of 1923 and including those dropped from the active inventory before June 30, 1955. (Master films are held by the Air Force Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, AL.) Each record card consists of a complete record of aircraft transfers (duty locations) from acceptance until retirement. Duty locations do not include unit, only theater/air base.

Scope and Contents:

Beginning in 1951, the USAF began microfilming the IARCs for retired aircraft. The first group filmed were aircraft retired as of May 1951 (119 rolls of 16mm microfilm), with additional sections including retirements through September 1952 and records "out of file" (not present in the retired aircraft file) in May 1951 (6 rolls) and retirements through May 1953 and records "out of file" in September 1952 (3 rolls). In 1971 the USAF microfilmed the records through 1954 for aircraft not retired by May 1953 (approximately 70 rolls) and all active aircraft from 1955 through 1964 (89 rolls). Later these various film series were designated by the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA; Maxwell AFB, AL), which maintains the original records, as ACR (May 1951 retirements), OA (out-of-file records from May 1951, retirements through September 1952 and May 1953), AC (aircraft active as of August 1954), and ACA (1955-1964 records).

Records were organized by military serial number, although some records were missorted and therefore filmed out of order. The project only encompassed the main IARC files and as a result the records maintained by the 15th SCU were filmed only in a few rare cases. Similarly the records maintained by overseas SCUs were not filmed. Thus the IARC records for wartime aircraft, particularly those transferred out of the Continental United States, remain incomplete.

The NASM holdings of these records consists of duplicate copies of the ACR and OA series of films only, comprising 128 rolls of microfilm. NASM rolls are identified consistent with the AFHRA designation scheme. The following listing gives the roll identification (ACR- or OA- number), the serial number range, and any special notes relating to the particular roll. The note "NASM M###" gives the roll identification assigned by the National Air and Space Museum in the 1960s when all microfilm in the NASM collection was sequentially numbered regardless of collection; these numbers are included for historical purposes and are cross-referenced in M-number order in Appendix 1 (page 8).

For access to the AC and ACA series, contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency at:

Air Force Historical Research Agency, 1600 Chennault Circle, Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6424

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I: Records for aircraft retired from USAF service through May 1951

Series II: Records for aircraft retired from USAF service through May 1951 (Out of file records)

Series III: Records for aircraft retired from USAF service May 1951 through September 1952

Series IV: Records for aircraft retired from USAF service September 1952 through May 1953

The NASM holdings of these records consists of duplicate copies of the ACR and OA series of films only, comprising 128 rolls of microfilm. NASM rolls are identified consistent with the AFHRA designation scheme. The follow listing gives the roll identification (ACR- or OA- number), the serial number range, and any special notes relating to the particular roll. The note "NASM M###" gives the roll identification assigned by the National Air and Space Museum in the 1960s when all microfilm in the NASM collection was sequentially numbered regardless of collection; these numbers are included for historical purposes and are cross-referenced in container listing notes.

Biographical/Historical note:

The United States Air Force and its predecessors1 have maintained a variety of records relating to the aircraft operated by the service. Beginning in 1923, the Air Service maintained individual records for each aircraft added to the inventory listing location and activity from its acceptance by the service until its retirement from the inventory. Such records have had a number of official names --Aircraft Master Record, Individual Aircraft Record Card (IARC), etc. --but are most commonly called "Aircraft History Cards." Originally, these records were manually compiled from unit inventories, morning reports, and so on, but the increased use of automated systems in the 1940s allowed automatic compilation and machine printing of the IARC entries after 1940.

IARCs do not record the entire history and activity of an individual aircraft. They do not include information about missions or crews, nor do they record exact locations or manners of loss. Rather, they serve as a compilation of the locations, transfers, and "controlling activity" (the unit responsible for reporting the aircraft) of the aircraft at a set time. The exact type of information and its manner of presentation changes over time and can be best described in chronological groups:

through c.1940 This period actually covers a variety of record card styles, but the data is hand-written or typed. The information follows the printed columns on the card. The information generally consists of reporting location, inventory date (month and fiscal year2), and flying time (both total and during the inventory period). The reporting activity is generally the base, rather than the unit. Transfers between bases are included as separate listings which include the authority for the transfer.

c.1940 --November 1942 During this period the USAAF switched to the use of electronic accounting machine (EAM) technology for inventory reporting and this allowed the automated compilation and printing of IARC data. The data and card presentation remains constant from the forms in use before the change, but the cards are machine printed, rather than hand written. Some data is abbreviated; location, for example, is given by a seven-character abbreviation.

November 1942 --April 1944 At the end of 1942 the responsibility for maintaining the inventory and individual aircraft status information was shifted from Headquarters, Air Materiel Command to one of several Statistical Control Units (SCU) within the Continental United States (CONUS) or overseas. IARCs were still prepared as before for newly-purchased aircraft and added to the main IARC file to track each aircraft from the factory to its initial assignment within CONUS or to an overseas shipping destination. The 15th SCU was responsible for tracking aircraft inventory and status information for aircraft within the CONUS and developed its own form for recording this data. The 15th SCU forms radically changed the data presentation --flying time was no longer recorded, some unit information was recorded for the first time, and location either appears as the abbreviations used previously or as a four-character shipping destination code. No effort was made to transfer 15th SCU data to the IARC master file, so that no activity was recorded on IARC cards during this period. Further, the inventory records on aircraft outside of the CONUS were maintained by SCUs in theater; as a result the entries on IARCs end with their transfer overseas, save for the final entry showing their removal from the inventory or until they returned to a CONUS location.

April 1944 --September 1949 At the beginning of this period, entries again appear on the main IARCs, although the concentration on CONUS-based aircraft continued until after the end of World War II. There are no records for aircraft transferred overseas once they leave the CONUS until they are dropped from the inventory, return to the United States, or until the reporting requirements changed after the end of the war. During this period the entries recorded a change in the status of the aircraft --either a transfer of station or a change in the usage of the aircraft. Entries record the reporting and other involved station and unit and the type, nature, and date of the change. The exact presentation of the data varies slightly over the period but generally involves a number of codes used to speed transmission of the data.

September 1949 and subsequent Beginning September 1949, IARCs entries were printed in batches, giving rise to groups of entries followed by a "bookkeeping" line indicating the serial number and number of entries printed. The data presentation for each entry remains similar to the entries from the previous period.

During the machine-printed period (from 1940 on) IARC entries become more and more difficult to understand due to the increasing data density and the use of one- or two-character codes for a variety of information. The Museum staff is currently preparing a guide to understanding the USAF IARC, which will treat the various code groups and data presentations in greater depth.

1 Aviation Section, United States Army Signal Corps (1914-1918); United States Army Air Service (USAAS; 1918-1926); United States Army Air Corps (USAAC; 1926-1941); United States Army Air Forces (USAAF; 1941-1947); United States Air Force (USAF; 1947- )

2 Until 1976 the government fiscal year (FY) ran 1 July --30 June. Thus FY1941 ran 1 July 1940 through 30 June 1941.

Provenance:

Dept. of the Air Force, Transfer, unknown, XXXX-0461.

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access.

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Airplanes, Military  Search this

Airplanes  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Aircraft history cards  Search this

Aeronautics, Military  Search this

Genre/Form:

Microfilms

Citation:

United States Air Force Aircraft History Cards Microfilm, Acc. XXXX-0461, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0461

See more items in:

United States Air Force Aircraft History Cards Microfilm

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21018c261-43aa-4e54-b304-5d330835c75b

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0461