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Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) Collection

Creator:
Haydu, Bernice Falk  Search this
Names:
Avenger Field -- Sweetwater, TX  Search this
United States. Army Air Forces  Search this
United States. Army. Air Corps  Search this
Women Airforce Service Pilots (U.S.)  Search this
Cochran, Jacqueline  Search this
Haydu, Bernice Falk  Search this
Extent:
0.2 Cubic feet (1 letter document box, partial)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Rosters
Photographs
Songbooks
Newsletters
Date:
1944-1982
bulk 1944-1949
Summary:
During World War II, members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) ferried planes, towed anti-aircraft artillery training targets, flew tracking, simulated bombing missions, performed radio control, flight tested aircraft, gave instrument instruction and performed many other duties. Their work allowed more men to participate in aviation combat roles. Bernice Falk Haydu (1920-2021) was a member of WASP class 44-7. This collection contains yearbooks, membership rosters, songbooks, photographs, correspondence, etc. from her WASP career.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains documents from Bernice Falk Haydu's career with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Materials include yearbooks, membership rosters, songbooks, photographs, correspondence and calling cards, and Falk's civilian employee pass for Pecos Army Air Field.
Arrangement:
Arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
With the entry of the United States into World War II, many American women pilots longed to volunteer their skills to serve their country but were barred from flying for the US military due to their gender. Some American women pilots, including well-known racing pilot Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran, had already offered their services to the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), ferrying aircraft from the manufacturers to and between air bases and freeing up male Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots for other duties. Cochran's experience with the ATA led her to lobby long and hard for a similar organization in the US. Initially, two organizations were formed to allow American women pilots to participate in the war effort. On September 10, 1942, the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), consisting of commercially licensed women pilots under the leadership of Nancy Harkness Love, was created as part of the US Army Air Corps' Air Transport Command. On November 16, 1942, a women pilot training program designed to supply pilots for the WAFS was begun under Cochran's leadership as the Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD). Initially based at Howard Hughes Municipal Airport in Houston, Texas, the WFTD was soon moved to Avenger Field at Sweetwater, Texas. On August 5, 1943, the WAFS and the WFTD were merged to form the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), with Cochran as director of the WASP and its training division and Love as director of the ferrying division. Between November 17, 1942, and December 7, 1944, the 1,074 women who earned WASP wings flew 60 million miles for the US Army Air Corps. From light aircraft, the WASPs advanced quickly to fly every type of Air Corps aircraft in use at the time. Except for aerial gunnery and formation flying, these women received the same training as the male pilots. WASPs ferried planes, towed anti-aircraft artillery training targets, flew tracking, simulated bombing missions, performed radio control, flight tested aircraft, gave instrument instruction and performed many other duties. Their work allowed more men to participate in aviation combat roles.

Bernice Falk Haydu (1920-2021) was a member of WASP class 44-7. Known as Bee Falk at the time, she volunteered for the civilian Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) in early 1944 because she loved flying and wanted to help the war effort. She trained for seven months at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, where she logged 210 hours in various aircraft. She went on to serve at Pecos Army Airfield as an engineering test pilot and a utility pilot before the WASP program was canceled in December 1944. After the war, she worked as a freelance flight instructor, ferry pilot, and later owned a Cessna dealership and flight school. Haydu served as president of the WASP alumni association, Order of the Fifinella, between 1975-78, spearheading efforts for recognition for the WASP. In 1977, the WASP were granted military veteran status. Haydu was one of three surviving WASP to stand beside President Obama in 2009 as he awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the WASP for their service during World War II.
Provenance:
Bernice Falk Haydu, Gift, 1987, NASM.1987.0077
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:
Miss Fifinella (Fictitious character)  Search this
Women and the military  Search this
Women in aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
World War, 1939-1945  Search this
World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Genre/Form:
Rosters
Photographs
Songbooks
Newsletters
Citation:
Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) Collection, NASM.1987.0077, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1987.0077
See more items in:
Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg23f252343-fdbb-4f6f-b6ad-04b0f02684e9
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1987-0077
Online Media:

Mid-Century Airliners Photography

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
Online Media:

Gnome Manufacturing Company Model Brochures

Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (2 brochures)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1920
Summary:
This collection consists of two brochures issued in 1920 by the Gnome Manufacturing Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, relating to their line of rubber-powered toy airplanes designed by aeronautical engineer James Henry "Jimmy" Steenson.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of two brochures issued in 1920 by the Gnome Manufacturing Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, relating to their line of rubber-powered toy airplanes designed by aeronautical engineer James Henry "Jimmy" Steenson. A single-sheet threefold brochure, "They Fly Furthest And Last The Longest," includes photographs of the model in flight, selling points, a parts price list, and a message from Steenson with a portrait photograph; the opposite side features a line drawing of a standard Gnome monoplane design with instructions for assembly and flying. A larger 16-page booklet "Gnome Fliers" (with color cover) includes assembly and flying instructions for each type of model, information about materials used, a spare parts list with prices, a list of the company officers, and a "Chronology of Aviation" from 1500 to 1919.
Arrangement:
No specific order.
Biographical / Historical:
New Jersey native James Henry "Jimmy" Steenson (1895--1935) worked as a draftsman for the Standard Aero Corporation of Plainfield, New Jersey, before joining the Gnome Machine and Tool Company of nearby Elizabeth, New Jersey, as a mechanical engineer, becoming Gnome's chief engineer by 1923. In 1920, Steenson—identified as an aeronautical engineer—appears to have been the driving force behind the design and production of a line of rubber-powered toy aeroplanes produced by the company, then known as the Gnome Manufacturing Company. Steenson went on to work on aviation related engineering projects with Eclipse Machine Co. (Hoboken, NJ, and Elmira, NY), Detroit Air Appliance Co. (Detroit, MI), and General Airplanes Corp. (Buffalo, NY). He was killed in a car crash in New Jersey in 1935.
Provenance:
James Steenson, gift, 1993, NASM.1993.0052
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
Citation:
Gnome Manufacturing Company Model Brochures, Acc. NASM.1993.0052, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1993.0052
See more items in:
Gnome Manufacturing Company Model Brochures
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e36ed1fc-e06d-4902-b10a-56f7a32c5dbe
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1993-0052
Online Media:

Northrop YF-17 Photograph Albums

Creator:
Northrop Corp  Search this
Names:
Northrop Corp  Search this
Extent:
0.33 Cubic feet (1 flatbox)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photograph albums
Date:
1974
Summary:
The Northrop YF-17, unveiled in April 1974, was a prototype jet fighter developed for the USAF's lightweight fighter program. This collection consists of two photograph albums pertaining to the YF-17, prepared by Northrop Corporation.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of two photograph albums pertaining to the Northrop YF-17 prepared by Northrop Corporation, Aircraft Division. The first is entitled: "Roll Out Ceremonies, United States Air Force / Northrop YF-17, April 4, 1974" and documents that event with items including color photographs of the aircraft, speakers, and festivities, and a copy of the invitation. The second album is entitled: "Flight Test Progress, United States Air Force / Northrop YF-17" and documents the first several flights of the aircraft. The album mainly contains captioned color photographs, but also includes a summary of the first five flights. Both albums contain a letter from Roy P. Jackson to George Gore that accompanied the albums when they were initially sent to Gore and contain some additional information.
Arrangement:
Collection is in chronological order.
Biographical / Historical:
The Northrop YF-17, unveiled in April 1974, was a prototype jet fighter developed for the USAF's lightweight fighter program. Powered by two General Electric J101 Turbojet engines, the YF-17 was a twin-tail aircraft with short swept wings. Northrop YF-17 No. 001 (A/C No. 01569) made its first flight on June 9, 1974 with Northrop Chief Test Pilot Henry E. "Hank" Chouteau at the controls. In total, two prototype Northrop YF-17 aircraft were built.

George Gore was a longtime Vice President and General Counsel for Northrop Corporation. The albums in this collection originally belonged to Gore and were sent to him by Roy P. Jackson, Northrop Corporate Vice President and Program Manager for the F-17 Program.
Provenance:
Rex Hardy, Gift, 1995, NASM.1995.0050.
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:
Jet planes, Military  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Northrop YF-17  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photograph albums
Citation:
Northrop YF-17 Photograph Albums, NASM.1995.0050, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1995.0050
See more items in:
Northrop YF-17 Photograph Albums
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg217ecd45f-1291-4e09-a459-891986992cae
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1995-0050
Online Media:

La Ligne Aérienne France-Afrique-Amérique du Sud [Victor Cambon] Publication

Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder, 1 booklet, 1 photograph)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1920s; publication circa 1926
Summary:
This collection consists of a circa 1926 French-language booklet written by French author Victor Cambon entitled La Ligne Aérienne France-Afrique-Amérique du Sud (The France-Africa-South America Airline) and possibly intended to be an investment prospectus for the early French airline Lignes Aériennes Latécoère. The publication, heavily illustrated with aerial photographs, discusses postal (air mail) routes operated by Lignes Aériennes Latécoère linking France via Spain to North Africa, details of Pierre-Georges Latécoère's proposed idea of a France-Africa-South America air route, and reference to test flights made in 1925 over the South American portion of the proposed route.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a circa 1926 French-language booklet (11 x 8.5 inches, 28 pages) written by Victor Cambon entitled La Ligne Aérienne France-Afrique-Amérique du Sud (The France-Africa-South America Airline) and possibly intended to be an investment prospectus for Lignes Aériennes Latécoère. The cover features a color illustration of a stylized Latécoère LAT 15 airliner in flight over a partial globe marked with a postal route linking several cities in France, Africa, and South America. The first part of the publication provides an introduction detailing the amount of time it took for mail delivery between France and South America via ship as of 1925 and how that time would be greatly reduced if Pierre-Georges Latécoère's ideas of a France-Africa-South America air route were to be put into action. A map detailing the route and distances between France and Buenos Aires, Argentina is included; a dotted line indicates a special ship route connecting the Cape Verde islands and the islands of Fernando de Noronha off the coast of Brazil. The author provides a history of Latécoère's successful France-Morocco air mail route (started September 1, 1919, between Toulouse and Casablanca via Spain) and France-Dakar route (started June 1, 1925, to continue service on to Dakar, Senegal) as proof of the commercial viability of the concept. A section on the technical organization of Lignes Aériennes Latécoère provides information on the routes, aircraft, engines, repair facilities and procedures then in use by the manufacturer and its airline, and features several photographs of Latécoère aircraft including the LAT 15, LAT 17, and LAT 21; views of the airfield at Toulouse, France; and photographs of noted passengers on the France to Morocco route (Ligne Aérienne France-Maroc) including King Albert I of Belgium, French politicians Laurent Eynac and Paul Painlevé, Marshal Philippe Pétain and Marshal Hubert Lyautey. The second part provides more detailed information on the proposed France-Africa-South America air route, with references to test flights made over the South American portion of the route. The publication includes numerous aerial photographs of locations along the air portion of the route: Toulouse and Carcassonne, France; Barcelona, Alicante, Granada, Peñíscola, and Málaga, Spain; Gibraltar; Tangier, Rabat, and Casablanca, Morocco; Dakar, Senegal; Recife (Pernambuco), Bahia, São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Pelotas, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. The publication also contains a heavily retouched black and white aerial print photograph of Carcassonne, France, circa early to mid-1920s.
Arrangement:
No arrangement.
Biographical / Historical:
Following the end of World War I, French aircraft designer and builder Pierre-Georges Latécoère (1883--1943) became interested in creating an air network linking France with cities in Africa and South America. In September 1919, Lignes Aériennes Latécoère (often referred to at the time simply as "La Ligne" or "The Line") initiated service between the Latécoère base at Toulouse, France, with Casablanca, Morocco (then a French protectorate) via several intermediate stops along Spain's Mediterranean coast. In June 1925 service was extended across the Spanish colony of Rio de Oro to Dakar, Senegal (then French West Africa). Although Latécoère did not yet have an aircraft capable of making the South Atlantic crossing between Africa and South America, he went ahead with test flights in 1925 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Buenos Aires, Argentina (with six stops enroute), and to Recife, on Brazil's northeast coast (with three stops). The proposed air route would encompass five legs: France, through Casablanca to Saint-Louis-du-Sénégal by airplane; Senegal to the Cape Verde islands off the coast of Africa by seaplane; Cape Verde to the islands of Fernando de Noronha off the coast of Brazil via a special fast surface ship; Fernando de Noronha to Recife by seaplane; and Recife to Rio and Buenos Aires by airplane. Latécoère obtained financial support in Brazil from wealthy French banker Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont (1871--1944), who increased his stake in the business until he took over Lignes Aériennes Latécoère in 1927, renaming it Compagnie Générale Aéropostale (better known simply as Aéropostale) to reflect its strong investment in air mail service. Latécoère returned to aircraft design and manufacturing, with the company becoming most famous in the 20th century for its numerous seaplane models. Still active in the 21st century as the aerospace subcontractor Groupe Latécoère, the company is now known for manufacturing aircraft equipment and substructures such as doors and fuselage sections.

French engineer and journalist Victor Cambon (1852-1927) graduated from and was later a professor at the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in Paris, France. Cambon was a prolific author who published articles and books predominantly on agricultural issues, French economic and colonial problems, and German industrial power, and at one time served as the editor of the scientific journal La Nature.
Provenance:
Unknown (found in collection), 2010, NASM.XXXX.0938
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
Airlines  Search this
Air mail service  Search this
Aerial photography  Search this
Airplanes  Search this
Citation:
La Ligne Aérienne France-Afrique-Amérique du Sud [Victor Cambon] Publication, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0938, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0938
See more items in:
La Ligne Aérienne France-Afrique-Amérique du Sud [Victor Cambon] Publication
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b1300e99-8ee0-4385-820a-e612f449e6f0
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0938
Online Media:

Clarence H. Walker Collection

Creator:
Walker, Clarence H.  Search this
Names:
Masson, Didier, 18??-1950  Search this
Extent:
.05 Cubic feet ((1 folder with CD))
.03983 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Born digital
Digital media
Photocopies
Place:
American Polynesia -- Hawaiian Islands -- Hawaii Island -- Hilo (Near)
Date:
circa 1911
Summary:
Newspaper articles and images of a scrapbook relating to early aviatior Clarence H. Walker.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of newspaper articles and 24 photographs that were photocopied or scanned out of a scrapbook about Clarence H. Walker, an early aviatior who performed flight demonstrations before World War I. Some of the newspaper articles also pertain to Didier Masson, with whom Walker toured in California, Hawaii, and Australia.
Arrangement:
Unarranged.
Biographical / Historical:
Clarence H. Walker was a wealthy young aviator living in San Mateo, CA. Before 1911, Walker started aviation as a pastime, building his own plane, but quickly decided to pursue it seriously with a better machine. He flew a Curtiss biplane at various shows in California, Hawaii, and Salt Lake City.

Although a successful aviator, he suffered numerous crashes into trees, a fence, a barn, and a telegraph pole, all of which he survived. He holds the claim to being the first aviator to crash in Hawaii, on June 13, 1911 in Hilo, HI after his engine started failing shortly after takeoff.
Provenance:
Duncan Knowles, Loaned to NASM for copying, 2004, NASM.2004.0056.
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 -- plane wreck  Search this
Genre/Form:
Born digital
Digital media
Photocopies
Citation:
Clarence H. Walker Collection, NASM.2004.0056, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2004.0056
See more items in:
Clarence H. Walker Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg26eaa3420-8878-42d8-8b89-f5178c8b303b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2004-0056
Online Media:

Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers

Creator:
Junkin, Hattie Meyers, 1896-1985  Search this
Names:
Advance Aircraft Company  Search this
Waco Aircraft Company  Search this
Weaver Aircraft Company  Search this
Barnaby, Ralph S. (Ralph Stanton), 1893-1986  Search this
Brukner, Clayton J., 1896-1977  Search this
Junkin, Elwood J. (Elwood James), 1897-1926  Search this
Weaver, George E. "Buck", 1895-1924  Search this
Extent:
3.3 Cubic feet (12 Boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Diaries
Publications
Photographs
Correspondence
Date:
1906-1982
bulk 1920-1933
Summary:
This collection consists of the personal papers of Hattie Meyers Junkin. The material consists of correspondence, scrapbooks, and manuscripts, as well as material on Junkin's husbands and Weaver Aircraft Co.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains the personal papers of Hattie Meyers Junkin. The material consists of correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, periodical articles and manuscripts, including material about her three husbands and about the history of the Waco Aircraft Company. This collection could very easily be called the Hattie and George "Buck" Weaver collection since much of the collection material revolves around her life with him and his Weaver/Waco Aircraft Company legacy.
Arrangement note:
The collection has been divided into nine series. These series are described below.

Series 1: General correspondence

Series 2: Soaring and gliding

Series 3: General materials of Hattie Meyers Junkin

Series 4: Waco Company History

Series 5: George "Buck" Weaver materials

Series 6: Scrapbooks

Series 7: Miscellaneous

Series 8: General Photographs

Series 9: Negatives

Series 1: General Correspondence.

This series is divided into two sub-series, personal and business correspondence. The personal correspondence materials consists primarily of letters written by George "Buck" Weaver to Hattie between 1917 to 1923. It also includes letters from family members, friends and acquaintances including Charles Meyers (Hattie's brother), Katherine Stinson, and "Matty" Emil Laird. There are also invitations, christmas cards and special occasion announcements. The business sub-series is comprised of mostly letters to publishers, but also includes letters to women's organizations, business associates, news media and other formal correspondence. Materials have been arranged chronologically.

Series 2: Soaring and Gliding.

This series contains primarily newspaper articles and photographs related directly to Ms. Junkin's soaring activities. There is also correspondence related directly to the topic of soaring, contest programs, bulletins and miscellaneous materials.

Series 3: General materials Hattie Meyers Junkin.

This series contains primarily her writings in major periodical publications, but also contains periodical articles about her children and her personal activities, club correspondence, Early Bird Dinner materials and other general materials.

Series 4: Waco Company History.

This series contains materials directly related to the Waco company and the activities of its founders including, early drafts of Hattie's history of the Waco Company--The Human Investment in Waco Aircraft, Elwood "Sam" Junkin biography, materials related to the Bruckner litigation for control of the Waco Aircraft Company, photographs of early Waco aircraft, and publicity materials including a Waco $0.13 stamp.

Series 5: George "Buck" Weaver materials.

This series contains materials related directly to George "Buck" Weaver. Much of the material in this series pertains to Weaver's activities as a civilian aviation instructor, in Waco, Texas during World War I. Most of the materials found in this series were found together when processing began.

Series 6: Scrapbooks.

This series contains six scrapbooks dating primarily between the years 1914-1926. Much of the material pertains to George "Buck" Weaver's activities at Waco, Texas, his barnstorming activities, promotional activities for the Weaver Aircraft Company and his marriage to Hattie and their family life. Some of the more recent materials deals with Hattie's soaring activities. PLEASE NOTE: Most of the pages in these scrapbooks are loose and the materials fragile. PLEASE HANDLE WITH EXTREME CARE.

Series 7: Miscellaneous materials.

This series contains materials that were organized by Ms. Junkin in a specific fashion or did not fit logically into any of the series listed. In most cases materials in this series are duplications, but their organization offers a researcher insight into materials she thought most important.

Series 8: General Photographs.

This series contains general photographs which did not fit into any of the series above. Many of these photos are publicity shots or photos of family and friends.

Series 9: Negatives.

This series contains 72 negatives found in the collection. These have been separated out and rehoused as a preservation measure. Some of the negatives have prints, but most do not. These associations have been noted in the list below. They are described first by item number (i.e. #27), general topic (i.e Soaring and Gliding), subject and date if known, and if a print is available. They have been arranged by general topic groups. Please request assistance from a staff member when handling these negatives. The staff member will also be able to inform you of ordering procedures if you wish to order copies of these negatives and prints.
Biographical/Historical note:
Hattie Meyers Junkin (1898-1990) was an aviator and observer of a number of historical events. Always interested in aviation, in 1917 she married George "Buck" Weaver ( -1924), a civilian flying instructor at the military training center at Waco, TX. Weaver, along with Clayton Bruckner and Elwood "Sam" Junkin, founded the Advance Aircraft Company in 1921 (Weaver Aircraft Company, 1922-29; Waco Aircraft Co., 1929-1946). Following Weaver's death she married Junkin ( -1926), but he died shortly afterwards and control of Weaver Aircraft slipped away. In 1929 she married Ralph Stanton Barnaby (1893-1986), a glider pilot and aviation pioneer. In 1931 she became one of the first women to earn a glider class C license and attended the University of Washington (DC) studying law, although she was unable to take the bar exam. In 1940 she moved to Garden City, NJ, where she remained until moving to Alabama in the late 1970s. She spent much of her life writing, including articles on Weaver Aircraft.
General note:
Other type of material: printing block.
Related Materials:
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives Division holds additional material about people related to Hattie Meyers Junkin, although at present this particular collection is all the information available about Hattie Meyers Junkin. Biographical information about Charles William Meyers and George "Buck" Weaver can be found in the biographical fiche collection at the NASM Archives/Garber Facility. Biographical material about Ralph Stanton Barnaby can be found in the Ralph Stanton Barnaby Collection (1915-1986), Accession number 1987-0048. It is also stored at the NASM Archives/Garber Facility. In the NASM Archives downtown facility, we recommend the biographical files which contains additional materials about George "Buck" Weaver and Charles William Meyers. There is also aircraft information available in the Waco Aircraft Technical Files found also in the NASM Archives downtown facility. For additional material related to aircraft, please see the Waco Aircraft Company Records, Accession number XXXX-0151. This collection contains mostly drawings of Waco aircraft and some company records. It is stored at the NASM Archives/Garber Facility.

For additional photographic materials about Charles William Meyers and Waco Aircraft, please see the NASM videodisc files located at the NASM Archives facility downtown. Images of Charles W. Weaver can be seen on NASM videodisc 2B-19072 to 2B-19078. Images of various types of Waco Aircraft can been seen on NASM videodiscs 1B, 2A, and 3B. In some cases, there are original videodisc prints available in the NASM Archives facility downtown and copy negatives at the Smithsonian Institution, Office of Printing and Photographic Services (OPPS). Please consult a staff member for more details and about ordering procedures.
Provenance:
Hattie Meyers Junkin, Gift, 1983, NASM.XXXX.0171
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:
Periodicals  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Women in aeronautics  Search this
Gliding and soaring  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Diaries
Publications
Photographs
Correspondence
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0171
See more items in:
Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a0382321-6858-4a1c-9391-23e8a3434c72
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0171
Online Media:

Historical Maps and Aerial Photographs [Gröschel]

Creator:
Gröschel, Dieter, 1931-  Search this
Extent:
1.46 Cubic feet (1 document case, 3 flatboxes, 4 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Maps
Manuals
Photograph albums
Date:
1884-1941
Summary:
This collection consists of approximately 1.46 cubic feet of historical maps and photographs collected by Dieter Gröschel.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of approximately 1.46 cubic feet of historical maps and photographs collected by Dieter Gröschel. The maps, which are various sizes, date from approximately 1884 to 1941 and were produced in Germany, France, and England. They show parts of Russia; Germany; France; Belgium; Holland; Bavaria; and Africa; and many have hand-drawn notations including battle lines, locations of troops, etc. Some of the maps are linen-backed and designed for use in an aircraft. The collection also contains numerous black and white historical photographs including aerial photographs of Germany and France taken in 1917 and 1918; photographs of personnel, facilities, and operations relating to Feldflieger-Abteilung Nr. 5 which date from 1915 to 1918; aerial photographs taken in 1918 of Flanders and Zeebrugge by Karl Keppler and Max Greiner of Fliegerabteilung 291 (A); a French set of 32 black and white aerial photographs on ten pages, with interpretation, used for training observers in World War I; an unbound German World War I album containing black and white photographs and post cards; and a photo album belonging to a paymaster of the Jagdstaffelschule I during World War I. The album, which measures approximately 14 x 10 inches, is linen-covered and contains photographs of the front-lines in France and Italy; personnel, including members of the Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 144; aircraft, including crashes; and personal family photographs relating to the album's creator. Aircraft depicted in these photographs include an Albatros D Series Fighter and a captured Nieuport fighter. There is also a 3.5 x 5.5 inch color post card dating to 1915 with an illustration of French pre-World War I era infantry looking up at an Etrich Taube (Dove) type aircraft included in the collection. Finally, this collection contains a selection of manuals which includes the following titles: Instructions Concerning Battle Maps, US Army War College, 1917 (Translated from French edition of 1916); List of Conventional Signs and Abbreviations in Use on French and German Maps, compiled by Second Section, General Staff (Topography), American Expeditionary Forces, 1918; Catalogue of Maps, General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, 1918; List of Places in Argonne-Verdun District with their Locations, Supplement A, General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, November 7, 1918; Notes on Map Reading for Use in Army Schools, His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1918; Basic Field Manual, Vol. 1, Chapter 5 - Map and Aerial Photograph Reading, US War Department, 1938; Basic Field Manual, Conventional Signs, Military Symbols, and Abbreviations, US War Department, 1939; Basic Field Manual, Military Intelligence, Military Maps, US War Department, January 6, 1941; Basic Field Manual, Elementary Map and Aerial Photograph Reading, US War Department, April 12, 1941; and Basic Field Manual, Advanced Map and Aerial Photograph Reading, US War Department, September 17, 1941.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material. Some of the large maps are arranged by size.
Provenance:
Dieter H. M. Gröschel., Gift, 2015, NASM.2015.0046
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
Aerial photography  Search this
World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations  Search this
Genre/Form:
Maps
Manuals
Photograph albums
Citation:
Historical Maps and Aerial Photographs [Gröschel], NASM.2015.0046, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2015.0046
See more items in:
Historical Maps and Aerial Photographs [Gröschel]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2142ea9f3-4bf2-4190-b305-00c74b5621ae
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2015-0046
Online Media:

Robert H. Botts Air-ship Collection

Extent:
0.1 Cubic feet (2 folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1902-1904
bulk 1980-1981
Summary:
This collection consists of six black and white photographs of Professor Robert H. Botts (initially known as Barnet Botts) and his air-ship [Botts (R. H.) 1904 Flying Machine] as well as copies of contemporary news accounts and biographical information compiled by donor Dr. William L. Thompson, M.D.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of six black and white print photographs taken by William L. Thompson, Senior, of Botts and his air-ship [Botts (R. H.) 1904 Flying Machine] as well as copies of contemporary news accounts (1902-1904) and biographical information compiled in 1981 by donor Dr. William Lewis Thompson, Jr. (1909-1998), and a copy of Susan D. Cole's book Richmond—Windows to the Past (Wildcat Canyon Books, Richmond, California, 1980).
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into two folders, Photographs and Documents; the contents of each are presented in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Barnet Botts (1857-1918) was born in Indiana on August 22, 1857, but after being orphaned at a young age he was sent to live with an uncle in Paso Robles, California. In 1894, Botts wrote a paper entitled "Botts' Air-ship, the Problem of Aerial Navigation," in which he explained the workings of his proposed air-ship and sought to secure financial aid to build it. During the winter of 1900, Botts, who was now identifying himself as Professor Robert H. Botts, moved to Richmond, California. Following this move, he secured at least two patents relating to the steam engine he designed to be used on his air-ship, and he built a model of his air-ship which was displayed in Richmond and San Francisco. In February 1902, he announced that he was going to build two air-ships by summer for a scientific expedition to the North Pole. Each air-ship was to carry four persons and their scientific equipment. In March of that year, Botts began selling shares in his World's Aerial Navigation and Construction Company of Richmond. Eventually enough money was raised to build a proper hangar/workshop and work began in earnest on the air-ship. In May, Botts gave a successful demonstration of the engine. However, on the day of the trial flight, which occurred sometime in 1902-1903, the flying machine was demolished when a gust of wind caught it and smashed in on the steep slopes below the launching hill. According to contemporary sources, Botts was devastated by the destruction and returned to Paso Robles, where he resided until his death.

Photographer William Lewis Thompson (1869-1929) was a mechanic and neighbor of Botts in Richmond, California, and father of the donor.
Provenance:
William L. Thompson, MD, gift, 1981, NASM.XXXX.0621
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
Airplanes -- California  Search this
Citation:
Robert H. Botts Air-ship Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0621, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0621
See more items in:
Robert H. Botts Air-ship Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e07db5d6-e253-4bcf-b5ed-bae6d9b623f8
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0621
Online Media:

Major Mario de Bernardi Photographs

Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder, 7 photographs, 2 documents)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
bulk 1926-1955
2003
Summary:
This collection consists of six black and white photographs of renowned Italian aviator Mario de Bernardi and one color photograph of his daughter Fiorenza de Bernardi, the first Italian woman commercial airline pilot. The collection also includes an informational document for each of the de Bernardis.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of six black and white digital print photographs of Mario de Bernardi along with an information page on him. The collection also includes one color digital print photograph and a photocopy of an article on his daughter, Fiorenza de Bernardi, the first Italian woman commercial airline pilot and an advocate for women's aviation opportunities.
Arrangement:
Materials are grouped by type; photographs are presented online in chronological order.
Biographical / Historical:
Mario de Bernardi, a renowned Italian aviator (1893-1959), received his wings in 1913 when serving with the Italian Army Service in the Baracca Squadron. De Bernardi was an experimental test pilot, aerobatic pilot, and racer, who won the Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider (Jacques Schneider Maritime Aviation Cup) at Hampton Roads, Virginia, in 1926 and the High Acrobatics Competition at the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1931. In 1940 he made test flights of the first Italian jet aircraft, the Caproni-Campini CC.2 (also known as the Camproni Campini N.1). He continued to fly until 1959 when he died following a heart attack suffered during an aerobatic flight.
Provenance:
Fiorenza de Bernardi, gift, 2004; via Smithsonian Institution Libraries, transfer, 2018; NASM.2018.0020.0005
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this
Airplanes  Search this
Air pilots  Search this
Women air pilots  Search this
Citation:
Major Mario de Bernardi Photographs, Acc. NASM.2018.0020.0005, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2018.0020.0005
See more items in:
Major Mario de Bernardi Photographs
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2eb1d7ab3-116e-44af-980c-e8190b0d38c0
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2018-0020-0005
Online Media:

"Wings of Gold: How the Aeroplane Developed New Guinea" Collection

Extent:
0.2 Cubic feet (4 folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Place:
Papua New Guinea
Date:
circa 1922-1035
Summary:
This collection consists of copies of 57 black and white photographs collected by author James Sinclair for use in his book, Wings of Gold: How the Aeroplane Developed New Guinea, Pacific Publications (Sydney), 1978. The collection does not include copies of all photographs used in the book.
Scope and Contents:
The photographs illustrate aviation activities in Papua, New Guinea from the early 1920s to the mid-1930s including Guinea Airways operations, primarily cargo operations, using Junkers G 31 and W 34 aircraft in support of gold mining and oil exploration; other smaller operators, like Bulolo Goldfield's Aeroplane Services and W. R. Carpenter Air Services using mostly de Havilland aircraft; various "bush pilots" also extensively using de Havilland planes; and expeditions such as the Stirling New Guinea Expedition, fostered by the Smithsonian Institution and employing a modified float-equipped Breguet Bre.14 B2 ("The Ern"), and the Hurley Expedition of 1922 which used a Curtiss MF (Seagull) (Model 18) flying boat. This group of 8 x 10 inch black and white photographs are copy photographs made from copy negatives shot from James Sinclair's original photographs and lent to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) for copying by Terry Gwynn-Jones. The originals were collected by Sinclair for use in his book, Wings of Gold: How the Aeroplane Developed New Guinea, Pacific Publications (Sydney), 1978. The collection does not include copies of all photographs used in the book.
Arrangement:
A set of 42 poor-quality copy negatives and copy photographs were produced in 1987 by the Smithsonian Office of Printing and Photographic Services (SI-OPPS) and assigned numbers 87-16321 through 87-16362. In 1990, a set of 52 good-quality copy negatives and copy photographs were produced in 1990 by SI-OPPS and assigned numbers 90-128 through 90-179. The 1990 set includes 16 images not found in the 1987 set. There is extensive but incomplete overlap between the 1987 set and the 1990 set; in all, there are 57 unique images.
Biographical / Historical:
Aviation activities in the Territory of Papua, a territory of the British Empire located in the southeastern quarter of the southwest Pacific island of New Guinea, first occurred in the early 1920s, during a period when the territory was administered by the Commonwealth of Australia. Activities increased greatly in 1930, when an airstrip was constructed in the town of Bulolo (Morobe Province) to support gold dredging in the area. Dredging equipment was transported to Bulolo in pieces by air, with the first gold dredge beginning operations on March 21, 1932.

James Patrick Sinclair was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, on April 18, 1928. In November 1947, he joined Australia's Department of District Services and Native Affairs, Administration of Papua New Guinea, serving from 1948 to 1957 in many locations as a patrol officer, assistant district officer, deputy district commissioner and district commissioner. Sinclair was the last Australian District Commissioner of the Eastern Highlands District (1969-1974), retiring from civil service in August 1975 after Papua New Guinea declared independence from the British Empire to become the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. In his retirement, Sinclair returned to his previous hobby of writing on Papua New Guinea history, eventually publishing more than 30 books prior to his death on October 9, 2017.

Terry Gwynn-Jones was born in Malvern, England (UK) in 1933. In 1951, Gwynn-Jones joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and subsequently served as a pilot in the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) before joining the Australian Department of Aviation in 1969. In 1975, veteran Battle of Britain pilot Denys Dalton—with Gwynn-Jones as co-pilot—set a new around-the-world speed record for piston engined aircraft, flying Beech Duke 60 (r/n VH-TKE) round trip from Brisbane, Australia, in 122 hours 19 minutes 57 seconds between July 20 and 25, 1975. In 1983, Gwynn-Jones was a member of the Australian team which won that year's World Ballooning Championship in France. A prolific writer, Gwynn-Jones published numerous aviation history books and articles, and served as a consultant and writer for the Time-Life Epic of Flight series. In the 1980s, Gwynn-Jones was appointed to a visiting fellowship at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, and in 1987 he was appointed to the Board of Advisors of the museum's History of Aviation book project. Gwynn-Jones died in Brisbane on March 28, 2008.
Provenance:
Terry Gwynn-Jones, gift, 1987, NASM.1988.0048
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- Freight  Search this
Airplanes  Search this
Airlines  Search this
Citation:
"Wings of Gold: How the Aeroplane Developed New Guinea" Collection, Acc. NASM.1988.0048, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1988.0048
See more items in:
"Wings of Gold: How the Aeroplane Developed New Guinea" Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2429eecc9-f438-4433-9845-4049269f2db5
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1988-0048
Online Media:

Texas Airfields Photo Album

Extent:
0.66 Cubic feet (1 flat box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photograph albums
Maps
Place:
Texas
Date:
1919
Summary:
This collection consists of a photo album documenting several early Texas airfields as well as a blueprint map entitled, "Aerial Route Map, Taliaferro Field, Texas to San Diego, California."
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a photo album documenting several early Texas airfields. The cover appears to be faux leather covered canvas, and the pages are made of fabric and appear to be hand sewn. The cover measures approximately 21 x 12 inches, and the pages measure approximately 15 x 10 inches. Images shown in the album include both aerial and ground level views of the fields and, in some cases, views of available facilities. Many of the photographs include handwritten notations. For almost all of the fields, there is also a description form which includes information such as details about the surface and markings of the field, distance to the nearest telephone, who to contact to gain access to the field, and many other details. Included in the album are the following fields: Weatherford, Baird, Cisco, Sweetwater, Colorado, Big Springs, Stanton, Midland, Odessa, Pecos, Toyah, Sierra Blanca and El Paso. The collection also contains a blueprint map entitled, "Aerial Route Map, Taliaferro Field, Texas to San Diego, California." The map, which measures approximately 13.25 by 44.25 inches, was prepared under the direction of Major T. C. Macaulay by Aerial Photographic Section No. 43 and designed by L. Dale Hatton.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
The photo album in this collection appears to document a survey of Texas airfields conducted by an unknown entity, possibly the US Army Air Service, in 1919.
Provenance:
Unknown, material found in collection, NASM.XXXX.0544.
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
Aerial photography  Search this
Airports  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photograph albums
Maps
Citation:
Texas Airfields Photo Album, NASM.XXXX.0544, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0544
See more items in:
Texas Airfields Photo Album
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2194b03e1-8de7-40f4-8f0d-011c9e73c6ef
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0544
Online Media:

Banquet Programs Collection

Names:
Wright Brothers  Search this
Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888-1957  Search this
Earhart, Amelia, 1897-1937  Search this
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974  Search this
Extent:
0.35 Cubic feet (7 folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Ephemera
Date:
1907-1977
Summary:
This collection consists of approximately 0.35 cubic feet of banquet programs, menus, and similar items from aviation-themed events.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of approximately 0.35 cubic feet of banquet programs, menus, and similar items from aviation-themed events. Some are from events honoring individual pilots such as Charles Lindbergh, Richard Byrd, the Wright Brothers, and Amelia Earhart, and some are from events held by organizations including the Aero Club of America, the Early Birds of Aviation, the Manufacturers Aircraft Association, and the 31st Division Air Corps of the Alabama National Guard. Additional programs relate to specific events including the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, various air racing events and record setting flights, memorial dedications, and air route inaugurations.
Arrangement:
Items in this collection have been organized by topic with a miscellaneous folder at the end. Folders are arranged alphabetically by organization name or by last name when the topic is a particular person. Within each folder, items are arranged chronologically.
Biographical / Historical:
During the early flight period, World War I, and on into the 1920s and 1930s, numerous famous flights by pioneering pilots represented the cultural acceptance of the airplane from an entertaining novelty into an instrument of commerce, a weapon of war, and a vehicle for spectacle. In response, there emerged a new form of technological enthusiasm called "air-mindedness." To be airminded meant the zealous support of aviation to bring about the next great era in human civilization, which many people called the "Air Age." With such a great interest in aviation, many of the pilots during this era were treated as celebrities whose activities were followed with interest by the press as well as the public. Pilots making trailblazing flights were often fêted with parades, banquets,and other events in order to celebrate their achievements, and many aviation events were similarly celebrated. Also during this time period, numerous aviation-related societies and clubs were formed and their members would meet for dinners and other social occasions.
General:
In cases where identical duplicate items exist in the collection, only one representative version was scanned to appear in the slideshow. In cases where duplicate items had differences (such as signatures on the cover or an enclosure not present in the other versions), only the parts that differ were scanned.
Provenance:
Unknown, Material found in collection is likely from various donors, NASM.XXXX.0116.
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
Air pilots  Search this
Women air pilots  Search this
Genre/Form:
Ephemera
Citation:
Banquet Programs Collection, NASM.XXXX.0116, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0116
See more items in:
Banquet Programs Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21b296356-2018-4ee6-9e9e-23a59e20b08e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0116
Online Media:

Aircraft Recognition Slides [Kahn]

Creator:
United States. Office of Naval Research  Search this
Extent:
0.2 Cubic feet (1 slim letter document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Slides (35mm transparencies)
Date:
1947-1951
Summary:
Recognition slides were one of the methods used in the 1940s and 1950s to train service personnel in the identification of aircraft types, as well as ship types. This collection consists of 102 glass-mounted black and white 35 mm recognition training slides with related documents issued by the Office of Naval Research Special Devices Center in Port Washington, New York.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 102 glass-mounted black and white 35 mm recognition training slides with related documents. The material was issued by the Office of Naval Research Special Devices Center in Port Washington, New York, as "Device 5-QQ-2a, November 1951 Slide Supplement, to Devices 5-QQ-1, and 5-QQ-2 Recognition Slide Kits." Included with the unused replacement slide set is a booklet of perforated gummed stickers and a form in the shape of a mailing card. The user was expected to remove each sticker from the booklet, wet the back of the sticker to activate the gummed adhesive, then place the sticker over the outdated image in the basic recognition training set's printed material. Instructions on the sticker booklet note that 'Slides having the prefix "x" are replacements for obsolete slides in the basic kits. Obsolete slides should be removed and destroyed.' Pages of gummed paper stickers in the booklet are separated by glassine pages; the gummed side of the stickers have adhered to the glassine. The last page of stickers is detached from the booklet and has become adhered to one side of the "Special Devices Maintenance Report" form; the two stickers originally at the right side of the page appear to have been torn off and were not received as part of the donation. While the contents are officially listed as "100 Recognition Slides" the collection was received with 102 slides; several slides are duplicates.
Arrangement:
Materials are grouped by format. Slides are arranged in numerical order.
Biographical / Historical:
In a combat situation, the ability to identify an aircraft quickly and accurately as friend or foe is of paramount importance. In World War I, national insignia were used for the first time to identify military aircraft used by the combatants. These insignia could be hard to spot when an aircraft in flight was seen silhouetted against a bright sky, so visual aircraft recognition training materials began to emphasize the shape of an aircraft as seen from different angles. The WEFT system, based on study of the shapes and locations of an aircraft's Wings, Engines, Fuselage, and Tail, was developed by the British just prior to and during World War II and made extensive use of three-view (bottom, front, side) silhouettes of aircraft. The WEFT system of recognition training was adopted by the US Navy and the US Army Air Corps in 1941. In 1942, a different approach to training was developed by Samuel Renshaw of Ohio State University; Renshaw's concept presented students with a brief "flash" view of an aircraft on a screen, forcing them to concentrate on the overall shape of the aircraft (whole image) rather than studying individual components (image analysis). Still picture film slides could be used both for initial identification training based on the WEFT system as well as for Renshaw-style "flash" viewing to improve recognition speed. Film slides created specifically for recognition training were typically produced with a printed cardboard frame identifying the subject of the slide sandwiched between thin glass sheets designed to both protect the film image from repeated handling and from the intense heat produced by the incandescent light sources used in slide projectors. The Office of Naval Research Special Devices Center in Port Washington, New York, produced several slide-based recognition training devices for the US military during the Cold War period following World War II.
Provenance:
Mark Kahn, gift, 2023, NASM.2023.0022
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
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Airplanes  Search this
Cold War -- 1950-1970  Search this
Genre/Form:
Slides (35mm transparencies)
Citation:
Aircraft Recognition Slides [Kahn], Acc. NASM.2023.0022, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2023.0022
See more items in:
Aircraft Recognition Slides [Kahn]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2678582c3-36f9-41bb-94dd-5ef985174b42
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2023-0022
Online Media:

1945 Air Forces Fair Photography (De Haan)

Creator:
De Haan, Larry  Search this
Names:
Wright Field, Ohio  Search this
Extent:
.01 Cubic feet (18 print photographs, 17 film negatives)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Negatives
Photographs
Date:
October 13-14, 1945
Summary:
In October 1945, Wright Field, Ohio, sponsored an Army Air Forces Fair, presented by the Air Technical Service Command, which allowed the public to observe displays of the US Army Air Forces' operational and experimental aircraft as well as German and Japanese aircraft captured during World War II. This collection consists of 18 photographs (17 negatives and one print) taken at the fair.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of seventeen 2.75 x 4.5 inch black and white negatives, with corresponding digital inkjet print enlargements, of military aircraft on display at the US Army Air Forces Fair at Wright Field, Ohio, held October 13-14, 1945. Also included is one digital inkjet print photograph of American Philip E. Johnson posed with Charles Chung, head of Chinese aircraft procurement and support of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) and Liang Po, a Chinese engineer sent to the United States to learn about various aircraft parts repair and servicing. US Army Air Forces operational and experimental aircraft pictured include the Beech XA-38 Grizzly (Model 28) (s/n 43-14407), Bell YP-59A Airacomet "Mystic Mistress" (s/n 42-108783), Bell XP-77, Bell XP-83 (s/n 44-84990), Cornelius XFG-1 (s/n 44-28060), the Northrop MX-324 prototype, a Lockheed P-38L Lightning (s/n 44-246490) modified as a specialized ground strafing version, a Loon Missile (JB-2, KUW-1, LTV-2, MX-544) with booster assembly, and a cutaway display model Pratt & Whitney WASP Major R-4360-4 Engine. Captured Japanese aircraft pictured include a Mitsubishi A6M5 Reisen (Zero Fighter) Zeke (Type 0 Carrier Fighter 52) and a Kugisho MXY7 Model 11 Ohka (Cherry Blossom) Baka (Crazy). Captured German aircraft pictured include a Bachem Ba 349 (BP 20) Natter (Adder), Heinkel He 162 Spatz (Sparrow, Volksjäger, People's Fighter), Junkers Ju 290 A "Alles Kaputt" (WkNr 110196, US registration FE-3400), Junkers Ju 388 L-1 (WkNr 560049, US registration FE-4010, later T2-4010), Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a Schwalbe (Swallow) (US registration FE-111), a V-1 (FZG 76) Buzz Bomb, and a V-2 Missile.
Arrangement:
Images have been assigned NASM Archives image reference numbers in the order in which they were received from the donor.
Biographical / Historical:
From 1943 until 1945, Larry De Haan served as the chief technician in the instrument shop at Wright Field, Ohio, and at the satellite field at Vandalia, Ohio, as part of the US Army Air Forces Material Command's Service Test Branch. On the weekend of October 13 and 14, 1945, Wright Field sponsored an Army Air Forces Fair, presented by the Air Technical Service Command, which allowed the public to observe displays of US Army Air Forces' operational and experimental aircraft as well as captured German and Japanese aircraft.
Related Materials:
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum aircraft displayed at the 1945 Army Air Forces Fair include the following:

Junkers Ju 388 L-1, A19600325000.

Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a Schwalbe (Swallow), A19600328000.
Provenance:
Larry De Haan, gift, 2006, NASM.2006.0046
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, Military  Search this
Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this
Bell P-59 Airacomet Series  Search this
Junkers Ju 388 Family  Search this
Heinkel He 162 Spatz (Sparrow) Volksjager (People's Fighter)  Search this
V-1 rocket  Search this
V-2 rocket  Search this
Genre/Form:
Negatives
Photographs
Citation:
1945 Air Forces Fair Photography (De Haan), Acc. NASM.2006.0046, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2006.0046
See more items in:
1945 Air Forces Fair Photography (De Haan)
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2817fe281-44ff-4e9f-9ed3-16e910aeede8
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2006-0046
Online Media:

James Means Collection

Topic:
Aeronautical Annuals (annual)
Creator:
Means, James, 1853-1920  Search this
Names:
Aerial Experiment Association  Search this
Aero Club of America  Search this
Aero Club of Washington  Search this
Aeronautic Society of New York  Search this
United States. Army. Signal Corps  Search this
Chanute, Octave, 1832-1910  Search this
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this
Jones, Ernest La Rue, 1883-1955  Search this
Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont), 1834-1906  Search this
Lilienthal, Otto  Search this
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924  Search this
Maxim, Hiram S., 1840-1916  Search this
Means, James, 1853-1920  Search this
Zahm, Albert Francis, 1862-  Search this
Extent:
1.8 Cubic feet ((4 legal document boxes))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Publications
Photographs
Manuscripts
Correspondence
Date:
1892-1913
bulk 1895-1897
Summary:
James Means (1855-1920) was an American industrialist who sacrificed his business to devote himself to the promotion of aviation. The collection consists of correspondence, publications, photographs, and scrapbooks.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of correspondence and scrapbooks. The correspondence is arranged into 15 sub-series: Aerial Experiment Association, Aero Club of America, Aero Club of Washington, Aeronautic Society of New York, Aeronautical Annuals, Octave Chanute and his daughters, Glenn Curtiss, House Resolution #7653, Ernest Jones, Otto Lilienthal, Henry Cabot Lodge, Hiram Maxim, Technical Matters, U.S. Signal Corps, and Albert Zahm. Of the three scrapbooks, one is a photograph album containing early glider photos and travel postcards. The second contains photos and news clippings regarding aviation in the 1890's, especially the work of Langley and Maxim with kites, balloons, and aerial bicycles. Clippings are in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Dutch. The third scrapbook is labeled 'James Means 1892' and consists of photos, letters, manuscripts, clippings in English and German, copies of legislation, and book excerpts.

Note: The digital images shown for this collection were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product which did not reproduce all materials found in this collection; some items have not been scanned.
Arrangement:
The James Means Collection is arranged by content type.
Biographical / Historical:
James Means (1855-1920) was an American industrialist who sacrificed his business to devote himself to the promotion of aviation. Determined to disseminate information on flying, he collected and edited the most significant works of Otto Lilienthal, Octave Chanute, Samuel Langley and others, producing the 'Aeronautical Annuals' which appeared in 3 volumes in 1895, 1896 and 1897. Dr. Means studied bird-flight, kites and gliders, and designed model gliders in the early 1890s. He was awarded patents for his aircraft smoke signal device (1909), his aircraft launcher (1909), and his simplified control column for airplanes (1909-1911).
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
James H. Means, gift, unknown, XXXX-0394, 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:
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this
Aeronautics -- pre-1903  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Airships  Search this
Balloons  Search this
Kites  Search this
Gliding and soaring  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Publications
Photographs
Manuscripts
Correspondence
Citation:
James Means Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0394, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0394
See more items in:
James Means Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2002eaa1c-093c-4c78-bcfe-f05adedc536b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0394
Online Media:

United States Army Around the World Trip (Leslie Arnold) Collection

Creator:
Arnold, Leslie P.  Search this
Names:
United States. Army. Air Service  Search this
Arnold, Leslie P.  Search this
Extent:
1.32 Cubic feet (2 legal document boxes and 1 flatbox)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Maps
Diaries
Date:
1924
Summary:
In 1924, as a lieutenant in the Army Air Service, Leslie P. Arnold was a crew member in one of the three Army planes that flew 27,000 miles around the world in 175 days. This collection consists of Leslie Arnold's handwritten diary and annotated navigational charts of the journey as well as a scrapbook with images of the trip including the aircraft, gasoline tanks, pilot crew, and air-to air shots.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of Leslie Arnold's handwritten diary and annotated navigational charts of the journey. The collection also contains the following: an autographed photograph; a Signal Corps message; an advertisement for Mobil oil; a page from 'Illustrated Current News;' and a black scrapbook with images of the trip including the aircraft, gasoline tanks, pilot crew, and air-to air shots. Some of the photographs in the scrapbook are snapshots while others were taken by news agencies.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
In 1924, as a lieutenant in the Army Air Service, Leslie P. Arnold was a crew member in one of the three Army planes that flew 27,000 miles around the world in 175 days. Arnold joined the Army in 1917 where he served for eleven years. During his service, he spent time in France during World War I and was part of General William Mitchell's group that conducted tests to prove that battleships could be sunk by aerial bombardment. After the 1924 trip, Arnold worked for a variety of airlines: Transcontinental Air Transport; Pennsylvania Central Airlines and Eastern Air Lines.
Provenance:
Leslie Arnold?, Gift?, unknown, NASM.XXXX.0518.
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:
Douglas World Cruiser (DWC)  Search this
Endurance flights  Search this
Aeronautics -- Records  Search this
Aeronautics -- Flights  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Flights around the world  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Maps
Diaries
Citation:
United States Army Around the World Trip (Leslie Arnold) Collection, NASM.XXXX.0518, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0518
See more items in:
United States Army Around the World Trip (Leslie Arnold) Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2072b2989-cfb2-4f1d-9fdf-c4456d8010b7
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0518
Online Media:

Paul R. Stockton Scrapbook

Creator:
Stockton, Paul R., 1880-1919  Search this
Names:
Early Birds of Aviation (Organization).  Search this
New York. National Guard. First Aero Company  Search this
United States. Army. Air Service. 12th Aero Squadron  Search this
Richthofen, Manfred, Freiherr von, 1892-1918  Search this
Stockton, Paul R., 1880-1919  Search this
Extent:
0.5 Cubic feet ((1 box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Ephemera
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Date:
1916-1919
Scope and Contents:
This collection provides extensive documentation on the flying career of Paul R. Stockton from his entry into the New York Air National Guard through his service in France and Germany and eventual discharge in 1919. Included in this collection is documentation of the activies, personnel and equipment of Stockton's squadron, as well as are excellent aerial photographs of airplanes and before and after photographs of target areas. Many of the photographs show Marie, the Belgian police dog Stockton raised during the war. (Marie later appeared in motion pictures with Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino and others). One image is purportedly from one of the aircraft of Baron von Richtofen's "Flying Circus." Also included in this scrapbook are certificates of Stockton's appointments to corporal and to 1st lieutenant, hotel menus, copies of leaflets dropped by US aviators behind the German lines, examples of European currency, train and bus tickets, fabric swatches from aircraft, Stockton's pilot license and other such ephemera.
Biographical / Historical:
Paul R. Stockton (1880-1962) enlisted in the Signal Corps from 1906-1909 and served in Cuba and Puerto Rico. He made his first flight in 1916 as a member of the First Aero Company, New York State National Guard at Mineola, New York. In 1917 Stockton was ordered overseas and served as the Commanding Officer of the 12th Aero Squadron of the American Expeditionary Forces. Stockton was discharged in 1919, and was later a member of the Early Birds.
Provenance:
No donor information, gift, unknown, XXXX-0283, 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, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations  Search this
Air pilots  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
World War, 1914-1918  Search this
Genre/Form:
Ephemera
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0283
See more items in:
Paul R. Stockton Scrapbook
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg20368f1f5-e4e4-405b-b4b3-c5827b8d95b6
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0283
Online Media:

Lee Ya-Ching Papers

Creator:
Ya-Ching, Lee  Search this
Extent:
11.9 Cubic feet (22 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scripts (documents)
Photographs
Maps
Scrapbooks
Date:
1938-1970
Summary:
This collection consists of 11.9 cubic feet of material chronicling Lee Ya-Ching's role as a pilot trying to raise funds for China during World War II. The collection contains the following types of material: correspondence, both official and personal; maps; publications; newspapers; invitation; programs from events; lecture notes; scripts from radio shows; photographs, both official and snapshots; trip schedules and agendas; address books; scrapbooks; and official paperwork and licenses.
Scope and Content note:
This collection consists of 11.9 cubic feet of material chronicling Lee Ya-Ching's role as a pilot trying to raise funds for China during World War II. The collection contains the following types of material: correspondence, both official and personal; maps; publications; newspapers; invitations; programs from events; lecture notes; scripts from radio shows; photographs, both official and snapshots; trip schedules and agendas; address books; scrapbooks; and official paperwork and licenses.

Note: The digital images shown for this collection were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product which did not reproduce all materials found in this collection; some items have not been scanned. In addition, some materials have been excluded from display due to copyright, trademark, or patent restrictions.
Arrangement:
This collection of materials listed in the finding aid is arranged into two series, Ms Lee's personal papers and her professional papers. Within each series, items are arranged by material type then chronologically. No attempt was made to translate foreign language material in the collection.
Biographical/Historical note:
Lee Ya-Ching was born in Canton, China in 1912. As an only child who lost her mother at a young age, Ya-Ching was raised by her father and grandmother. Under her father's guidance she learned many skills, including martial arts, some previously restricted to male children. Ya-Ching attended English schools in Hong Kong and Shanghai and at the age of 16 was sent to London to attend finishing school.

In 1929 at the age of 17, Ya-Ching went to Geneva, Switzerland. It is there that she took her first ride in an airplane and vowed to learn how to fly. She enrolled in Ecole Aero Club de Suisse and, in 1934, became the first woman to receive a pilot's license from the school. Determined to continue her education, Ya-Ching went to the United States and attended the Boeing School of Aeronautics in Oakland, California in 1935. In November of that year she became the first woman licensed through the Boeing School. Upon completion of her training at the Boeing school Ya-Ching returned to China and began campaigning for a Chinese pilot's license, eventually obtaining the license in 1936. Seeing a need to train new pilots, Ya-Ching and some fellow pilots opened a civilian flying school in Shanghai in 1936.

When Japan invaded China in 1937, Ya-Ching volunteered to fly for her country, but was refused. Undeterred, she served her country by establishing hospitals. Leaving Shanghai for Hong Kong just before the city fell, she was finally given the opportunity to fly for China by piloting Red Cross planes ferrying supplies from Hong Kong to Canton. Realizing that China needed aid and supplies, Ya-Ching embarked on a Goodwill Tour of the United States and Canada in 1938. When the war prevented her return to China, Ya-Ching continued the tour expanding her appearances into South America.

Not much is known of Ya-Ching's life after the war. She returned to Hong Kong for a number of years. In the 1960's she returned to California, where she died in 1998 at the age of 86.

Time Line of Lee Ya-Ching

xxxx -- The following timeline covers key events in Ya-Ching's life, as well world events. Events involving Ya-Ching are shown in normal type world events are shown in italics.

1909 -- M. Vallon flies first plane in China

1911 -- China ousts the 2000 year old Imperial System for a Republic

April 16, 1912 -- Lee Ya-Ching is born in Canton, China

1916 -- Ya-Ching's mother dies of tuberculosis

1917 -- China enters World War 1 on the side of the Allies

1926 -- Begins career as a movie actress

1928 -- Leaves the film industry and goes to school in England

1929 -- The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is ousted from China Goes to Switzerland

September 1931 -- Japan seizes control of Manchuria

November 1931 -- CCP resurfaces in China and forms the Chinese Soviet Republic in Jiangxi Province

May 1932 -- Amelia Earhart becomes first woman to solo across the Atlantic

1933 -- Begins flying lessons at Geneva's Cointrin-Ecole d'Aviation

1934 -- Receives her pilot's license from Ecole Aéro Club de Suisse

1935 -- Attends and receives license from the Boeing School of Aeronautics in Oakland, California

1935 -- Falls out of an aerobatic plane, earning her membership in the Caterpillar Club

1936 -- Receives her pilot's license from the Chinese Government First domestic airline established in China Opens a civilian flying school in Shanghai

1937 -- Flies for the Red Cross ferrying supplies from Hong Kong to Canton Japan invades China Earns Hong Kong commercial pilot's license Helps establish hospitals in Shanghai

1938 -- Begins goodwill tour of United States and Canada

1939 -- Appears in US film Disputed Passage with Dorothy Lamour

1940 -- Flies "Estrella China" to Caribbean, Central and South America Aids Ruth Nichols in raising money for Relief Wings

1941 -- Begins working for United China Relief

December 7, 1941 -- Bombing of Pearl Harbor forces American entry into World War II

1944 -- Begins Goodwill and Fund Raising tour of South America and Caribbean

August 1945 -- Atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, followed by Japanese surrender and end of World War II

1946 -- Returns to China and retires

1946 -- Fighting between CCP and KMT (Nationalist party) resumes

October 1949 -- KMT retreats to Taiwan Mao Zedong establishes the People's Republic of China

1950 -- Receives Hong Kong private pilot's license

1963 -- Receives Hong Kong Special Purpose Pilot's license

1971 -- Permanently moves to the United States

1997 -- British rule ends in Hong Kong

January 28, 1998 -- Dies at the age of 86
Provenance:
Pax Cheng and Mary Wolfson, Gift, 2007, NASM.2008.0009.
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 -- Civilian relief  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
World War, 1939-1945 -- China  Search this
Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this
Women air pilots  Search this
World War, 1939-1945  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scripts (documents)
Photographs
Maps
Scrapbooks
Citation:
Lee Ya-Ching Papers, NASM.2008.0009, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2008.0009
See more items in:
Lee Ya-Ching Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg27416a506-87bb-4344-94a5-144163ec40fe
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2008-0009
Online Media:

Dale L. White, Sr., Papers

Author:
White, Dale L., Sr., 1899-1977  Search this
Extent:
2.26 Linear feet (2 legal-sized boxes; 1 flat box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1932-2013
bulk 1932-1939
Summary:
The Dale L., White, Sr., Papers consist of material relating to the aviation career of Dale L. White, Sr., including his attendance at the Curtiss Wright Aeronautical University and his piloting of the "Goodwill Flight" from Chicago, Illinois, to Washington, DC, to lobby for African-Americans to be able to join the US Army Air Corps. The bulk of the collection covers his flying years between 1932 and 1941, though personal materials from a later date are also included. Materials included are photographs, negatives, telegrams, a scrapbook, aeronautical textbooks, aeronautical notebook, DVDs, newspaper and magazine articles, pilot log books, pilot licenses, and related information.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists material relating to the aviation career of Dale L. White, Sr., including his attendance at the Curtiss Wright Aeronautical University and his piloting of a 1939 "Goodwill Flight" from Chicago, Illinois, to Washington, DC, to lobby for African-Americans to be able to join the US Army Air Corps. The collection also contains information on other important African-American aviators, including: Chauncey Spencer, White's navigator for the "Goodwill Flight;" Willa Brown; and John Charles Robinson, "The Brown Condor of Ethiopia."

The following types of material are included: photographs, negatives, telegrams, scrapbook, aeronautical textbooks, aeronautical notebook, newspaper and magazine articles, pilot log books, pilot licenses, DVDs and three mini-DV master video tapes with Chauncey Spencer (stored in the audiovisual collection), and related information.
Arrangement:
The collection has been arranged into three series: Series 1, Career and African-Americans in Aviation; Series 2, Personal Materials; and Series 3, Aeronautical Education Materials.

The collection did not have any particular order when received by the NASM Archives. Archivists have organized the documents by topic then by date.
Biographical Note:
Dale L. White, Sr., (1899-1977) was a prominent African-American pilot, who, along with Chauncey Spencer, flew a 1939 "Goodwill Flight" from Chicago, Illinois, to Washington, DC, to lobby for African-Americans to be able to join the US Army Air Corps.

Born in Minden, Louisiana, White moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1930. In 1932, he started to attend the Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical University. On August 18, 1933, White began his flight training and he received his license in June 1936. For the next decade, White was very active in Chicago African-American flying circles and was a member of the Challenger Air Pilots Association (CAPA), a group organized by Chicago-area African-American aviation enthusiasts.

In the spring of 1939, the CAPA decided to organize a "Goodwill Flight" to Washington, DC, to lobby for a change in legislation so the African-Americans could join the US Army Air Corps. Dale White was chosen to be the pilot and Chauncey Spencer was selected as the navigator for this flight. With a CAPA-secured rental of a Lincoln (Aircraft) Page LP-3 (New Swallow) biplane, White and Spencer left Chicago on May 8, 1939, for their 3000 mile round-trip. During their time in Washington, DC, White and Spencer had a scheduled meeting with Senators Slatttery and Everett Dirksen and chance meeting with then Senator Harry S. Truman, who in 1948 integrated the armed services by presidential order. After returning from their successful trip, White was chosen to drop a wreath on the grave of aviator Bessie Coleman, located in Lincoln Cemetery, Chicago, on a May day designated, "The Spirit of the late Bessie Coleman."

In August of 1939, the CAPA broadened its scope and was incorporated as the National Negro Airman's Association of America (NAAA), and White was elected to be vice president. During the rest of 1939, White made numerous flights in and around Chicago.

In 1940, White became an aircraft mechanic at Wright Patterson Field in Dayton, Ohio. White did not join the Tuskegee Airman as he was too old to apply, but he did continue to fly until June 1941, when he quit flying at the request of his wife. He retired from Wright Patterson in 1971 and died in 1977.
Provenance:
Donated Dale L. White, Jr., gift, 2013.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Permissions Requests
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics -- Flights  Search this
African American air pilots  Search this
Citation:
Dale L. White, Sr., Papers Collection, Accession 2013-0050, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2013.0050
See more items in:
Dale L. White, Sr., Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg29046f7e2-c1a8-46df-934a-348f398ef335
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2013-0050
Online Media:

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