United States. Army Air Forces. 82nd Fighter Squadron Search this
Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet ((1 film canister))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Motion pictures (visual works)
Date:
1944
Scope and Contents:
This single roll of film contains gun camera footage of Lieutenant Roland L. Wolfe during World War II. The approximately 200 feet of film covers Wolfe's activities (targets) from March 6, 1944, through September 1, 1944, while he was flying Republic P-47s for the 8th Air Force Fighter Command, 82nd Squadron.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Barbara Kucharczyk, Gift, 2001, 2001-0013, 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 -- Aerial operations Search this
This collection consists of three 5.5 x 8.5 inch leaflets, printed on both sides. They contain text in Japanese as well as images. Caption information from an unknown source is provided for some of the leaflets. Leaflet No. 2101 reads, "This is a message from the President of the United States, Harry Truman, to the people of Japan. The only way to avoid complete destruction of your family, home, economy, and nation is to immediately cease all military activities and surrender unconditionally. If you continue your futile resistance, we will be forced to bring unnecessary destruction upon the nation. This damage will be far greater than those received by Germany." This leaflet has an image of Harry Truman, one of a Japanese woman holding a baby, and another of Japanese fishermen in boats. The leaflet also has an image of bombed buildings with the caption, "Save your nation from destruction" and an image of a B-29 in flight captioned "Superfortress above Tokyo." Leaflet No. 2097 has an image of an emaciated man and a body of water on one side and reads, "A year after the supplies were cut off to an isolated island in the souther [sic] sea...This soldier and the floating debris speak the truth about this war." Leaflet No. 2094 has an image of President Truman and various military equipment on one side and reads, "In his message to the Japanese people, the President of the United States, Harry Truman says 'The term "unconditional surrender" is strictly a military term. We only demand the military to surrender its weapons. We do not intend to enslave or exterminate the people of Japan. The former Prime Minister Gen. Koiso gave a false interpretation of this term in order to forcefully continue the war that cannot be won.'" The reverse of this pamphlet reads, "Unconditional surrender means the surrender of all weapons" and features an image of an unidentified military officer signing papers and a second image of a group of civilians standing by military personnel.
Biographical / Historical:
Shortly before the crew of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay completed their mission to bomb Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, U.S. pilots dropped leaflets over Japan warning citizens of coming destruction. The leaflets warned Japanese citizens that their government was leading them to death and that the US government had no wish to kill civilians.
Provenance:
Unknown, Gift, Unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of a scrapbook documenting Edward J. Glowka's service with the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II. The scrapbook was created by Glowka's wife, who he met after the war. The scrapbook contains mainly black and white photographs but also includes one hand-tinted photograph of Glowka in uniform; a "Domain of the Golden Dragon" certificate for crossing the International Date Line; two patches; an original pencil sketch of Glowka, in uniform, signed by [first name unreadable] Faier; a "Neptunus Rex" certificate for crossing the Equator; and two copies of Glowka's Separation Qualification Record issued by the U.S. Army Air Forces. The photographs vary in size and were taken in many places including Biak, Papua, Indonesia; Guam; Manila, the Philippines; and Saipan, Mariana Islands. Glowka appears in a number of the photographs. The photographs show daily life on base; military personnel; bombing damage; local citizens and their daily activities; ships; and nose art on aircraft. Aircraft depicted in the photographs include the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress; North American P-51 Mustang; Consolidated B-24 Liberator; Boeing B-29 Superfortress; Bristol Beaufighter; Douglas C-54 Skymaster; Curtiss C-46 Commando; Douglas A-20 Havoc; Consolidated PBY Catalina; Grumman JF Duck; Northrop P-61 Black Widow; North American B-25 Mitchell; Curtiss P-40 Warhawk; Boeing SB-17 Flying Fortress; Douglas C-47 Skytrain (including an example on floats); Republic P-47 (F-47) Thunderbolt; General Motors (Eastern) TBM Avenger; Vought F4U Corsair; Curtiss SBC Helldiver; Consolidated F-7A Liberator; Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express; Lockheed P-38 Lightning; Stinson (Aircraft) L-5 Sentinel; and the Avro 685 York. The collection also contains a portable USB drive containing scans of each page of the scrapbook (in PDF format) made by the donor. The donor added text to the pages to transcribe handwritten notes on the reverse side of some of the photographs made by Glowka.
Biographical / Historical:
Edward J. Glowka (1926 to c. 1983) served with the U.S. Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Glowka was an Airplane and Engine Mechanic with the Air Transport Command. Glowka entered active service in July 1944 and was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal in August 1946.
Provenance:
Anne Wood, Gift, 2013
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Topic:
World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations Search this
This collection consists of 504 black and white photographs, mostly taken on Tinian Island during World War II. The photographs are snapshots or small reproductions of official Army Air Corps photography taken by 20th Air Force photographers. The photos show daily activities on Tinian, including shots of base facilities, interactions with local people, a military funeral, aircraft nose art, and Boeing B-29 Superfortresses. There are also shots taken in Guam, New Guinea, India, and aerial photography of Japan. There is also a small amount of captured Japanese photography
Biographical / Historical:
Tinian Island, part of the Mariana Island chain, fell to the Japanese after World War I. It was captured by the United States on June 15, 1944. From December 1944 until the end of World War II, the island was an air base for Boeing B-29 Superfortresses. It was the loading point for atomic weapons onto the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Silverplate "Enola Gay." Private Gordon Lowenberg served in the photo lab of the 20th Air Force.
Provenance:
Miriam Lowenberg-Black, Gift, 2012
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection contains approximately 0.47cubic feet of material relating to Louis L. Bost's service in the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron during World War II. A large portion of the collection consists of photographs, mostly black and white and mostly dating to the World War II era. Prints range in size from 2.5 by 2.5 inches up to 8 by 10 inches and there is also one panoramic photograph which measures approximately 31 by 8 inches. The photographs were taken at various stations of the unit including Chateaudun Airfield, France; Florennes Airfield, Belgium; Strassfeld Airfield/Euskirchen, Germany; Langansala Airfield, Germany; and Kassel, Germany. The photographs show many members of the squadron as well as numerous aircraft including the Northrop P-61 Black Widow; Lockheed P-38 Lightning; Douglas A-20 Havoc; Douglas A-26 (B-26) Invader; Douglas P-70; Messerschmitt Bf 110; Heinkel He 111; Junkers Ju 87 Stuka; Junkers Ju 88; Messerschmitt Bf 109; Focke-Wulf Fw 190; and the Heinkel He 162 Spatz (Sparrow), Volksjäger (People's Fighter). Named aircraft shown in the collection include the Lockheed P-38J Lightning Les Vin, Les Femmes, et Les Chansons and the following Northrop P-61 Black Widow aircraft: Double Trouble; Little Audrey; Midnight Menace; Tactless Texan; Lady Gen; Little Linda; Moonlight Wreck-Wizishun; Sleepy Time Gal; No Love! No Nothing!; No Love No Nothin' II; Shoo-Shoo Baby; Borrowed Time; Wacky Wabbit; Impatient Widow; Laura Lil; and Tennessee Ridge Runner. The collection also contains a spiral bound copy and copies on CD of the history of the unit entitled "422nd Night Fighter Squadron WWII" by Charles McEwen, Jr., as well as a folder of photographs and a certificate of appreciation relating to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum's restoration of a Northrop P-61B Black Widow aircraft. Finally included in the collection is a reproduction map showing a "kill" made by Bost and Leonard Koehler.
Biographical / Historical:
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first U.S. aircraft designed to locate and destroy enemy aircraft at night and in bad weather, a feat made possible by the use of on-board radar. The prototype first flew in 1942. P-61 combat operations began just after D-Day, June 6, 1944, when Black Widows flew deep into German airspace, bombing and strafing trains and road traffic. Operations in the Pacific began at about the same time. By the end of World War II, Black Widows had seen combat in every theater and had destroyed 127 enemy aircraft and 18 German V-1 buzz bombs. Louis L. Bost served with the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron as a radar operator/navigator on P-61 aircraft in the European Theater during World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for valor. After World War II, Bost went on to serve a total of nearly 21 years in the United States Air Force, including serving as aircrew for Lockheed F-94 Starfires, before retiring at the rank of major. Bost was also deeply involved in the restoration of a P-61B at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania, a project that began in the early 1990s. Bost died in February 2015 at the age of 93.
Provenance:
James L. Bost, 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
This collection consists of thirteen 7 by 9 inch b&w images taken in 1945, most featuring Boeing B-29 Superfortresses on bombing raids over Sakai, Tamashima, Yokohama, Kobe and other targets in Japan. Also included is an aerial view, taken after the Japanese surrender and the end of World War II, of the Omori prison camp in the Tokyo / Yokohama area where Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was held.
Biographical / Historical:
During the closing days of World War II, Curtis LeMay's 21st Bomber Command utilized the long range of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress to deliver incendiary bombs on Japanese cities, including Kobe and Yokohama.
Provenance:
Les A. Krames, Gift, 2004
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of the following material relating to John H. DeCamp and his aviation career: color snapshot of DeCamp taken in April 1993 standing in front of a restored Consolidated B-24 (also an eight by ten inch color copy); one black and white eight by ten inch copy print of DeCamp in uniform as a Lieutenant; one eight by ten inch black and white photograph of DeCamp's crew taken 28 September 1944 at March Field; one five by seven tinted photograph of DeCamp standing in front of a North American AT-6 training aircraft; one tinted eight by ten inch copy print of DeCamp's wife Jane, in uniform as an Army nurse; one seven by ten inch black and white photograph of DeCamp's training class taken in front of a Beech AT-7; DeCamp's logbook of his flights from 19 August 1943 through 4 September 1945; one black and white snapshot of DeCamp in the cockpit of a Consolidated B-24; a photocopy of the "Form 1A" and "Badpenny" in formation; and an Illinois State Register article for May 24, 1945.
Biographical / Historical:
John DeCamp (1917-2003) was born in Springfield, Illinois. DeCamp was a bomber pilot who served with the 90th Bomb Group, the Jolly Roger Squadron, in the South Pacific during World War II. He received the Air Medal, several Bronze Star citations, and he led the 5th Air Force from the Philippines in bombing Hong Kong. DeCamp graduated from the University of Southern California and was the manager of Labor Relations for Caterpillar, Inc. He was a member of the 90th Bomb Group Association.
Provenance:
Jane DeCaqmp, Gift, 2005
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection includes 75 photographs of Word War II bombings of France, specifically of Cologne. Aerial reconnaissance photographs make up the majority of the collection, although there are also photographs of a mapping room as well as a few pictures taken on the ground of the bombing damage. This collection also includes two prints of a Lockheed P-38 in flight.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
James A Hedgpeth, Jr., Gift, 1989, 1989-0078, 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 -- Aerial operations Search this
This collection consists of scans of cartoons drawn by Paul S. Snyder during his service in the Army Air Corps, stationed at Keesler Field, Mississippi. Most of the cartoons feature "Hubert," and are from newspapers. The collection also contains scans of newspaper articles, discussing Paul Snyder and his cartooning as well as eleven color cartoon postcards.
Biographical / Historical:
Paul S. Snyder graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 1932, before attending the Art Institute of Chicago, the Art Center School and the Chouinard Art Institute, all located in Los Angeles, California. Snyder worked in New York city until he joined the United States Army in 1942. Stationed at Keesler Field, Snyder was training to be an aerial photographer when his drawing skills were noted and he was assigned to the Public Relations Office as an artist, producing cartoons relating to life in the Army Air Corps. His most well-known cartoon character was "Hubert." Snyder also contributed cartoons and posters for syndication for the flying safety program of the War Department.
Provenance:
William Snyder, Gift, 2008
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of 79 color slides taken during Leon Brown's time in the Pacific Theater in World War II. In addition to the slides there are also four color prints and a videotape. The videotape is a home recording of the slides being projected, with Brown narrating in the background. After the slide portion of videotape is a recording of a lunch discussion among Brown, his wife, World War II test engineer Lindy Levine and an unidentified individual. The slide images consist of photographs of and taken by Brown and include various subjects including the B-32 Dominator and B-24 Liberator, and captured Japanese aircraft such as the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden. Also included are images of the 90th Bomb Group the "Jolly Rogers," and the 43rd Bomb Group B-24 Liberators "The Dragon and His Tail" and "It Ain't So Funny." Photographs were taken in Australia, Ie Shima during the Japanese surrender, New Guinea, and Subic Bay and Clark Field in the Philippines.
Biographical / Historical:
Leon D. "Bink" Brown spent 35 years as an aeronautical engineer working on various projects, including the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the Atlas missiIe project with General Dynamics. He spent the last 18 months of World War II as a Technical Representative for Consolidated on the B-24, training pilots throughout the Pacific Theater on mockup systems. During those 18 months he spent time in the Philippines and Australia and was in Okinawa during the Japanese surrender.
Provenance:
Leon Brown, Gift, 2002
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 -- Aerial operations Search this
Enola Gay (Exhibition) (1995-1998: Washington, D.C.) Search this
Extent:
4 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Videotapes
Motion pictures (visual works)
Transcripts
Interviews
Date:
undated
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the following source material, generated for the film "The Men who Brought the Dawn:" fifty-one 16 mm reels; seventy-one Betacam-SP cassettes; fifty-one VHS cassettes; three D2 digital tapes; twenty-four ¼ inch reel to reel tapes; four cassettes; and five DATs.
Biographical / Historical:
"The Men who Brought the Dawn: The Atomic Missions of Enola Gay and Bock's Car" is a documentary film produced in 1995 by Greenwich Workshop, Inc. The 64 minute film includes archival footage, along with personal interviews of the crew of Bock's Car and the Enola Gay, including their reflections on their participation in the historic events of 1945. This film was shown in the National Air and Space Museum's Enola Gay Exhibit.
Provenance:
Greenwich Workshop, Inc., Gift, 2003
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:
Naval Aircraft Factory F-5L (PN-5), NASM Search this
Kneival Rocket Car (Truax X-2 Sky-Cycle) Search this
This collection consists of thirteen photographs of Colonel George Kraigher and Lt. General Ira Eaker during World War II, mostly at the Fifteenth Air Force Headquarters in Bari, Italy. Other personalities included in the images: Lt. Col. H. Malcolm Baldrige; Brigadier Fitzroy MacLean; Marshal Tito; and Brigadier General William I. Hall. Also included in the photography are images of Kraigher receiving the Order of the Partisan Star, First Class, at the House of the National Assembly building in Serbia in 1945. Two of the photographs show Colonel Kraigher in his Douglas C-47 A Skytrain.
Biographical / Historical:
Colonel George Kraigher was a Serbian World War I pilot. Between the two world wars, Kraigher worked for Fairchild and then became a command pilot for the Western division of Pan American where he invented a motor synchronizer. During World War II, Kraigher was selected by Lt. General Ira Eaker, 15th Air Force, to handle many of the complex relations with Yugoslavia, including the Air Crew Rescue Units. After the war, Kraigher became the head of Aramco's airline in Arabia.
Provenance:
Col. George Kraigher Estate, Gift, 1985
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of 63 black-and-white photographs and eight 35 mm color slides (transparencies) documenting the training of an unidentified United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) pilot in the late World War II period, followed by his service with the United States Air Force (USAF) Alaskan Air Command in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Aircraft featured include the North American P-51H Mustang and the Lockheed F-94 Starfire.
Scope and Contents:
The photographs in this collection fall roughly into three groups; many of the images include an unidentified man who is assumed to be a relative of the donor. The first group consists of 8 x 10 inch black and white print photographs of U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) pilot training aircraft and activities at various unidentified locations in the continental United States. Aircraft pictured include a Porterfield Model 50 Collegiate biplane (possibly part of the Civilian Pilot Training Program), Fairchild PT-19 Cornell, Boeing PT-27 Kaydet, Vultee BT-13, North American AT-6 Texan, and Cessna AT-8 Bobcat. The second group of 8 x 10 inch black and white print photographs depicts a U.S. Air Force (USAF) North American P-51H (F-51H) Mustang unit at Ladd Air Force Base—and possibly at Mile 26 Satellite Field (later known as Eielson Air Force Base); this is believed to be the 65th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, who were based in the Fairbanks, Alaska, area and flying P-51s circa 1946-1947. Additional aircraft seen in this group include a Boeing PT-27 Kaydet primary trainer fitted with an enclosed cockpit for cold climate training, Douglas C-47 and C-54 cargo aircraft, Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, and a group of three Sikorsky R-5 helicopters. The third group of eight 35mm color slides (transparencies) depict Lockheed F-94 Starfire fighter jets (and one view of a North American F-82 Twin Mustang); these are believed to be aircraft assigned to either the 65th or 449th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons, and are seen in low-level flight near Ladd Air Force Base circa 1952-1953. Both squadrons were assigned to the USAF's Alaskan Air Command.
Arrangement:
In 1990, the black-and-white print photographs in this collection were reproduced in negative number order on the second side (Side B) of National Air and Space Museum Archival Videodisc 7, a LaserDisc CAV format 12-inch (30 cm) optical disc published by the Smithsonian Institution. Print numbers applied during videodisc production are used as item-level image numbers (print numbers NASM 7B03406 to NASM 7B03476, videodisc frame capture numbers VD-7B03406 to VD-7B03476) and the black-and-white prints are stored in videodisc number order. Color copies of the 35 mm slides were produced by the Smithsonian Office of Printing and Photographic Services (OPPS) and are stored in negative number order.
Biographical / Historical:
Throughout World War II, military air bases in Alaska provided a vital link in the route ferrying aircraft, troops, and materials from the continental United States to the Pacific Theatre of operations. At the end of World War II, as one of the northernmost military air posts in the country, Ladd Army Air Field, located outside the town of Fairbanks, Alaska, was strategically positioned to play an important role in the Cold War, being mere minutes away by jet from the Siberian coast of the Soviet Union. Renamed Ladd Air Force Base in 1947 when the United States Air Force was formed as a separate service, the field became the Northern Sector headquarters for the newly formed Alaskan Air Command, whose mission included air defense of Alaska, regional support for Strategic Air Command (SAC) and North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) operations, strategic reconnaissance, and arctic research.
Provenance:
Jeff Karpiak, gift, 1989, NASM.1989.0082
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of a photo album and a scrapbook kept by Benjamin Scovill "Ben" Kelsey to document his life and aviation career. The collection also includes Kelsey's U. S. Army Air Forces "Air Route Manual: United States to Great Britain," dated May 25, 1942, prepared for use by the first flights of military aircraft across the North Atlantic in support of Operation Bolero.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a photo album and a scrapbook kept by Benjamin Scovill "Ben" Kelsey to document his life and aviation career. The photo album measures approximately 12.25 by 9.5 inches and documents Kelsey's early flying career and other aviation activities he was involved in from the period of about 1920 to 1932. Many of the photographs were taken around Garden City, New York or in and around Connecticut. Aircraft depicted in the album include the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny, Standard (NJ) J-1, Bellanca WB-2 Miss Columbia, Dayton Wright DH-4 Mailplane, Irwin Meteorplane C-C-1, Alexander Eaglerock Biplane, Waco ASO, Martin (Glenn L.) MB-2, Ford 2-AT Air Pullman, Air Transport John Wanamaker, Sikorsky Standard-Sikorsky SN-1, Avro 504, Sikorsky S-31, Sperry Messenger, Burnelli (Remington-Burnelli) RB-1, Curtiss Oriole, Curtiss CR-1 Racer, Udet U 12 Flamingo, as well as numerous other models by manufacturers such as Fokker, Curtiss, Boeing, Stinson, and Sikorsky. Besides Kelsey, other notable aviators pictured in the album include Laura Bromwell, Charles S. "Casey" Jones, Lloyd W. Bertaud, Walter E. Johnson, Earl W. Fleet, Robert Stevens Fogg, Gus Graff, Bertrand Blanchard Acosta, Harold T. "Slim" Lewis, Harry Bradford Chin, Thea Rasche, Richard H. Depew, and Leigh Wade. The album also contains aerial photographs.
The scrapbook, which measures 11 by 16 inches, is mainly composed of newspaper clippings, but also includes magazine articles, photographs, correspondence, certificates and other ephemera. It covers the period of approximately 1934 to 1947 and documents Kelsey's military career during this period. Aircraft seen in the scrapbook include the Curtiss P-36 Hawk, Curtiss P-37 (Hawk 75I), Lockheed XP-38/P-38 Lightning, Douglas XB-19 (XBLR-2), Curtiss CW-21 Interceptor-Fighter, Bell XFM-1 Airacuda, and the Douglas C-54 Skymaster.
The collection also contains a U. S. Army Air Forces document, "Air Route Manual: United States to Great Britain," prepared by Air Movements Unit, Operational Intelligence Section AFDIS – A2, May 25, 1942 (Second Revision). This publication is a pilot's briefing document prepared in support of Operation Bolero. It was designed for use by a Lockheed P-38 Lightning pilot and provides detailed radio and navigational information for all airfields en route (U. S. and Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles) including aerial photographs, prepared strip maps marked with the magnetic course to be flown, and general information. It also contains eight large sectional maps, two American Airlines Radio Range and Mileage Charts, and six Ordnance Survey of Great Britain Aeronautical Maps.
Arrangement:
The collection materials are grouped into two roughly chronological scrapbooks and one military document.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of the cd and tape copies of this project. Please note that the original recordings are NOT part of this collection; the originals were returned to their original tape series and accession. The collection also contains the background documentation on this project, including grant information, and tape summaries.
Biographical / Historical:
The Langley Theater (now called the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater) at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) has been the venue for numerous lectures, seminars and special events. Opened in 1976, the theater was an arena for speakers who dealt with almost every aspect of aviation and space history and science. Many famed pilots and astronauts, aircraft and spaceship designers, and space scientists presented lectures or were part of symposiums at the Museum's theater. These presentations, preserved on audio cassette tapes, constitute a rich historical legacy in sound. In 1994, curator Von Hardesty, Aeronautics Division, received a 5000 dollar grant from the Aviation and Space Writers Foundation to help with the cataloging and preservation of the theater lecture tapes. As the grant was not large enough to pay for outside conservation work, equipment (one CD recorder and two audio tape cassette recorders) was purchased and an archival preservation system was implemented. Each selected tape had a cassette and CD copy made. Famous lecturers include: David L. "Tex" Hill, Gerhard Neumann, Adolf Galland, Douglas Bader, George Gay, Gregory W. "Pappy" Boyington, Donald Lopez, Johannes Steinhoff, Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabrieski, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager, and Paul Tibbets.
Provenance:
Aeronautics Division, NASM, Transfer, 2012
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Hans Groenhoff (1906-1985) was a celebrated American aviation photographer from the 1930s through the 1960s, also working as a pilot, journalist, editor, correspondent, and—in his retirement years—as an aviation tourism publicist for the Bahamas. This collection of 25,550 images consists of Groenhoff's collection of negatives and transparencies, spanning his career from 1933 to 1975.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of Groenhoff's collection of negatives and transparencies, spanning his career from 1933 to 1975, and includes images of military and civilian aircraft and events, glider and sailplane activities, air shows and races, airlines and airports, weather (clouds) and aerial images.
Arrangement:
Series 1: 1962 Acquisition, approximately 24,250 images; photography made by Groenhoff in the period 1933 to 1962, consists of mixed medium format black-and-white negative single-sheet or cut-frame roll film (Subseries 1, HGA), 35mm black-and-white roll film (Subseries 2, HGD), and mixed medium format color transparency (positive) film (Subseries 3, HGC), as well as black-and-white print enlargements made by the Smithsonian of selected images. Also included in this series are a small number of posed portraits of Groenhoff at work.
Series 2: 1984 Acquisition (HGB), approximately 1,300 images; photography made by Groenhoff in the 1960s and 1970s, primarily during his employment with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, consists of mixed format black-and-white and color roll film and a small number of 35mm color slides.
Series 3: "Focus On Flight" Exhibit and Book Materials. This small series consists of mixed materials (copy photography and documents) used in the creation of the NASM exhibit, Focus on Flight: Four Decades of Aerial Photography (Rudy Arnold and Hans Groenhoff) (November 1984 through September 1985), and the related book by curator E. T. (Tim) Wooldridge, Focus on Flight: The Aviation Photography of Hans Groenhoff, published for the National Air and Space Museum by Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, D.C.), 1985.
Biographical/Historical note:
Hans Groenhoff (1906-1985) was born and educated in Germany, but emigrated to the United States in 1927. Residing in New York City, Groenhoff pursued his interest in aviation and photography. Following in the footsteps of his brother Günther, a famous aviator and pioneer glider pilot in Germany, Hans Groenhoff became an active glider pilot in the nearby Elmira, New York, area, nurturing a lifelong fascination with clouds and aerial photography. Groenhoff's photography career took off when he inherited two cameras following the death of his brother in a glider accident in 1932; he went on to work as a photographer, journalist, editor, and correspondent, with his photographs and articles published in mainstream magazines such as Life, Colliers, Esquire, National Geographic, and The Saturday Evening Post, as well as aviation publications such as Air Trails Pictorial, Sportsman Pilot, Aero Digest, and especially Flying and Popular Aviation, for whom he was a regular correspondent. Groenhoff also shot advertising and publicity photography for aircraft manufacturers and the U.S. Army Air Forces. Following the death of his first wife, Fridel Barth, in 1954, Groenhoff moved to the Miami, Florida, area to take advantage of better weather for photographing aircraft. In 1956, Groenhoff married Frances Semman, who assisted him in his work. In his retirement years, Groenhoff was employed by the Bahamas Government to promote the Islands as a tourist destination for private and sport aviation, founding their popular "Bahamas Flying Treasure Hunt" events which ran annually for several years.
Hans Groenhoff's aviation photography career is documented in the book Focus on Flight: The Aviation Photography of Hans Groenhoff by E. T. Woodridge (Smithsonian Institution, 1985).
Provenance:
Hans Groenhoff, Purchase, 1962, 1984, NASM.XXXX.0359, NASM
Restrictions:
Physical access to film originals (negatives, transparencies, and slides) requires notice a minimum of two business days in advance of visit to allow for retrieval of materials from cold storage.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States Search this
This collection consists of material relating to the long military career (1918-1948) of aviator Lewis Selwyn Webster, including five of Webster's pilot's log books as well as numerous photographs, letters, news clippings, and other documents. A small section of the collection pertains to Webster's son, Lewis Frazer Webster, who served with the U.S. Air Force and was killed in action in Korea in 1952.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of material relating to the military career of Lewis Selwyn Webster, including five of Webster's pilot's log books, covering the dates 1918-1932, as well as numerous photographs (including two panoramic photographs), letters, and news clippings, and other documents gathered into a scrapbook binder. One of the panoramic photographs is 19 by 7.75 inches and shows the Station Supply Department at Duncan Field, San Antonio Texas, 1929. The second panoramic photograph is 40 by 8 inches and shows the commissioned officers of the 1st Provisional Air Brigade, who were gathered to take part in the Bombing Maneuvers at Langley Field, June 1921. The scrapbook binder contains photographs of Webster during flight training and subsequent military service; Webster's military records; photographs of various U.S. Army facilities; aerial photographs of various locations; a copy of the rules and regulations, Webster's flight log, and Webster's report pertaining to the 1919 Transcontinental Reliability and Endurance Test; news clippings; numerous photographs of the 1921 German battleship bombing trials; photographs and correspondence pertaining to the Panama Canal Zone, a 1924 memo from Mason M. Patrick to Commanding Officers regarding aircraft accidents; a program for the dedication of Randolph Field; and news clippings pertaining to Webster's participation in an aerial search for a gang of kidnappers. Aircraft depicted in the photographs include Dayton Wright DH-4, Curtiss JN-4D Jenny, de Havilland (Airco) D.H.9, Martin (Glenn L.) MB-2, Curtiss F-5L (PN-5), Curtiss O-1E Falcon, Douglas O-38, Douglas O-2, Boeing P-12, and the Handley Page H.P.42. Other photograph subjects include General William "Billy" Mitchell and aerial views of the 1933 Century of Progress exposition (World's Fair) in Chicago, Illinois. The collection also contains a copy of the publication A List of Airplane Pilot Officers of the United States Army Air Service Commissioned Prior to November 12, 1918.
A small portion of the collection pertains to Lewis Selwyn Webster's son, Lewis Frazer Webster, who served with the U.S. Air Force and was killed in action in Korea in 1952. This series contains military records of Lewis Frazer Webster, photographs, and news clippings. Aircraft depicted in the photographs in this series include Republic P-47 (F-47) Thunderbolt, Lockheed (F-80) P-80A Shooting Star, North American F-86 Sabre, and the Gloster Meteor.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into two series.
A small number of items in the collection have been digitized and attached to this finding aid.
Biographical / Historical:
Lewis Selwyn Webster was born in 1892. After graduating from high school, Webster enrolled in the University of Illinois but left college to join the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I. Webster completed Ground School at the University of Illinois in January 1918 and then went to flight training at Rich Field in Texas which he completed in June of that year. Webster then completed a flying instructor's course at Brooks Field, Texas before being ordered to Call Field, Texas and subsequently to Langley Field, Virginia. In October 1919, Webster participated in the first mass transcontinental air race, dubbed by the Air Service the "Transcontinental Reliability and Endurance Test," which was organized by General William "Billy" Mitchell. Webster finished seventh. Webster served under Mitchell with the 1st Provisional Air Brigade and, in June and July of 1921, participated in the sinking of German battleships in an area off the Chesapeake Bay under a program of aerial bombing tests operated jointly by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy. Under this same program, Webster participated in the sinking of the USS Alabama (BB-8) in September of that year. From 1922 to 1925, Webster served at France Field in the Panama Canal Zone in the capacity of engineering officer of the 7th Observation Squadron. Webster returned to Langley Field in November 1925 and completed Air Corps Tactical School there in 1939. From 1942 to 1944, Webster was the Commanding Officer of the 36th Fighter Squadron in Australia and New Guinea, and from 1945 to 1948 he commanded the 4832nd Specialized Depot in Topeka, Kansas. In 1948, Webster retired from military service as a Colonel and was active in civic and social service organizations in Lakeland, Florida until his death in 1957.
A small portion of the collection pertains to Lewis Selwyn Webster's son, Lewis Frazer Webster, who served with the U.S. Air Force and was killed in action in Korea in 1952.
Provenance:
Eric Webster, Gift, 2010, NASM.2010.0041.
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.
John A. Meyer was an aerial photographer in the US Army Air Forces. He was stationed in Bangor, Maine and the North Atlantic Air Bases in Newfoundland, 1942-1943.
Biographical / Historical:
This collection consists of three films and corresponding videotape of footage shot by the donor at Bangor Maine and North Atlantic Air Bases in Newfoundland. The films include footage of base life, USO Shows, and the following aircraft: Douglas A-20, Boeing B-17, Douglas B-18, Consolidated B-24, Douglas C-54, Noorduyn C-64, Piper L-4, and Bell P-39. Most of the flying and aircraft scenes are in color, while the footage of the USO Show and troops at play are in black and white.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
John A. Meyer, Gift, unknown, 1991-0030, 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
Shortly before the crew of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay completed their mission to bomb Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, U.S. pilots dropped leaflets over Japan warning citizens to evacuate the cities. This collection consists of four original leaflets, as well as 15 color slides taken by the National Air and Space Museum photo lab of the propaganda leaflets
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of four original leaflets, printed on both sides that range in size from 5.5 by 7.5 inches up to 10.75 by 8 inches. The collection also includes 15 color slides taken by the National Air and Space Museum photo lab of the propaganda leaflets, some of which appear to be duplicates.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
Shortly before the crew of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay completed their mission to bomb Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, U.S. pilots dropped leaflets over Japan warning citizens to evacuate the cities. The leaflets warned Japanese citizens that their government was leading them to death and that the U. S. government had no wish to kill civilians. I.A. Kurzman was a machinist mate, 2nd class stationed in the Pacific aboard the USS Wasp (CV-18) from which the aircraft carried the leaflets.
Provenance:
I.A. Kurzman, Gift, 1985, NASM.2008.0018
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
Ehis collection consists of the following items chronicling the aviation career of Colonel Carlos Garduno: En Guardia, volume 1, no. 9; ASI, August 11, 1945; newspaper articles, 1945-1991; material relating to the El Escuadron 201 reunion; Form One, February 1942 issue, April 1942 issue, and Anniversary Issue, May 1942; El Pilot, Sep.-Oct. 1930; 81 copy prints of photo album pages; a few paper prints; and a brochure for Mexico Homenaje de las Fuerzas de la Defensa Nacional de Chile (a Mexican tribute to the Chilean armed forces), 1940.
Biographical / Historical:
Colonel Carlos Garduno was a member of El Escuadron 201, also known as the Aztec Eagle Squadron. In 1943, Mexico became an active participant in World War II. Escuadron 201, formed in response to German submarine attacks against Mexican oil tankers, was comprised of more than 300 volunteers. The 201 was integrated with the US Army Air Forces; after completing its training in Texas, the squadron became a Lockheed P-47 fighter squadron attached to the 58th Fighter Group during the liberation of the main Philippine Island of Luzon in 1945. The squadron also participated in the Allied effort to bomb Formosa to force the Japanese out of that island. For their service they received the Medal of Valor of Combat.
Provenance:
Carlos Garduno, Gift, 2006
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
