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Giuseppe M. Bellanca Collection

Creator:
Bellanca, Giuseppe M., 1886-1960  Search this
Names:
Bellanca Aircraft Corporation  Search this
Wright Aeronautical Corporation  Search this
Chamberlin, Clarence  Search this
Extent:
248.5 Cubic feet (245 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Financial records
Newspaper clippings
Drawings
Photographic prints
Date:
1919-1959
Summary:
This collection consists of the archives of Giuseppe M. Bellanca and his company, including the following types of mediums: drawings, stress analysis tests, reports, photographs/negatives, documents, correspondence, patent information, newspaper clippings, business records, and financial statements.
Scope and Contents:
Series I: Mr. Bellanca's professional life

Here, the researcher will find documents regarding the day-to-day operations of the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation. The material is generally divided into core documents of the corporation, correspondence, financial documents, subcontracting pursuits, patents, employee relations, and company history.

Series II: Technical Material

This material is separated into the following subseries: Miscellaneous Handwritten Notes and Sketches, Bellanca Aircraft Technical Data, Bellanca Aircraft Corporation Reports, Technical Research Files, Bellanca Aircraft Drawing Lists, Bellanca Aircraft Drawings, and Bellanca Aircraft Drawing Indexes. The Bellanca Collection is not a complete history of the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation. Over the years, it appears that many items were loaned out by the Bellanca Family to researchers and not returned. Therefore, there are significant gaps in correspondence, formal, numbered reports, and other areas of the collection. For example, the earliest report in the Bellanca Collection is Report #28, the next report which appears is report #45.

The Giuseppe M. Bellanca Collection contains over 10,000 drawings. (At the time of processing, not all drawings were entered into the Bellanca Drawings Database. These drawings will be entered as time allows.) The drawings vary in size from 8 x 11 inches to 36 x 185 inches. There are original pencil drawings, blueprints, and blueline drawings. Over 130 models of Bellanca aircraft are represented in the Collection. There are General Arrangement, or Three-View drawings for over 80 of these models. Bellanca drawings are not easy to decipher. Most of the drawings have data blocks which contain only a finite amount of information. Often the aircraft has been identified only by serial number. In some cases the model number of the aircraft is also the drawing number. Other times, the aircraft name would be given, but no model number, i.e. Skyrocket. Also, words were abbreviated and it was left up to the processing archivist to determine their probable meaning. Despite the explanation in the scope and content notes, the Bellanca Corporation was not consistent when assigning model numbers. Letters were sometimes assigned that reflected a United States War Department designation, i.e. the VSO and the VF. By using the Bellanca Drawing indexes, the processing archivist was able to supply model numbers for some of the drawings.

7136 Bellanca Aircraft Company Drawings have been added to the National Air and Space Museum Miscellaneous Drawings Database. As time allows, the remaining Bellanca Drawings will be added to this database. An Archives Staff member will assist researchers in retrieving these materials from the database finding aid.

The Bellanca drawings were stored for over thirty years in less-than-ideal conditions. Many of the drawings were drawn on poor-quality tracing paper, and have become extremely brittle and fragile. Therefore, many of the drawings in the Bellanca Collection may not be available to researchers.

During processing of the collection, the project archivist has gained some insight about how Mr. Bellanca chose the model designations for his aircraft. The earliest system of model designations was based upon letters of the alphabet. No model designations appear for any Bellanca design until his work for Maryland Pressed Steel in 1916. The CD, which he designed for that company, was his fourth aircraft design that was built, and the letter D is the fourth letter of the alphabet. This pattern continues through the Bellanca CF. During 1926, when Mr. Bellanca worked for the Wright Corporation, he already had in mind an improved version of the CF, which was designated the CG. This aircraft received the designation WB-1 from the Wright Corporation.

When Mr. Bellanca formed his own company in 1927, the letter pattern described above reasserted itself for a time with the introduction of the Bellanca CH. It was a common practice of manufacturers of the time to also include the engine horsepower as part of the model number, so the Bellanca CH actually received its Approved Type Certificate (ATC) as the CH-200. When the next model came out, it was the CH-300 with a 300 horsepower Wright Whirlwind engine. This system remained in place through the CH-400. Names were given to some Bellanca aircraft. It appears that the names were a marketing tool meant to appeal to the buying public. With this idea in mind, the CH-300 became the "Pacemaker", the CH-400 became the "Skyrocket", and the P 100 was christened the "Airbus". In the early 1930's, the Bellanca Corporation moved away from the alphabetical designations and moved to numerical designations. Later Bellanca aircraft model designations consist of a series of numbers, such as 31-50. The first number was the wing area, in this case, 310 square feet, divided by 10. The second number was the horsepower of the engine, 500, divided by 10. This resulted in a distinctive system of model designations, which lasted until Mr. Bellanca sold the company.

Series III: Mr. Bellanca's personal material.

In this series, the researcher will find personal correspondence among family members, from both Giuseppe and Dorothy Bellanca's families and personal, legal and financial records for Bellanca family. As the lines between Mr. Bellanca's personal and professional lives were sometimes blurred, a fine line of separation between the two was not always possible. For example, at one time or another, two of Mr. Bellanca's brothers, John and Frank, worked for the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation and Andrew Bellanca, Mr. Bellanca's nephew, was his lawyer throughout his life. Therefore, the processing archivist suggests that the researcher look in the professional series of documents as well as Mr. Bellanca's personal papers for a more complete representation of Mr. Bellanca's correspondence.

After processing was completed, publications which previously had been offered to the NASM Branch Library were returned to the collection. They are listed in an addendum at the end of this finding aid.

Series IV: Photographs.

The researcher will find photographs of Bellanca aircraft, including the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation's Master Photograph Files, photographs of the Bellanca factory and factory workers, and photographs of Giuseppe M. Bellanca, business associates, and family members.

Series V: Miscellaneous and Oversize Materials.

This series contains ephemera of the Bellanca Collection: Scrapbooks, Loose Newspaper Clippings, Artwork, Ephemera and Magazine Clippings.

The Bellanca Collection included 27 motion picture films. In May of 2000, this film was transferred to the NASM Film Archives. Researchers wishing to access this part of the collection should contact the NASM Film Archivist.
Arrangement:
Series I: Mr. Bellanca's Professional Life

Series II: Technical Data

Series III: Personal Papers

Series IV: Photographs

Series V: Miscellaneous and Oversize Materials
Biographical / Historical:
Giuseppe Mario Bellanca was born in 1886 in Sciacca, Sicily. As a young man, he attended the Technical Institute in Milan, graduating with a teaching degree in mathematics in 1908. During his quest for a second mathematics and engineering degree, he became enamoured of aviation, and set out to design and build his own airplane. Bellanca's first aircraft design was a "pusher" aircraft, somewhat similar to the Wright Flyer. Lacking funds for such an endeavor, he joined with two partners, Enea Bossi, and Paolo Invernizzi. The union of the three produced the first flight of a totally Italian-designed and Italian-built aircraft in early December of 1909. The flight was short, but it was a start. Bellanca's second design was a tractor-type aircraft. Although the aircraft was successfully constructed, it was never flown due to insufficient funds for an engine.

At the urging of his brother Carlo, who was already established in Brooklyn, New York, Giuseppe Bellanca immigrated to America in 1911. Before the end of the year, he began construction of his third airplane design, a parasol monoplane. After construction was completed, he took the small craft to Mineola Field on Long Island, NY, and proceeded to teach himself to fly. He began by taxiing. He then, taxied faster, which gave way to short hops. The hops got longer, until, on May 19, 1912, there was not enough room to land straight ahead, and Bellanca had to complete a turn in order land safely. Having successfully taught himself to fly, Bellanca then set about teaching others to fly, and from 1912 to 1916, he operated the Bellanca Flying School. One of his students was a young Fiorello La Guardia, the future mayor of New York City. In return for flying lessons, La Guardia taught Bellanca how to drive a car.

In 1917 the Maryland Pressed Steel Company of Hagerstown, MD hired Bellanca as a consulting engineer. While there, he designed two trainer biplanes, the CD, and an improved version, the CE. With the conclusion of WWI, Maryland Pressed Steel's contracts were cancelled and the company entered into receivership. Thus, the CE never went into production.

In 1921, a group of investors lured Bellanca westward to Omaha, NE, in hopes of establishing that town as a center for aircraft manufacture. Before the aircraft could be built, the company went bankrupt, but construction of the aircraft continued under the financial backing of a local motorcycle dealer named Victor Roos. The resultant aircraft, the Bellanca CF, was called by Janes's All the World's Aircraft "the first up-to-date transport aeroplane that was designed, built, and flown with success in the United States." Among the local people helping to build the aircraft was the daughter of Bellanca's landlord, Dorothy Brown. Giuseppe and she were married on November 18, 1922.

Despite its advanced design, the Bellanca CF could not compete with the economics of the time. In the days just after World War I, a surplus Curtiss Jenny could be purchased for as little as $250.00. A Bellanca CF, with a price tag of $5000.00, was just too expensive and the aircraft never went into production. After the disappointment of the CF, Bellanca designed wings for the Post Office Department's DH-4's. His new wings were a tremendous improvement over the original design, but only a few aircraft were so modified.

In 1925, Bellanca went to work for the Wright Aeronautical Corporation of Paterson, NJ. His assignment there was to develop an aircraft around the new Wright Whirlwind engine. He already had a design in mind, which was an improved version of the CF, called the CG. This design evolved into the Wright-Bellanca WB-1.

The WB-1 enjoyed a short, but successful flying career. The aircraft had already won one race and efficiency contest before an untimely accident destroyed the craft during preparation for an attempt to break the world's non-refueled endurance record. Fortunately, at the time of the crash, Bellanca was already working on an improved version, of the WB-1 designated the WB-2.

During 1926, the WB-2 won two efficiency trophies at the National Air Races in Philadelphia. Wright considered putting the aircraft into production, but decided against it to avoid alienating other aircraft companies that were potential customers for their engines. Disappointed by Wright's decision, Bellanca left the company and joined with a young businessman named Charles Levine to form the Columbia Aircraft Company. Wright sold the WB-2 and all drawings and production rights to the new company. The WB-2 went on to a long and fruitful flying career starting with establishing a new world's non-refueled endurance record of 51 hours, 11 minutes, and 59 seconds in April of 1927.

In the latter half of 1926, Charles Lindbergh wanted to buy the WB-2, now named the 'Columbia', for his proposed flight from New York to Paris. He was rebuffed by Levine who also had designs on the flight and the $25,000 prize money. Lindbergh then went to Ryan for his specially designed NYP. Meanwhile Levine, in choosing the crew, managed to promise two seats to three people. So while the Columbia was grounded by a court order brought by the third party, Lindbergh took off on his successful flight to Paris.

Eventually, the 'Columbia' was cleared of litigation and took off on its successful transatlantic flight on June 4, 1927. In the cockpit were Clarence Chamberlin, one of the pilots of the endurance record and Charles Levine, who became the first transatlantic passenger. The plan was to fly all the way to Berlin, and Chamberlin had vowed to fly until they ran out of fuel. Forty-three hours later, they landed in Eisleben, Germany, the first of two successful Atlantic crossings for Bellanca's most famous aircraft.

Disappointed because the 'Columbia' was not the first aircraft to accomplish the New York to Paris flight, Bellanca severed all relations with Levine, and started his own company, the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of America, and rented facilities on Staten Island, NY. The new Bellanca model was designated the CH, and was basically a commercial version of the WB-2. The new company also had two other models that were built for special orders, the Bellanca Model J and the Model K.

It was not long before Bellanca caught the attention of the Du Pont family of Delaware. They wanted to start aircraft manufacturing in Delaware, and in late 1927, an agreement was made with Bellanca to locate his factory outside of Wilmington. The site was large enough for a first-class airfield, with a seaplane ramp on the nearby Delaware River.

This was a busy time in Bellanca's life. Along with all that was happening in his professional life, he and Dorothy celebrated the birth of their son August T. Bellanca in March of 1927.

With the exception of a few years immediately before and during the early stages of WWII, Bellanca was President and Chairman of the Board from the corporation's inception on the last day of 1927 until he sold the company to L. Albert and Sons in 1954. After his departure from the company, Giuseppe and his son, August, formed the Bellanca Development Company with the purpose of building a new aircraft. It would have increased performance due to the use of lighter materials for its structure. Work on this aircraft was progressing when Giuseppe Bellanca succumbed to leukemia and died on December 26, 1960. After his father's death, August continued the project, and under his guidance, the aircraft first flew in 1973.

In 1993, August Bellanca donated his father's personal and professional papers to the National Air and Space Museum Archives. Prior to that time, they were kept in the Bellanca home near Galena, MD, and administered by Dorothy and August Bellanca.

1886 -- Born in Sciacca, Sicily

1909 -- Built first airplane. It completed the first flight of an Italian-designed, Italian-built, aircraft on December 8, 1909.

1911 -- Immigrated to America, settled in Brooklyn, NY.

1912 -- Completed construction of parasol monoplane. Successfully learned to fly this aircraft at Mineola, Long Island, NY.

1912 - 1916 -- Taught others to fly the parasol monoplane, including Fiorello LaGuardia.

1917 - 1920 -- Employed as a consulting engineer for Maryland Pressed Steel Company of Hagerstown, MD. While there, Bellanca designed and built the Bellanca CD and CE tractor biplanes.

1921 - 1922 -- Moved to Omaha, NE, and with Victor Roos, formed the Roos-Bellanca Aircraft Company. Bellanca designed and built the Bellanca CF. Married Dorothy Brown on November 18, 1922, in Omaha, NE.

1923 -- Moved back to New York, and designed and built new sets of wings for the Post Office Department's DH-4 mailplanes

1925 -- Employed by the Wright Aeronautical Corporation of Paterson, NJ, designing an aircraft around their new "Whirlwind" engine. The Wright-Bellanca 1, or WB-1, was the result, and was first flown in the latter part of that year.

1926 -- First flight of the WB-2.

1927 -- Bellanca started the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of America, on Staten Island, NY. Bellanca established the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle, DE. Wright decided not to enter into quantity production of the WB-2. Bellanca entered into a partnership with Charles A. Levine, and together, they formed the Columbia Aircraft Corporation. From Tuesday, April 12 to Thursday, April 14, Clarence Chamberlin and Bert Acosta set a new world's non-refueled endurance record in the WB-2, which was shortly thereafter, renamed the "Columbia". On June 4th, the Columbia set off across the Atlantic, and landed in Eisleben, Germany.

1941 - 1943 -- Head of the aviation department at Higgins Industries, Inc., in New Orleans, designing large cargo aircraft for troop movement during the war.

1954 -- Formed the Bellanca Development Company, to conduct research in lightweight aircraft construction materials.

1960 -- Died of leukemia in New York, December 26.
Provenance:
Mr. and Mrs. August Bellanca, Gift, 1993, NASM.1993.0055
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
Bellanca WB-2 "Miss Columbia"  Search this
Transatlantic flights  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Financial records
Newspaper clippings
Drawings
Photographic prints
Citation:
Giuseppe M. Bellanca Collection, Acc. NASM.1993.0055, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1993.0055
See more items in:
Giuseppe M. Bellanca Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg271dc0842-f969-4959-847e-2fe8d6d09920
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1993-0055
Online Media:

Henri Coanda Papers [Stine]

Creator:
Coanda, Henri-Marie, 1885-1972  Search this
Names:
L'Ecole Superieure d'Aeronautique  Search this
Coanda, Henri-Marie, 1885-1972  Search this
Extent:
1.09 Cubic feet ((1 records center box))
1.04 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Photographs
Publications
Maps
Charts
Financial records
Negatives
Date:
1920-1961
bulk 1950s
Summary:
Henri-Marie Coanda (1885-1972) was born and died in Bucharest, Romania. He spent his early childhood in Paris (1886-1891), before being educated in a Romanian military school (graduated 1903). Coanda continued his studies in Berlin and Paris -- at Auguste Rodin's atelier, with Gustaf Eiffel, and as a member of the first class of L'Ecole Superieure d'Aeronautique. He made his aeronautical debut in 1910, in the world's first jet aircraft. This was followed in 1932 with the discovery of the Coanda effect in which jet streams are used to create vacuums by following curves. His other projects included prefabricated housing developments, water conversion and conservation, energy conservation and agricultural equipment. In his lifetime he contributed some 250 inventions to these diverse fields.
Scope and Contents:
The Henri Coanda Collection (acc. #XXXX-0170), located at the National Air and Space Museum Archives, consists of approximately one cubic foot of materials relating to Henri Coanda's experimental work. The inclusive dates are 1908-1961 with the bulk of the material covering the years 1953- 1961. The collection should prove valuable to researchers interested in Coanda's non- aviation, accomplishments, especially his hydrogenerator project. Topics included in the collection are the aforementioned water conversion project, his soil improvement project, the Société Multicellulaires pre-fabricated housing company, his work with concrete holding tanks, and unidentified experiments. The collection consists mostly of correspondence, technical reports, and photos, many of which are uncaptioned. There are also expense records, newspaper and magazine articles, books, glass plate negatives, and a watercolor painting. Those in search of information regarding Coanda's aviation achievements might find more information in Coanda's biographical file at the National Air and Space Museum Archives located on the Mall.
Biographical / Historical:
Henri-Marie Coanda (1886-1972), a Rumanian scientist and inventor, broke ground in a wide range of areas. He produced significant innovations in early aircraft design and claimed to have flown the first jet. He also identified the fluidics principle called the Coanda Effect and subsequently applied it in many of his inventions. Further, he pioneered concepts in such diverse areas as fuel storage, pre-fabricated housing, soil regeneration, and saline water purification.

Henri Coanda was born June 7, 1886, in Bucharest, Romania. His family soon moved to France after his father, Constantin Coanda, a professor and president of the Council of Romania, became attache to the Rumanian embassy in Paris. Coanda returned to Romania in 1896 to attend military school (1896-1903). He continued his education at Technische Hochsehule in Charlottenburg-Berlin (1903-1907), the University of Liége (1907-1908), and the Electrotechnical Institute of Montefiore in Turin (1908-1909). At L'Ecole Supirieure d'Aeronautique in Paris he completed his engineering degree, graduating first in his class (1910).

During his school days Coanda became interested in aviation. While studying in Berlin he followed Otto Lilienthal's glider experiments in nearby Spandau and also built a miniature airplane powered by two rocket engines (1903). In 1906 he even went as far as Nice to meet Captain Ferdinand Ferber, who also flew a glider. When Coanda proposed the idea of a jet engine, Ferber recommended that he present the idea to Ernest Archdeacon, Gustav Eiffel, and Paul Painleve in Paris. They in turn directed him to Louis Bleriot, who helped him build model of a pyrotechnic rocket Powered airplane which he displayed in Short Hall, 8erlin in 1907. At Liege one year later Coanda constructed a Joachim glider with his roommate, Giannini Caproni, who later established Aeroplani Caproni.

Still, Coanda wished to produce a jet-powered airplane and by 1910 had perfected his craft. The plane featured a single turbine engine, fully cantilevered wings with thick airfoil sections, an integral fuel tank, retractable landing gear, a cruciform tail, and molded plywood construction. Although highly innovative, the strange-looking model made only a small stir at the Second International Salon of Aeronautics in Paris in November 1910.

One month later the plane left the ground for its first and only time. On December 10, 1910, Coanda had planned to run basic engine tests for his plane at Issy les Moulineaux near Paris, but as events progressed, Coanda found himself and his plane barreling towards the walls of Paris. He had no choice but to launch the plane up and over the barrier. Unfortunately, Coanda did not know how to fly the plane and so immediately crashed on the other side. Luckily, he was thrown clear of the wreck, for the gas exhaust had ignited the plywood plane, and it went up in flames instantly. The unfortunate loss bankrupted Coanda, and he was forced to terminate the project. Though the years scholars have disputed over Coanda's claims to the first jet flight. Those who argue against him site that he did not step forward immediately, the press did not record the event, the flight only a short distance, and the engine design differed from that of other jets.

After the tragedy at Issy, Coanda turned his creativity towards more traditional yet still inventive aircraft. In 1911 he designed and flew the first twin engine plane at Riems, France, and in 1912 he conceived the first delta wing airplane. From 1911 to 1914 he worked for Bristol Aeroplane Company in Great Britain and became their chief technical engineer. There he designed the successful Bristol-Coanda airplane. With the onset of World War I Coanda returned to France to fight in the 22nd Artillery Regiment, but the French recognized his talent in aircraft design and consequently sent him to the Delaunay-Belleville Factory at St. Denis to build airplanes. At Delaunay Coanda designed a bomber with a range of 1100 miles and also created a small, fast observation plane.

Even as late as the l930s Coanda intermittently designed aircraft. In 1933 he conceived a vertical take-off craft popularly known as the "flying saucer." Coanda saw it as the wave of the future because of its speed and its use of jet stream dynamics. Two years later Coanda tried his hand at designing a jet for a second time, but the twin-boomed model was never built.

Although Coanda never constructed a workable jet, his experiences with jet properties did help him to identify the Coanda Effect in 1932. Basically, the principle states that a fluid stream will tend to follow a curved surface' because of the vacuum it creates with that surface. Coanda first encountered the effect when the exhaust traveled down the fuselage of his 1910 plane and ignited it. Coanda later applied the principle to inventions such as his flying saucer, an automobile emissions reducer, mining safety features, and a jet sprayer.

Over the years Coanda's interests pulled him into many careers. As previously mentioned, he designed airplanes both in Great Britain and France. In 1929 he and Louis Blériot entered on a venture to build pre-fabricated houses. After World War II he tried his hand running businesses in Romania, and in the 1950s he formed SFERI-COANDA to market his inventions and experiments which included a solar-powered hydrogenerator and ideas for soil improvements. For the last thirty years of his life Coanda consulted for companies in both Europe and the United States. Through advising the Huyck Corporation, which was working on a hydrogenerator and water Propulsion during the 1960's, Coanda became acquainted with G. Harry Stine, the donor of this collection.

Even into the last years of his life Coanda remained active. In 1970 he returned to Romania where the government named him president of the National Institute for Scientific and Technical Creation. The following year the Academy of Aeronautics of London awarded him with an honorary membership. On November 25, 1972, Henri-Marie Coanda passed away in Bucharest, Romania.

Timeline of Henri Coanda's Life

1886 -- Born 7 June in Bucharest, Romania

1896-1903 -- Attended military school, Romania

1903-1907 -- Attended Technische Hochschule, Charlottenburg-Berlin

1903 -- Built rocket-powered model airplane

1907-1908 -- Attended University Liége

1908 -- Photographed bullet in flight, first to do so

1908-1909 -- Attended Institute of Montefiore, Turin

1909-1910 -- Attended L'Ecole Supérieure d'Aeronautique, Paris

1910 -- Published "Wings Regarded as Jet Engines" in La Technique Aeronautique, July

1910 -- Displayed jet airplane at the Second International Salon of Aeronautics, Paris, November

1910 -- Claimed to have flown jet airplane, Issy les Moulineaux, 10 December

1911 -- Built first turbine-powered automobile

1911 -- Designed and flew first twin-engined airplane, Riems, France

1912-1914 -- Designed airplanes for Bristol Aeroplane Company, Filton

1912 -- Conceived first delta wing airplane

1914-1918 -- Designed French military airplanes at the Delaunay-Belleville Factory

1914 -- Studied electric charge on aircraft

1914 -- Discovered electric charge of plants

1914 -- Joined the French 22nd Artillery Regiment

1916 -- Designed strategic bomber with range of 1100 miles

1918 -- Constructed first airborne rocket cannon, Le Havre, France

1918 -- Manufactured first concrete petroleum storage tanks

1923 -- Originated the idea of prefabricated concrete buildings, Paris

1929 -- Established Societe Multicellulaires with Louis Blériot, Paris
Provenance:
G. Harry Stine, gift, XXXX-0170, 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  Search this
Energy conservation  Search this
Water conservation  Search this
Coanda effect  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Photographs
Publications
Maps
Charts
Financial records
Negatives
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0170
See more items in:
Henri Coanda Papers [Stine]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg202f71d95-6e60-44ea-8c9b-026f0998a965
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0170

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records

Creator:
Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this
Names:
Curtiss-Wright Airports Corporation  Search this
Keystone Aircraft Corp  Search this
Extent:
212.29 Cubic feet (598 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Motion pictures (visual works)
Reports
Drawings
Financial records
Date:
1868-1972
bulk 1925-1949
Summary:
This collection consists of the corporate records of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Included in the collection are technical and engineering reports of Curtiss-Wright Airplane Division's operations in St. Louis (Robertson), MO (1935-1945) and Buffalo, NY, (1932-1945), as well as AAS Material Division and AAF Air Technical Services Command memorandum reports collected by Curtiss-Wright's St. Louis and Buffalo technical reference libraries. The collection also contains the files of Curtiss-Wright's Patent Department, which hold records of patents filed by Curtiss-Wright and patent-infringement cases involving Curtiss-Wright. Also included in the collection are specifications issued by and photos commissioned by the Keystone Aircraft Corporation (Huff-Daland Airplanes, Inc. until March 1927), which had been acquired by Wright in 1928 along with Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corp., and formed the Keystone Division of Curtiss-Wright until 1932 when Keystone's Bristol, PA factory closed its doors. The collection also contains financial records of the Curtiss-Wright Airports Corporation, which was liquidated in 1936, as well as an extensive negative collection featuring Curtiss-Wright aircraft from the 1930s and 1940s, concentrated especially on the war years.
Scope and Contents:
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records collection contains approximately 212 cubic feet of material. The collection contains the following material:

Army Air Service Material Division & Army Air Force Technical Services Command Memo

Reports & Technical Reports which include testing of various Curtiss-Wright models of aircraft and/or various parts of aircraft

Technical & Engineering Reports from the St. Louis, MO plant [Robertson] & Buffalo, NY plant

Patents, Patent Dockets, Patent Serial numbers, Suits, License Agreements, Patents filed by Curtiss-Wright & Patent Infringement Cases [1800s to 1940s]

Miscellaneous Research Files

Corporate & Financial Records [1923 to 1972]

Correspondence

Blueprint Drawings

Advertisements from Newspapers & Magazines in Scrapbooks

Engine Decals

Photographs

Negatives & Glass Plates
Arrangement:
This collection was arranged into Series and Subseries:

Series I: Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records

Subseries I: Corporation Reports\Records Subseries II: Patents Subseries III: Patent Serial Numbers Subseries IV: Patent Application/Dockets Subseries V: Patent Litigation Subseries VI: Aircraft & Engine Designations arranged by Designation Subseries VII: Photographs Subseries VIII: Keystone Aircraft Corporation Subseries IX: Oversize Scrapbooks of Advertising Material, Newspaper Clippings

Series II: Technical Reports

Subseries I: Air Corps Materiel Division, Reports [ACMR] Subseries II: Buffalo Reports Subseries III: St. Louis

Series III: Glass Format Photography

Series IV: 1969 Accretion - Listing of Archival Material

Series V: Master Print Books [this part of the collection has not been processed]
Historical note:
An historic event in aviation occurred on June 26, 1929 when two major aircraft companies: the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company merged with the Wright Aeronautical Corporation to form the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. After this merger, the former Wright organization took over all of the engine and propeller manufacture while Curtiss concentrated on airplanes. This merger was completed by organizing two major divisions under their original names, but under the direction of a corporate headquarters located in New York City. However, there was a recognized separation of spirit as well as specialized facilities that was never completely resolved in succeeding years. The election of former Wright personnel to key corporate positions soon led to Wright becoming the dominant division. At the height of the Lindbergh Boom during the 1920s and 1930s, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation was made up of the following identified organizations: The Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company; The Curtiss-Caproni Corporation; The Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company; The Keystone Aircraft Corporation; The Moth Aircraft Corporation; The Travel Air Manufacturing Company; The Wright Aeronautical Corporation; Curtiss-Wright Flying Service; The Curtiss-Wright Sales Corporation; The Curtiss-Wright Export Corporation. Curtiss-Wright was quickly becoming the 'General Motors of the Air' until the great depression in October 1929. Sales dropped and Curtiss-Wright was forced to close certain satellite plants and transfer some of their product lines to the St. Louis facility. It looked like even the Buffalo plants would also have to close when Curtiss-Wright received an order from Colombia, South America for Hawks and Falcons. This was the largest military order to Curtiss since the war. The Colombia sale saved the Curtiss-Wright organization at this low point in its history. This order kept the production lines going until new military and civil markets began to open up as the depression waned and the build-up for World War II began. During the U.S. military build-up prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, all existing Curtiss-Wright plants were expanded and new aircraft factories were built at Columbus, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. The dropping of the two atomic bombs on Japan resulted in an unexpected early end to World War II. All of the major U.S. airplane builders including Curtiss-Wright were hit by massive contract cancellations because of the Japanese surrender. In 1946 Curtiss-Wright had only two experimental military models at hand for postwar delivery and no assurance of production orders. Curtiss-Wright was forced to shut down all airplane plants and transfer all units of the Aeroplane Division to their Columbus Plant. The eventual sale of the Airplane Division to North American included design rights to the former Curtiss-Wright airplanes. The Curtiss-Wright Airplane Division, which manufactured airframes, finally closed down in 1951.
Provenance:
Curtiss-Wright Corporation, gift, XXXX, 1969
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
Curtiss, General, Aircraft  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Curtiss-Wright aircraft  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Genre/Form:
Motion pictures (visual works)
Reports
Drawings
Financial records
Citation:
Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records, Acc. XXXX-0067, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0067
See more items in:
Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21b19fbef-7db3-4c81-be86-3bb02ecbfee0
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0067
Online Media:

Fairchild Industries, Inc. collection

Creator:
Fairchild Aircraft Corp  Search this
Names:
Fairchild Aircraft Corp  Search this
Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp  Search this
Fokker Aircraft Corp  Search this
Hiller Aircraft Corp  Search this
Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Co.  Search this
Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG  Search this
Republic  Search this
Swearingen Aircraft  Search this
Fairchild, Sherman M.  Search this
Extent:
277.95 Cubic feet (255 records center boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Financial records
Negatives
Photographs
Videotapes
Publications
Motion pictures (visual works)
Date:
1919-1980
Summary:
This collection consists of historical files on FI, its predecessors, and subsidiaries. The material consists primarily of historical/public relations material, including photographs and brochures, but also includes significant amounts of business records for FEAC, Kreider-Reisner, Hiller, Republic, Ranger, Stratos, and Swearingen. The collection also documents Fairchild's joint ventures with Fokker, Pilatus, and other aircraft manufacturers. The material also includes an extensive negative collection as well as film and videotape libraries.
Scope and Contents note:
Sherman Mills Fairchild (1896-1971) founded Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation (FAEC) in 1920. FAEC was incorporated in New York State for the purpose of developing, manufacturing and selling aerial photographic equipment. It went through many changes over the course of its existence. By 1971, FAEC was called Fairchild Industries, Inc. and had become an enormous corporation that produced such famous and history making aircraft as the Model 24 and A-10 as well as acquired other aviation industry giants such as Republic Aviation and Hiller Aircraft Company.

The Fairchild Industries, Inc. Collection, accessions 1989-0060 and 1990-0047, was donated to the Archives Division of the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution in 1989 and 1990. The collection consists of printed and photographic materials. The subject matter of the material has a wide scope that includes, but is not restricted to, the following subject areas: public relations, legal matters, production photography, aircraft drawings and manuals, company published materials such as brochures and press releases, and history files. This collection does not contain the engineering files or the complete photo holdings or corporate records of Fairchild Industries, Inc or any of its predecessors.

The collection was maintained for many years by Theron Rinehart, a Fairchild Industries employee. Due to the large size and lack original order, the Archives Division decided to create a database as well as a traditional finding aid for access to the collection. Access to the Fairchild Docs database is available from the Archives Division by appointment. Aircraft types and designations are listed in the database and finding aid as they are in The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Directory of Airplanes Their Designers and Manufacturers, edited by Dana Bell, 2002 (Greenhill Books: London). Folder titles are those that appeared on the original folders and dates are provided for those materials that had them. The material was rehoused by the Archives Division and is now in acid free folders and boxes. There are few instances of water damage; these materials are indicated in the finding aid and database.

This finding aid contains a corporate history and chronology of the companies owned by of Fairchild Industries, Inc and a list of the Fairchild, Hiller, Republic and Swearingen aircraft documented in this collection. The books, periodicals and artifacts that were part of this collection have been removed. This finding aid contains a list of these materials. Please ask for assistance in contacting the NASM Branch and Smithsonian Libraries and the NASM Aeronautics Division.

Sherman Mills Fairchild's personal papers, The Sherman Fairchild Papers, can be found in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.
Biographical/Historical note:
The following information was taken from The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Directory of Airplanes: Their Designers and Manufacturers, edited by Dana Bell, 2002 (Greenhill Books: London).

"In 1924, Sherman Fairchild established the Fairchild Aviation Corp as the parent company for his many aviation interests. In 1930, The Aviation Corp (AVCO) purchased Fairchild Aviation and its subsidiaries, initially operating the various companies under their original names. The following year, Sherman Fairchild repurchased Fairchild Aviation Corp and began repurchasing the subordinate companies. In a December 1936 reorganization, Fairchild Aviation Corp divested itself of all aircraft manufacturing interests, placing them under a new Fairchild Engine and Airplane Co.

The original aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of Fairchild Aviation Corp was Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Co; it was created in 1924 to design and build aircraft as platforms for Fairchild's aerial survey cameras. Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing was one of the subsidiaries purchased by AVCO in 1930, but not one of the first companies repurchased by Sherman Fairchild. In 1931 AVCO combined the aircraft company with Fairchild Engine Co, forming American Airplane and Engine Corp. Fairchild Aviation Corp bought American Airplane and Engine in 1934, renaming the company the Fairchild Aircraft Manufacturing and Engine Co.

In the 1936 reorganization that divided Fairchild Aviation Corp assets, Fairchild Aircraft Manufacturing and Engine Co became Fairchild Engine and Airplane Co and took charge of all Fairchild aircraft and engine holdings. Fairchild Engine and Airplane Co became Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp in 1950 and Fairchild Stratos Corp in 1961. With the 1964 purchase of Hiller Aircraft Corp, Fairchild Stratos was renamed Fairchild Hiller Corp, then, again, renamed Fairchild Industries after the separation of all Hiller interests in 1973. Although Fairchild Industries closed and sold its military and commercial aircraft manufacturing divisions in 1987, "Fairchild" aircraft continued to be produced through the Swearingen Metro and Fairchild Dornier lines (see below).

Fairchild created, purchased, and merged with several companies during its history. The following are the most important subsidiaries:

Fairchild Aircraft Ltd was created in 1929 as Fairchild Aviation Corp's Canadian subsidiary. The company ended all aircraft production in 1948.

The Kreider Reisner Aircraft Co Inc was formed in 1927. Kreider Reisner became a wholly-owned division of (first) the Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Co in 1929, (second) AVCO's American Airplane and Engine Corp (which renamed KR aircraft "Pilgrims") in 1931, and (third) Fairchild Aircraft Manufacturing and Engine Co in 1934. Kreider-Reisner was renamed the Fairchild Aircraft Corp in 1935, becoming Fairchild Engine and Airplane Co's principle US aircraft manufacturing subsidiary. Fairchild Aircraft Corp was renamed the Fairchild Aircraft Division in 1939, the Fairchild Aircraft and Missiles Division in 1961, the Fairchild Stratos Aircraft and Missiles Division in 1961, the Aircraft-Missiles Division in 1965, and the Aircraft Division in 1967. With a growing number of aircraft subsidiaries reporting to Fairchild Industries, the Aircraft Division was broken up in a corporate reorganization of the 1970s. While the Kreider Reisner Midget is listed under Kreider Reisner, all Kreider Reisner Challenger series aircraft (designated "KR" biplanes by Fairchild) appear under Fairchild.

In 1936 Fairchild Engine and Airplane Co founded the subsidiary Duromold Aircraft Corp to better account for time spent developing the Duromold wood/resin bonding process and the Model 46 aircraft. In 1938, the majority interest in Duromold was bought by a group of investors (including process inventor Col. Virginius E. Clark), who formed the Clark Aircraft Corp. Fairchild kept a minority interest in Clark, retaining Duromold as a holding company. In September 1938, Fairchild renamed its Duromold division Fairchild Airplane Investment Corp, and Clark created a subsidiary called Duramold Aircraft Corp (note the spelling change). In 1938 Duramold was renamed Molded Aircraft Corp. In 1939, Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp bought back a controlling interest in Clark and renamed Molded Aircraft Duramold Aircraft Manufacturing Corp. The Duramold and Clark companies disappeared during one of Fairchild's World War II reorganizations.

In 1952 Fairchild licensed the rights to Dutch Fokker's F.27 medium-range airliner. In 1953, the USAF transferred production contracts for the Chase Aircraft Co, Inc C 123 to Fairchild. The Chase-built XC 123 and XC 123A appear under Chase, while Fairchild's C-123 production is listed under Fairchild.

In 1954, the American Helicopter Co, Inc (founded 1947) became the Helicopter Division of Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp. The division closed by the end of decade.

In 1964, Fairchild Stratos purchased Hiller Aircraft Corp, and both companies were renamed: Hiller Aircraft Co Inc become a subsidiary of Fairchild Hiller Corp. In the 1973 reorganization of Fairchild Hiller into Fairchild Industries, Hiller helicopter interests passed to an independent Hiller Aviation Inc….

In 1965, the Republic Aviation Corp became Republic Aviation Division (also known as Fairchild Republic) of Fairchild Hiller Corp. In 1987, Republic was shut down when Fairchild Industries ceased building commercial and military aircraft.

Swearingen Aircraft formed in the late 1950s, modifying Beech aircraft for executive transport. In 1965 the company produced its first new design, the Merlin. In 1970 Swearingen began development of the Metro, a joint venture to be marketed by Fairchild Hiller Corp. As a subsidiary of Fairchild Industries, Swearingen became Swearingen Aviation Corp, in 1971, Fairchild Swearingen in 1981, and Fairchild Aircraft Corp in September 1982. When Fairchild Industries closed its aircraft design and production facilities in 1987, Fairchild Aircraft Corp was sold to GMF Investments, Inc; GMF continued to operate the company under the Fairchild name. In 1990, Fairchild Aircraft filed for Chapter 11 protection and was purchased by Fairchild Acquisition Inc as Fairchild Aircraft Inc. Fairchild Aircraft delivered its last aircraft in 2001. Most Swearingen designs are filed under Swearingen; the Metro and Expediter can be found under Fairchild.

In 1996, Fairchild Acquisition became Fairchild Aerospace. While continuing to operate Fairchild Aircraft, the company also purchased 80% of the stock of Germany's Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH (with the remaining 20% of shares held by Daimler Benz Aerospace). Dornier's aircraft manufacturing operations were taken over by Fairchild Dornier Luftfahrt Beteiligungs GmbH. In 2000, Fairchild Aerospace was renamed Fairchild Dornier Aerospace, with corporate headquarters moved to Germany. Dornier designs predating Fairchild's takeover are listed under Dornier. Subsequent designs are found under Fairchild Dornier."

The following lists companies owned by Sherman Fairchild Industries and their years of incorporation. Major divisions of Fairchild are also listed. This list does not include when these entities were divested of or liquidated.

1920 -- Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation

1922 -- Fairchild Aerial Surveys (of Canada) Limited

1924 -- Fairchild Aerial Surveys, Incorporated

1924 -- S.M. Fairchild Flying Corporation

1925 -- Fairchild Aerial Camera

1925 -- Fairchild Caminez Engine Corporation

1925 -- Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corporation

1925 -- Fairchild Flying Company, Incorporated (name change from S.M. Fairchild Flying Corp.)

1925 -- Fairchild Aviation Corporation (holding company for Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation, Fairchild Aerial Surveys, Inc., Fairchild Flying Company, Inc, Fairchild Caminez Engine Corporation, Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corporation and Fairchild Aerial Surveys (of Canada) Ltd.)

1925 -- Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation

1926 -- Elliot-Fairchild Air Service, Limited

1926 -- Elliot-Fairchild Air Transport, Limited

1926 -- Fairchild Aviation, Limited (name change from Fairchild Aerial Surveys (of Canada) Limited)

1926 -- Fairchild Air Transport, Limited (name change from Elliot-Fairchild Air Transport, Limited)

1927 -- Fairchild Aviation Corporation (reorganization and refinancing of the following subsidiaries and minority holdings, Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation, Fairchild Aerial Surveys, Inc., Fairchild Flying Company, Inc, Fairchild Caminez Engine Corporation, Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corporation, Fairchild Aviation, Limited, Compania Mexicana de Aviacion, S.A. [20% stock] and International Aerial Engineering Company [20% stock])

1928 -- Faircam Realty Corporation

1928 -- Fairchild Boats, Incorporated

1928 -- Fairchild Engine Corporation

1928 -- V.E. Clark Corporation

1928 -- West Indian Aerial Express, Incorporated

1928 -- Fairchild Aviation Corporation of Illinois

1929 -- Fairchild Shares Corporation

1929 -- Fairchild Aircraft, Limited

1930 -- Fairchild-American Photo Aerial Surveys, S.A.

1932 -- Fairchild Airplane Sales Corporation

1934 -- Fairchild Aircraft Corporation

1936 -- Fairchild Aviation, Incorporated

1936 -- Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation (holding company for Fairchild Aircraft Corporation, Ranger Engineering Corporation and Fairchild Aircraft, Limited [50% stock])

1937 -- Duramold Aircraft Corporation

1938 -- Clark Corporation

1938 -- Fairchild Airplane Investments Corporation

1938 -- Duramold Aircraft Corporation

1938 -- Molded Aircraft Corporation (name change from Duramold Aircraft Corporation)

1938 -- Duramold Aircraft Corporation

1939 -- Ranger Corporation

1941 -- AL-FIN Corporation

1941 -- Stratos Corporation

1945 -- Fairchild Pilotless Planes Division formed by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation

1945 -- Fairchild Personal Planes Division formed by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation

1946 -- Fairchild – NEPA (nuclear powered aircraft engines) Division is formed by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation

1949 -- Fairchild Guided Missiles Division (name change from Fairchild Pilotless Planes Division)

1953 -- Fairchild Speed Control Division formed by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation

1953 -- Fairchild Aviation, (Holland) N.V.

1954 -- American Helicopter Division formed by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation

1954 -- Fairchild Kinetics Division formed by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation

1955 -- Fairchild Armalite Division formed by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation

1956 -- Fairchild Electronics Division (name change from American Helicopter Division)

1957 -- Jonco Aircraft Corporation

1958 -- Fairchild Arms International, Limited

1958 -- Fairchild Astronautics Division (name change from Fairchild Guided Missiles Division)

1958 -- Fairchild Aircraft and Missiles Division (name change from Fairchild Aircraft Division)

1958 -- International Aluminum Structures Incorporated

1960 -- Astrionics Division (name change from Electronics Systems Division)

1960 -- Aircraft Service Division

1961 -- Fairchild Stratos Corporation (operating division, subsidiaries and affiliates: Aircraft-Missile Division, Aircraft Service Division, Electronic Systems Division, Stratos Division, Fairchild Arms International Ltd, Fairchild Aviation (Holland) N.V., and Aerotest Laboratories, Inc.)

1962 -- Space System Division formed by Fairchild Stratos Corporation

1962 -- Data Systems Engineering formed by Fairchild Stratos Corporation

1964 -- Hiller Aircraft Company, Inc

1964 -- Fairchild Hiller Corporation (name change from Fairchild Stratos Corporation; division and subsidiaries: Aircraft Missiles Division, Aircraft Service Division, Electronic Systems Division, Data Systems Engineering, Space Systems Division, Stratos Division, Hiller Aircraft Company, Inc., Fairchild Aviation (Holland) N.V. and Fairchild Arms International, Inc.)

1965 -- Republic Aviation Corporation

1965 -- Republic Aviation Division

1965 -- Electronic and Information Systems Division (formed by combining Electronic Systems Division, Data Systems Engineering and similar disciplines from Republic Aviation Corporation)

1966 -- Burns Aero Seat Company, Incorporated

1966 -- Fairchild Hiller – FRG Corporation

1966 -- Aircraft Division (formed by combining Aircraft-Missiles Division and Hiller Aircraft Company, Inc.)

1966 -- Space and Electronics Systems Division (formed by combining Space Systems Division and Electronic and Information Systems Division)

1966 -- Industrial Products Division (forms from the Industrial Products Branch of Stratos Division)

1967 -- S.J. Industries, Inc.

1967 -- Air Carrier Engine Services, Inc.

1967 -- Fairchild Chemical Corporation

1967 -- EWR-Fairchild International

1968 -- Fairchild Aircraft Marketing Company

1968 -- FAIRMICCO

1969 -- Fairchild-Germantown Development Company, Incorporated

1970 -- Fairchild Aviation (Asia) Limited

1971 -- Fairchild Industries, Incorporated (name changes from Fairchild Hiller Corporation, division and subsidiaries: Fairchild Aircraft Marketing Company, Fairchild Aircraft Service Division, Fairchild Industrial Products Division, Fairchild Republic Division, Fairchild Space and Electronics Division, Fairchild Stratos Division, Burns Aero Seat Company, Incorporated, Fairchild Arms International, Ltd., Fairchild Aviation (Asia) Limited, Fairchild Aviation (Holland) N.V., Fairchild-Germantown Development Company, Incorporated and S.J. Industries, Inc.)

1971 -- Fairchild KLIF, Incorporated

1971 -- Swearingen Aviation Corporation

1972 -- American Satellite Corporation

1972 -- Fairchild Minnesota, Incorporated

1972 -- Fairchild International Sales Corporation

1979 -- Bunker Ramo Corporation [18.4% interest]

1980 -- American Satellite Company

1980 -- Space Communications Company (Spacecom) [25% interest]

1980 -- VSI Corporation

1980 -- Saab-Fairchild HB

1981 -- Fairchild Swearingen Corporation (name change from Swearingen Aviation Corporation)

1982 -- Fairchild Credit Corporation

1982 -- Fairchild Control Systems Company (name change from Fairchild Control Systems Company)

1983 -- Fairchild Space Company and Fairchild Communications and Electronics Company (formed from the Fairchild Space and Electronics Company)

1929 -- Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company, Incorporated [82% stock]
Fairchild, Hiller, Republic and Swearingen Aircraft documented in this collection:
Fairchild

Fairchild A 10 Thunderbolt

Fairchild YA 10 Thunderbolt II

Fairchild A 10A Thunderbolt II

Fairchild YA 10B Thunderbolt II (N/AW, Night/Adverse Weather)

Fairchild XAT 13 Yankee Doodle

Fairchild XAT 14 Gunner

Fairchild XAT 14A Gunner

Fairchild AT 21 Gunner

Fairchild XBQ 3

Fairchild XC 8

Fairchild C 8

Fairchild C 8A

Fairchild (American) Y1C 24 (C 24) Pilgrim

Fairchild XC 31 Pilgrim

Fairchild UC 61 Forwarder

Fairchild UC 61A Forwarder

Fairchild UC 61K Forwarder

Fairchild XC 82 Packet

Fairchild C 82A Packet

Fairchild UC 86

Fairchild UC 96

Fairchild C 119A (XC 82B) Flying Boxcar

Fairchild C 119B Flying Boxcar

Fairchild C 119C Flying Boxcar

Fairchild C 119F Flying Boxcar

Fairchild C 119G Flying Boxcar

Fairchild AC 119G Shadow Gunship

Fairchild YC 119H Skyvan

Fairchild C 119J Flying Boxcar

Fairchild YC 119K Flying Boxcar

Fairchild AC 119K Stinger Gunship

Fairchild C 119L Flying Boxcar

Fairchild XC 120 Packplane

Fairchild XC 123 Avitruc

Fairchild XC 123A Avitruc

Fairchild C 123B Provider

Fairchild (Stroukoff) YC 123E Provider (Pantobase)

Fairchild YC 123H Provider

Fairchild C 123J Provider

Fairchild C 123K Provider

Fairchild NC 123K (AC 123K) Provider

Fairchild UC 123K Provider

Fairchild VC 123K Provider

Fairchild (Stroukoff) YC 134A (BLC, Pantobase)

Fairchild YF 1 (F 1, C 8)

Fairchild F 27 Friendship

Fairchild F 27A Friendship (Fokker F.27 Series 200)

Fairchild F 27B Friendship (Fokker F.27 Series 300)

Fairchild F 27E Friendship

Fairchild F 27F Friendship

Fairchild F 27G Friendship

Fairchild F 27J Friendship

Fairchild F 27M Friendship

Fairchild F 27 (M 258) Military Configuration

Fairchild FH 227 Friendship

Fairchild FH 227B Friendship

Fairchild FH 227C Friendship

Fairchild FH 227D Friendship

Fairchild FH 227E Friendship

Fairchild F 47

Fairchild F 78 (M 82) Packet

Fairchild FB 3 (Special Flying Boat Monoplane)

Fairchild FC 1

Fairchild FC 2L

Fairchild FC 2W

Fairchild FC 2W, NASM

Fairchild FC 2W2

Fairchild FC 2W2 Stars and Stripes

Fairchild FC 2W2 City of New York

Fairchild GK 1

Fairchild JK 1

Fairchild J2K 1

Fairchild J2K 2

Fairchild XJQ 2 (XRQ 2, FC 2)

Fairchild KR 21 (Challenger C 6)

Fairchild KR 31 (Challenger C 2)

Fairchild KR 34 (Challenger C 4)

Fairchild M 62

Fairchild M 84

Fairchild M 186

Fairchild M 225

Fairchild M 253

Fairchild M 270D

Fairchild M 288

Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro

Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro II

Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro III

Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro IV

Fairchild (Swearingen) Metro 23

Fairchild XNQ 1

Fairchild (American) Pilgrim 100

Fairchild (Pilatus) Porter (Heli Porter, Turbo Porter)

Fairchild PT 19

Fairchild PT 19A

Fairchild PT 19B

Fairchild PT 23

Fairchild PT 23A

Fairchild PT 26 Cornell

Fairchild XR2K 1 (F 22)

Fairchild R4Q 1 Packet

Fairchild SF 340

Fairchild T 46 NGT

Fairchild AU 23A Peacemaker (Armed Pilatus Turbo Porter)

Fairchild VZ 5 Fledgling (M 224 1)

Fairchild 21 (FT 1)

Fairchild 22

Fairchild 24

Fairchild 24R40

Fairchild 34 42 Niska

Fairchild 41

Fairchild 42

Fairchild 45 (F 45)

Fairchild 45 80 Sekani Floatplane

Fairchild 46

Fairchild 51

Fairchild 51A

Fairchild 71

Fairchild 71A

Fairchild 71B

Fairchild 71C

Fairchild 71CM

Fairchild Super 71

Fairchild 91 Baby Clipper (942, XA 942A, XA 942B)

Fairchild 125

Fairchild 135

Fairchild 140

Fairchild 150

Hiller

Hiller YOH 5 (YHO 5, Model 1100)

Hiller H 23A (Model UH 12A) Raven

Hiller H 23B (Model UH 12B, OH 23B) Raven

Hiller H 23C (OH 23C) Raven

Hiller H 23D (OH 23D) Raven

Hiller H 23F (Model 12E 4, OH 23F) Raven

Hiller YH 32 (Model HJ 1 Hornet)

Hiller YH 32A (Sally, 3 Seat)

Hiller Model XH 44

Hiller Copter

Hiller Model XH 44

Hiller Copter, NASM

Hiller Model HJ 1 (Model J 1) Hornet

Hiller HOE 1 (Model HJ 1 Hornet)

Hiller HTE 1 (Model UH 12A)

Hiller HTE 2 (Model UH 12B)

Hiller Model J 5

Hiller XROE 1 Rotorcycle

Hiller YROE 1 Rotorcycle

Hiller STORC (Self Ferrying Trans Ocean Rotary Wing Crane)

Hiller Model UH 4 Commuter

Hiller Model UH 5

Hiller Model UH 12 (Model 12) Family

Hiller Model UH 12E 4 (E 4)

Hiller Model UH 12L 4 (L 4, SL 4)

Hiller VZ 1 Pawnee (YHO 1E, Flying Platform)

Hiller Model X 2 235

Hiller X 18 Propelloplane

Hiller Model 360

Hiller Model Ten99

Hiller Model 1100 (FH 1100)

Republic

Republic (Sud) Alouette II

Republic AT 12

Republic EP 1

Republic XF 12 (R 12) Rainbow

Republic XF 84 (XP 84) Thunderjet

Republic YF 84A (YP 84A) Thunderjet

Republic F 84B (P 84B) Thunderjet

Republic F 84E Thunderjet

Republic YF 84F (YF 96A) Thunderstreak

Republic F 84F Thunderstreak

Republic YRF 84F Thunderflash

Republic RF 84F Thunderflash

Republic F 84G Thunderjet

Republic XF 84H Thunderjet

Republic XF 91 Thunderceptor

Republic XF 103

Republic YF 105B Thunderchief

Republic F 105B Thunderchief

Republic YP 43 Lancer

Republic P 43 Lancer

Republic XP 44 (AP 4J, AP 4L) Rocket (Warrior)

Republic P 47B Thunderbolt

Republic P 47C Thunderbolt

Republic P 47D (F 47D) Thunderbolt

Republic TP 47G Thunderbolt

Republic XP 47J Thunderbolt

Republic XP 47K Thunderbolt

Republic P 47M Thunderbolt

Republic P 47N (F 47N) Thunderbolt

Republic XP 72

Republic RC 2 Airliner

Republic RC 3 Seabee

Swearingen

Swearingen Excalibur (Modified Beech Twin Bonanza)

Swearingen Merlin I

Swearingen Merlin II

Swearingen Merlin IIA

Swearingen Merlin III

Swearingen Merlin IV
List of Artifacts:
Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Co., Inc, 1925, corporate stamp

Dummy 30mm canon round (used on A-10)

Cork screw

Brief case with map holder detached

Bronze Plaque, William Preston Lane, Jr., 189 --1967, Attorney, Publisher, Governor of Maryland 1947 --1951, Director of Fairchild Hiller Corporation 1951 - 1966

Fairchild flag 1964-71
Provenance:
Fairchild Industries, gift, 1989, 1989-0060
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Topic:
Periodicals  Search this
Aerial photography  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this
Aircraft industry  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Financial records
Negatives
Photographs
Videotapes
Publications
Motion pictures (visual works)
Identifier:
NASM.1989.0060
See more items in:
Fairchild Industries, Inc. collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg228aec5d8-47db-4493-99fd-06bcebf6c77e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1989-0060
Online Media:

EDO Aircraft Corporation Collection

Creator:
Edo Aircraft Corp  Search this
Names:
Edo Aircraft Corp  Search this
Extent:
0.45 Cubic feet ((1 legal document box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Photographs
Publications
Financial records
Date:
1925-1970
bulk 1927-1945
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of material relating to the EDO Aircraft Corporation, mostly from the 1920s-1940s. The following types of material are included: company correspondence, photographs, brochures, price lists and float specifications, and annual reports.
Biographical / Historical:
The Edo Aircraft Company, later renamed the EDO Corporation, was founded in 1925. The company's first project was an all-metal flying boat, called the 'Malolo.' Because of the limited market for flying boats in 1926, the company switched its endeavors to the design and construction of all-metal seaplane floats. Development of the EDO all-metal float did much to stimulate the use of seaplanes. Over 300 different types of aircraft, from many countries, were equipped with EDO floats by 1941. During 1942-1945 all the floats used by the Navy and Army Air Corps were built by EDO. After the war, the company ventured into other areas, including: Sonar for underwater exploration and antisubmarine warfare; development of the hydro-ski; involvement in the Navy's Polaris and Trident programs; development of the navigational aide Loran; and participation in cold-war intelligence gathering equipment.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Margery O. Erickson, gift, 1995, 1995-0054, 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  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Edo Model B Flying Boat "Malolo"  Search this
Seaplanes  Search this
Seaplanes -- Design and construction  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Photographs
Publications
Financial records
Identifier:
NASM.1995.0054
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e0b47698-f363-443f-9f81-8148db8e2b93
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1995-0054

Curtiss NC-4 Design, Construction, and Testing Reports

Creator:
United States. Navy  Search this
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Names:
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
United States. Navy  Search this
Extent:
1.51 Cubic feet (2 records center boxes)
2.27 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Financial records
Drawings
Date:
1918-1969
bulk 1919-1919
Summary:
This collection consists of reports on the design, construction, and testing of the NC series flying boats and photographs of NC-4's construction and transatlantic flight.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of reports on the design, construction, and testing of the NC series flying boats and photographs and 3 negatives of the NC-4's construction and transatlantic flight. The collection is set up in a series of books with two copies of each book, except books 11 and 13. There is some water damage to book 10. Due to the fact that book 5 contained oversize materials, both copies of this book are filed out of sequence in box 4.
Arrangement:
The collection is set up in a series of books with two copies of each book, except books 11 and 13. There is some water damage to book 10. Due to the fact that book 5 contained oversize materials, both copies of this book are filed out of sequence in box 4.
Biographical/Historical note:
In 1917, during World War I, the United States Navy sent out specification for a flying boat of sufficient range to cross the Atlantic Ocean by air to Great Britain, where it would serve as an anti-submarine patrol aircraft. The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, in conjunction with the United States Navy, developed a three-engine aircraft to meet these specifications. The first of the new aircraft was the NC-1 that flew for the first time on October 4, 1918. This was followed by the NC-2 whose maiden flight took place on April 12, 1919 with four engines in tandem pairs. The engine arrangement of the NC-2 had been declared unsatisfactory for the mission and the wings were removed and installed on the NC-1 to replace the originals that had been damaged in a storm. By this time, World War I had ended, but the Navy decided to continue the program in an effort to make the first transatlantic flight crossing by air. The new NC-3 and NC-4 models reverted to the three-engine format, although the NC-4 had a fourth engine mounted as a pusher behind the center engine. On May 16, 1919 the NC-1, NC-3 and NC-4 assembled at Trepassy Bay, Newfoundland, under the command of Commander John H. Towers, to begin the 1400-mile flight to the Azores. The NC-1 was forced down short of the island and sank. Naval vessels stationed along the flight path rescued the crew of the NC-1. The NC-3 landed two hundred miles short and taxied the remaining distance to the island. Only the NC-4 completed the flight successfully, reaching Plymouth, England, via Lisbon, Portugal, on May 31, 1919. Following publicity tours of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, the Curtiss NC-4 was given over to the Smithsonian Institution and is now part of the National Air and Space Museum collection.
Provenance:
Lee Pearson, XXXX-0422, 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:
Seaplanes  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Curtiss NC-4 (P2N-1)  Search this
Curtiss NC-Boat Family  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Genre/Form:
Financial records
Drawings
Citation:
Curtiss NC-4 Design, Construction, and Testing Reports, Acc. XXXX-0422, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0422
See more items in:
Curtiss NC-4 Design, Construction, and Testing Reports
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2dc82368c-f25a-4738-bfef-00fd2ed97574
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0422
Online Media:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records - Patent Files

Creator:
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Names:
Aerial Experiment Association  Search this
Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this
Herring-Curtiss Co.  Search this
Bell, Alexander Graham, 1847-1922  Search this
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this
Herring, Augustus Moore, 1867-1926  Search this
Extent:
9 Cubic feet (18 document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Financial records
Drawings
Date:
1906-1947
Summary:
The years before World War I were spent in patent litigation for aviation pioneers Glenn Curtiss and Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Scope and Contents:
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation Archives - Patent Files collection consists primarily of materials relating to patents issued to and maintained by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation and its subsidiaries from the 1910s to the 1950s, though the bulk of the materials pre-date World War II. The majority of the collection is original patent certificates. Other materials include records of litigation proceedings, correspondence, memoranda, aircraft drawings and blueprints, reports, sales brochures, meeting minutes, and annual reports.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in four series: Patents, Patent File Wrappers, Patent Litigation, and Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records. Series I contains original patents and related materials issued or assigned to the Curtiss-Wright Corporation and related organizations. Covering the years between 1911 and 1939, the series is further divided into two subseries: United States Patents and International Patents. Series II consists of file wrappers prepared by the United States Patent Office, containing a complete record of the patent's history. The third series includes materials from Curtiss-Wright's numerous litigation proceedings in defense of its patents. The fourth series contains business records created by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation including photocopies of historic patent and stock documents, division minutes, and reports for the U.S. Navy Department.

Series I - Patents, 1911-1939

Subseries I - United States Patents, 1911-1939

Subseries II - International Patents, 1916-1935

Series II - Patent File Wrappers, 1916-1930

Series III - Patent Litigation, 1916-1947

Series IV - Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records, 1906-1945
Historical Note:
The years before World War I were spent in patent litigation for aviation pioneers Glenn Curtiss and Orville and Wilbur Wright. The Wright brothers claimed wing warping patents and sought to prevent Curtiss and others from manufacturing and selling aircraft and products based on these patents. During World War I, the aircraft manufacturing industry set up the Manufacturer's Aircraft Association, a patent pool in which all participants were allowed to use any patents to build aircraft for the war effort. After the war, Wright Aeronautical Corporation and the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company continued to be major players in the aircraft industry, long after Curtiss and the Wrights ended association with their namesakes.

In 1929, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company merged with the Wright Aeronautical Corporation to form the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. After the merger, responsibility for engine and propeller manufacture was consolidated under the Wright name while Curtiss concentrated on airplanes. Although the two companies were merged by name and under the direction of a corporate headquarters located in New York City, the separation and specialization of the two divisions continued to cause problems for the company. The election of former Wright personnel to key corporate positions soon led to Wright becoming the dominant division. The Great Depression and the collapse of the market for commercial aviation revealed how reliant the aviation industry was on military production. Sales dropped and Curtiss-Wright was forced to close certain satellite plants and transfer some of their product lines to the St. Louis facility.

During the U.S. military build-up prior to World War II, existing Curtiss-Wright plants were expanded and new aircraft factories were built to meet the growing production demand. The company failed, however, to plan for the future after the war. In 1946, Curtiss-Wright had only two experimental military models at hand for postwar delivery and no assurance of production orders. Wright Aeronautical continued to build engines, but was no longer at the forefront of development. The eventual sale of the Airplane Division to North American included design rights to the former Curtiss-Wright airplanes. The Curtiss-Wright Airplane Division, which manufactured airframes, finally closed down in 1951.

The Curtiss-Wright Corporation still exists in the 21st century, but has become a diversified technology corporation in various markets, including aviation and defense.
Provenance:
Curtiss-Wright Corporation, gift, 1987.
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:
Patent suits  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Aircraft industry  Search this
Genre/Form:
Financial records
Drawings
Citation:
Curtiss-Wright Corporation Archives - Patent Files, Acc. 1987-0029, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1987.0029
See more items in:
Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records - Patent Files
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2856fe9ac-89f2-4f30-ae6f-ec8eebb8ae47
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1987-0029
Online Media:

Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. Collection

Creator:
Early Birds of Aviation (Organization).  Search this
Names:
Early Birds of Aviation (Organization).  Search this
Extent:
22.05 Cubic feet (49 Boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Publications
Financial records
Correspondence
Date:
1928-circa 1980s
Summary:
This collection consists of the records and historical materials of the Early Bird organization, including correspondence; photographs; the organization's newsletter, Chirp; financial records; reunion memorabilia; biographical material of members; and membership lists. This material was donated to the Museum after the National Air Museum was designated as the official repository for Early Bird records.
Scope and Contents:
The Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. Collection (acc. XXXX-0566) contains approximately 18 cubic feet of material relating to this group of early pilots. The material includes correspondence, financial records, periodicals, photographic material, published materials and various other media containing information on the organization and its individual members.

The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) was designated by the Early Birds as the official repository for the organization in 1960 and the Museum has obtained materials at different times from various members. Much of the material in the collection is comprised of the records and memorabilia of the organization's officers, including Paul Garber, past President as well as Archivist/Historian for the group. In addition to the records contained in this collection, members have donated to NASM aircraft, plaques and other items of historical interest.

Some preliminary processing work had been done on this collection by 1996, but much of the material remained without obvious order. Original order, when identified, has been maintained.

Material was added from the Museum's Archives' Technical Files on organizations but researchers seeking information on individual members may wish to cross-reference the biographical section of the Technical Files located in NASM's Archives downtown which includes folders for most of the Early Birds.

Some members of the Early Birds remained quite active with the organization until the late 1980s. The material in the collection therefore spans over eighty years.
Arrangement note:
Container List: Series I: Core organizational documents; Series II: Organizational correspondence and records; Series III: Publications; Series IV: Events; Series V: Individual members; Series VI: Miscellaneous; Series VII: Scrapbooks

Appendices. Appendix I: Chronological List of Officers Appendix II: Membership list Related collections in NASM's holdings
Biographical / Historical:
Founded after the National Air Races of 1928, the Early Birds (later to be known as the Early Birds of Aviation, Inc.) consisted of pioneer aviators banded together for the purposes of preserving aviation history, advancing interest in aeronautics and the enjoyment of good fellowship. Membership in the group necessitated documentary evidence of solo flight in heavier- or lighter-than-air craft before December 17, 1916. This date was of some significance to the Early Birds, being the thirteenth anniversary (that number being considered propitious) of the first sustained, powered, heavier-than-air flight by the Wrights at Kitty Hawk. Those interested in flying in this pre-World War I period were often required to build their own craft and instruct themselves in the necessary skills to pilot it and members took great pride in this evidence of initiative. (For nationals of countries other than the United States which were engaged in the War the conditional date was set at August 4, 1914.)

As an organization, the Early Birds was responsible for the preservation of aircraft and records, the erection of numerous markers and monuments and the education of the public on the importance of aviation. With members including Glenn Curtiss, Blanche Stuart Scott, Matilde Moisant, Grover Loening, Roy Knabenshue, Sir Thomas Sopwith, Katherine Stinson, Marjorie Stinson, Earle Ovington, Matty Laird, Anthony Fokker and Giuseppe Bellanca, their contributions as individuals were incalculable.

Numbering nearly 600 members at its peak, the Early Birds was conceived of as a "last man's club" whose existence would cease with the passing of its last surviving member.
Related Collections in NASM's Holdings:
NOTES FOR STAFF

NameMaterialAccession NumberLawrence M. AllisonBiographical material1988-0021Charles A. ArensScrapbooksXXXX-0016Ralph S. BarnabyPersonal Papers1987-0048Carl T. Batts Collection1992-0048George W. BeattyCollection 1989-0013/1991-0069Lucielle A. Belmont Exhibition AdvertisementXXXX-0078Edward R. BolandMemorabiliaXXXX-0063Frank T. CoffynScrapbookXXXX-0065Harry D. CoplandSlide CollectionXXXX-0439H. Paul CulverScrapbookXXXX-0401H.P. Culver Airmail Scrapbook & InvoicesXXXX-0401Glenn CurtissScrapbookXXXX-0320Glenn H. CurtissCollectionXXXX-0053Charles H. DayScrapbookXXXX-0028Curtiss LaQ. DayScrapbookXXXX-0292William Carl Diehl CollectionXXXX-0469Early Aviation ('06-'10)ScrapbooksXXXX-0404Early Aviation (ca. '10)ScrapbooksXXXX-0299Early AviationPhotograph ScrapbookXXXX-0322Early AviationPhotograph ScrapbookXXXX-0048Early AviationScrapbookXXXX-0291"Early Birds"Reunion AutographsXXXX-0124Luis DeFlorezScrapbook/MemorabiliaXXXX-0069Paul E. GarberScrapbookXXXX-0246Thomas Foster Hamilton Collection1989-0129Edward HoltermanScrapbookXXXX-0223S. Jerwan/MoisantScrapbookXXXX-0231Walter E. JohnsonScrapbook1987-0068Ernest Jones AeronauticalCollectionXXXX-0096Roy KnabenshueAutobiography ManuscriptXXXX-0136Frank P. LahmCollection1984-0044Lahm Airport Memorial& DedicationScrapbook S-118XXXX-0268R.F. MacFieScrapbookXXXX-0296Glenn L. MartinScrapbookXXXX-0018James V. MartinScrapbookXXXX-0236Thomas deWitt MillingPersonal PapersXXXX-0133Harold E. Morehouse "Flying Pioneers" BiographiesXXXX-0450George A. PageCollectionXXXX-0126Evan J. Parker ScrapbookXXXX-0348Fred ParkerScrapbookXXXX-0224Edwin C. ParsonsScrapbookXXXX-0308Roland RohlfsScrapbookXXXX-0278Martin F. Scanlon ScrapbooksXXXX-0037Blanche Stuart ScottMemorabiliaXXXX-0062William H. Sheahan Early Aviation PhotographsXXXX-0523Thomas SteptoeScrapbookXXXX-0229Paul R. StocktonWorld War I Aviation ScrapbookXXXX-0283Paul StudenskiCollection1989-0012Henry ToncrayScrapbook1989-0012John H. TowersWorld War I Aviation ScrapbookXXXX-0033Victor VernonScrapbookXXXX-0221John B.R. VerplanckScrapbookXXXX-0012Clifford L. Webster CollectionXXXX-0559Elling D. Weeks (E.D. "Hud" Weeks)Early Aviation Collection1984-0004, 1984-0006Bernard L. Whelan Photographs1992-0055Orville & Wilbur WrightMemorabiliaXXXX-0079
Provenance:
Early Birds of Aviation, Inc., gift, 1960s-1980s, XXXX-0566, NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Topic:
Periodicals  Search this
Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this
Aeronautics -- Societies, etc.  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Publications
Financial records
Correspondence
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0566
See more items in:
Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg20ee50635-5fc1-481e-8f06-a3efd25fe64c
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0566
Online Media:

Clement Melville Keys Papers

Creator:
Keys, Clement Melville, 1876-1952  Search this
Names:
Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America  Search this
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this
Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc.  Search this
Keys, Clement Melville, 1876-1952  Search this
Extent:
16.3 Cubic feet (32 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Financial records
Drawings
Date:
1916-1952
bulk 1928-1931
Summary:
Clement Melville Keys (1876-1952) was a financier and corporate organizer who promoted aviation through the post-World War I decade. In 1916 he came to the aid of the financially-troubled Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and was made an unsalaried vice president. Keys accompanied the American Aviation Mission to Europe in 1919, returning to purchase a controlling interest in Curtiss in 1920. He remained president of Curtiss until the 1929 merger with Wright Aeronautical Corp. to form Curtiss-Wright Corporation, whereupon he became president of the new company. In 1931, however, Keys resigned as chairman of T&WA following a bitter struggle for control of the airline. Mental collapse followed and Keys surrendered all his remaining aviation interests and left Curtiss-Wright in 1933.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists primarily of Keys' business records and correspondence from the 1920s and early 1930s. The bulk of the material relates to the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company/Curtiss-Wright Corporation and related firms, as well as Transcontinental Air Transport. The material includes business (operating) correspondence and records relating to Keys' financial interests.

The collection is divided into three series. The first series consists of materials dated through Keys' withdrawal from his aviation interests in 1932, followed by a second series of materials post-dating 1932. The final series consists of a small number of legal-sized documents not marked by Keys or his secretary and not otherwise placeable in either of the first two series. Because of the small amount of legal-sized material in the collection, the bulk of the collection has been stored in letter-sized containers; all legal-size documents have been placed in legal-sized containers at the end of the collection (Boxes 29-31) and a cross-reference note entered in the appropriate place in basic folder list. Larger materials have been placed in a single oversized box (Box 32) with cross-references in the folder list as appropriate.

Note: The digital images shown for this collection were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product which did not reproduce all materials found in this collection; some items have not been scanned.
Arrangement:
The processing of the Keys papers began as an intern project. The intern, however, was unable to complete the work before the end of the intemship period and I was assigned to rebox the materials that had been left unprocessed so that higher priority activities could continue. The long-term plan was that I would finish processing the collection when other projects had been completed. At this time I discovered two things: first, many of the documents had been marked for filing, apparently by Keys or Mr. Swan, his confidential secretary; second, much of the material was no longer in this order. When my work load allowed me to return to the processing of the Keys Papers, I surveyed the collection. The remaining original folder labels and cross-reference sheets appeared to confirm my first discovery - many of the documents had been marked for filing.

Most of my work since has been directed at undoing the mishandling from the initial work, most of which occurred in the files relating to the Curtiss group of companies. Almost all of the items dating from mid-1928 onwards carry some sort of filing marks: these items have been reorganized into the indicated filing units (see folder list, below). Unfortunately, enclosures often were not marked: some of these were refiled in 1987 and their provenance is, therefore, lost. A close textual analysis of the collection would be necessary to reunite enclosures with their cover letters; current work load and staff levels preclude this labor-intensive operation.

Almost all of the items dating from mid-1928 onwards carry some sort of filing marks: these items have been reorganized into the indicated filing units (see folder list). Unfortunately, enclosures often were not marked: some of these were refiled in 1987 and their provenance is, therefore, lost. A close textual analysis of the collection would be necessary to reunite enclosures with their cover letters; current work load and staff levels preclude this labor-intensive operation.

Materials pre-dating mid-1928 or otherwise unmarked have been filed by "best guess" from the correspondents and subject of the letters. Some materials doubtless remain misfiled. Researchers should examine folders that seem even marginally related to their topic for unmarked but related documents.

Titles appearing in brackets [ ] are the archivist's.

Series 1

Materials through 1932

Series 2

Post-1932 Material

Series 3

Miscellaneous Materials
Biographical / Historical:
Clement Melville Keys (1876-1952) was a financier and corporate organizer who promoted aviation through the post Word War I decade. Canadian-born, Keys graduated from Toronto University (B.A. 1897) and taught classics before coming to the United States in 1901 (naturalized, 1924). He went to work for the Wall Street Journal, first as a reporter (1901-1903), then as railroad editor (1903-1905) before becoming financial editor for World's Work (1905-1911). In 1911 he founded C. M. Keys & Co., an investment counseling firm and bond dealer. In 1916 he came to the aid of the financially-troubled Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and was made an unsalaried Vice President. Keys accompanied the American Aviation Mission to Europe in 1919, returning to purchase a controlling interest in Curtiss in 1920. He remained president of Curtiss until the 1929 merger with Wright Aeronautical Corp. to form Curtiss-Wright Corporation, whereupon he became president of the new company. During his tenure as president of Curtiss (1920-1929) and its successor, Curtiss-Wright Corp. (1929-1933), Keys brought the company from the brink of bankruptcy to a position as one of the leading aircraft manufacturers in the world. Curtiss also became the center of a group of aviation-related companies which served to market and operate Curtiss aircraft. At the same time, Keys expanded his own holdings until he was at the head of twenty-six corporations, including aviation holdings companies, such as North American Aviation and National Aviation Corp., as well as the first American transcontinental air service, Transcontinental Air Transport (later Transcontinental & Western Airline). In January 1932, Keys withdrew from all his aviation interests, citing ill health. He remained connected with C. M. Keys & Co., concentrating mainly on financial and real estate interests. Upon retiring from Keys & Co. in 1942, he started a new company, C. M. Keys Aircraft Service Co. and, after World War II, helped organize Peruvian International Airways, which began operating in South America in 1947.
Provenance:
Donated by Elizabeth Keys Stoney.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Financial records
Drawings
Citation:
Clement Melville Keys Papers, Accession XXXX-0091, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0091
See more items in:
Clement Melville Keys Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg28e00e54d-1905-41ce-8b49-47f970892346
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0091
Online Media:

Glenn H. Curtiss Collection

Creator:
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this
Names:
Aerial Experiment Association  Search this
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this
Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this
Herring-Curtiss Co.  Search this
Bell, Alexander Graham, 1847-1922  Search this
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this
Herring, Augustus Moore, 1867-1926  Search this
Extent:
2.7 Cubic feet (6 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Financial records
Date:
1905-1931
bulk 1911-1930
Summary:
This collection consists of documents and memorabilia relating to Curtiss during the years of his active aviation pursuits. The bulk of the material relates to patent suits, including Wright v. Curtiss, Herring v. Curtiss, and Curtiss v. Janin.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the personal papers of Glenn H. Curtiss. These papers relate to his career as an aviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturing business owner. This collection also includes a small amount of personal correspondence. Moreover, materials pertaining to patents filed by Curtiss and the Wright brothers, as well as legal documents and testimony, are found in this collection.
Arrangement:
Series 1: Professional materials

Subseries 1.1: Corporate correspondence

Subseries 1.2: Personal correspondence

Subseries 1.3: Miscellaneous corporate materials

Subseries 1.4: Patent materials

Subseries 1.5: Reports

Subseries 1.6: Photographs

Subseries 1.7: Menus, programs and tributes

Subseries 1.8: Books, journals, newsletters, and miscellaneous materials

Subseries 1.9: Newspaper clippings and articles

Series 2: Legal materials

Subseries 2.1: Curtiss versus Herring

Subseries 2.2: Curtiss versus Wright Brothers

Subseries 2.3: Lena P. Curtiss versus Herring
Biographical/Historical note:
Glenn Hammond Curtiss (1878-1930) is best known as an aviation pioneer and inventor and founder of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. Initially a bicycle repairman and designer, by 1902 Curtiss had begun to manufacture motorcycles using a lightweight internal combustion engine of his own design and founded the Curtiss Manufacturing Co. By 1904 Curtiss' engine had been co-opted by Thomas Baldwin for his airship experiments. This activity led to a connection between Curtiss and Alexander Graham Bell and, in 1907, to the foundation of the Aerial Experiment Association. In 1909 Curtiss joined with Augustus M. Herring to form the Herring-Curtiss Co to manufacture powered vehicles, but Herring's unsubstantiated claims to priority over the Wright Brother's aeronautical patents led to the Wright and Curtiss patent suits which continued until the merger of Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor with Wright Aeronautical in 1929. Curtiss and Herring split after the Wright's filed suit and Herring sued Curtiss, claiming that Curtiss had failed to turn his air race winnings over to the company. Despite these, and other, suits, Curtiss continued to advance the cause and technology of aviation, founding the first public flying school (1910) and later a chain of schools across the US, inventing the aileron (1909), the dual-control trainer (1911) and the hydroaeroplane (1911). In 1920 Curtiss retired from active aviation pursuits. After Curtiss died, his wife continued the legal fight on her husband's behalf until a judge decided in Herring's favor (1931).
Provenance:
Glenn H. Curtiss, Jr., gift, 1963, XXXX-0053
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Permissions Requests
Topic:
Patent suits  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Aircraft industry  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Financial records
Citation:
Glenn H. Curtiss Collection, Acc. XXXX-0053, National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Inst.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0053
See more items in:
Glenn H. Curtiss Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg241da46ce-3f1e-4ec7-af81-133ce026131c
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0053
Online Media:

Fred Howard Vin Fiz Special Papers

Creator:
Howard, Fred.  Search this
Names:
Armour Company  Search this
Rodgers, Calbraith Perry  Search this
Extent:
0.8 Cubic feet (2 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Telegrams
Financial records
Correspondence
Logs (records)
Newspaper clippings
Date:
1911
Summary:
The first crossing of the United States by airplane was achieved by Calbraith Perry Rodgers in 1911 in his Wright EX biplane, named the Vin Fiz.
Scope and Content:
This collection consists of the following material relating to Fred Howard and his role with the Vin Fiz Special: correspondence, newspaper clippings and articles, schedules and logs for both the Vin Fiz and the Vin Fiz Special, telegrams; train registration sheets, miscellaneous notes, passenger lists, and financial paperwork.
Arrangement:
Arranged by type of material.
Biographical/Historical note:
The first crossing of the United States by airplane was achieved by Calbraith Perry Rodgers in 1911 in his Wright EX biplane, named the Vin Fiz. Rodgers decided to attempt the coast-to-coast flight in response to publisher William Randolph Hearst's New York American challenge which offered a prize of $50,000 for the first transcontinental flight to be competed in 30 days. Rodgers began his journey from Sheepshead Bay, New York, on September 17, 1911, and as the flight was punctuated by numerous stops, delays, and accidents the 30-day time limit Hearst imposed for the prize had expired before Rodgers reached California on November 5, 1911.

To finance the trip, Rodgers had secured backing from the Armour Company, a Chicago firm which was then introducing a new grape-flavored soft drink called Vin Fiz. Armour provided Rodgers with a special train, called the Vin Fiz Special, with cars for the accommodation of Rodgers' family and his support crew, and a "hangar" car, which was a rolling workshop, filled with spare parts to repair and maintain the airplane over the course of the flight. There was even an automobile on board to pick up Rodgers after forced landings away from the rail line. Fred Howard, the division passenger agent for the Erie Railroad, was placed in charge of the Vin Fiz Special and soon also took charge of the command center, juggling both railroad matters and aviation repairs. In Chicago, Howard was commended for his effort and asked to continue with the flight to California, but he declined.
Provenance:
Eileen F. Lebow , Gift, 2006, NASM.2007.0002
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Wright (Co) Model EX "Vin Fiz"  Search this
Railroad cars  Search this
Railroad travel  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Vin Fiz Special (train)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Telegrams
Financial records
Correspondence
Logs (records)
Newspaper clippings
Citation:
Fred Howard Vin Fiz Special Papers, NASM.2007.0002, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2007.0002
See more items in:
Fred Howard Vin Fiz Special Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a099dc3e-c120-40a2-a889-515129f7cd44
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2007-0002
Online Media:

Lovell Lawrence, Jr. Collection

Creator:
Lawrence, Lovell, Jr., 1915-1971  Search this
Names:
American Rocket Society  Search this
Chrysler Corporation. Missile Division  Search this
Reaction Motors, Inc.  Search this
Lawrence, Lovell, Jr., 1915-1971  Search this
Extent:
3.27 Cubic feet ((3 records center boxes))
3.12 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Financial records
Date:
1943-1953
Scope and Contents:
The bulk of this collection consists of documents relating to Lawrence's work at RMI, including technical reports and administrative papers, as well as personal and business correspondence. The collection also includes some material on ARS and Lawrence's Chrysler years.
Biographical / Historical:
Lovell Lawrence, Jr. (1915-1971) was an amateur rocket experimenter in the 1930s under the American Rocket Society, of which he became president in 1946. He worked as assistant to the chief engineer of IBM from 1933 until 1941, when he joined with John Shesta, James Wyld, and Hugh Franklin Pierce to form Reaction Motors, Inc. (RMI), the first US rocket propulsion company, with Lawrence as president. Lawrence left RMI in 1951 over the gradual loss of administrative and technical authority. In 1953 he joined Chrysler's Missile Division as manager of power plant design. By 1956 he was director of the Redstone project. He went on to Chrysler's Advanced Project organization, first as chief engineer (1959), then as director (1961). In 1964 he became chief research engineer for Chrysler.
General:
Other materials: turbo supercharger (held by National Air and Space Museum, Aeronautics Division, acc. 1973-132)
NASMrev
Provenance:
Mrs. Lovell Lawrence, Jr., gift, 1972, XXXX-0010, 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  Search this
Airplanes -- Rocket engines  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Financial records
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0010
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2f7fd0dd2-8f72-4727-93d0-576070a0568d
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0010

James Vernon Martin Papers

Creator:
Martin, James V. (James Vernon), 1885-1956  Search this
Names:
Aeromarine Plane & Motor Co.  Search this
Harvard Aeronautical Society  Search this
Harvard Boston Aero Meet  Search this
Manufacturers Aircraft Association  Search this
Martin Aeroplane Co (Martin, James Vernon)  Search this
Martin Aeroplane Factory (Martin, James Vernon)  Search this
United States. Merchant Marine  Search this
Martin, James V. (James Vernon), 1885-1956  Search this
Martin, Lily Irvine  Search this
Extent:
1.97 Cubic feet (4 legal document boxes, 1 legal folder, 1 oversize folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Photographs
Publications
Drawings
Financial records
Date:
1894-1979
Summary:
James Vernon Martin (1885-1956) was an aviator and inventor during the early days of aviation. This collection consists of material documenting the life of James Vernon Martin. The material includes letters, photos, and documents relating to his Merchant Marine career and his aircraft and aeronautical inventions. Also included are documents pertaining to his conspiracy charges against the government and aircraft industry, as well as his attempts to revive Augustus M. Herring's patents. There are also documents regarding Lily Irvine, his wife, and her career as a pilot.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of material documenting the life of James Vernon Martin. The material includes letters, photos, and documents relating to his Merchant Marine career and his aircraft and aeronautical inventions. Also included are documents pertaining to his conspiracy charges against the government and aircraft industry, as well as his attempts to revive Augustus M. Herring's patents. There are also documents regarding Lily Irvine, his wife, and her career as a pilot.

The majority of materials were donated by Edna Jahn, Martin's friend. But there are also materials from other National Air and Space Museum Archives collections that were incorporated later into the Martin Collection. Collections include: Wright Field Technical Documents (NASM.XXXX.0428) and National Air Museum Photography Collection (NASM.XXXX.0572). When possible, these materials were placed in folders designated as "NASM Generated." There are also curatorial documents generated by the Smithsonian Institution regarding the acquisition of Martin artifacts Martin K.III Kitten (A19250004000); Model, Tractor Biplane (A19350061000) and Medal, Order of St. Stanislaus First Class (A19880024000).

Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.
Arrangement:
Materials are arranged into five series: Biographical Material, Martin Aircraft and Automobiles, Patents and Litigation, Photographs, and Newspapers and Magazines. Within each series materials are arranged roughly chronologically.
Biographical / Historical:
James Vernon Martin (1885-1956) was an aviator and inventor during the early days of aviation. He joined the Merchant Marine (1900) before attending the University of Virginia and Harvard (graduate degree, 1912). While at Harvard he organized the Harvard Aeronautical Society (1910), served as its first director, and, through the Society, organized the first international air meet in the United States (1910). He traveled to England in January 1911 for flight training and received Royal Aero Club F.A.I. Certificate #55.

While in England, Martin met and married Lily Irvine. Born in South Africa to Scottish parents, Irvine learned to fly from Martin, making her first successful flight at Hendon in 1911. In July 1914, with Tony Jannus as her mechanic, Irvine completed one of the largest flights across water from Sandusky, Ohio, to Euclid over Lake Erie, breaking a speed record set by Glenn Curtiss in 1910.

After returning to the U.S. in June 1911, Martin traveled the exhibition circuit for several years. He made the first flights in Alaska in 1913, accompanied by Irvine. During 1915 he flew test flights for the Aeromarine Company. In 1917, he formed the Martin Aeroplane Company in Elyria, OH on the strength of nine aeronautical patents, including his automatic stabilizer (1916) and retractable landing gear (1916). He joined the Merchant Marine and became Master of the SS Lake Fray in May 1919, earning the Order of St. Stanislaus from Russia in appreciation for assistance rendered to the Russian North-Western Army. In 1920 he moved the company to Dayton, OH as Martin Enterprises and offered free use of his patents to the American aeronautical industry, though evaluations of the efficacy of his inventions were mixed. He moved to Garden City (Long Island), NY in 1922, renaming the company as the Martin Aeroplane Factory.

In 1924, Martin sued the United States government and the Manufacturers Aeronautical Association, claiming that they conspired to monopolize the aviation industry. The suit was dismissed in 1926, but Martin continued to press his claims of collusion through the 1930s. Martin also became the assignee for aviation pioneer Augustus M. Herring and attempted to revive claims on Herring's early patents.

During World War II, he worked for the Office of Research and Development before returning to the U.S. Maritime Service in 1944, serving as first mate on a ship and then commanding a troop transport in the Pacific. After he left the service in 1946, he tried to raise interest in a large catamaran flying boat, the Martin "Oceanplane," but failed in the face of the growth in commercial trans-ocean service by conventional aircraft.
Provenance:
Edna Jahn, gift, 1964, NASM.XXXX.0162. Also NASM Generated.
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 -- Law and legislation  Search this
Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this
Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this
Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this
Aircraft industry -- United States  Search this
Aircraft industry  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Photographs
Publications
Drawings
Financial records
Citation:
James Vernon Martin Papers, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0162, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0162
See more items in:
James Vernon Martin Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21c4abbf5-7252-4a20-bb70-ec5cd93bc642
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0162
Online Media:

Waco Aircraft Company records

Creator:
Waco Aircraft Company  Search this
Names:
Waco Aircraft Company  Search this
Weaver Aircraft Company  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:
184.1 Cubic feet (168 Legal document boxes; 35 drawers)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Financial records
Drawings
Reports
Date:
1930-1950
Summary:
This collection consists of the records of the Waco Aircraft Company. The material includes office files of the company, marketing and sales information, and design data. Also included are original engineering drawings and report files.
Scope and Contents note:
In 1920 Clayton J. Bruckner, Elwood "Sam" Junkin and George "Buck" Weaver formed Weaver Aircraft Co. In April of 1923, they renamed the company Advanced Aircraft Co. and, in May of 1929, Waco Aircraft Co. By the 1930s the company was a leader in the design of wood and fabric aircraft. At their most widespread use, Waco aircraft were operated by public, private, military and corporate owners in thirty-five countries. During World War II, Waco devoted itself entirely to war production, manufacturing large numbers of troop- and cargo-carrying gliders. Following the war Waco attempted to market a wholly new design, but the post- war slump in the private aviation market and the high development costs of the aircraft forced Waco to withdraw from aircraft manufacture in June 1947. During its twenty-seven year existence Waco produced sixty-two different aircraft models and led all its competitors in the number of aircraft registered.

The Waco collection is divided into two parts. Part One comprises 24,855 drawings. The locations and descriptive information of these drawings are listed on an electronic database entitled the Waco Aircraft Engineering Drawings Data Base. The drawings vary greatly in size from small drawings of 4x5" to large sheets of over 150" in length. The majority of the drawings included in Part One are numbered, but many of the drawings are unnumbered. These drawings span most of the Company's existence and depict many of its powered and glider aircraft. There are several smaller sets of drawings which include layout drawings, tool drawings and stress analyses. Production charts and data charts are also among these drawings.

Part Two includes the business records of the Waco Aircraft Company. These documents can be generally divided between the engineering and sales departments. Most of the drawings within Part Two are from sub-contractors and U.S. Government agencies.

Waco aircraft company designations are confusing. Many variations exist regarding the practice of assigning model designations. Despite these exceptions, some basic rules serve as a guideline. Prior to 1930, Waco models were designated by a single number, 1 through 10. The last aircraft designated in this manner, the Waco 10, became the Waco Model O under the new scheme of designation.

Waco early models were additionally referred to by their horsepower. This may have been a practice of distributors and salesmen.

Since 1930, The Waco Aircraft Company used a combination of three letters with which to name its models. An example would be the Model ASO. The letters are best read from right to left. The letter on the right represents the fuselage, i.e. Model O. The middle letter represents a modification to the basic model, i.e. CSO for straight wing or CTO for tapered wing. The letter on the left represents the engine, i.e. CSO for Wright J-6, 225 horse power engine. Additionally, Waco models were often followed by a number indicating the year in which the aircraft was built. A YPF-6, for example, was manufactured in 1936.

Waco World War II gliders, designed for the U.S.A.A.F, were designated by an alpha-numeric combination. The four unpowered gliders produced shared the same letter prefixes of CG, which stood for cargo glider. The numeric suffix distinguishes the aircraft. They were the Models CG-3A, CG-4A, CG-13A and CG-15A. An X preceding the designation denotes experimental, i.e. XCG-4A. An addition of two letters denotes the manufacturer, i.e. CG-4A- TI for Timm Aircraft Co. Many of the Waco designed gliders were constructed by various companies. Powered versions of the gliders were referred to by the prefix PG for powered gliders.
Arrangement note:
Series 1: Numbered Engineering Reports

Series 2: Model Engineering Reports

Series 3: Engineering Documents

Series 4: Government Contracts

Series 5: Contractor Reports

Series 6: Correspondence

Series 7: Publications

Series 8: Sales

Series 9: Blueprints & Drawings

Series 10: Drawings Lists

Series 11: Model Indexes

Series 12: Contractor Drawings
Biographical/Historical note:
In 1920 Clayton J. Bruckner, Elmwood "Sam" Junkin, and Buck Weaver formed an aircraft company known as the Weaver Aircraft Company in Troy, OH. By the 1930s the company, known as Waco Aircraft Co. since 1929, was a leader in the design of wood and fabric aircraft, with Waco aircraft being operated by public, private, and corporate owners in thirty-five countries. During World War II Waco devoted itself entirely to war production, manufacturing large numbers of troop- and cargo-carrying gliders. Following the war Waco attempted to market a wholly new design but the postwar slump in the private aviation market and the high development costs of the aircraft forced Waco to withdraw from aircraft manufacture in June 1947. During its twenty-eight year existence Waco produced sixty-two different aircraft models and led all its competitors in number of aircraft registered.
Related Archival Materials note:
Other collections within the Archives Division of the National Air and Space Museum which are relevant to Waco are as follows:

The Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers(1906-1982), Accession #XXXX-0171. Junkin was married first to George Weaver and later to Elwood Junkin, both founders of the Waco Aircraft Company.

The A. Francis Arcier(1890-1969) Collection, Accession #XXX-0072. Arcier was one of the leading engineers with the Waco Aircraft Company.

The National Air and Space Museum Archival Video Discs. Included in this collection are three blocks of Waco Aircraft photographs; prints listed by model type under the Company name in the Aircraft Finding Aid, prints listed under "Glider Aircraft" in the U.S. Air Force Collection finding aid and prints listed under the Company name in the "General Subjects" of the U.S. Air Force Collection Finding Aid.

The NASM Archives Technical Files. The documents filed under "Waco" include mostly photographs and newspaper articles. Information about some of the individual Waco employees, including Hattie Junkin and George Weaver, can be found filed under the individual's name in the biographical section of the Technical Files.
Provenance:
Ray Brandley, gift, 1970-1971, XXXX-0151
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Topic:
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Waco Aircraft Family  Search this
Genre/Form:
Financial records
Drawings
Reports
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0151
See more items in:
Waco Aircraft Company records
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2f1ce79d1-522e-437f-a5ab-dc2855825516
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0151
Online Media:

A. Francis Arcier Collection

Creator:
Arcier, A. Francis, 1890-1969  Search this
Names:
Air Force Museum (U.S.)  Search this
Fokker Aircraft Corp  Search this
GAC (General Airplanes Corp)  Search this
Waco Aircraft Company  Search this
Wittemann Aircraft Corp  Search this
Arcier, A. Francis, 1890-1969  Search this
Extent:
2.97 Cubic feet (7 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Correspondence
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Diaries
Financial records
Publications
Date:
Circa 1890-1981
Summary:
A. Francis Arcier, (1890-1969) was an aviator, scientist, designer and engineer whose pioneering work in aviation design spanned six decades and earned him many honors.
Scope and Contents:
The A. Francis Arcier Collection contains approximately 3 cubic feet of material relating to his extraordinary career in aviation. This collection has biographical and professional documents, technical information on aircraft designs, patents, correspondence, newspaper clippings, publications, certificates, photographs, negatives and three scrapbooks.

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:
Every effort was made to provide dates when possible and each series is arranged in chronological order.

The collection is arranged as follows:

Series 1: Biographical and professional material

Series 2: Technical material

Series 3: Publications

Series 4: Photographs

Series 5: Scrapbooks
Biographical/Historical note:
A. Francis Arcier, (1890-1969) was an aviator, scientist, designer and engineer whose pioneering work in aviation design spanned six decades and earned him many honors. Born in London, he studied aeronautics in Passey, France under Sir Gustave Eiffel, the designer of the Eiffel Tower. He served as draftsman for such notable aircraft designers as Gabriel Voisin, Henri Coanda, Frank Barnivell and Gordon England. At the age of 21, he learned to fly and received his international aviator's certificate. He served as a flight instructor at the Hall School of Flying in Hendon, England and during World War I, with Handley Page, Ltd. He designed the first twin engine and the first four engine bombers used by the United States and its Allies. Arcier emigrated to the United States in 1919 and was employed as Chief Engineer at the Witteman Aircraft Corporation, makers of the Barling Bomber designed by Arcier. It was the largest heavier-than-air aircraft of its time. During his years with Witteman, Arcier won the Army Air Service Engineering Divisions' design competition for a bomber aircraft design. That same year, Arcier became Chief Engineer for the Fokker Aircraft Corporation, where among other notable accomplishments, he designed the Fokker Trimotor Transport which was used by Amelia Earhart and by Richard Byrd in his flight over the North Pole and also across the North Atlantic. After Arcier attained his United States citizenship in 1929, he became Vice President of Operations and Director of the General Airplanes Corporation in Buffalo, New York. In 1930 under his leadership, the "Mailplane", one of the first all-metal airplanes, was built. Later in 1930, Arcier became Chief Engineer of the Weaver Aircraft Company, WACO. He worked for WACO for 17 years in various capacities. Arcier and the Waco Aircraft Company made many contributions to the National Defense Program during World War II such as the Model UPF-7. The Waco Company was entrusted with the entire combat and cargo glider Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces. This was initiated in an Army Design Competition which the Company won and resulted in a program involving the design, prototype construction and, in some cases, production construction of some twelve models ranging from Model CG-3A to the CG-15A. These gliders were built by the thousands under Arcier's technical direction by sixteen prime contractors and many hundreds of sub-contractors throughout the nation. In 1948, Arcier became Chief Scientist for U.S. Air Force Intelligence at Wright- Patterson AFB until he retired in 1963. After his retirement, he served as consultant to the Commander, Foreign Technology Division and Special Advisor to the Division's Advisory Group on scientific and technical intelligence matters. Among his honors were the USAF Meritorious Civilian Service Award (1953), and the USAF Distinguished Civilian Service Award (1961.) A. Francis Arcier died on November 21, 1969.
Provenance:
Elizabeth Arcier, gift, 1972, additional material received from Francis Arnoult, 2019, NASM.XXXX.0072.
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
Periodicals  Search this
Aeronautical engineers  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Correspondence
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Diaries
Financial records
Publications
Citation:
A. Francis Arcier Collection, NASM.XXXX.0072, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0072
See more items in:
A. Francis Arcier Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a9cd4a53-f5c5-431d-b9b8-8431ee1c2f80
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0072
Online Media:

William Carl Diehl Collection

Creator:
Diehl, William Carl, 1891-1974  Search this
Names:
Army Air Corps  Search this
Early Birds of Aviation (Organization).  Search this
Pathe News  Search this
United Eastern Airplane Company  Search this
Wright Aeronautical Corp  Search this
Diehl, William Carl, 1891-1974  Search this
Extent:
2.7 Cubic feet ((6 legal document boxes) (1 20x24x3 flatbox))
2.52 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Diaries
Manuscripts
Drawings
Photographs
Publications
Maps
Financial records
Audiotapes
Audiocassettes
Motion pictures (visual works)
Date:
1912-1972
bulk 1945-1972
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of biographical information, business records, information on the aviation organizations with which Diehl was involved, aviation material collected by Diehl, and information on flight, events, and aviation accidents.
Biographical / Historical:
William Carl Diehl (1891-1974) was an aviation pioneer and a member of the Early Birds organization. In 1914 he built and flew a monoplane and in 1915 he helped establish two flying schools, an unsuccessful school in Chicago and a school on Long Island. During the time he was working at Long Island, he helped to organize the United Eastern Airplane Company which manufactured airplanes. During World War I, Diehl was a civilian instructor for the Army Air Corps. In the late 1910s and early 1920s, Diehl established a commercial flying taxi service, performed stunts for movie production and for Pathe News, and barnstormed around the nation. He began work in 1926 on patents for aircraft mufflers and values. Diehl worked during 1927-1930 at the Wright Aeronautical Corporation at Paterson, New Jersey as an engine flight test pilot. Diehl returned to his original occupation of plumbing but continued flying until 1945, and continued his patent work until the early 1970s.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
No donor information, gift, XXXX-0469, 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  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Diaries
Manuscripts
Drawings
Photographs
Publications
Maps
Financial records
Audiotapes
Audiocassettes
Motion pictures (visual works)
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0469
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2c007e88c-1c68-4422-b39a-6a8964563cbc
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0469

S. Fred Singer Papers

Creator:
Singer, S. Fred (Siegfried Fred), 1924-  Search this
Names:
National Environmental Satellite Center (U.S.)  Search this
United States. Department of Commerce  Search this
United States. Department of Transportation  Search this
United States. Department of the Interior  Search this
United States. Office of Naval Research  Search this
University of Maryland at College Park  Search this
University of Miami. School of Environmental and Planetary Science  Search this
University of Virginia  Search this
Singer, S. Fred (Siegfried Fred), 1924-  Search this
Extent:
54.5 Cubic feet ((50 records center boxes))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Publications
Photographs
Drawings
Financial records
Notes
Correspondence
Place:
Outer space -- Exploration -- United States
Outer space -- Exploration
Date:
1953-1989
bulk 1960-1980
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of Singer's personal papers. The material consists of correspondence and research files, as well as financial records. The collection covers Singer's career beginning with his tenure at Maryland and continued through his retirement in 1989.
Biographical / Historical:
Dr. Siegfried Fred Singer (1924- ) is a professor, physicist, and administrator. Singer emigrated to the United States from Vienna in 1940 (naturalized 1944) and attended Ohio State University (BEE 1943; D.Sc. (honorary) 1970) and Princeton (AM 1944, Ph.D. (physics) 1948). He taught briefly as a doctoral candidate at Princeton (1943-44) before joining the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory as a physicist (1946-50). He acted as the Office of Naval Research Scientific Liaison Officer at the US Embassy in London (1950-53), then joined the faculty of the University of Maryland (assoc. professor, physics 1953-59; professor 1959-62). He continued to alternate between public and academic positions, working at the National Weather Satellite Center, Department of Commerce (Director, 1962-64); School of Environmental and Planetary Science, University of Miami (Dean, 1964-67); Department of the Interior (Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water Quality and Research, 1967-70); University of Virginia (Professor, Environmental Science, 1971-87); and the Department of Transportation (Chief Scientist, 1987-89). Singer authored a number of papers and articles on astrophysics, space exploration, and environmental issues and was involved in formulating public policies on these topics.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
S. Fred Singer, gift, 1989, 1989-0130, 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:
Astrophysics  Search this
Environmental sciences  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this
Aeronautics and state  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Astronautics and state  Search this
Astronautics  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Genre/Form:
Publications
Photographs
Drawings
Financial records
Notes
Correspondence
Identifier:
NASM.1989.0130
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg252ba570b-733d-4201-aced-94e4b90fce18
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1989-0130

Thomas Taylor Neill Collection

Creator:
Neill, Thomas Taylor, 1903-1988  Search this
Names:
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.)  Search this
United States. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics  Search this
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration  Search this
United States. National Bureau of Standards. Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory  Search this
Neill, Thomas Taylor, 1903-1988  Search this
Extent:
17.25 Cubic feet ((2 legal document boxes) (15 records center boxes))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Financial records
Photographs
Drawings
Logs (records)
Manuscripts
Publications
Reports
Date:
1926-1972
bulk 1938-1943
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains the research material that Neill used in compiling his book. The material consists of correspondence and reports dealing with inspection, specifications, and performance tests of automobile and aircraft engines and fuels from 1926 to 1944. There are also reports, articles, and log books of specific engine types, both aeronautical and automotive, collected from all over the world, as well as a rough manuscript copy of Neill's book.
Biographical / Historical:
Thomas Taylor Neill (1903-1988) was an aeropropulsion engineer and author. Following the completion of his degrees at Catholic University of America (BS.ME 1925) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS 1926) he went to work in the Aircraft Engine Research lab at the United States National Bureau of Standard (engineer 1926-39). He served as an ignition engineer for the Army Air Corps in Dayton, OH (1939-42). He then spent nearly twenty years in research for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (Assistant to the Director of Research 1942-58) and its successor the National Aeronautics and Administration (NASA; Chief of Research Administration Division, Office of Advanced Research Programs 1958-61; Chief of Research and Technical Reports, Office of Advance Research and Technology, 1961-70). Following his retirement from NASA, Neill worked as a consultant to the National Air and Space Museum (1971- ) where he began compiling a book on aviation engines in the inter-war period.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Thomas Neill, transfer, unknown, XXXX-0181, 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:
Aeronautical engineers  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Aircraft engines  Search this
Airplanes -- Rocket engines  Search this
Airplanes -- Motors  Search this
Airplanes -- Jet propulsion  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Financial records
Photographs
Drawings
Logs (records)
Manuscripts
Publications
Reports
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0181
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg29782447a-7863-41f3-b4aa-9dca2486a649
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0181

Arthur Raymond Brooks Collection

Creator:
Brooks, Arthur Raymond, 1895-1991  Search this
Names:
Bell Telephone Laboratories  Search this
Florida Airways Corp  Search this
United States. Army. Air Service. 22nd Pursuit Group  Search this
United States. Department of Commerce. Aeronautics Branch  Search this
Brooks, Arthur Raymond, 1895-1991  Search this
Extent:
13.72 Cubic feet (31 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Financial records
Diaries
Drawings
Publications
Photographs
Videotapes
Date:
1910-1988
Summary:
This collection consists of the personal papers and memorabilia of Arthur Raymond Brooks. It includes photographs, correspondence, documents, and certificates relating to Brooks' aviation career, as well as personal correspondence, photographs, and diaries (1907-87).
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the personal papers of Arthur Raymond Brooks. These papers relate to his military career with the U.S. Army Air Service (1917-22), his years in both civilian government service and the private sector (1923-60), as well as a lifetime's involvement in numerous military, academic, aeronautical, and professional associations and organizations. Additionally, there are examples of correspondence and autographed photographs from such aerospace notables as Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Billy Mitchell, Clayton Bissell, Reed Chambers, and Michael Collins.

The collection is arranged into two broad series. First, is the material relating to his professional life. This includes Brooks' official military documents (U.S. Army commission, discharge papers, etc.), correspondence, reports, photographs (mostly from his time spent as an Air Service officer in France and the U.S.), handbooks, manuals, brochures, programs, speeches, magazines, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and articles. The second series contains items pertaining mainly to his personal life. Included here are personal documents such as income tax receipts, last will and testament, correspondence, photographs (both largely from and of family and friends), diaries, biographical notes, transcripts from audio tape cassettes, logbooks, travel guides, and books. Miscellaneous materials retained by Brooks such as a commemorative medallion, prints, posters, publications, a stamp album, photograph albums, newspapers, and address books are also found in this series.

Brooks' papers are arranged both chronologically and alphabetically. Official military and personal documents, correspondence, reports, photographs, brochures, programs, newspaper clippings and articles, diaries and day timers, biographical notes, transcriptions, logbooks, travel guides, maps, atlases, timetables, and newspapers are organized by the former method. Handbooks, instructions, manuals, magazines, and newsletters are grouped alphabetically by title. The books are arranged alphabetically by author.
Arrangement:
Series 1: Professional material

1.1 Official military documents

1.2 Correspondence

1.3 Reports

1.4 Handbooks, instructions, and manuals

1.5 Photographs

1.6 Brochures

1.7 Programs

1.8 Magazines

1.9 Newsletters

1.10 Newspaper clippings and articles

Series 2: Personal materials

2.1 Personal documents

2.2 Correspondence

2.3 Diaries and day-timers

2.4 Photographs

2.5 Biographical notes

2.6 Transcripts

2.7 Logbooks

2.8 Travel guides, maps, atlases, and train/airline timetables

2.9 Books

2.10 Miscellaneous materials

2.11 Oversized materials

2.12 Posters, prints and maps

2.13 Newspapers and newspaper supplements
Biographical/Historical note:
Arthur Raymond Brooks (1895-1991) was a fighter pilot for the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I and later, a civil aviation pioneer. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts on November 1, 1895, Brooks graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1917 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrochemical engineering. In July of that year, he enlisted in the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. His flight training was provided by the Royal Flying Corps' School of Military Aeronautics in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was then sent for further flight training to Fort Worth, Texas where he flew with the 139th Squadron, 2nd Pursuit Group. In March 1918, Brooks left for France and completed pursuit training at the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, American Expeditionary Force (AEF), at Issoudun. The 139th was placed at the Vaucouleurs Aerodrome, Toul sector, where the squadron was equipped with SPAD VII aircraft. Brooks was eventually made its flight commander. By early August, he was assigned as flight commander of the 22nd Aero Squadron, 2nd Pursuit Group. His new squadron was supplied with SPAD XIII pursuit craft. Altogether, he flew 120 missions in four different aircraft. He named each of the aircraft Smith in honor of his fiancée (Ruth Connery) who was attending Smith College in Massachusetts. The final plane he flew in combat, the Smith IV, is on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.

On July 29, 1918, Brooks achieved his first confirmed aerial victory by downing a German Fokker aircraft. Later, he destroyed two more Fokkers while flying over enemy lines on September 14. On that day, Brooks single-handedly engaged eight enemy aircraft in combat thus, earning him the Distinguished Service Cross. By the war's end, he had six confirmed kills to his credit.

Following the armistice of November 11, 1918, Brooks remained in France as the 22nd Squadron's commanding officer. His squadron was kept in reserve for possible German occupation duty. Upon his return to the United States in July 1919, Brooks was promoted to Captain. He decided to stay in the Air Service and was subsequently assigned as commanding officer for the 95th Pursuit Squadron, stationed at Kelly Field, Texas. From May 1920 to August 1921, he was put in charge of the 1st Pursuit Group at Ellington Field, Texas. Following that assignment, Brooks attended Air Service Field Officer's School, Langley Field, Virginia. After graduation, he stayed on duty at Langley Field until his resignation from the U.S. Army Air Service in December 1922. This action was spurred both by Brooks' frustration with being on the Army's stagnant promotion list and an interest in entering the private sector. During 1920-21, while in the service, he was involved in a failed Framingham-based commercial aviation business called the Brooks, Banks and Smith Corporation. Also in 1920, Brooks married Ruth. Their only child, Peter, was born in 1929.

Brooks' first job after his honorable discharge from the Air Service was as secretary for the National Automobile Association during 1923-24. During 1924-25, he worked in advertising sales for the financial magazine, United States Investor. Once again, his desire to be engaged in commercial aviation compelled him to become involved in establishing and organizing the Florida Airways Corporation from late 1925 into 1926. In time, Florida Airways became Eastern Airways. Brooks left this financially struggling enterprise and joined the Department of Commerce's Aeronautics Branch in August 1926. For the next seventeen months, he worked as an airway extension superintendent and associate airways engineer. His main task with the Aeronautics Branch was to survey air routes and supervise the installation of beacons to assist air mail pilots navigate the Appalachian Mountains from Virginia to Pennsylvania. He left government service in early 1928 and was hired by Bell Telephone Laboratories. He spent the next few decades working as a scientist, engineer and chief pilot for the company at Hadley Field, New Jersey. There, Brooks and his staff conducted pioneering research on ground-to-air radiotelephone communications and electronic aviation navigation equipment. During much of this period, he piloted a Fairchild FC2-W Wasp and a Ford Tri-Motor that operated as flying laboratories for the team's communications research. He was Bell's publications manager for New Jersey operations at the time of his retirement in 1960.

Brooks stayed active in aviation for the remainder of his life. Even in his nineties, he enjoyed flying all sorts of aircraft, including ultralights, gliders and hot-air balloons. He belonged to many aviation-related and professional associations and organizations such as the American Legion, Military Order of the World Wars, Combat Pilots Association, Order of Daedalians, OX-5 Aviation Pioneers Association, Telephone Pioneers of America, Cross and Cockade, Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Quiet Birdmen, WWI Overseas Flyers and the American Fighter Aces Association. Brooks also remained involved with the alumni affairs of his alma mater – MIT. He attended numerous air shows and reunions, including the sixty-fifth, and final reunion, held for the Lafayette Flying Corps in Paris, France in 1983. In 1980, he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey. Brooks lived long enough to see his Smith IV restored by the National Air and Space Museum during the 1980s. Brooks, the last surviving American World War I ace, died in Summit, New Jersey, on July 17, 1991.
General note:
Other materials: medals and memorabilia transferred to NASM Aeronautics Division.
Provenance:
A. Raymond Brooks, Gift, 1989, NASM.1989.0104
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:
Fighter pilots  Search this
Works of art  Search this
SPAD XIII (S.13) "Smith IV"  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Aeronautics, Military  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence
Financial records
Diaries
Drawings
Publications
Photographs
Videotapes
Citation:
Arthur Raymond Brooks Collection, NASM.1989.0104, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.1989.0104
See more items in:
Arthur Raymond Brooks Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21ce64706-6071-4c10-ac68-41c02098b251
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-1989-0104
Online Media:

John Matthew Miller III Collection

Creator:
Miller, John Matthew, III, 1896-  Search this
Names:
Kellet Autogiro Corp  Search this
Miller Aviation Corp (John Matthew Miller III) (Aircraft manufacturer) (1927-1929)  Search this
New Brunswick (NJ) Aero Club  Search this
Pitcairn (Pitcairn-Cierva)  Search this
Pitcairn Autogiro Co, Inc.  Search this
Pitcairn Aviation  Search this
Johnson, Robert Woods  Search this
Miller, John Matthew, III, 1896-  Search this
Extent:
0.8 Cubic feet (1 legal document box, 1 slim legal document box, 1 map folder (18 x 48 inches))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Financial records
Correspondence
Clippings
Pamphlets
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Logs (records)
Date:
1910-1973
Summary:
John Matthew Miller III (born June 3, 1896) was active in aviation throughout his life, as a naval aviator, air mail pilot, transport pilot, autogiro pilot, flight instructor, aircraft manufacturer, airport operator, agricultural pilot, and helicopter test pilot, working at different times for the United States Navy, the U.S. Aerial Mail Service, Pitcairn Aeronautical Corporation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; from 1927-1929 Miller operated his own business, the Miller Aviation Corporation of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The collection includes Miller's pilot licenses and log books, scrapbooks, photographs, newspaper clippings and assorted ephemera, predominantly from the 1914 to 1939 period of Miller's life.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains both original materials and photocopies of materials loaned by the donor for copying. Original materials include Miller's United States Navy Naval Aviator Certificate, an aircraft log book for the Curtiss Seagull "Jacques Cartier" (owned by The Chicago Tribune), a photo album entitled "The Miller Corporation, New Brunswick Airport" featuring images of the Miller (Corp) MCA-1 Amphibian Biplane, assorted loose photographs, correspondence from Robert Woods Johnson (of Johnson & Johnson), two panoramic group photographs of the US Navy Flight A Naval Aviation detachment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1917, newspaper clippings (several covering James G. Ray's autogiro flight over Washington, DC in 1934), assorted ephemera relating to Miller's aviation career, and two bound books: Flying Officers of the U.S.N. (US Navy): 1917-1919 and Saga of the US Air Mail Service: 1918-1927, (Air Mail Pioneers, Inc., 1962). Photocopied materials include two of Miller's pilot log books, two of Miller's pilot licenses, a scrapbook, and selected pages from additional scrapbooks from which individual photographs were copied by the National Air and Space Museum in 2001. The collection also includes Smithsonian Institution numbered copy prints of these selected photographs.
Arrangement:
Materials in this collection are grouped into Series by type; materials within a series are generally arranged chronologically, grouped by subject.
Biographical / Historical:
John Matthew Miller III was born June 3, 1896, at Tacoma, Washington. As a teenager, Miller came east to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and found summer employment with the Burgess Company aircraft manufacturers at Marblehead, Massachusetts. In 1917, following the entry of the United States into World War I, Miller was accepted into the Massachusetts School for Naval Air Service (Flight A Naval Aviation detachment at MIT), and, after two months, moved on to elementary flying instruction at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and then advanced instruction at Pensacola, Florida. He was commissioned into the United States Naval Air Service as an Ensign on March 16, 1918, and stationed at Naval Air Station Rockaway Beach, New York, where he performed patrol and convoy work off New York harbor, until ordered to inactive duty on December 15, 1918. Miller promptly joined the US Aerial Mail Service; after training in Dayton Wright DH-4 air mailplanes at Belmont Park, Long Island, Miller was posted to Bustleton, Pennsylvania, as station manager. Following his two years of air mail service, Miller worked at a number of aviation jobs, including time with the America Trans Oceanic Company (Miami, Florida, 1920), survey flights in Quebec (Canada, 1922), and managing operations for Pitcairn Aeronautical Corporation at their base adjacent to Hadley Field in South Plainfield, New Jersey (the New York terminal for the New York to Chicago and New York to Atlanta air mail routes). Miller was an active member of the New Brunswick (NJ) Aero Club, owners of a Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing based at Pitcairn's field. On August 1, 1927, Miller organized the Miller Aviation Corporation, operating out of New Brunswick Airport (a.k.a. "Miller Field"), a short-lived airfield located southwest of the city of New Brunswick. Miller Aviation offered flying instruction, local sightseeing flights, and charter passenger flights in the mid-Atlantic seaboard region. In 1928-1929, the Miller Aviation Corporation designed, constructed, and tested the Miller (Corp) MCA-1 Amphibian Biplane; sadly, the aircraft crashed during its first ground landing. After his company failed, Miller returned to Pitcairn Aeronautical as an autogiro pilot, making a number of flights through the 1930s for Pitcairn, the US Department of Agriculture, and others. During World War II, Miller temporarily rejoined the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, serving as a helicopter test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Miller later worked for the Department of Agriculture until his retirement in 1956.

NOTE: John Matthew Miller III (born 1896, died circa 1980s), the subject of this collection, should not be confused with fellow air mail and autogiro pilot John McDonald "Johnny" Miller (1905-2008), occasionally referenced in this collection. Johnny Miller was more closely associated with the Kellett Autogiro Corp (Philadelphia, PA), and was famous for being the first to land an aircraft on the roof of a building.
Provenance:
Lee M. Gunther-Mohr, Gift, 2001, NASM.2001.0036.
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:
Burgess Aircraft Family  Search this
Autogiros  Search this
Aircraft industry -- United States  Search this
Aircraft industry  Search this
Airplanes  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this
Aeronautics -- Societies, etc.  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro  Search this
Miller Corp MCA-1 Amphibian Biplane  Search this
Kellett Autogiro Family  Search this
Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing  Search this
Waco 10 Family (Aircraft)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Financial records
Correspondence
Clippings
Pamphlets
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Logs (records)
Scrapbooks
Citation:
John Matthew Miller III Collection, Acc. NASM.2001.0036, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2001.0036
See more items in:
John Matthew Miller III Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a83059ef-9c92-493a-968b-5c76acd10a91
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2001-0036
Online Media:

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