.01 Cubic feet (18 print photographs, 17 film negatives)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Negatives
Photographs
Date:
October 13-14, 1945
Summary:
In October 1945, Wright Field, Ohio, sponsored an Army Air Forces Fair, presented by the Air Technical Service Command, which allowed the public to observe displays of the US Army Air Forces' operational and experimental aircraft as well as German and Japanese aircraft captured during World War II. This collection consists of 18 photographs (17 negatives and one print) taken at the fair.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of seventeen 2.75 x 4.5 inch black and white negatives, with corresponding digital inkjet print enlargements, of military aircraft on display at the US Army Air Forces Fair at Wright Field, Ohio, held October 13-14, 1945. Also included is one digital inkjet print photograph of American Philip E. Johnson posed with Charles Chung, head of Chinese aircraft procurement and support of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) and Liang Po, a Chinese engineer sent to the United States to learn about various aircraft parts repair and servicing. US Army Air Forces operational and experimental aircraft pictured include the Beech XA-38 Grizzly (Model 28) (s/n 43-14407), Bell YP-59A Airacomet "Mystic Mistress" (s/n 42-108783), Bell XP-77, Bell XP-83 (s/n 44-84990), Cornelius XFG-1 (s/n 44-28060), the Northrop MX-324 prototype, a Lockheed P-38L Lightning (s/n 44-246490) modified as a specialized ground strafing version, a Loon Missile (JB-2, KUW-1, LTV-2, MX-544) with booster assembly, and a cutaway display model Pratt & Whitney WASP Major R-4360-4 Engine. Captured Japanese aircraft pictured include a Mitsubishi A6M5 Reisen (Zero Fighter) Zeke (Type 0 Carrier Fighter 52) and a Kugisho MXY7 Model 11 Ohka (Cherry Blossom) Baka (Crazy). Captured German aircraft pictured include a Bachem Ba 349 (BP 20) Natter (Adder), Heinkel He 162 Spatz (Sparrow, Volksjäger, People's Fighter), Junkers Ju 290 A "Alles Kaputt" (WkNr 110196, US registration FE-3400), Junkers Ju 388 L-1 (WkNr 560049, US registration FE-4010, later T2-4010), Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a Schwalbe (Swallow) (US registration FE-111), a V-1 (FZG 76) Buzz Bomb, and a V-2 Missile.
Arrangement:
Images have been assigned NASM Archives image reference numbers in the order in which they were received from the donor.
Biographical / Historical:
From 1943 until 1945, Larry De Haan served as the chief technician in the instrument shop at Wright Field, Ohio, and at the satellite field at Vandalia, Ohio, as part of the US Army Air Forces Material Command's Service Test Branch. On the weekend of October 13 and 14, 1945, Wright Field sponsored an Army Air Forces Fair, presented by the Air Technical Service Command, which allowed the public to observe displays of US Army Air Forces' operational and experimental aircraft as well as captured German and Japanese aircraft.
Related Materials:
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum aircraft displayed at the 1945 Army Air Forces Fair include the following:
Junkers Ju 388 L-1, A19600325000.
Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a Schwalbe (Swallow), A19600328000.
Provenance:
Larry De Haan, gift, 2006, NASM.2006.0046
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
