Early aviation catalogs, photographs, periodicals, class notes, and scrapbooks as well as other materials collected by Javier Arnago detailing the evolution of early aircrafts built before and during World World I.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of early aviation materials, collected by Javier Arango, pertaining to the development of early 20th century aircrafts. The bulk of the material consists of air meet programs and memorabilia, engine and aeroplane catalogs, articles and periodicals, maps and charts, postcards and correspondence, class notes and technical manuals, scrapbooks and journals, and a variety of photographs. Materials in English, French, German, and Dutch. Aviators pioneers include: the Wright Brothers, Henry Farman, Louis Bleriot, Hubert Latham, Glenn Curtiss, Louis Paulhan, and other French and American pilots. Aircraft manufacturers represented include: Wright Brothers, Curtiss-Wright, Blériot (France), Antoinette (Société Anonyme Antoinette) (France), Deperdussin (France), Farman, Voisin (France), and other American, French, German, and British inventors prior to World War I.
Arrangement:
Collection organized into eight sections by material type. The first three sections 'Aeroplane Catalogs,' 'Engine Catalongs,' and 'Air meet Programs' are in original order, which is alphabetically arranged by company, aircraft, or engine name and thereunder chronologically by year. The 'Periodicals' section is also alphabetically arranged by title and thereunder chronologically by year. 'Additional Text Materials,' 'Scrapbooks and albums,' and 'Class notes and journals' alphabetically arranged by creator's surname or title. The 'Photographs' section is organized by subjects or event, orginially grouped by Arango, and thereunder alphabetically arranged.
Biographical / Historical:
Javier Arango (1962-2017) was an investment consultant, aircraft collector, avid pilot, and board member of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. Graduating at Harvard University, he studied the history of science and became an authority of World War I aviation focusing on the progression of warplanes. Establishing his Aeroplane Collection with the construction of a triplane in 1980, he began collecting original materials from the 1900s and 1910s. With a passion for understanding and preserving the history of flight, Arango amassed an exemplary study of the evolution of early aviation.
Provenance:
Javier Arango Living Trust, Gift, 2022, NASM.2022.0033
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of approximately 1.46 cubic feet of historical maps and photographs collected by Dieter Gröschel.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of approximately 1.46 cubic feet of historical maps and photographs collected by Dieter Gröschel. The maps, which are various sizes, date from approximately 1884 to 1941 and were produced in Germany, France, and England. They show parts of Russia; Germany; France; Belgium; Holland; Bavaria; and Africa; and many have hand-drawn notations including battle lines, locations of troops, etc. Some of the maps are linen-backed and designed for use in an aircraft. The collection also contains numerous black and white historical photographs including aerial photographs of Germany and France taken in 1917 and 1918; photographs of personnel, facilities, and operations relating to Feldflieger-Abteilung Nr. 5 which date from 1915 to 1918; aerial photographs taken in 1918 of Flanders and Zeebrugge by Karl Keppler and Max Greiner of Fliegerabteilung 291 (A); a French set of 32 black and white aerial photographs on ten pages, with interpretation, used for training observers in World War I; an unbound German World War I album containing black and white photographs and post cards; and a photo album belonging to a paymaster of the Jagdstaffelschule I during World War I. The album, which measures approximately 14 x 10 inches, is linen-covered and contains photographs of the front-lines in France and Italy; personnel, including members of the Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 144; aircraft, including crashes; and personal family photographs relating to the album's creator. Aircraft depicted in these photographs include an Albatros D Series Fighter and a captured Nieuport fighter. There is also a 3.5 x 5.5 inch color post card dating to 1915 with an illustration of French pre-World War I era infantry looking up at an Etrich Taube (Dove) type aircraft included in the collection. Finally, this collection contains a selection of manuals which includes the following titles: Instructions Concerning Battle Maps, US Army War College, 1917 (Translated from French edition of 1916); List of Conventional Signs and Abbreviations in Use on French and German Maps, compiled by Second Section, General Staff (Topography), American Expeditionary Forces, 1918; Catalogue of Maps, General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, 1918; List of Places in Argonne-Verdun District with their Locations, Supplement A, General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, November 7, 1918;
Notes on Map Reading for Use in Army Schools, His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1918; Basic Field Manual, Vol. 1, Chapter 5 - Map and Aerial Photograph Reading, US War Department, 1938; Basic Field Manual, Conventional Signs, Military Symbols, and Abbreviations, US War Department, 1939; Basic Field Manual, Military Intelligence, Military Maps, US War Department, January 6, 1941; Basic Field Manual, Elementary Map and Aerial Photograph Reading, US War Department, April 12, 1941; and Basic Field Manual, Advanced Map and Aerial Photograph Reading, US War Department, September 17, 1941.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material. Some of the large maps are arranged by size.
Provenance:
Dieter H. M. Gröschel., Gift, 2015, NASM.2015.0046
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection documents Harrison's aviation career. The material consists mainly of newspaper articles on Harrison and early aviation in general, as well as a small amount of material on his son, Bennett.
Biographical / Historical:
George Blair Harrison (1873-1930) was a pioneer aeronaut and businessman. Following graduation by Washburn College and University of Michigan, he entered the business world, working as a newspaperman (1898-1903, 1908-15), for the St.Louis World's Fair (1903-05), in printing and lithography (1905-07), and in the motion picture industry (1915-17). During this time he earned Federation Aeronautique International (FAI) Balloon certificate 32, becoming the first licensed balloon pilot west of St.Louis. In January 1910 he helped organize the first U.S. International air meet, at Dominquez Field, Los Angeles. He was also associated briefly with Wright Airplane Co (1910) and Glenn L. Martin Co. (1911). He joined the army as an aviation cadet when the US entered World War I, attending Ground School at Austin, TX (1917) and Balloon School, Ft. Omaha, NE (1917-18). After his discharge in 1919, he returned to commercial aviation, serving as airport inspector for Los Angeles County (1920, 1921), secretary and director of Universal Institute of Aeronautics, Inc., until his death.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Marion S. Harrison, gift, 1986, 1987-0012, not NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of a selection of materials from the complete information files compiled by Time-Life Book, Inc. for the preparation of their 'Epic of Flight' series of books. The materials are primarily photocopies of newspaper and magazine articles, photographs, posters, maps, etc. A few original photographs, transparencies, and negatives are included. The materials are groups by subject of the individual books in the series.
Biographical / Historical:
Time-Life Books, Inc., produced a series of aviation books called the Epic of Flight. The volumes cover the history of flight and and were divided into the following titled: The Jet Age; The Airline Builders; Soldiers of Fortune; Flying the Mail; The Carrier War; The Aeronauts;The Road to Kitty Hawk; The First Aviators; Barnstorming and Speed Kings; The Helicopters; The Explorers; Architects of Air Power; Fighting Jets; The Luftwaffe; The Soviet Air Force; Designers and Test Pilots; Women Aloft; The Giant Airships;The RAF at War; and The Bush Pilots.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Time-Life Books, Inc., Gift, 1983, XXXX-0103, not NASM
Restrictions:
Any restrictions are unknown.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of photographs and newspaper clippings chronicling Blankman's exploits in the aviation field. Included are photographs of Roy Francis, as well as other early pioneer aviators; photographs of aircraft including Sikorsky, Curtiss, Martin, Savoia-Marchetti; photographs of a 1930s trip to Alaska in a Sikorsky S-38; and photographs of family and friends. Also included is correspondence from clubs and companies (1916-1929), and a few miscellaneous items such as a 1920 passport.
Biographical / Historical:
Lynn Blankman, pioneer aviation engineer and flyer, was born in 1891. He started his aviation career with Glenn Curtiss, president of the Curtiss Aeroplane Corporation. Blankman was involved with aeroplane and motor construction and performed flying operations on land and water craft, including the construction of early flying boats. From 1914-1917, Blankman served with the War Office of the British Government, and was, among other roles, Chief Inspector. After WWI he served as the Assistant to the President, and manager of Curtiss Engineering Corp. In 1919, he was part of the Wright-Martin Corporation in charge of engineering controls. He headed an expedition to Asia for the shipment of H-16 Flying Boats and Hydro Aeroplanes. In Asia he studied flying routes and established the first air base in Asia near Macao, China. In 1930, Blankman initiated the first consolidation of Aviation/Accessory Companies into one corporation, the Bendix Aviation Corp. In 1933, he negotiated contracts with Rumanian Government for reorganization of military, civil, and airmail contracts with the view to establish manufacturing plants, airlines, and military flying schools. He later turned this over to American interests. Blankman later held various positions at Douglas Aircraft. Over his career, Blankman worked with a total of 18 different aviation motors, as well as marine engines and locomotives.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Oren Lee Martin, Gift, 1989, 1989-0088, NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection includes photographs, newspaper clippings, a speech, flight logs, and maps documenting Atherholt's balloon racing career.
Biographical / Historical:
Arthur T. Atherholt (1867-1915) was an aid to Major Hersey in the American Gordon-Bennett Trophy Race and was also one of the contestants during the 1907-1912 races. During his 1912 racing attempt he and copilot John Watts crashed in Russia and were held prisoners for over a week. Atherholt was one of the first members of the Philadelphia Aero Club, and later the president of this organization. He was also instrumental in organizing the Ben Franklin Aeronautical Society in Philadelphia.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Mary Ellen Tully, gift, 1992, 1992-0043, NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
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