0.33 Cubic feet (1 box, 336 black and white 4 x 5 inch format negatives)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Cleveland (Ohio)
Date:
1948-1949
Summary:
This collection consists of 336 black and white 4 x 5 inch format negatives by Robert E. Burke Studios, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio; most of the photographs depict aircraft, personalities, and activities at or in relation to the National Air Races held at Cleveland in 1948 and 1949.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 336 black and white 4 x 5 inch format negatives and their original paper envelopes. The photography has been identified as the work of Robert E. Burke Studios, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio, advertised as the "Official Photographer" of both the 1948 and 1949 National Air Races. Most of the photographs cover aircraft, personalities, and activities at or in relation to the 1948 and 1949 National Air Races; views include racing and military aircraft on the ground and in flight, views of the spectators (including entertainment personalities such as actor James "Jimmy" Stewart and radio presenter Arthur Godfrey), presentation of awards on the Speaker's Stand, aerial views of Cleveland Municipal Airport, and views of pilots and their supporters. Pilots portrayed include Charles Brown, Cook Cleland, Jacqueline Cochran, Joseph C. De Bona, Ben McKillen, Betty Skelton, and Roscoe Turner. The collection also includes some non-aviation work apparently done for Thompson Products, a major producer of aircraft engine components and high-performance valves used in both aircraft and automobile engines.
Arrangement:
During initial processing by NASM Archives in 2004, the negatives were assigned NASM Archives image reference numbers (NASM 9A02483 through NASM 9A02814-C) in the order in which they were received from the NASM Aeronautics Department; they are physically stored in NASM image reference number order. For the purposes of the online finding aid, the images have been intellectually rearranged into numerical order using the photographer's original 8-digit negative numbers as printed on the original negative envelopes. The images are grouped according to the first four digits of the negative number (Burke's "File" number) and divided into two chronological series for the years 1948 and 1949.
Biographical / Historical:
First held in 1920 at Mitchel Field outside of New York City, the National Air Races were an annual, week-long event including formation flying, parachute drops, aerobatic displays, and closed-circuit and cross-country air races. Through the 1920s, the location of the Races moved to a different American city each year, occurring at Cleveland, Ohio, for the first time in 1929. In the 1930s, the Races settled almost permanently at Cleveland Municipal Airport (later known as Cleveland Hopkins International Airport), with only the 1930, 1933, and 1936 races held in Los Angeles, California. The Races were suspended from 1940 to 1945 due to World War II, but resumed at Cleveland in 1946, with the post-war contestants now including many military surplus aircraft. The National Air Races, meant to be the high point of the air racing year, included privately sponsored races to both foster the development of aircraft and raise the profile of the sponsors. The 1948 Races (held September 4-6, 1948) and 1949 Races (held September 3-5, 1949) featured trophy races sponsored by Ohio companies Bendix Corporation, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio), and the local Cleveland companies Tinnerman Products (makers of fasteners used in aircraft construction) and Thompson Products (makers of high-performance valves for both aircraft and automobile racing engines). High-speed aircraft races certainly helped draw huge crowds to the airport to see the action, but tragically, on September 5, 1949, Bill Odom, piloting the modified North American P-51C Mustang "Beguine" in that day's Thompson Trophy Race, crashed into a house in the Cleveland suburb of Berea, Ohio, killing himself and a woman and child. Berea and other municipalities in the area quickly passed ordinances prohibiting air racing in their airspace, signaling the end of the National Air Races as they had existed up to that point. The races would be reborn decades later in 1964 at Reno, Nevada, as the National Championship Air Races.
Related Materials:
Additional photography by Robert E. Burke from the 1947 through 1949 National Air Races, as well as copies of the Official Programs for the 1948 and 1949 Races can be seen in the Bendix Air Races Collection, NASM.1988.0115.
Provenance:
Unknown, transfer from NASM Aeronautics Department, 1994, NASM.XXXX.0555.
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
Kinner, Winfield B. "Bert,", 1882-1957 Search this
Extent:
1.31 Cubic feet (3 boxes, 1 folder, 1 map folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Photographs
Publications
Date:
1919-1993
Summary:
This collection consists of approximately 1.31 cubic feet of material relating to Winfield B. "Bert" Kinner, a pilot and businessman active in the aviation industry.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the following: copy negatives, newspaper and magazine clippings, brochures, correspondence, invitations, photographs, Kinner corporation documents; and letters to the Kinners from Amelia Earhart.
In the fall of 2013, the South County Historical Society transferred two binders containing mostly copy photography that had been given to them by the same donor.
Arrangement:
The collection is currently arranged by type of material and by size.
Biographical / Historical:
Winfield B. "Bert" Kinner (1882--1957) enlisted in the Air Corps during World War I, but the war ended before he was trained to fly. So in 1919, Kinner moved to Los Angeles, CA, where he rented a barn, built his first airplane and taught himself to fly. Until his retirement in 1941, Kinner remained active in the aviation business. Kinner organized the following aircraft and engine companies: Kinner Airplane & Motor Corp; Security Aircraft Corp; American Aircraft Corp; and Security National Aircraft Corp. Aircraft produced by these corporations included: Kinner K-1 Airster -- which was the first aircraft Amelia Earhart purchased; Kinner B-2 Sportwing; and the Kinner B-1 and Kinner K Sportsters. Kinner is perhaps most famous for producing the popular Kinner K5 engine and for designing the first folding wing aircraft -- the Security Airster S1-A and S1-B.
Provenance:
Donna Hunter Kinner, Gift, 1994, NASM.1995.0004. Additional material received via the South County Historical Society in 2013.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Martin C. McMahon was an early aviator who served with the US Army Air Service during World War I. This collection consists of one scrapbook containing captioned photographs relating to McMahon's early flying experience and two leaves from the June 13, 1918 Air Service Journal.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of one scrapbook containing captioned photographs relating to the early flying experience of Martin C. McMahon, covering the period from 1910 to 1930. The scrapbook includes photographs of Curtiss and Wright pusher designs taken in 1910 and 1911, Curtiss JN-4 and Thomas D-5 aircraft at Ashburn and Chanute Fields in 1917, and US Army precision flying at the 1930 Chicago Air Races. Also included are two leaves from the June 13, 1918 Air Service Journal.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Martin C. McMahon was an early aviator who served with the US Army Air Service during World War I.
Provenance:
Nicolette Bromberg, Gift, 2000, NASM.2000.0034.
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.
The supercritical wing concept was developed by Dr. Richard T. Whitcomb of the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Whitcomb's airfoil was designed to delay formation of shock waves at high speeds.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains documents gathered from Langley Research Center on the development of the supercritical wing concept and the F-8 test bed program. The material primarily consists of notes and reports covering the wind tunnel development, flight testing, and evaluation of the concept. The collection also includes general and press information about the program.
Series and Subseries Organization:
The NASA F-8 Supercritical Wing Collection is divided into four series:
Series 1 - Background Information
The Background Information Series contains publicity material, articles, general information, and technical reports. The technical reports are then arranged chronologically.
Series 2 - Wind Tunnel Testing
Test reports of the Wind Tunnel Testing Series are arranged numerically, and reports are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Series 3 - Development and Flight Testing
The Development and Flight Testing Series begins with work statements and requests for proposal (RFP) information. These are followed by notes arranged in chronological order. Developmental technical reports are in alphabetical order by folder title. The flight test reports are arranged chronologically. These reports are then followed by photographs.
Series 4 - Evaluation of the Supercritical Wing
Evaluation reports on the Supercritical Wing Series are in chronological order
Biographical Note:
Richard T. Whitcomb (1921- ) was born in Evanston, Illinois. His family later moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, where Whitcomb attended public schools. He received a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1943. Following graduation he accepted a position with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA, the forerunner of NASA) at Langley Laboratories, Virginia. Whitcomb devoted much of his career to research in the problems of supersonic flight.
In the early 1950s Whitcomb discovered the transonic area rule concept. This rule amounts to a sensitive balance of fuselage and wing volume, which minimizes drag at transonic speeds. This concept was applied to post World War II fighters and resulted in operational military aircraft capable of supersonic flight.
Whitcomb earned international acclaim through his accomplishments with the area rule concept and the supercritical wing. Until his retirement from NASA he worked on aircraft energy efficiency and new winglet configurations.
Historical Note:
The supercritical wing concept was developed by Dr. Richard T. Whitcomb of the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Whitcomb's airfoil was designed to delay formation of shock waves at high speeds.
In comparison with conventional wing cross sections, the supercritical wing was flattened on top, delaying the formation of shock waves and moving them further aft along the wing to increase total wing efficiency. To compensate for the lift lost with the flattened wing top, the rear lower surface was shaped with a deeper, more concave curve. The Mach number (the speed of the aircraft calculated as a percentage of the speed of sound) at which the relative airflow reaches the speed of sound at some point on the airframe is called the critical Mach number. Below the critical Mach number the flow is said to be subcritical, and above the critical Mach number it is called supercritical. The initial wind tunnel tests of the supercritical wing indicated that the new airfoil shape could allow highly efficient flight near the speed of sound of approximately 660 mph at cruising altitudes.
Initial designs for the supercritical wing were produced in 1964. The development of the supercritical airfoils included three phases: slotted (1964-1966); integral (1967); and thickened trailing edge integral (1968-1969). Flight testing of the supercritical wing began in 1971 and ended in December 1972. A Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) F-8 aircraft modified with the supercritical wing was used in these tests, making its first flight on 25 March 1955. The LTV F-8 was a single place land or carrier based supersonic aircraft equipped with radar to provide an all-weather capability. Its most unusual feature was the hydraulically operated variable incidence wing.
The blunt leading edge of the supercritical wing led to better takeoff, landing, and maneuvering characteristics. Subsonic transports, business jets, STOL (short takeoff and landing) aircraft, and remotely piloted vehicles made use of the supercritical wing technology, using less fuel and flying more efficiently than aircraft with conventional wings.
The F-8 Supercritical Wing Collection was received by the National Air and Space Museum in July 1984 from NASA's Langley Research Center. The collection was assembled originally by Dennis W. Bartlett Richard Whitcomb's colleague at Langley's 8-Foot Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. The material in the collection came from the offices and warehouses of the tunnel facility.
This collection consists of a seven volume set representing a partial documentation of Gilbert's contribution to ATC development. The material was compiled by Gilbert's wife after his death in 1982. The collection also includes two books by Gilbert on air traffic control.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains seven bound volumes of Gilbert's written work. The volumes document Gilbert's contribution to ATC development from 1935 to 1982. The material was compiled by Gilbert's wife after his death in 1982. The collection also includes the following books:
Air Traffic Control, Glen A. Gilbert, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1945
Air Traffic Control: the Uncrowded Sky, Glen A. Gilbert, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC 1973
IEEE Transactions on Communications Special Issue on Aeronautical Communications, May 1978, ed. Sherman Karp, George G. Haroules & Leslie Klein, May 1973
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in Volume order.
Biographical/Historical note:
Glen A. Gilbert (1913-1982), pilot, administrator and aviation consultant, played a key role in the development of the United States and international Air Traffic Control (ATC) System. Following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin, Gilbert went to work in commercial aviation, including periods at Northwest Airways (communications installation and operations, flight operations, (1931-34)), and American Airlines (Communications Supervisor, 1934-36). During this period he helped develop and operate collision-avoidance procedures for aircraft operating under instrument conditions until this service was taken over buy the federal government. Gilbert became the first Director of the United States ATC System (Chief, Airway Traffic Control Section, 1936-40; Chief ATC Division, 1940-46) during which time he represented the United States at a number of international conferences on aviation and played a key role in the formation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 1944. He then became Special Assistant to the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics (1946-1951), where he continued his involvement with international aviation issues, often under commission for the President or Secretary of State. In 1951, Gilbert became an aviation expert for ICAO (1951-57) and later founded Glen Gilbert and Associates (1957), an aviation consulting firm. Gilbert co-authored 28 patent claims for airborne and ground equipment to improve ATC safety and efficiency and wrote a number of books and articles on the subject.
General note:
Duplicate sets of documents in LC; History of Aviation Collection, University of TX at Dallas; FAA Library; Helicopter Association International. Archival material in History of Aviation Collection, UTX Dallas. One of the books in this collection was transferred to the NASM Library. The title is as follows: Instrument and Radio Flying by Karl S. Day.
Separated Materials:
Instrument and Radio Flying, Karl S. Day, Air Associates, Inc. Garden City, New Jersey, 1938 was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum Library Branch of the Smithsonian Libraries.
Provenance:
Gordon Gilbert, gift, 1984, XXXX-0187, 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.
4.4 Cubic feet (8 records center boxes; 1 flatbox)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Notebooks
Correspondence
Photographs
Reports
Memoranda
Drawings
Manuals
Catalogs
Brochures
Date:
1933-1944
Summary:
This collection traces Preece's engineering work with WAC, and includes the following types of materials: correspondence, memos, technical drawings, minutes of meetings from both the WAC Gear Committee and the American Society of Tool Engineers, descriptions of various projects and equipment, photographs, reports, catalogues, brochures, manuals, notebooks, and personnel information.
Scope and Contents:
This collection traces Preece's engineering work with Wright Aeronautical Corporation (WAC), and includes the following types of materials: correspondence, memos, technical drawings, minutes of meetings from both the WAC Gear Committee and the American Society of Tool Engineers, descriptions of various projects and equipment, photographs, reports, catalogues, brochures, manuals, notebooks, and personnel information.
Arrangement:
The original arrangement of this collection was maintained.
This collection is arranged into six series:
Series I: Professional Materials
Series II: Material Related to Notebooks
Series III: Material Related to Business Practices
Series IV: Drawings
Series V: Miscellaneous Material
Series VI: Oversized Material
Biographical/Historical note:
Eric Preece was an engineer with the Wright Aeronautical Corporation (WAC) of Paterson, New Jersey, a company involved in the engineering development of the mass production of cylinder heads for WAC air-cooled engines for Boeing B-29 bombers during World War II. Mr. Preece served as the manager of Experimental Manufacturing prior to his promotion to Production Manager of WAC's Plant 7 in 1943. He was also an active member of the American Society of Tool Engineers, serving as the Public Relations Chairman and later as chapter president.
Provenance:
Unknown (Eric Preece?)
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.
Herbert Mercer served with the United Kingdom's Royal Flying Corps (Royal Air Force) from 1916 until 1945, and was stationed in Baghdad, Iraq, in the early 1920s. While there, he photographed a variety of aircraft that were either stationed in Iraq or Egypt or landing there for refueling. This collection contains eleven photographs taken by Mercer in Iraq and Egypt.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of eleven black and white or sepia toned photographs taken by Herbert Mercer, ranging in size from approximately 3.5 x 2.25 inches to 8.25 x 6.25 inches, and all taken in Iraq or Egypt. The photographs depict the following aircraft: de Havilland D.H.50J (Sir Alan Cobham's Aircraft); Fokker F.VIII (two images); Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8; de Havilland (Airco) D.H.6; Vickers Victoria; Douglas World Cruiser (DWC) "Chicago" (#2); de Havilland D.H.90 Dragonfly (crashed); Bristol Scout C; and Fairey IIID Mk.III. There is also one aerial photograph of the Royal Air Force aerodrome at Hinaidi, Baghdad, Iraq.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Herbert Mercer served with the United Kingdom's Royal Flying Corps (Royal Air Force) from 1916 until 1945, and was stationed in Baghdad, Iraq, in the early 1920s. While there, he photographed a variety of aircraft that were either stationed in Iraq or Egypt or landing there for refueling. Upon Mercer's retirement from the Royal Air Force in 1945, he worked for the US Air Force at its base in Bushey Park, Hampton, UK until 1958. Herbert Mercer died in 1964.
Provenance:
Frank Long, Gift, 2008, NASM.2008.0029
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of the oral history recordings and transcripts for the Peenemünde Interviews Project, which examined the development of the German Peenemünde complex from the early 1930s through World War II.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of 39 hours of interviews with 13 individuals (in both audio cassette and transcript formats).
Arrangement:
The Peenemünde Interviews Project is arranged alphabetically by interviewee. Boxes 1, 2 and 3 contain the interviews on cassette tapes; box 4 contains the edited transcripts of the audio.
Historical note:
The collection consists of the oral history recordings and transcripts for the Peenemünde Interviews Project, which examined the development of the German Peenemünde complex from the early 1930s through World War II. This project constitutes one of several oral history projects conducted within the Department of Space History, NASM. The principal investigator for this project was Michael Neufeld and the following individuals were interviewed: Werner Dahm; Konrad Danneberg; Walter Haeussermann; Karl Heimberg; Helmut Hoelzer; Fritz Mueller; Herman Oberth; Eberhard Rees (with Mrs. Rees); Gerhard Reisig; Arthur Rudolph; Bernhard Tessman (with Karl Heimburg); Georg von Tiesenhausen; and Walter Wiesman.
Provenance:
Space History, NASM, Transfer, 1999, 1999-0038, Varies
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.
Walcott, Charles D. (Charles Doolittle), 1850-1927 Search this
Extent:
0.9 Cubic feet (2 legal document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Publications
Correspondence
Programs
Clippings
Notebooks
Date:
1895-1925
bulk 1903-1915
Summary:
This collection consists of material relating to Manly's aeronautical career, specifically his work with Samuel Langley's Aerodrome. The material consists of programs, publications, newspaper clippings, work notebooks, waste books, (mostly letterpress) and correspondence between Manly and the aviation and Smithsonian communities, circa 1885-1925. Correspondents include the following personalities: Glenn Curtiss, Carl Myers, Charles Walcott, Frank Lahm, Cyrus Adler, Augustus Post, and Samuel Langley.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of material relating to Manly's aeronautical career, specifically his work with Samuel Langley's Aerodrome. The material consists of programs, publications, newspaper clippings, work notebooks, waste books, (mostly letterpress) and correspondence between Manly and the aviation and Smithsonian communities, circa 1885-1925. Correspondents include Samuel Langley, Charles Walcott and Richard Rathbun of the Smithsonian; Cyrus Adler, Glenn Curtiss, Benjamin D. Foulois, Carl Myers, Frank Lahm, and Augustus Post. Of particular interest is the correspondence between Manly and Smithsonian Secretary Charles Walcott on Manly's work on the preparation of the Langley Memoir on Mechanical Flight for publication between 1908 to 1911; and his correspondence with Glenn Curtiss concerning the test flights of the rebuilt Great Aerodrome on Lake Keuka, Hammondsport, New York, in 1914, and the resulting controversy between the Smithsonian and Orville Wright.
Researchers may also wish to consult the National Air and Space Archives Division's Samuel P. Langley Collection (Accession No. XXXX-0494), and these collections held by the Smithsonian Institution Archives:
Record Unit 31, Office of the Secretary, Correspondence, 1866-1906, with related records to 1927.
Record Unit 34, Office of the Secretary, Correspondence, 1887-1907
Record Unit 7268, J. Elfreth Watkins Collection, 1869, 1881-1903, 1953, 1966 and undated.
Arrangement:
The Charles M. Manly Papers are organized in three series:
Series I --Letter Copy Books and Notebooks
Letter copy books were used to make and preserve copies of letters and memoranda --one placed a sheet of oiled paper under a page of the copy book, dampened the tissue copy page, then laid the original letter in the book under pressure for a few seconds. The quality of the copies ranges from quite readable to very faint. Because of the fragility of the paper, Archives Division staff should be consulted before working with the material.
The two notebooks in the series (Folder 4) were carried by Manly in his day to day work on the Aerodrome project and contain his notes on the progress of the work.
Series II --Correspondence
Letters in this series are arranged by year.
Series III --Additional Material
Newspaper clippings, Manly Family records, a photograph of Langley's Aerodrome No.5 in flight, and miscellaneous material.
Biographical/Historical note:
On May 9, 1898, Smithsonian Secretary Samuel P. Langley wrote to Professor Robert Thurston of Cornell University, looking for a "young man who is morally trustworthy ('a good fellow') with some gumption and a professional training" to serve as Langley's assistant in his aeronautical work. Thurston recommended a senior majoring in electrical and mechanical engineering, Charles Matthews Manly (1876-1927) of Staunton, Virginia. Langley hired Manly and placed him in charge of the construction of his Great Aerodrome, the large manned aircraft being built under the sponsorship of the Army's Board of Ordnance and Fortification. One of Manly's main contributions to the project was his vastly improved redesign of Stephen M. Balzer's five-cylinder water-cooled radial gasoline engine. Manly piloted the Great Aerodrome on its two unsuccessful launch attempts in 1903. He resigned from the Smithsonian in 1905. Manly served as a consulting aviation engineer for different government agencies and corporations, including the British War Office, 1915; the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation 1915-1919 (from 1919-1920 as the assistant general manger); and as a member of the US Commission to the International Aircraft Conference, London, 1918. Manly also completed and edited Langley's Memoir on Mechanical Flight which was published by the Smithsonian in 1911. Manly was granted over fifty 50 patents relating to automotive transportation, power generation, and transmission. In 1929, Manly was posthumously awarded the Langley Medal for outstanding aeronautical achievements.
Provenance:
Brian Bailey, gift, 1998, 1999-0004, deed pending.
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 is a product of the material gathered for the exhibit, book, brochure and poster. It includes a large amount of additional information gathered for research but not used. The Collection is divided into six series: I. Exhibit Catalog Images; II. Exhibit Only Images; III. Brochure Images; IV. Poster Images; V. Original Photography; VI. Research Collection. Different sized black and white and color photographs, mostly 8 x 10s, are included in most of the series, although captions are not always provided. Other types of materials are corresponding negatives, photocopies, glass plate negatives and color transparencies.
Scope and Contents:
This collection is a product of the material gathered for the exhibit, book, brochure and poster. It includes a large amount of additional information gathered for research but not used. The Collection is divided into six series: I. Exhibit Catalog Images; II. Exhibit Only Images; III. Brochure Images; IV. Poster Images; V. Original Photography; VI. Research Collection. Different sized black and white and color photographs, mostly 8 x 10s, are included in most of the series, although captions are not always provided. Other types of materials are corresponding negatives, photocopies, glass plate negatives and color transparencies.
The following was added to this collection on July 28, 2006: photographs, notes, correspondence, photography requests and receipts, and research articles. This material was separated into two series: 7: General research information, including approved scripts, photographs, information gathered in the making of a brochure for this exhibit, and information on World War I aircraft engines; 8: Photographic request correspondence, receipts, and transparencies, separated by specific organizations and individuals.
The ninth series was added in April of 2019: original archival materials that had been displayed in this exhibit, including record albums, manuals and dictionaries/glossaries, C & A Wittemann Aeronautical Supplies catalog, photographs (including Sanke Cards), a 1918 Experimental Scout Plan (SE-5) Model drawing, military correspondence and logbook belonging to Lancelot Bellinger, Royal Marines.
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:
The World War I Exhibit Collection is arranged in series as organized by the exhibit curators.
Biographical / Historical:
In 1991, the National Air and Space Museum created an exhibit with a correlating text called 'Legend, Memory, and the Great War in the Air'. The Great War, as World War I was originally called, was one of the bloodiest wars known to man, with over 11 million soldiers killed on the battle field and in the air. The collection is mostly dedicated to the war in the air and encompasses the harsh reality as well as the not so realistic images of World War I.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Various, Transfer, 1993, 1993-0063, see Donor Correspondence
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
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974 Search this
Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Cigar labels
Chromolithographs
Date:
circa 1927
Summary:
This single-item collection consists of an unused Mazer-Cressman cigar box color label (6.5 x 7.75 inches) commemorating Charles A. Lindbergh's solo transatlantic flight in the Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis (r/n N-X-211) on May 20-21, 1927.
Scope and Contents:
This single-item collection consists of an unused 5-cent cigar box label (6.5 x 7.75 inches) issued by the Mazer-Cressman Cigar Co. Inc. (Detroit, Michigan) in honor of Charles A. Lindbergh's solo transatlantic flight in the Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis (r/n N-X-211) on May 20-21, 1927. The chromolithograph print, produced for Mazer-Cressman by the American Lithographic Co. (New York), features a right side view of the Spirit of St. Louis in flight over the title in a half-circle, with stylized illustrations of the cities of St. Louis and New York (USA) at left and Paris (France) at right.
Arrangement:
Single-item collection.
Biographical / Historical:
On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. Objects of popular culture such as this cigar box label reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. The Mazer-Cressman Cigar Company Inc. of Detroit, Michigan (once a major United States cigar-making center) filed a trademark for this design with the US Patent Office in July 1927.
Related Materials:
Related artifacts in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum collection:
Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, A19280021000.
Cigar Box, Lindbergh, King Collection, A20040295030.
Provenance:
Robert Jaques, gift, 1973, NASM.XXXX.0987
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 8000 reels of 35 mm microfilm engineering drawings of aircraft and engines from the early years through World War II. The microfilm contains engineering drawings, reports, and standards covering aircraft, engines, and other equipment used by the USAF and its predecessors. The original documents filmed were in a variety of media, in some case the original drawing was filmed, in others a blueprint or other duplicate was filmed instead of the original. Because of the variation in the quality of the original document and variations in the quality of the filming process, the quality of the filmed image varies considerably throughtout the collection
Biographical / Historical:
The United States Air Force (USAF) Engineering Drawing Section was established in 1917 to maintain and reproduce engineering data for the USAF. The Drawing Collection was originally developed by the USAF for two major functions: to create a historical record of the equipment operated by the USAF and its predecessors and to provide engineering drawings of current equipment for maintenance operation centers requiring such information. Engineering drawings of then-current equipment and extant engineering drawings for obsolete equipment were microfilmed either by the USAF, by vendors under contract to the USAF, or by the manufactures. Additional microfilm created by or for the United States Navy (USN) covering some aircraft also operated by the USAF were added to the collection.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
United States Air Force Museum, Gift, mid-1980s, XXXX-0521, 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
Box 1 includes: Numerical drawing list for Model W Aristo-Craft, Change orders 50015-50079, 50104-50180, 50181-50250, 50251-50300, 50301-50400 and 50401-50500. Box 2 includes: Change orders 50501-50600, 50601-50800, 50801-51000, 51001-[56224] and 8414-49252. Size 'A' obsolete drawings. Box 3 includes: Change orders S and SK and drawings 50014-50039, 50101-50200 and 50201-50300. Box 4 includes: Drawings 50301-50400, 50401-50500, 50501-50600 and 50701-50800. Box 5 includes: Drawings 50801-50900, 51100-51200, 51201-51300 and 51301-51400.
Biographical / Historical:
In 1947, twenty-five years after the construction of their first aircraft, the Waco Company of Troy, Ohio unveiled the unconventional Aristo-Craft or Model W. This four-place, high-wing cabin monoplane featured a 215 hp Franklin air-cooled engine, semi-retracting tricycle landing gear and a tail-mounted propeller in a pusher configuration. Only one was ever built and the aircraft did not receive an Aircraft Type Certification. The Aristo-Craft was the last aircraft produced by Waco.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection consists of the following items documenting Roland Chilton's aviation patent career: photographs; two 11 x 7 inch black photo albums, labeled "Healey-Aeromarine Bus Co., Inc. Keyport - New Jersey USA," which contain photographs of engines from Aeromarine Plane & Motor Co.; log book for a Wright R 760 engine; Chilton's pilot log books; World War I registration cards and passports; newspaper clippings; patent and tax paperwork; reports on Chilton's trip to the United Kingdom in 1941; an Aeromarine S-12 Engine report; and drawings of Blade Rolling Machines.
Biographical / Historical:
Roland Chilton (1890- ) was a prolific designer of over 150 aviation engine and accessory mechanisms. Born in Wolverhampton, England, Chilton immigrated to the United States in 1918, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1941. Chilton started his career working at Sunbeam Motor Car Co., LTD, in Wolverhampton, England, before moving to London where he was in charge of the engine section of B. Napier & Son. In 1914, Chilton became the Chief Engineer for Fergus Motors and entered the United States to work in Fergus' American offices. Chilton then joined Aeromarine Plane & Motor Co. as the Chief Engineer for Aero Engines, Starters and Buses in 1920. Ten years later, he was hired as a Consulting Engineer for Wright Aeronautical Corporation. He retired from Wright Aeronautical Corporation in 1949, and by that time held over 150 United States patents, ranging from articulated propellers to the Chilton Damper.
Provenance:
Bonnie Hampton, Gift, 2005
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection contains photographs and drawings of the tailless and all-wing aircraft with which Lippisch was involved. Many of the photographs appear in Lippisch's book 'The Delta Wing: A History and Development.'
Biographical / Historical:
Alexander Lippisch (1894-1976) began his career in Aeronautics in February, 1918 when he joined the aircraft manufacturing plant of Zeppelin-Dornier in Lindau, Germany as an aerodynamicist. In 1921 Lippisch began his work on the development of sailplanes and gliders. At the same time he worked on the development of the tailless and the Delta-wing aircraft. In 1939 Lippisch joined the Messerschmitt A.G. Augsburg for the development of the ME 163 A and B. In 1943, Lippisch took over the Aeronautical Research Institute (LFW) were he developed the shape of the supersonic Delta wing. After the war, he was in custody of the Air Technical Intelligence of the U.S. Army. Lippisch was transferred to the United States where he worked at Wright Field, for the Navy, and later with Collins Radio Company. At Collins he developed a wing-less aircraft, the Aerodyne. He also started the development of another type of aircraft - the ram-wing or Aerofoil Boat.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Gertrude Lippisch, gift, 1988, 1993-0031, 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
Societe d'Etudes de la Propulsion par Reaction (SEPR) Search this
Extent:
0.15 Cubic feet ((1 flatbox))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Photographs
Albums
Date:
1939-1960
Scope and Contents:
This album 10 x 7 inches and contains 88 original photographs, taken from 1939 to 1960, of many of Zborowski's rocket, jet and coleopter projects, as well as 6 printed drawings.
Stefan and Sylvia Eihhorn, Purchase, 2001, 2001-0060, 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
Arthur Nutt was an aeronautical engineer specializing in engine design.
Scope and Content Note:
This collection consists of the personal papers of Dr. Arthur Nutt. These papers relate to his career as an aeronautical engineer with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, Wright Aeronautical Corporation, Packard Motor Car Company, Arthur Nutt and Associates, and the Lycoming division of AVCO Manufacturing Corporation. The material include correspondence, photographs, reports, manuals, handbooks, test data, brochures, speeches, and scrapbooks. Included are biographical and autobiographical materials (notes, news clippings, articles, and photographs) compiled by Nutt in an unsuccessful attempt to publish his autobiography. Two smaller collections of Dr. Nutt's papers, NASM.1988.0055 and NASM.1988.0059, have been integrated into the main collection.
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 note:
The collection is arranged into two broad series. First, is the material pertaining to his professional life. This includes Nutt's correspondence, official reports, photographs (mainly of aircraft engines and aircraft), corporate publications (brochures, handbooks, instruction books, manuals, and parts lists), aircraft engine blueprints, aircraft engine proposals, test data, speeches, magazines, and newsletters. The second series contains papers gathered mainly for Nutt's personal use and interest. Of special interest are Nutt's logbook, scrapbooks, and notes for his autobiography.
Nutt's papers are arranged both alphabetically by manufacturer and then chronologically. Correspondence, photographs, reports, speeches, and notes (except miscellaneous biographical notes without dates) are organized by the latter method. Corporate brochures, handbooks, instruction books, manuals, blueprints and test data are grouped alphabetically by corporate name, then by date (and by aircraft engine type when applicable). Magazines, newsletters, and newspapers are also arranged alphabetically by title of publication and then chronologically.
Historical note:
Arthur Nutt was an aeronautical engineer specializing in engine design. Born in New Rochelle, New York in 1895, Nutt graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1916 with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and received an honorary doctorate from the Institute in 1941. Shortly after graduation, he was hired by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation (CAMCo) and started in the assembly department. As a motor engineer and eventually, chief motor engineer, Nutt was responsible for the development of the Curtiss D-12, V-1400, and R-1454 aircraft engines. After the merger of CAMCo and the Wright Aeronautical Corporation in 1930, Nutt went to work for Curtiss-Wright as vice president of engineering. He remained there for fourteen years until 1944 when he left to become director of aircraft engineering for the Packard Motor Car Company. He stayed with Packard until 1949 when he started and headed his own engineering sales firm, Arthur Nutt and Associates. In 1951 he joined the Lycoming Division of AVCO Manufacturing Corporation as vice president of engineering. Upon his retirement from Lycoming in 1959, Nutt stayed active in numerous civic and church activities. He was also a member of a number of professional organizations, most notably the Society of Automotive Engineers and served as its president in 1940. Nutt was inducted into the Aviation Pioneers Hall of Fame in 1978. He died in Boca Raton, Florida in 1983.
Provenance:
Jean N. Welch, gift, 1987, 1987-0115; 1988, 1988-0055 and 1988-0059.
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.
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)
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection contains the following: documentation pertaining to the production and endurance test results of the J-1 Engine; engineering data for the Model Z-5 and the Model B engine; five engineering drawings for various parts; photographs;correspondence; price listings; lists of engines by serial number; service notes; calculations; and an obituary on C.L. Lawrance.
Biographical / Historical:
Lawrance Engines was established by Charles L. Lawrance in the late 1910s. Lawrance built the first air cooled radial engine, which evolved into the 200 horse power Wright Whirlwind engine. In 1924, Lawrance merged with the Wright Aeronautical Corporation. After serving as president of the Wright Aeronautical Corporation and vice president of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, he founded the Lawrance Engineering and Research Corporation in Linden, New Jersey (1930). Lawrance engines are associated with the aircraft flown by Charles Lindbergh, Rear Admiral Byrd and Amelia Earhart.
Provenance:
Joseph Worth, gift, 1972, XXXX-0579
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
United States. Navy. Bureau of Aeronautics [BuAer] Search this
Extent:
0.45 Cubic feet ((1 legal document box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pamphlets
Drawings
Date:
1942
Scope and Contents:
This collection consisits of the complete set of the Navy WWII model drawings and a booklet explaining the project.
Biographical / Historical:
Accurate scale model aircraft have often been helpful in training recognition of aircraft, range estimation and determination of cones of fire. In December 1941, the Secretary of the Navy asked the US Commissioner of Education for the schools to make 500,000 scale model airplanes. This alliance resulted in a joint project between the US Navy, Bureau of Aeronautics, who supplied the authoritative drawings and plans, and the US Office of Education, who perepared educational and informational material.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Paul E. Garber, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0438, Public Domain
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
