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.
This collection consists of the following material documenting Page's aviation career: membership cards and licenses; log books; newspaper and magazine articles; biographical material; and photographs.
Biographical / Historical:
George Augustus Page (1892-1983) was an Early Bird and a pioneer aircraft designer. Page was issued his pilot's license in 1914 and went on to became an aeronautical engineer despite the fact that he had no formal training. Page began his aeronautical design career by working for small aviation companies -- Aeromarine Plane and Motor Co., Heinrich Aeroplane Company, Inc, and Moisant. Besides a brief time in 1919-1921, when Page was a mechanic and pilot for American Trans Oceanic Co. -- an early airline operation between Miami and Cuba, Page worked for Curtiss-Wright Air Plane Division from 1917 to 1951. Curtiss-Wright hired Page as director of engineering and in this position he directed production of 130 types of aircraft. One of Page's most famous designs was the C46 cargo plane use in the India-Burma-ChinaTheater during World War II. Page left Curtiss-Wright in 1951 to work for Aeronca, Inc.
Provenance:
Estate of George Page, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0126
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 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).
Lowe, Willard, & Fowler Engineering Co. Search this
Extent:
0.54 Cubic feet ((2 boxes))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Correspondence
Date:
bulk 1897 - 1967
Scope and Contents:
Assen Jordanoff (1896-1967) was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and first flew during the summer of 1912. He was with the 1st Air Squadron during the Balkan War 1912-1913 and he was an officer with the Bulgarian Air Force, during World War I. Jordanoff emigrated to the United States in 1921, where he held a variety of aviation-related jobs, including draftsman, engineer, and flight instructor for various aviation companies. The companies he worked for include: LWF (Lowe, Willard & Fowler Engineering Co.), Curtiss Aeroplane Company , and the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Jordanoff was also a renowned aviation writer, and his books include Flying and How to Do It and Jordanoff's Illustrated Aviation Dictionary.
Biographical / Historical:
This collection consists of .5 cubic ft of archival material relating to Assen Jordanoff's aviation career, including: correspondence, articles written by Jordanoff, articles about Jordanoff, photographs, and biographical information. The material is in both English and Bulgarian.
Provenance:
George Markow-Totevy, Gift, 2006
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first U. S. airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) in providing a rapid form of coast to coast transportation service. This collection includes material that Daniel M. Sheaffer collected about Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT).
Scope and Contents:
This collection includes material that Daniel M. Sheaffer collected about Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), including: tickets, advertisements, brochures, route maps, schedules, TAT business documents, TAT Air Mail and Postal Telegraph documents, photographs, postcards (showing "TAT plane over" various geographical landmarks), correspondence, and scrapbooks.There is also some material pertaining to Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The photographs show TAT terminals and aircraft, and famous personalities including Amelia Earhart and Will Rogers.
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. In addition, images of some material in the collection have been excluded from online display due to possible copyright restrictions.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first U. S. airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) in providing a rapid form of coast to coast transportation service. Daniel M. Sheaffer, as the chairman of the executive committee of TAT, was a pioneer in the development of commercial aviation for mail express and passengers. He assisted in the actual development of the TAT line and with the inauguration of the service.
Provenance:
Mrs. Daniel M. Sheaffer, Gift, unknown, NASM.XXXX.0267
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
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
Collection Citation:
Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), Inc. Collection [Sheaffer], NASM.XXXX.0267, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
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
Collection Citation:
Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), Inc. Collection [Sheaffer], NASM.XXXX.0267, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
This collection consists of 42 Curtiss-Wright black and white 8 by 10 inch prints of the inside workings of the Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1944.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 42 Curtiss-Wright black and white 8 by 10 inch prints of the inside workings of the Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1944. There are also 6 color prints of various World War II Curtiss aircraft, or aircraft that used Curtiss propellers.
Arrangement:
No arrangement.
Biographical / Historical:
The Curtiss C-46 Commando was a twin engined military transport aircraft used during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces and also the United States Navy / Marine Corps, which used the designation R5C.
Provenance:
Roy E. Licklider, Gift, 2018, NASM.2018.0084
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.
Two translations of Kl. Oswalitsch, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut für Strömungsforschung report 1005, January 1944.
Curtiss-Wright Corporation report, October 1945. Translated by Jack Letsof and Robert Luippold.
McDonnell Aircraft Corp report GT-18, February 8, 1946. Translated by F. K. Hurmann and P. A. Buyard.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection 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
Collection Citation:
Captured German Aeronautical Documents (CGD) Microfilm, Acc. XXXX.0408, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Curtiss-Wright Corp report, November 6, 1945. Translated by W. J. Beil, November 1, 1945, from Kl. Oswatitsch and H. Böhm, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut für Strömungsvorschung report 1010/1, August 1944.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection 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
Collection Citation:
Captured German Aeronautical Documents (CGD) Microfilm, Acc. XXXX.0408, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Two documents translated from Oswalitsch and Böhm, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut für Strömsungsforschung report 1010/2, October 1944.
Curtiss-Wright Corp report, October 1945. Translated by Robert C. Luippold.
Douglas Aircraft Corp report, February 14, 1946. Translated by Fred Massarik.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection 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
Collection Citation:
Captured German Aeronautical Documents (CGD) Microfilm, Acc. XXXX.0408, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Two translations of G. Schulz, Heinkel report, DLF UM 8203, August 7, 1944.
Curtiss-Wright Corp report 21141, November 20, 1945. Translated by W. J. Nemerever.
McDonnell Aircraft Corp report GT-25, February 19, 1946. Translated by H. R. Grummann.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection 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
Collection Citation:
Captured German Aeronautical Documents (CGD) Microfilm, Acc. XXXX.0408, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Two translation of W. Jacobs, "Druckverteilungsmessungen on Pfeilflügeln konstanter Tiefe bei symetrischer Anstrümung," DLF UM 2052, December 1943.
Curtiss-Wright Corp report 21143, November 26, 1945. Translated by W. J. Nemerever.
McDonnell Aircraft Corp report GT-2, February 8, 1946. Translated by F. K. Hurmann and P. A. Buyard.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection 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
Collection Citation:
Captured German Aeronautical Documents (CGD) Microfilm, Acc. XXXX.0408, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Airplane Division, Curtiss-Wright Corp report 21232, May 9, 1946. Translated by A. R. Tegge from W. Haack, Karlsruhe.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection 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
Collection Citation:
Captured German Aeronautical Documents (CGD) Microfilm, Acc. XXXX.0408, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
