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:
Alfred Victor Verville Papers, Acc. XXXX-0173, 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:
Alfred Victor Verville Papers, Acc. XXXX-0173, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
1922 Detroit, National Airplane Races & Aerial Water Derby
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
1922 Detroit, National Airplane Races & Aerial Water Derby
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer J1, Folder 1922-115-01
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Documents
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
1922 Detroit, National Airplane Races & Aerial Water Derby
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer J1, Folder 1922-115-02
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Documents
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
1922 Detroit, National Airplane Races, Pulitzer Trophy Race
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
1922 Detroit, National Airplane Races, Pulitzer Trophy Race
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer J1, Folder 1922-118-01
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Documents
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
1922 Detroit, National Airplane Races, Pulitzer Trophy Race
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer J1, Folder 1922-118-80
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Photos
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
1922 Detroit, National Airplane Races, Pulitzer Trophy Race
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer J1, Folder 1922-118-OS
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Oversize
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Container:
Drawer J1, Folder 1928-745-01
Type:
Archival materials
Scope and Contents note:
Documents
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
Begun in 1920, the National Air Races were an annual, week-long event including formation flying, parachute drops, aerobatic displays, and races. The event included two privately sponsored, closed-circuit speed races: the Pulitzer Trophy race held from 1920 to 1925 and the Thompson Trophy race held from 1930 to 1939. Along with other competitions, the National Air Races fostered the development of aircraft in the 1920s and 1930s but ended during World War II. This collection consists of three unbound scrapbooks with newspaper clippings related to races in Chicago, Cleveland, and Los Angeles between 1928 and 1933.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of three 9 x 11.5 inch unbound scrapbooks of between 10 and 24 pages each. The three books are labeled as follows: "National Air Races (Cleveland) 1929-1932;" "National Air Races (Los Angeles) 1928-1933;" "National Air Races (Chicago) 1930-1933." Each scrapbook contains newspaper clippings relating to the relevant National Air Races. There is also a full photocopy of the Cleveland scrapbook.
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. The vendor digitally removed all articles from the New York Times.
Arrangement:
The scrapbooks are arranged alphabetically by city.
Biographical / Historical:
Begun in 1920, the National Air Races were an annual, week-long event including formation flying, parachute drops, aerobatic displays, and races. The event included two privately sponsored, closed-circuit speed races: the Pulitzer Trophy race held from 1920 to 1925 and the Thompson Trophy race held from 1930 to 1939. Along with other competitions, the National Air Races fostered the development of aircraft in the 1920s and 1930s but ended during World War II.
Provenance:
Unknown, found in collection, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.0845.
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 New York Evening Journal clippings from 13 different days throughout the month of October, 1936. Although the numerous articles found throughout these clippings all focus on the subject of Kilgallen's journey around the world, the authorship varies. The articles include first hand accounts written by Kilgallen and articles written by her journalist father, James Kilgallen. Also found throughout the clippings are other various reports on her travels including advice from other travelers and a plea for anyone to give up their airplane seat to Kilgallen in an effort to expedite her journey. Here in detail are recorded all of the glitches and problems encountered throughout this expedition, as well as interviews with Kilgallen's family. Also included is a comic by Kilgallen done as an advertisement for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company published on June 17, 1937.
Biographical / Historical:
Born on July 3, 1913 in Chicago, Illinois, Dorothy Kilgallen was destined for a career in journalism. With her father employed as a reporter for the International News Service, Dorothy followed in his footsteps to become a top reporter for the New York Evening Journal. At the age of 23, her fame and popularity grew when she participated in a race around the world. She and two other reporters (Leo Kieran and H. R. Ekins) from competing newspapers rushed around the world in an effort to shatter previous world records and to become some of the first passengers to traverse the Pacific on the China Clipper. Being the only female participating in the race, Kilgallen attracted international attention as she traversed the globe. She reported her adventures daily through the New York Evening Journal. Her route took her from New York to Germany (via the Hindenburg) to Rome to Hong Kong to Manila to Hawaii to San Francisco and finally back to New York. She ultimately came in second in the race, completing her around the world journey in 24 days. Often referred to as a "modern day Nellie Bly", Kilgallen was regularly mentioned on the front page of the New York Evening Journal throughout the duration of this race. Following this venture, Kilgallen wrote an autobiography (Girl Around the World) and a fictional screenplay (Fly Away Baby) both focused on her experiences with world travel. She died on November 8, 1965.
Provenance:
Unknown, no information in Archives or Registrar's records., Gift, 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
This item is a laminated and annotated strip map on cloth, nine inches wide and approximately thirty-two feet long, detailing the route taken by George and Parrish from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York to San Francisco, California.
Biographical / Historical:
In 1919 General William "Billy" Mitchell organized the first mass transcontinental air race, dubbed by the Air Service the "Transcontinental Reliability and Endurance Test." The race was originally proposed as a one way race from New York to California but this plan was changed to require a round trip, with flyers taking off from both Roosevelt Field and San Francisco, most in de Havilland DH-4s. The second plane to arrive on the west coast from New York was piloted by Harold H. George, who was accompanied by mechanic Lee M. Parrish.
Provenance:
Mrs. Parrish, Gift
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
Early Birds of Aviation (Organization). Search this
Wiseman-Peters (Fred Wiseman and J. W. Peters) (Aircraft manufacturer) Search this
Extent:
0.59 Cubic feet (1 flatbox)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Tickets
Correspondence
Clippings
Date:
1909-1968
bulk [ca. 1910s, 1950s]
Summary:
Fred Wiseman, along with J. W. Peters and D.C. Prentiss, built a biplane named the Wiseman-Peters. During July 1910, both Peters and Wiseman flew the Wiseman-Peters and the following year Wiseman entered the 1911 Aviation Meet at Selfridge Field, Michigan. On February 17, 1911, Wiseman made the first airplane-carried mail flight officially sanctioned by any local U.S. post office and made available to the public when he carried mail, a bundle of newspapers and a sack of groceries from Petaluma, CA, to Santa Rosa, CA. After the 1911 season, Wiseman gave up flying.
This collection consists of a large scrapbook. Inside the scrapbook are newspaper clippings, correspondence, 1st Day Covers, race tickets, and photographs chronicling both Wiseman's automobile and aviation careers.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a large scrapbook. Inside the scrapbook are newspaper clippings, correspondence, 1st Day Covers, race tickets, and photographs chronicling both Wiseman's automobile and aviation careers.
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 in the order the donor attached them to the scrapbook. Correspondence is often located within the envelope that is attached to the scrapbook. Some materials are loose and have been left in the arrangement in which they were found, unless a portion of a newspaper article could be matched to its other parts.
Biographical / Historical:
Fred Wiseman (1875-1961) was born in Santa Rosa, California, and after attending local schools he engaged in both the bicycle and automotive businesses. Wiseman won considerable fame racing Stoddard-Dayton cars on the West Coast as well as in the Chicago area. He became interested in aviation after attending the Wright brothers' homecoming celebration in 1909 and the first Los Angeles aviation meet at Dominguez Field in 1910.
After these two events, Wiseman was convinced he wanted to learn to fly and so he returned to his home in Santa Rosa and persuaded Ben Noonan to put up $10,000 to build a plane. Wiseman, along with J. W. Peters and D.C. Prentiss, built a biplane named the Wiseman-Peters. During July 1910, both Peters and Wiseman flew the Wiseman-Peters and the following year Wiseman entered the 1911 Aviation Meet at Selfridge Field, Michigan.
On February 17, 1911, Wiseman made the first airplane-carried mail flight officially sanctioned by any local U.S. post office and made available to the public when he carried mail, a bundle of newspapers and a sack of groceries from Petaluma, CA, to Santa Rosa, CA. (The first air mail flight sanctioned by the U.S. Post Office in Washington, D.C., took place on September 23, 1911, when Earle Ovington carried mail from Garden City, Long Island, to Mineola; and the first continuously scheduled U.S. air mail service began on May 15, 1918, with routes between Washington, Philadelphia, and New York.)
During 1911, Wiseman had an active season of exhibition work, including flying for one week at the California State Fair. However, after this season Wiseman gave up flying because he thought there was no future in it. He sold his plane and returned to the automobile business. He later worked for Standard Oil Company of California. Wiseman was a member of the Early Birds of Aviation, an organization of pilots who flew solo in an aircraft prior to December 17, 1916.
Weldon Cooke, another pioneer aviator from California, bought and modified the Wiseman-Peters aircraft, renaming it the Wiseman-Cooke. Cooke flew the Wiseman-Cooke for exhibition and air mail flights. The Wiseman-Cooke aircraft is currently part of the Smithsonian Institution's collections.
Provenance:
No donor information, Gift?, unknown, XXXX-0618, 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
The photos include images of aircraft, on the ground and in flight; pilots; and winners receiving trophies. Pilots portrayed include Charles Brown, Cook Cleland, Jacqueline Cochran, Joseph C. De Bona, Ben McKitten, Betty Skelton, and Roscoe Turner.
Biographical / Historical:
This collection consists of 450 photographs including silver gelatin negatives and prints which document the National Air Races in the 1940s. Begun in 1920, the National Air Races were an annual, week-long event including formation flying, parachute drops, aerobatic displays, and races. The event included two privately sponsored, closed-circuit speed races: the Pulitzer Trophy race held from 1920 to 1925 and the Thompson Trophy race held from 1930 to 1939. Along with other competitions, the National Air Races fostered the development of aircraft in the 1920s and 1930s but ended during World War II.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
No donor information/Transfer from Aeronautics, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0555, 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
Please handle the scrapbooks very carefully, as they are in poor condition due to general use.
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Date:
1910-1912
Summary:
This Moisant Family Scrapbooks consist of three oversized scrapbooks containing newspaper accounts of the Moisants' flying escapades, as well as press releases and writings. The articles also discuss the following aviators who were involved with the Moisants: Harriet Quimby, Roland Garros, Rene Barrier, Rene Simon, John J. Frisbie, Charles Hamilton, and Shakir S. Jerwan.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of three oversized scrapbooks containing newspaper accounts of the Moisants' flying escapades, as well as press releases and writings. The articles also discuss the following aviators who were involved with the Moisants: Harriet Quimby, Roland Gerros, Rene Barrier, Rene Simon, John J. Frisbie, Charles Hamilton, and Shakir S. Jerwan. Dates, condition of scrapbooks, and a brief description of content for each scrapbook are listed below.
Arrangement:
Three stand-alone scrapbooks; no arrangement.
Biographical/Historical note:
The Moisant Family -- John, Alfred and Matilde -- helped spark America's early interest in aviation. John Moisant (1868-1910) trained at the Bleriot School in France and made the first successful cross-country, passenger-carrying flight from Paris to London in 1910. That fall he competed in the Gordon-Bennett Trophy Races but was killed in December while flying an exhibition in New Orleans, LA. His brother Alfred was president of the Moisant Aviation School and of the Hempstead Plains Aviation Company, 1911. Alfred also organized the Moisant International Aviators, Inc., which embarked upon a series of flight exhibitions in the United States and Mexico, 1911-1912. The Moisants' sister, Matilde (1887-1964), joined the family's exhibition tour and was the second American woman to become a licensed pilot. Matilde established two altitude records before giving up exhibition flying in 1912.
Related Archival Materials:
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM), Archives Division also holds additional materials about the Moisant Family. Biographical information can be found in the biographical fiche collection at the NASM Archives/Garber Facility. In the NASM archives downtown facility, we recommend the Biographical Files which contain additional newspaper and journal articles, letters, memorabilia and photographs. For more information on John Moisant, please see the John B. Moisant Scrapbook Collection (Accession number XXXX-0536) on microfiche.
Related Materials:
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives also holds additional materials about the Moisant Family. Biographical information can be found in the Biographical series of the National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files, NASM.XXXX.1183, which contain additional newspaper and journal articles, letters, memorabilia, and photographs. For more information on John Moisant, please see the John B. Moisant Scrapbook Microfiche, NASM.XXXX.0536.
For photographic materials please see the Videodisc Imagery Collection, NASM.XXXX.1000. In some cases, there are original print photographs available in the NASM Archives and copy negatives at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Please consult a staff member for more details and information about ordering reproductions.
Provenance:
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.
This collection consists of the research material used by curators Robert Mikesh and Claudia Oakes to prepare Exhibition Flight (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1973), a companion volume to the Exhibition Flight exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Claudia M. Oakes, Transfer from National Air and Space Museum Aeronautics Department, XXXX-0423
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
