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Ralph Hazlett Upson Collection

Creator:
Upson, Ralph Hazlett, 1888-1968  Search this
Names:
Aeromarine-Klemm Corp  Search this
Aircraft Development Corporation  Search this
American National Balloon Race  Search this
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company  Search this
International Balloon Race  Search this
United States. National Bureau of Standards. Aeronautical Safety Code Commission  Search this
Upson, Ralph Hazlett, 1888-1968  Search this
Extent:
7 Cubic feet (21 boxes )
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Diaries
Publications
Photographs
Letters
Notebooks
Correspondence
Date:
1911-1968
bulk 1940-1960
Summary:
This collection contains Upson's papers and notebooks. The material consists of notebooks, both general (1911-35) and experimental (1928-68) and reference files on a variety of aeronautical subjects. The collection also contains material from Upson's teaching career, as well as miscellaneous personal documents.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains Upson's papers and notebooks. The material consists of notebooks, both general (1911-35) and experimental (1928-68) and reference files on a variety of aeronautical subjects. The collection also contains material from Upson's teaching career, as well as miscellaneous personal documents.

There is approximately seven cubic feet of correspondence, reports, manuscripts, notebooks and various other materials.
Arrangement note:
Contents:

Series 1: Personal and Career

Subseries 1: Personal

Subseries 2: Career

Subseries 3: Education

Subseries 4: Authorship

Subseries 5: Correspondence

Series 2: Notepads and Notebooks

Subseries 1: Notepads and Appointment books

Subseries 2: Notebooks

Series 3: Subject files

Series 4: Miscellaneous
Biographical/Historical note:
Ralph Hazlett Upson (1888-1968) was an aeronautical engineer, inventor and pilot. After graduation from Stevens Institute of Technology (ME 1910) he rocketed to prominence by winning the International Balloon Race (1913) and American National Balloon Race (1913, 1921). He worked as chief engineer of the aeronautical department of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (1914-1920), during which time he flew the first United States Navy coastal patrol airship on a demonstration flight (1917) and served on the Navy Design Mission to Europe (1918-19). He then moved to the Aircraft Development Corp. (Chief Engineer 1922-27) while serving as chairman of the Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) division of the Aeronautical Safety Code Commission, US Bureau of Standards (1922-24). He went to work for Aeromarine-Klemm Corp. and a number of other companies (1928-42), during which time he designed the first successful metal-clad airship, the ZMC-2 (1929). After a brief tenure at H. J. Heinze Co. (Chief of Aeronautical Engineering (1942-44) he moved into academia at New York University (NYU, Research Specialist and Lecturer 1944-46) and the University of Minnesota (Professor of Aeronautical Engineering 1946-56; Professor Emeritus 1956-1968). Upson then worked for Boeing (Research Specialist 1956-64) and remained an active consultant until his death.
General note:
An artifact from this collection, the Early Bird plaque of Ralph Upson, was transferred to the Aeronautics Division of the National Air and Space Museum.
Provenance:
Francis A. Upson, gift, 1974, XXXX-0177

Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Permissions Requests
Topic:
Airships  Search this
ZMC-2  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Aeronautical engineers  Search this
Genre/Form:
Diaries
Publications
Photographs
Letters
Notebooks
Correspondence
Citation:
Ralph Hazlett Upson Collection, Acc. XXXX-0177, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0177
See more items in:
Ralph Hazlett Upson Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg286f69694-f0db-4971-aae8-dd9b58a37eef
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0177
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