Search Results

Materials:

Wicker, wood, rope, metal

Dimensions:

3-D (Overall basket and ring dimentsions): 143.5 × 100.3 × 220.8cm, 92.5kg (4 ft. 8 1/2 in. × 3 ft. 3 1/2 in. × 7 ft. 2 15/16 in., 204lb.)

3-D (Overall basket with rigging pear ring): 143.5 × 100.3 × 355.4cm (4 ft. 8 1/2 in. × 3 ft. 3 1/2 in. × 11 ft. 7 15/16 in.)

Type:

CRAFT-Balloon

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Date:

1927

Credit Line:

Transferred from the War Department

Inventory Number:

A19280013000

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9088af853-cd3d-48b4-b6ed-8a39f2e66764

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19280013000

Creator:

National Air and Space Museum  Search this

Type:

YouTube Videos

Uploaded:

2016-10-07T00:49:44.000Z

YouTube Category:

Education  Search this

Topic:

Aeronautics;Flight;Space Sciences  Search this

See more by:

airandspace

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

YouTube Channel:

airandspace

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:yt_uuk51Ne-b3Y

Pilot:

Amelia Earhart  Search this

Manufacturer:

Lockheed Aircraft Company  Search this

Materials:

Fuselage: wooden monocoque

Wings: wooden cantilever

Dimensions:

Wingspan: 12.49 m (41ft.)

Length: 8.38 m (27ft. 6in.)

Height: 2.49 m (8ft. 2in.)

Weight: Empty 748kg. (1,650lbs.)

Gross: 1,315-1,450kg. (2,900-3,200lbs.)

Type:

CRAFT-Aircraft

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Date:

1927-1929

Credit Line:

Gift of the Franklin Institute

Inventory Number:

A19670093000

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv908b322a7-9925-4071-b2b2-26a162dc0fce

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19670093000

Manufacturer:

Lavochkin Scientific Production Association  Search this

Materials:

Atmosphere Balloon - Rubberized Fabric

Balloon Package - Metals and Plastic Film, Some Tape and Wires

Landing Package - Painted Fiberglass

Orbital Bus - Various Painted Metals and Chrome, Wires

Dimensions:

Overall: 16 ft. 15/16 in. tall x 30 ft. 2 3/16 in. wide, 8818.4 lb. (490 x 920cm, 4000kg)

Type:

SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed

Country of Origin:

USSR

Credit Line:

Gift of H. Buckner Hightower and Gregory W. Schnurr.

Inventory Number:

A19960108000

Restrictions & Rights:

Usage conditions apply

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location:

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

Exhibit Station:

Space Science

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9c9b46cbf-6e2e-450a-8770-3a8d20f57718

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19960108000

Creator:

Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this

Names:

Hudson-Fulton Celebration (1909)  Search this

Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this

Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this

Wright, Wilbur, 1867-1912  Search this

Extent:

5.66 Cubic feet (13 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Publications

Manuscripts

Correspondence

Photographs

Date:

1881-1934

bulk 1905-1915

Summary:

The collection is the result of Major Hammer's passion for amassing material related to aeronautics and technology, and it is arranged into eleven series: articles, clippings, correspondence, drawings and blueprints, leaflets, legislation, minutes, miscellaneous, photographs, programs and publications. Housed in 23 folders, the correspondence is the most comprehensive series, reflecting the original order which grouped the letters into series by topic. Much of the correspondence concerns the planning of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909, and the involvement of Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss. There is also a scrapbook of black and white photographs providing front and side views of specified airplanes. Each page has 3 photos showing different views of the same plane accompanied by a label with additional information. (See written copy for details. Also, please see information written on 8x11 notebook paper.)

Scope and Contents:

The William J. Hammer Collection reflects Hammer's great interest in aeronautics --a passion he cultivated for several decades by accumulating a veritable storehouse of materials. Hammer's important contributions to the early development of aviation are also evident in this collection.

The collection of materials listed in the finding aid is arranged into two series. The first series includes correspondence, reports, handbooks, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, magazines, articles, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous materials. The second series is comprised of photographs of various sizes, scrapbooks, scrapbook pages and miscellaneous materials (the front pages of newspapers, certificates, posters, etc.).

Hammer's papers are arranged both chronologically and alphabetically. Correspondence, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, miscellaneous materials, scrapbook pages, articles and newspaper clippings are organized by the former method. Reports, handbooks, magazines and booklets are grouped alphabetically by either title of publication or author. Photographs are arranged either by subject or chronologically.

The reader should note that at some point, Hammer produced a series of large format photographs. These mounted photographs are duplicates. Due to the very fragile condition of these particular images, the photographs and are not available to researchers.

Additional photographic material regarding Hammer Collection photographs can be found in the NASM Archives Images database. An Archives staff member will assist you with research using this database.

Box 13 of the William J. Hammer Collection has not been scanned.

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 William J. Hammer Collection is arranged by content type.

Biographical/Historical note:

William J. Hammer was born in Cressona, Pennsylvania, on February 26, 1858, was an associate of Thomas Edison and an early aviation supporter and enthusiast. He began his career as an assistant to Edward Weston of the Weston Malleable Nickel Company. In 1879, he moved on to a new position as laboratory assistant to Thomas Edison at Menlo Park, New Jersey. His duties ranged from aiding in conducting experiments on such devices as the phonograph, telephone and ore separator to acting as Edison's key person in further developing the incandescent electric lamp. By 1880, he was made chief engineer of the Edison Lamp Works. A year later, Edison dispatched Hammer to London to be chief engineer of the English Electric Light Company. In this position, he helped construct the Holborn Viaduct Central Electric Light Station in London. This was the first central station ever built for incandescent electric lighting. In 1883, Hammer became chief engineer for the German Edison Company. This task included planning and supervising the construction of all Edison plants in Germany. He returned to the United States late in the following year and acted as chief inspector of central stations of the parent Edison Electric Light Company. In 1886-87, Hammer was general manager and chief engineer of the Boston Edison Electric Illuminating Company. In 1888, he worked as an independent engineer and supervised the completion of the then-largest isolated electric lighting plant, located at the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. During that year, Hammer also was chosen as consulting electrical engineer to the Cincinnati Centennial Exposition. Subsequently, Edison selected him as his personal representative to the Paris Exposition of 1889. This assignment rounded out Hammer's eleven years with Edison. During his time as one of Edison's most trusted and important employees, Hammer devised a number of innovations to the incandescent electric lamp. He designed and built the first electric sign, which spelled out the name "Edison". While in Germany, he invented the automatic motor-driven flashing electric lamp sign. This particular sign flashed the word "Edison" letter by letter and then all at once. At the International Electrical Exhibition, held in Philadelphia in 1884, Hammer also constructed the first flashing column of electric lights.

Upon his return to the U.S. in 1890, Hammer worked as an independent consulting electrical engineer by assisting in a variety of electrical projects, carrying out tests, giving lectures and providing expert testimony in patent disputes. He based this modest enterprise in an office in New York City and continued in this occupation until 1925. His career as an electrical engineering consultant was interrupted by World War I. In June 1918, he was commissioned a major in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the Inventions Section of the War Plans Division of the General Staff in charge of Aeronautical and Electrical Inventions at the Army War College, Washington, D.C.. By December of that year, he was attached to the Operations Division General Staff at the War Department (Inventions Section). During the war and on into 1919, Hammer also worked for the U.S. Patent Office by identifying any aviation-related patents likely to convey too much information to potential enemies. In conjunction with his War Department duties, he acted as a member of the Advisory Board of Experts affiliated with the Alien Property Commission.

Busy as he was with his private consulting work, Hammer also immersed himself in other scientific activities. He took a particular interest in radium after visiting Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris in 1902. The two discoverers of radium gave him some samples of this substance. Soon after returning to the United States, Hammer experimented with radium. His research yielded numerous useful applications for this material such as radium-luminous powders and paints that were used to coat everything from watch and clock dials to aeronautical instruments, switches and toys. Hammer also advocated the use of radium for cancer and tumor treatment. Beyond his interest in this material, he invented selenium light-sensitive cells and recommended many practical uses for them. He also conducted a great deal of laboratory work on X-rays, ultraviolet and cathode rays, phosphorescence and wireless communications. Accordingly, he lectured and published extensively on many of these fields of research and study.

Hand in hand with his overall interest in science and technology, Hammer had a particular passion for aeronautics. Beyond paying careful attention to the rapid progress made in this field at the turn of the twentieth century, he also played an active role as participant and supporter. He made his first balloon flight over France during the Paris Exposition of 1889. His last lighter-than-air journey took place in 1931 aboard the U.S. Navy dirigible Los Angeles. Moreover, he attended and officiated over many balloon, airship and airplane exhibitions and races. Hammer was a member of the Aero Club of America and a director of the Aeronautical Society. This latter group made the first ever purchase of an airplane in January 1909. He served as expert and secretary of the Aeronautics Committee on the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission of 1909 and wrote the contracts for Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss to fly their airplanes for this event. This occasion in New York was important as it marked the first time a large gathering of people in the U.S. witnessed heavier-than-air powered flight. As a friend of the Wright brothers, Hammer testified as an expert witness on their behalf during various patent litigation suits. His contact with aviation pioneers went beyond the Wrights and Curtiss. He also knew and interacted with, among others, Samuel Langley, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henri Farman and Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. Even his work with radium had applications for aviation. Hammer developed radium-based luminous compounds and used them on aircraft instruments so pilots could more easily view their cockpits' dials and gauges.

Hammer's last years were filled with serving as Historian General of the Military Order of the World War, as well as participating in many scientific, engineering and aeronautical committees and societies. During this time, he was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Elliott Cresson Gold Medal, John Scott Medal from the Franklin Institute and the Cross of the Legion of Honor from France. Up until his death on March 24, 1934, he also labored in his efforts to organize a vast personal collection of rare and valuable scientific artifacts, photographs and other materials accumulated since his days with Edison. Following Hammer's death, this important collection was left in the care of his daughter Mabel (his wife of twelve years, Alice, having died in 1906). Some years later, International Business Machines (IBM) acquired it. In 1962, IBM donated the William J. Hammer Scientific Collection to the Smithsonian Institution. The bulk of the collection resides with the National Museum of American History's Archives Center. In the mid 1980s, the aeronautical portion of this collection was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives.

Provenance:

IBM (Mr. William J. Hammer Collection), gift, 1961, XXXX-0074, not NASM

Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Rights:

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Topic:

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this

Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this

Periodicals  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drawings

Scrapbooks

Publications

Manuscripts

Correspondence

Photographs

Citation:

William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0074

See more items in:

William J. Hammer Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b19d3684-d8df-43fc-ba10-9da9e20ed7c2

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074

Creator:

Brooks, Arthur Raymond, 1895-1991  Search this

Names:

Bell Telephone Laboratories  Search this

Florida Airways Corp  Search this

United States. Army. Air Service. 22nd Pursuit Group  Search this

United States. Department of Commerce. Aeronautics Branch  Search this

Brooks, Arthur Raymond, 1895-1991  Search this

Extent:

13.72 Cubic feet (31 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Correspondence

Financial records

Diaries

Drawings

Publications

Photographs

Videotapes

Date:

1910-1988

Summary:

This collection consists of the personal papers and memorabilia of Arthur Raymond Brooks. It includes photographs, correspondence, documents, and certificates relating to Brooks' aviation career, as well as personal correspondence, photographs, and diaries (1907-87).

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of the personal papers of Arthur Raymond Brooks. These papers relate to his military career with the U.S. Army Air Service (1917-22), his years in both civilian government service and the private sector (1923-60), as well as a lifetime's involvement in numerous military, academic, aeronautical, and professional associations and organizations. Additionally, there are examples of correspondence and autographed photographs from such aerospace notables as Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Billy Mitchell, Clayton Bissell, Reed Chambers, and Michael Collins.

The collection is arranged into two broad series. First, is the material relating to his professional life. This includes Brooks' official military documents (U.S. Army commission, discharge papers, etc.), correspondence, reports, photographs (mostly from his time spent as an Air Service officer in France and the U.S.), handbooks, manuals, brochures, programs, speeches, magazines, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and articles. The second series contains items pertaining mainly to his personal life. Included here are personal documents such as income tax receipts, last will and testament, correspondence, photographs (both largely from and of family and friends), diaries, biographical notes, transcripts from audio tape cassettes, logbooks, travel guides, and books. Miscellaneous materials retained by Brooks such as a commemorative medallion, prints, posters, publications, a stamp album, photograph albums, newspapers, and address books are also found in this series.

Brooks' papers are arranged both chronologically and alphabetically. Official military and personal documents, correspondence, reports, photographs, brochures, programs, newspaper clippings and articles, diaries and day timers, biographical notes, transcriptions, logbooks, travel guides, maps, atlases, timetables, and newspapers are organized by the former method. Handbooks, instructions, manuals, magazines, and newsletters are grouped alphabetically by title. The books are arranged alphabetically by author.

Arrangement:

Series 1: Professional material

1.1 Official military documents

1.2 Correspondence

1.3 Reports

1.4 Handbooks, instructions, and manuals

1.5 Photographs

1.6 Brochures

1.7 Programs

1.8 Magazines

1.9 Newsletters

1.10 Newspaper clippings and articles

Series 2: Personal materials

2.1 Personal documents

2.2 Correspondence

2.3 Diaries and day-timers

2.4 Photographs

2.5 Biographical notes

2.6 Transcripts

2.7 Logbooks

2.8 Travel guides, maps, atlases, and train/airline timetables

2.9 Books

2.10 Miscellaneous materials

2.11 Oversized materials

2.12 Posters, prints and maps

2.13 Newspapers and newspaper supplements

Biographical/Historical note:

Arthur Raymond Brooks (1895-1991) was a fighter pilot for the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I and later, a civil aviation pioneer. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts on November 1, 1895, Brooks graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1917 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrochemical engineering. In July of that year, he enlisted in the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. His flight training was provided by the Royal Flying Corps' School of Military Aeronautics in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was then sent for further flight training to Fort Worth, Texas where he flew with the 139th Squadron, 2nd Pursuit Group. In March 1918, Brooks left for France and completed pursuit training at the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, American Expeditionary Force (AEF), at Issoudun. The 139th was placed at the Vaucouleurs Aerodrome, Toul sector, where the squadron was equipped with SPAD VII aircraft. Brooks was eventually made its flight commander. By early August, he was assigned as flight commander of the 22nd Aero Squadron, 2nd Pursuit Group. His new squadron was supplied with SPAD XIII pursuit craft. Altogether, he flew 120 missions in four different aircraft. He named each of the aircraft Smith in honor of his fiancée (Ruth Connery) who was attending Smith College in Massachusetts. The final plane he flew in combat, the Smith IV, is on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.

On July 29, 1918, Brooks achieved his first confirmed aerial victory by downing a German Fokker aircraft. Later, he destroyed two more Fokkers while flying over enemy lines on September 14. On that day, Brooks single-handedly engaged eight enemy aircraft in combat thus, earning him the Distinguished Service Cross. By the war's end, he had six confirmed kills to his credit.

Following the armistice of November 11, 1918, Brooks remained in France as the 22nd Squadron's commanding officer. His squadron was kept in reserve for possible German occupation duty. Upon his return to the United States in July 1919, Brooks was promoted to Captain. He decided to stay in the Air Service and was subsequently assigned as commanding officer for the 95th Pursuit Squadron, stationed at Kelly Field, Texas. From May 1920 to August 1921, he was put in charge of the 1st Pursuit Group at Ellington Field, Texas. Following that assignment, Brooks attended Air Service Field Officer's School, Langley Field, Virginia. After graduation, he stayed on duty at Langley Field until his resignation from the U.S. Army Air Service in December 1922. This action was spurred both by Brooks' frustration with being on the Army's stagnant promotion list and an interest in entering the private sector. During 1920-21, while in the service, he was involved in a failed Framingham-based commercial aviation business called the Brooks, Banks and Smith Corporation. Also in 1920, Brooks married Ruth. Their only child, Peter, was born in 1929.

Brooks' first job after his honorable discharge from the Air Service was as secretary for the National Automobile Association during 1923-24. During 1924-25, he worked in advertising sales for the financial magazine, United States Investor. Once again, his desire to be engaged in commercial aviation compelled him to become involved in establishing and organizing the Florida Airways Corporation from late 1925 into 1926. In time, Florida Airways became Eastern Airways. Brooks left this financially struggling enterprise and joined the Department of Commerce's Aeronautics Branch in August 1926. For the next seventeen months, he worked as an airway extension superintendent and associate airways engineer. His main task with the Aeronautics Branch was to survey air routes and supervise the installation of beacons to assist air mail pilots navigate the Appalachian Mountains from Virginia to Pennsylvania. He left government service in early 1928 and was hired by Bell Telephone Laboratories. He spent the next few decades working as a scientist, engineer and chief pilot for the company at Hadley Field, New Jersey. There, Brooks and his staff conducted pioneering research on ground-to-air radiotelephone communications and electronic aviation navigation equipment. During much of this period, he piloted a Fairchild FC2-W Wasp and a Ford Tri-Motor that operated as flying laboratories for the team's communications research. He was Bell's publications manager for New Jersey operations at the time of his retirement in 1960.

Brooks stayed active in aviation for the remainder of his life. Even in his nineties, he enjoyed flying all sorts of aircraft, including ultralights, gliders and hot-air balloons. He belonged to many aviation-related and professional associations and organizations such as the American Legion, Military Order of the World Wars, Combat Pilots Association, Order of Daedalians, OX-5 Aviation Pioneers Association, Telephone Pioneers of America, Cross and Cockade, Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Quiet Birdmen, WWI Overseas Flyers and the American Fighter Aces Association. Brooks also remained involved with the alumni affairs of his alma mater – MIT. He attended numerous air shows and reunions, including the sixty-fifth, and final reunion, held for the Lafayette Flying Corps in Paris, France in 1983. In 1980, he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey. Brooks lived long enough to see his Smith IV restored by the National Air and Space Museum during the 1980s. Brooks, the last surviving American World War I ace, died in Summit, New Jersey, on July 17, 1991.

General note:

Other materials: medals and memorabilia transferred to NASM Aeronautics Division.

Provenance:

A. Raymond Brooks, Gift, 1989, NASM.1989.0104

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.

Topic:

Fighter pilots  Search this

Works of art  Search this

SPAD XIII (S.13) "Smith IV"  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Periodicals  Search this

Aeronautics, Military  Search this

Genre/Form:

Correspondence

Financial records

Diaries

Drawings

Publications

Photographs

Videotapes

Citation:

Arthur Raymond Brooks Collection, NASM.1989.0104, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.1989.0104

See more items in:

Arthur Raymond Brooks Collection

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21ce64706-6071-4c10-ac68-41c02098b251

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-1989-0104

Collection Creator:

Sanford, Marion  Search this

Container:

Box 3, Folder 8

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1932-1939

Scope and Contents:

Oversized material housed in Box 5.

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Collection Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Collection Citation:

Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers, 1929-1988. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing and digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Funding for the preservation of the Cornelia Chapin Home Movies was provided by the National Film Preservation Foundation.

See more items in:

Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers

Marion Sanford and Cornelia Chapin papers / Series 4: Scrapbooks

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a9794a3d-db3e-4c9e-b70b-1816b29b3f0b

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-sanfmari-ref46

Creator:

Wiseman, Frederick J., 1875-1961  Search this

Names:

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

Topic:

Automobile racing  Search this

Air mail service  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial  Search this

Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this

Airplane racing  Search this

Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this

Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Air pilots  Search this

Wiseman-Peters #2 Biplane (1910)  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Tickets

Correspondence

Clippings

Citation:

Fred Wiseman Scrapbook, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0618, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0618

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b1a6ef9c-06ed-414f-adc3-98f31de066e0

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0618

Medium:

paper; ink; adhesive

Dimensions:

Height x Width: 1 x 1 9/16 in. (2.54 x 3.97 cm)

Type:

Postage Stamps

Place:

FRANCE (republic)

Date:

1955

Topic:

The Cold War (1945-1990)  Search this

Object number:

2000.2005.23

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm837f6ab71-6b07-4fef-95ea-88cbb88dd522

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_2000.2005.23

Medium:

paper; ink; adhesive

Dimensions:

Height x Width: 1 9/16 x 1 in. (3.97 x 2.54 cm)

Type:

Postage Stamps

Place:

FRANCE (republic)

Date:

Issue date: 1971

Depicts:

Balloon "Gare d'Austerlitz"  Search this

Topic:

The Cold War (1945-1990)  Search this

Object number:

2000.2005.24

See more items in:

National Postal Museum Collection

Data Source:

National Postal Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm80b4a284b-cc88-470d-98fd-d93378fdd061

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:npm_2000.2005.24

Extent:

0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder, Document, 9.2 x 24.5 inch (24 x 62 cm))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Place:

Chicago (Ill.)

Date:

1912

Summary:

This single-item collection is a Membership Certificate issued by The Aero Club of Illinois for Club-sponsored aviation events relating to the 1912 Gordon Bennett Aviation Trophy competitions held in the Chicago metropolitan area in September 1912. This unused three-part certificate, Number 7445, is intact and consists of a souvenir certificate, a stub to identify the holder, and a set of 20 coupons, each good for admission to a specific day's events.

Scope and Contents:

This single-item collection consists of an elaborate "Season Subscription Membership Certificate",[1] issued by The Aero Club of Illinois to provide the owner with entry to twenty days of Club-sponsored aviation events relating to the 1912 Gordon Bennett Aviation Trophy (International Gordon Bennett Race) competitions held in the Chicago metropolitan area from September 1 through 20, 1912. (The actual events were scheduled September 9 through 21, 1912.) The three-part certificate, "issued to subscribers of at least $10 for the 1912 events of The Aero Club of Illinois, entitled them to admission to every event given by the club, to members' enclosures and all other members' privileges, including inspection of hangars."[2] The main portion of the certificate features an illustration of the Trophy at center and portraits of the previous Trophy winners: Glenn H. Curtiss (1909), Claude Grahame-White (1910), and Charles Terres Weyman (1911). A fourth space is left open for a portrait of the winner of the 1912 competition to be added later. The stub and coupons at the right side of the certificate were designed to be detached and used as admission tickets; for example, coupon number 17 would admit the stub holder to Club events occurring on September 17, 1912. This certificate, Number 7445, was never issued and is intact.

[1,2] Official Souvenir Program, Aviation Events, Nineteen Hundred Twelve, September 12th to 21st, The Aero Club of Illinois (Chicago, Illinois), 1912.

Arrangement:

Single-item collection.

Biographical / Historical:

In 1908, James Gordon Bennett, Jr. (1841-1918), publisher of the New York Herald newspaper, announced a prize for the fastest speed by an airplane over a closed course. Bennett, a wealthy American yachtsman and sporting enthusiast, had already established international competitions awarding Gordon Bennett trophies for automobile racing (Coupe International, 1900), and ballooning (Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, 1906). The first Gordon Bennett Aviation Trophy competition was held at Reims, France, in August 1909, with races held annually through 1913. The last race was held in 1920, following World War I. Under the terms of the competition, the home country of the winner of a race was obliged to host the following year's race. In 1911, the Gordon Bennett Aviation Trophy was won by American Charles Weyman, consequently the 1912 race was held in Chicago under the auspices of the Aero Club of America and the Aero Club of Illinois. The competitions occurred at three different locations in the Chicago metropolitan area: the Gordon Bennett Race Course at Clearing Aerodrome (Clearing, Illinois) on September 9, 1912; the International Aviation Meet at Cicero Flying Field (Cicero, Illinois) on September 12-15, 1912; and the Airboat Meet and Exhibition Flying at Grant Park (Chicago, Illinois) on September 16-21, 1912, where hydroaeroplanes were housed at the Club's Clarendon Beach Airboat Station. The 1912 Gordon Bennett Aviation Trophy was won by Jules Védrines, flying a Deperdussin 1912 Monocoque Racer.

Provenance:

W. J. Dixon, gift, 1987, NASM.1987.0119.

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.

Topic:

Aeronautics -- 1910-1920  Search this

Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this

Citation:

1912 International Gordon Bennett Race Membership Certificate, Acc. NASM.1987.0119, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.1987.0119

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg24d9d23c4-f936-4954-9535-e087609264ce

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-1987-0119

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2E-271000-01

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / Events, 1947

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg207516552-13bc-4cd4-87b6-6ba078060e5c

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60747

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.

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg268b43af1-b0e6-4042-a558-96dde710f2d5

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60820

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2F-100000-01

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / France

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg29d5c725f-ad5a-43ff-a7e3-df21b1ba7828

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60821

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2F-100000-45

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / France

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg25148c881-9863-41a8-810c-781a33316f3b

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60824

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2F-100000-60

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / France

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg22ad36fc9-236f-4024-9433-ab16ef122a55

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60827

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2F-101000-01

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / France

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg23acc88d1-6a2e-4fe5-93f4-42c4971ede78

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60830

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2F-101300-01

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / France

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg273f09721-cbac-4a0c-bf31-d04c62c3fad7

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60833

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2F-101500-01

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / France

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2d5beb519-8351-41b4-8082-2556fed47782

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60836

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.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.1183.A, File A2F-104000-01

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft

National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Aircraft / Series A2: Lighter than Air (LTA), Balloons / France

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2d32d2c7f-3603-4cdb-8ef6-2d99797472a5

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-1183-a-ref60839