Search Results

Manufacturer:

Curtiss Aeroplane Company  Search this

Materials:

Fuselage - steel tube with fabric cover

Wings - wood with fabric cover

Dimensions:

Wing span: 9 m (29 ft. 6 in.)

Length: 6.5 m (21ft. 3 in.)

Height: 2.2 m (7 ft. 4 in.)

Weight: 251.7 kgs (555 lbs.)

Type:

CRAFT-Aircraft

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Date:

1930-1932

Credit Line:

Gift of Robert E. Maytag

Inventory Number:

A19590100000

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location:

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

Exhibit Station:

Vertical Flight

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv969d946cc-41d7-4912-a28e-f402c444d249

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19590100000

Manufacturer:

Curtiss Aircraft Company  Search this

Materials:

All-metal, semi-monocoque

Dimensions:

Overall: 330 x 970cm, 2686kg, 1140cm (10ft 9 15/16in. x 31ft 9 7/8in., 5921.6lb., 37ft 4 13/16in.)

Type:

CRAFT-Aircraft

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Date:

1939

Credit Line:

Donated by the Exchange Club in Memory of Kellis Forbes.

Inventory Number:

A19650242000

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location:

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

Hangar:

Boeing Aviation Hangar

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9d0a3216e-18d2-4214-a588-b38916eec3ab

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19650242000

Creator:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this

Names:

Curtiss-Wright Airports Corporation  Search this

Keystone Aircraft Corp  Search this

Extent:

212.29 Cubic feet (598 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Motion pictures (visual works)

Reports

Drawings

Financial records

Date:

1868-1972

bulk 1925-1949

Summary:

This collection consists of the corporate records of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Included in the collection are technical and engineering reports of Curtiss-Wright Airplane Division's operations in St. Louis (Robertson), MO (1935-1945) and Buffalo, NY, (1932-1945), as well as AAS Material Division and AAF Air Technical Services Command memorandum reports collected by Curtiss-Wright's St. Louis and Buffalo technical reference libraries. The collection also contains the files of Curtiss-Wright's Patent Department, which hold records of patents filed by Curtiss-Wright and patent-infringement cases involving Curtiss-Wright. Also included in the collection are specifications issued by and photos commissioned by the Keystone Aircraft Corporation (Huff-Daland Airplanes, Inc. until March 1927), which had been acquired by Wright in 1928 along with Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corp., and formed the Keystone Division of Curtiss-Wright until 1932 when Keystone's Bristol, PA factory closed its doors. The collection also contains financial records of the Curtiss-Wright Airports Corporation, which was liquidated in 1936, as well as an extensive negative collection featuring Curtiss-Wright aircraft from the 1930s and 1940s, concentrated especially on the war years.

Scope and Contents:

The Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records collection contains approximately 212 cubic feet of material. The collection contains the following material:

Army Air Service Material Division & Army Air Force Technical Services Command Memo

Reports & Technical Reports which include testing of various Curtiss-Wright models of aircraft and/or various parts of aircraft

Technical & Engineering Reports from the St. Louis, MO plant [Robertson] & Buffalo, NY plant

Patents, Patent Dockets, Patent Serial numbers, Suits, License Agreements, Patents filed by Curtiss-Wright & Patent Infringement Cases [1800s to 1940s]

Miscellaneous Research Files

Corporate & Financial Records [1923 to 1972]

Correspondence

Blueprint Drawings

Advertisements from Newspapers & Magazines in Scrapbooks

Engine Decals

Photographs

Negatives & Glass Plates

Arrangement:

This collection was arranged into Series and Subseries:

Series I: Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records

Subseries I: Corporation Reports\Records Subseries II: Patents Subseries III: Patent Serial Numbers Subseries IV: Patent Application/Dockets Subseries V: Patent Litigation Subseries VI: Aircraft & Engine Designations arranged by Designation Subseries VII: Photographs Subseries VIII: Keystone Aircraft Corporation Subseries IX: Oversize Scrapbooks of Advertising Material, Newspaper Clippings

Series II: Technical Reports

Subseries I: Air Corps Materiel Division, Reports [ACMR] Subseries II: Buffalo Reports Subseries III: St. Louis

Series III: Glass Format Photography

Series IV: 1969 Accretion - Listing of Archival Material

Series V: Master Print Books [this part of the collection has not been processed]

Historical note:

An historic event in aviation occurred on June 26, 1929 when two major aircraft companies: the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company merged with the Wright Aeronautical Corporation to form the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. After this merger, the former Wright organization took over all of the engine and propeller manufacture while Curtiss concentrated on airplanes. This merger was completed by organizing two major divisions under their original names, but under the direction of a corporate headquarters located in New York City. However, there was a recognized separation of spirit as well as specialized facilities that was never completely resolved in succeeding years. The election of former Wright personnel to key corporate positions soon led to Wright becoming the dominant division. At the height of the Lindbergh Boom during the 1920s and 1930s, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation was made up of the following identified organizations: The Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company; The Curtiss-Caproni Corporation; The Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company; The Keystone Aircraft Corporation; The Moth Aircraft Corporation; The Travel Air Manufacturing Company; The Wright Aeronautical Corporation; Curtiss-Wright Flying Service; The Curtiss-Wright Sales Corporation; The Curtiss-Wright Export Corporation. Curtiss-Wright was quickly becoming the 'General Motors of the Air' until the great depression in October 1929. Sales dropped and Curtiss-Wright was forced to close certain satellite plants and transfer some of their product lines to the St. Louis facility. It looked like even the Buffalo plants would also have to close when Curtiss-Wright received an order from Colombia, South America for Hawks and Falcons. This was the largest military order to Curtiss since the war. The Colombia sale saved the Curtiss-Wright organization at this low point in its history. This order kept the production lines going until new military and civil markets began to open up as the depression waned and the build-up for World War II began. During the U.S. military build-up prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, all existing Curtiss-Wright plants were expanded and new aircraft factories were built at Columbus, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. The dropping of the two atomic bombs on Japan resulted in an unexpected early end to World War II. All of the major U.S. airplane builders including Curtiss-Wright were hit by massive contract cancellations because of the Japanese surrender. In 1946 Curtiss-Wright had only two experimental military models at hand for postwar delivery and no assurance of production orders. Curtiss-Wright was forced to shut down all airplane plants and transfer all units of the Aeroplane Division to their Columbus Plant. 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.

Provenance:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation, gift, XXXX, 1969

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  Search this

Curtiss, General, Aircraft  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this

Curtiss-Wright aircraft  Search this

Aeronautics, Military  Search this

Genre/Form:

Motion pictures (visual works)

Reports

Drawings

Financial records

Citation:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records, Acc. XXXX-0067, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0067

See more items in:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21b19fbef-7db3-4c81-be86-3bb02ecbfee0

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0067

Collection Creator:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this

Container:

Box 6, Folder 14

Type:

Archival materials

Negatives

Scope and Contents:

M-263 [Four air-to-air views of barnstormer Ormer Locklear performing various wingwalking stunts on the wings of a Curtiss JN-4D Jenny while in flight over the Los Angeles, California, area; circa 1919-1920. Top right (A): Locklear does headstand over front edge of upper left wing; one-quarter front left side view from above of JN-4D. Top right (B): Locklear hangs upside down over front edge of lower left wing; one-quarter front left side view from above of JN-4D. Bottom left (C): Locklear stands in a lunging pose on upper left wing; one-half left front view from above of JN-4D. Bottom right (D): Locklear hangs by his knees from lower right wing bow; three-quarter right front view from above of JN-4D over an airfield.]

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:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records, Acc. XXXX-0067, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records / Series 3: Glass Format Photography / 3.2: 8 x 10 Inch Glass Plate Negatives / 8 x 10 Inch Glass Plate Negative Box 6

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2e2aa8ba7-a8b4-4045-8913-aa83cc931697

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0067-ref11485

Manufacturer:

Curtiss Wright Corporation  Search this

Dimensions:

Overall: 13ft 2in., 10546.9lb. (4.013m, 4784kg)

Other: 13ft 2in. x 36ft 8in. x 49ft 9in. (4.013m x 11.176m x 15.164m)

Type:

CRAFT-Aircraft

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Date:

1945

Credit Line:

Transferred by the United States Navy

Inventory Number:

A19610118000

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:

World War II German Aviation

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9e8c1085d-1e09-402f-b4ac-93ed770154d0

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19610118000

Manufacturer:

Arlington Aircraft Company  Search this

Dimensions:

Wingspan: 15.2 m (50 ft)

Length: 6.4 m (21 ft 2 in)

Height: 1 m (41 in)

Weights: Empty, 246 kg (546 lb)

Gross, 349 kg (775 lb)

Type:

CRAFT-Aircraft

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Date:

1963

Credit Line:

Gift of Philip J. Baugh.

Inventory Number:

A19690004000

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location:

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

Exhibit Station:

Sport Aviation

Data Source:

National Air and Space Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9c3b78a55-90d7-44f3-b954-023607c126d4

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nasm_A19690004000

Collection Creator:

Cady, Walter Guyton, 1874-1973 (physicist)  Search this

Container:

Box 44, Folder 24

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1956-1957

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Collection Citation:

Walter Guyton Cady Papers, 1903-1974, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

See more items in:

Walter Guyton Cady Papers

Walter Guyton Cady Papers / Series 5: Consultant Work

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b96680bf-508d-4ff9-a189-ac76d520dbf0

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0046-ref1451

Creator:

Talley, Manila Davis.  Search this

Names:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this

United States. Civil Air Patrol  Search this

Extent:

0.23 Cubic feet (1 box)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Date:

bulk 1917-1967

bulk 1929-1942

Summary:

This collection consists of a scrapbook relating to Manila Davis Talley and her aviation career.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of one scrapbook which contains newspaper clippings, membership cards, programs, photographs, and pilot's licenses, mostly relating to Manila Davis Talley and her aviation career. The focus of the collection is on the years 1929-42, and highlights Talley's career as a salesperson for Curtis-Wright, and her association with the 99s and the Betsy Ross Corps. Also included is the scrapbook is information on the Women's National Air Races, the Women's National Air Meets, and Talley's work with the Civil Air Patrol. The scrapbook also includes clippings and other items related to Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Doolittle and General Balbo.

Arrangement:

Single item in original order.

Biographical / Historical:

Manila Davis Talley (1898-1973) soloed in October 1929 and received her pilot's license in April of 1930. She joined Curtis-Wright Corporation as a saleswoman in late 1929 or early 1930. Talley joined the 99s (international association of female pilots) in 1930 and was a founding member of Betsy Ross Corps, a private 1930s female auxiliary/reserve for the Army Air Corps. Talley was the third woman to go through Air Force War College, in December 1966.

Provenance:

Estate of Manila Davis Talley, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.0041

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  Search this

Women air pilots  Search this

Airplane racing  Search this

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Manila Davis Talley Scrapbook, NASM.XXXX.0041, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0041

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b3cfd97b-f6e7-454c-b17d-1c97c8b7f0e6

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0041

Collection Creator:

Du Mont, Allen B. (Allen Balcom), 1901-1965  Search this

Container:

Box 4 (Series 13), Folder 29

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1958 September 25

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research. Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view materials in cold storage. Using cold room materials requires a three hour waiting period. Only reference copies of audiovisual materials may be used. Contact the Archives Center for more information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Collection Citation:

Allen Balcom Du Mont Collection, 1929-1965, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

See more items in:

Allen Balcom Du Mont Collection

Allen Balcom Du Mont Collection / Series 13: Photographs

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85dd469b0-46d3-4908-8c3b-5cb2ca1a7220

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0018-ref676

Collection Creator:

Morehouse, Harold E., 1894-1973  Search this

Container:

Box 9, Folder 23

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Collection Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Collection Rights:

Permissions Requests

Collection Citation:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies Collection, Acc. XXXX-0450, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection / Series 1.1: Biographies of Flying Pioneers 1.1

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg26933bc40-f822-4ac7-b09f-2a4a55b9f710

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0450-ref250

Collection Creator:

Morehouse, Harold E., 1894-1973  Search this

Container:

Box 10, Folder 10

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Collection Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Collection Rights:

Permissions Requests

Collection Citation:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies Collection, Acc. XXXX-0450, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection / Series 1.1: Biographies of Flying Pioneers 1.1

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg29c2f58f8-c846-4b66-88b4-a3dd3a52c6fd

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0450-ref262

Collection Creator:

Morehouse, Harold E., 1894-1973  Search this

Container:

Box 13, Folder 6

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Collection Restrictions:

No restrictions on access

Collection Rights:

Permissions Requests

Collection Citation:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies Collection, Acc. XXXX-0450, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection

Harold E. Morehouse Flying Pioneers Biographies collection / Series 1.1: Biographies of Flying Pioneers 1.1

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg27e80d3bc-d30c-4a0a-be68-94d9e8f068b9

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0450-ref333

Creator:

Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this

Names:

Aerial Experiment Association  Search this

Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this

Herring-Curtiss Co.  Search this

Bell, Alexander Graham, 1847-1922  Search this

Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this

Herring, Augustus Moore, 1867-1926  Search this

Extent:

9 Cubic feet (18 document boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Financial records

Drawings

Date:

1906-1947

Summary:

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.

Topic:

Patent suits  Search this

Aeronautics  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this

Aircraft industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Financial records

Drawings

Citation:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Archives - Patent Files, Acc. 1987-0029, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.1987.0029

See more items in:

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records - Patent Files

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2856fe9ac-89f2-4f30-ae6f-ec8eebb8ae47

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-1987-0029

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

Collection Creator:

Junkin, Hattie Meyers, 1896-1985  Search this

Container:

Box 3, Folder 25

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Date:

1930

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.

See more items in:

Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers

Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers / Series 2: Soaring and Gliding

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2f9ef0006-5b1f-4f3d-bd74-57dd63ea2cc8

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0171-ref102

Collection Creator:

Junkin, Hattie Meyers, 1896-1985  Search this

Container:

Box 4, Folder 16

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Date:

1931-08

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.

See more items in:

Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers

Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers / Series 3: General materials of Hattie Meyers Junkin

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b364c559-f50f-444e-bd6a-42839bad15dc

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0171-ref129

Collection Creator:

Junkin, Hattie Meyers, 1896-1985  Search this

Container:

Box 4, Folder 17

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Date:

1931-11

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.

See more items in:

Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers

Hattie Meyers Junkin Papers / Series 3: General materials of Hattie Meyers Junkin

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg27555f373-0faa-4727-be16-7a2237173799

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0171-ref130

Collection Creator:

Verville, Alfred V.  Search this

Verville Aircraft Company  Search this

Container:

Box 54, Folder 3

Type:

Archival materials

Text

Date:

UNDATED

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:

Alfred Victor Verville Papers, Acc. XXXX-0173, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

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Alfred Victor Verville Papers

Alfred Victor Verville Papers / Series 5: Other Papers / 5.4: Misc.

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2f7e56572-8210-40b3-8194-5c0f8277638b

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0173-ref621

Collection Creator:

Brown, Bernis B., 1888-1960  Search this

Container:

Box 12, Folder 16

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

undated

Collection Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Collection Citation:

Bernis B. Brown Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

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Bernis B. Brown Collection

Bernis B. Brown Collection / Series 8: Trade Literature

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ca1a284c-534d-4455-9c10-70230326db3d

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1047-ref684

Creator:

Keys, Clement Melville, 1876-1952  Search this

Names:

Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America  Search this

Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company  Search this

Curtiss-Wright Corporation  Search this

Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc.  Search this

Keys, Clement Melville, 1876-1952  Search this

Extent:

16.3 Cubic feet (32 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Correspondence

Financial records

Drawings

Date:

1916-1952

bulk 1928-1931

Summary:

Clement Melville Keys (1876-1952) was a financier and corporate organizer who promoted aviation through the post-World War I decade. In 1916 he came to the aid of the financially-troubled Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and was made an unsalaried vice president. Keys accompanied the American Aviation Mission to Europe in 1919, returning to purchase a controlling interest in Curtiss in 1920. He remained president of Curtiss until the 1929 merger with Wright Aeronautical Corp. to form Curtiss-Wright Corporation, whereupon he became president of the new company. In 1931, however, Keys resigned as chairman of T&WA following a bitter struggle for control of the airline. Mental collapse followed and Keys surrendered all his remaining aviation interests and left Curtiss-Wright in 1933.

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists primarily of Keys' business records and correspondence from the 1920s and early 1930s. The bulk of the material relates to the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company/Curtiss-Wright Corporation and related firms, as well as Transcontinental Air Transport. The material includes business (operating) correspondence and records relating to Keys' financial interests.

The collection is divided into three series. The first series consists of materials dated through Keys' withdrawal from his aviation interests in 1932, followed by a second series of materials post-dating 1932. The final series consists of a small number of legal-sized documents not marked by Keys or his secretary and not otherwise placeable in either of the first two series. Because of the small amount of legal-sized material in the collection, the bulk of the collection has been stored in letter-sized containers; all legal-size documents have been placed in legal-sized containers at the end of the collection (Boxes 29-31) and a cross-reference note entered in the appropriate place in basic folder list. Larger materials have been placed in a single oversized box (Box 32) with cross-references in the folder list as appropriate.

Note: The digital images shown for this collection were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product which did not reproduce all materials found in this collection; some items have not been scanned.

Arrangement:

The processing of the Keys papers began as an intern project. The intern, however, was unable to complete the work before the end of the intemship period and I was assigned to rebox the materials that had been left unprocessed so that higher priority activities could continue. The long-term plan was that I would finish processing the collection when other projects had been completed. At this time I discovered two things: first, many of the documents had been marked for filing, apparently by Keys or Mr. Swan, his confidential secretary; second, much of the material was no longer in this order. When my work load allowed me to return to the processing of the Keys Papers, I surveyed the collection. The remaining original folder labels and cross-reference sheets appeared to confirm my first discovery - many of the documents had been marked for filing.

Most of my work since has been directed at undoing the mishandling from the initial work, most of which occurred in the files relating to the Curtiss group of companies. Almost all of the items dating from mid-1928 onwards carry some sort of filing marks: these items have been reorganized into the indicated filing units (see folder list, below). Unfortunately, enclosures often were not marked: some of these were refiled in 1987 and their provenance is, therefore, lost. A close textual analysis of the collection would be necessary to reunite enclosures with their cover letters; current work load and staff levels preclude this labor-intensive operation.

Almost all of the items dating from mid-1928 onwards carry some sort of filing marks: these items have been reorganized into the indicated filing units (see folder list). Unfortunately, enclosures often were not marked: some of these were refiled in 1987 and their provenance is, therefore, lost. A close textual analysis of the collection would be necessary to reunite enclosures with their cover letters; current work load and staff levels preclude this labor-intensive operation.

Materials pre-dating mid-1928 or otherwise unmarked have been filed by "best guess" from the correspondents and subject of the letters. Some materials doubtless remain misfiled. Researchers should examine folders that seem even marginally related to their topic for unmarked but related documents.

Titles appearing in brackets [ ] are the archivist's.

Series 1

Materials through 1932

Series 2

Post-1932 Material

Series 3

Miscellaneous Materials

Biographical / Historical:

Clement Melville Keys (1876-1952) was a financier and corporate organizer who promoted aviation through the post Word War I decade. Canadian-born, Keys graduated from Toronto University (B.A. 1897) and taught classics before coming to the United States in 1901 (naturalized, 1924). He went to work for the Wall Street Journal, first as a reporter (1901-1903), then as railroad editor (1903-1905) before becoming financial editor for World's Work (1905-1911). In 1911 he founded C. M. Keys & Co., an investment counseling firm and bond dealer. In 1916 he came to the aid of the financially-troubled Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and was made an unsalaried Vice President. Keys accompanied the American Aviation Mission to Europe in 1919, returning to purchase a controlling interest in Curtiss in 1920. He remained president of Curtiss until the 1929 merger with Wright Aeronautical Corp. to form Curtiss-Wright Corporation, whereupon he became president of the new company. During his tenure as president of Curtiss (1920-1929) and its successor, Curtiss-Wright Corp. (1929-1933), Keys brought the company from the brink of bankruptcy to a position as one of the leading aircraft manufacturers in the world. Curtiss also became the center of a group of aviation-related companies which served to market and operate Curtiss aircraft. At the same time, Keys expanded his own holdings until he was at the head of twenty-six corporations, including aviation holdings companies, such as North American Aviation and National Aviation Corp., as well as the first American transcontinental air service, Transcontinental Air Transport (later Transcontinental & Western Airline). In January 1932, Keys withdrew from all his aviation interests, citing ill health. He remained connected with C. M. Keys & Co., concentrating mainly on financial and real estate interests. Upon retiring from Keys & Co. in 1942, he started a new company, C. M. Keys Aircraft Service Co. and, after World War II, helped organize Peruvian International Airways, which began operating in South America in 1947.

Provenance:

Donated by Elizabeth Keys Stoney.

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  Search this

Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Correspondence

Financial records

Drawings

Citation:

Clement Melville Keys Papers, Accession XXXX-0091, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

NASM.XXXX.0091

See more items in:

Clement Melville Keys Papers

Archival Repository:

National Air and Space Museum Archives

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg28e00e54d-1905-41ce-8b49-47f970892346

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0091