This donation consists of 156 separate interviews or sound sources collected by Elgen Long while he was researching and writing his book, Amelia Earhart: The Mystery Solved which promotes the theory that Amelia Earhart's aircraft came to rest at the bottom of the ocean near Howland Island.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
The donation consists of 156 separate interviews or sound sources, some comprising two or more tape sides. Most of them are interviews conducted by Long, including interviews with: crew members of the Coast Guard Cutter Itasca; Naval and Coast Guard officials; mechanics and engineers involved in the maintenance of Earhart's aircraft; New Guinea and Australia residents and radio operators; friends, family and associates of Earhart and Noonan; and advocates of alternative disappearance theories. There are also radio interviews and a few movie soundtracks and miscellaneous items. The total running time of the collection is 13,209 minutes (220sca hours). This donation also includes a hard drive which holds 387 audio files in .mp3 or .mp4 format (each file is an interview with the possibility of multiple interviews per tape).
Arrangement:
Arrangement by donor.
Biographical / Historical:
Elgen Long collected oral recordings, both interviews and sound sources, while he was researching and writing his book, Amelia Earhart: The Mystery Solved which promotes the theory that Amelia Earhart's aircraft came to rest at the bottom of the ocean near Howland Island. These tapes were also used throughout Long's partnership with David W. Jourdan, founder of the deep-sea exploration company Nauticos, during their three attempts to locate Earhart's aircraft on the ocean floor (2002, 2006, and 2017).
Provenance:
David Jourdan, Gift, 2020, NASM.2020.0025
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 material collected and organized by Doris L. Rich during research in preparation for her 1989 book, Amelia Earhart: A Biography. Materials include reproductions of newspapers, books, periodicals, correspondence, and typed/handwritten notes by Rich.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of material collected and organized by Doris L. Rich during research in preparation for her 1989 book, Amelia Earhart: A Biography. Materials include reproductions of newspapers, books, periodicals, correspondence, and typed/handwritten notes by Rich.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into 5 series, based upon the original order provided by Doris L. Rich.
Series 1: Biographical Files
Series 2: Amelia Earhart Chronology
Series 3: Historical Chronology
Series 4: Book Correspondence
Series 5: Subject Files and Bibliography
Information added by processing archivist is in brackets. Most notably, Doris L. Rich maintained a very formal tone in her correspondence, frequently addressing women by their married name only, ex. Mollison, Mrs. James. The processing archivist has added additonal name information in brackets when possible, ex. [Amy Johnson].
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books, and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting, on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida, in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. An exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
Doris L. Rich (1920-2009) was a freelance journalist and photographer in Hong Kong from 1949 to 1967. She taught English in Bangladesh and Ghana before moving to Washington, DC in the late 1970s. Her first book, Amelia Earhart: A Biography, was published by the Smithsonian Press in 1989. In the book, Rich downplays Earhart's disappearance and instead focuses on Earhart's many contributions to the aviation field and her championing of women's rights. The book was proclaimed one of the Notable Books of the Year by the New York Times in 1990 and served as the basis for Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight, a made-for-television movie in 1994.
Provenance:
Doris L. Rich, Gift, 1990, NASM.1991.0003
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
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974 Search this
Extent:
0.35 Cubic feet (7 folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Ephemera
Date:
1907-1977
Summary:
This collection consists of approximately 0.35 cubic feet of banquet programs, menus, and similar items from aviation-themed events.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of approximately 0.35 cubic feet of banquet programs, menus, and similar items from aviation-themed events. Some are from events honoring individual pilots such as Charles Lindbergh, Richard Byrd, the Wright Brothers, and Amelia Earhart, and some are from events held by organizations including the Aero Club of America, the Early Birds of Aviation, the Manufacturers Aircraft Association, and the 31st Division Air Corps of the Alabama National Guard. Additional programs relate to specific events including the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, various air racing events and record setting flights, memorial dedications, and air route inaugurations.
Arrangement:
Items in this collection have been organized by topic with a miscellaneous folder at the end. Folders are arranged alphabetically by organization name or by last name when the topic is a particular person. Within each folder, items are arranged chronologically.
Biographical / Historical:
During the early flight period, World War I, and on into the 1920s and 1930s, numerous famous flights by pioneering pilots represented the cultural acceptance of the airplane from an entertaining novelty into an instrument of commerce, a weapon of war, and a vehicle for spectacle. In response, there emerged a new form of technological enthusiasm called "air-mindedness." To be airminded meant the zealous support of aviation to bring about the next great era in human civilization, which many people called the "Air Age." With such a great interest in aviation, many of the pilots during this era were treated as celebrities whose activities were followed with interest by the press as well as the public. Pilots making trailblazing flights were often fêted with parades, banquets,and other events in order to celebrate their achievements, and many aviation events were similarly celebrated. Also during this time period, numerous aviation-related societies and clubs were formed and their members would meet for dinners and other social occasions.
General:
In cases where identical duplicate items exist in the collection, only one representative version was scanned to appear in the slideshow. In cases where duplicate items had differences (such as signatures on the cover or an enclosure not present in the other versions), only the parts that differ were scanned.
Provenance:
Unknown, Material found in collection is likely from various donors, NASM.XXXX.0116.
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.
Thaden, Louise (McPhetridge), Mrs, 1905-1979 Search this
Extent:
8.73 Cubic feet (23 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Publications
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Date:
1929-1981
Summary:
The Ninety-Nines, Inc. History Books Collection consists of scrapbooks (yearbooks) complied by the officers of the Ninety-Nines to document the organization. Included in the yearbooks are the following: photographs of the members and officers; news clippings of the organization, individual chapters and sections, and about individual members; programs from air races, including Air Race Classic, Angel Derby, and the Powder Puff Derby; minutes from the annual meetings; and newsletters of the organization, The 99news, Ninety-Nine News, and Ninety-niner.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 19 bound scrapbooks and 34 unbound scrapbooks chronicling the history of the Ninety-Nines. Some of the volumes are described with a date range (September 1, 1937 -- September 1, 1938), while others are described with a volume number and date range (Volume 28, 1956 -- 1957). Organization of the Ninety-Nines History Books varies somewhat over the years. Usually, the books begin with photographs of the officers of the national organization, followed by minutes and a program from the annual meeting. The books end with copies of The Ninety-Nines Newsletters from the previous year. Additional contents of each book are dependent upon the events that happened in a particular year. In the early years of the organization, the books include further refinements of the constitution and by-laws, and various newspaper and magazine articles regarding accomplishments of the organization or individual members. In subsequent years, the history books focus more on the air races in which members participated or various events sponsored by the organization.
The researcher will note that in 1953 volume numbers were assigned to the books. For the sake of continuity and clarity in the finding aid, the processing archivist assigned volume numbers where appropriate. These numbers appear in square brackets where appropriate, i.e. [35]. Due to the fragile nature of the bound scrapbooks, photocopying may not be possible.
Arrangement:
The Ninety-Nines, Inc. History Books Collection is arranged chronologically, by date and/or volume number.
Biographical/Historical note:
On November 2, 1929, twenty-six licensed women pilots gathered together at Curtiss Field, Valley Stream, Long Island, New York, to discuss the formation of a club "to promote women pilots among themselves, and to encourage other women to fly, as well as to break down general opposition to aviation." (1) After that first meeting, letters were sent out to the 117 licensed women pilots in the United States, giving all of them the opportunity to become charter members in the new club. The name of the club was to be determined by the number of women who wished to join. When 99 letters were returned by the approved date, the club became known as The Ninety-Nines. Many famous female pilots of the time, including Amelia Earhart, Ruth Elder, Viola Gentry, Phoebe Omlie, and Louise Thaden were charter members.
In the succeeding years, The Ninety-Nines have ably fulfilled the purpose set forth in the original letter. Many aviation records have been set by members of The Ninety-Nines. Amelia Earhart was the first woman to pilot an aircraft across the Atlantic and, in 1936, Louise Thaden and Blanche Noyes won the Bendix Trophy Race. Since 1941, the organization has bestowed a variety of scholarships and grants to members who are seeking advanced training in specialized branches of aviation. Today, the Ninety-Nines, Inc. has grown to include 6,500 members in 35 countries.
(1) Clara Trenckmann to Mr. Skinner and Mr. Mellen, October 1, 1929. "September 1, 1929 -- September 1, 1930," Folder 1, Box 1, Ninety-Nines, Inc. History Books Collection (Acc.XXXX-0470). Archives Division, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.
Provenance:
Ninety-Nines, Inc., unknown, XXXX-0470
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 May 1930 issue of Needlecraft magazine which features an interview with Amelia Earhart entitled, "What Women Can Do for Aviation."
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of the May 1930 issue of Needlecraft magazine which features an interview with Amelia Earhart entitled, "What Women Can Do for Aviation." The cover of the magazine features art work of a young woman sewing name labels into flight clothing while watching an airplane flying overhead.
Arrangement:
Collection is a single item.
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart (1897--1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida, in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. An exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
Provenance:
Darryl J. Cason, Gift, 2022, NASM.2022.0046.
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 Lockheed Model 5C Vega Special (A/C No. NC965Y) was one of Amelia Earhart's aircraft in which she set numerous records. This collection consists of one scrapbook documenting the aircraft and Earhart's flights in it.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of one scrapbook compiled by Charles H. Babb and Paul Mantz as the "Story of NC-965-Y." The scrapbook is contained in a 14 x 18 inch spiral notebook and includes a map of some of Amelia Earhart's flights in the Lockheed Model 5C Vega Special (A/C No. NC965Y); photographs of Earhart and the aircraft; newspaper clippings regarding some of her flights in the aircraft; and a history of the aircraft itself. The newspaper clippings set up to look like a collage are actually superimposed upon other clippings and printed on a single sheet and the photographs and map are printed as well rather than being originals adhered to the pages. The scrapbook appears to be professionally produced, possibly commissioned by Pratt & Whitney for advertising purposes.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Model 5C Vega Special (A/C No. NC965Y) was completed by Lockheed in 1931. It had been ordered by John Henry Mears, who did not take delivery, and then sold to Elinor Smith before being purchased by Earhart. Earhart removed the Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine from her Lockheed Model 5B Vega (NR7952) in which she had made her record-setting solo transatlantic flight and installed it in the Lockheed Model 5C Vega Special. The aircraft was also fitted with special fuel tanks, radio, high speed landing gear, and a NACA engine cowling. Earhart set several records flying in the Lockheed Model 5C Vega Special including a women's transcontinental speed record flying from Los Angeles, California to Newark, New Jersey in July 1932; a women's international airline distance record flying from Los Angeles to Newark in August 1932 (a record she would break herself in 1933 flying the same aircraft); first person to fly solo from Honolulu, Hawaii, to the US mainland (Oakland, California) in January 1935; and the first person to fly solo from Mexico City, Mexico to Newark in May 1935. Also in 1935, Earhart made a record flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City, and she placed fifth in the 1935 Bendix Race. Earhart sold the Lockheed Model 5C Vega Special (A/C No. NC965Y) in 1936. It appeared in two Paramount Pictures movies, Wings in the Dark and Border Flight
, and was sold two more times before being destroyed in a hangar fire in 1943.
Provenance:
Unknown, material found in collection, NASM.XXXX.0049.
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 accession consists of six original photographs of Amelia Earhart, Fred Noonan, and her Lockheed Model 10-E Electra (NR16020) taken during a refueling stop at Caripito, Venezuela, on June 2, 1937, during Earhart's attempted around-the-world flight.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
This accession consists of six original photographs of Amelia Earhart, Fred Noonan, and her Lockheed Model 10-E Electra (NR16020) taken during a refueling stop at Caripito, Venezuela, on June 2, 1937, during Earhart's attempted around-the-world flight. These candid photographs, which are black and white and measure approximately 2.75 x 4.5 inches apiece, were taken by Samuel B. Pittenger and were signed and dated by him on the reverse of each print.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books, and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting, on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida, in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. An exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
Provenance:
Edmund J. Dickinson, Gift, 1986, NASM.1986.0037.
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 six photographs documenting aviation-related activities in Khartoum, Sudan, in the 1930s.
This collection is in English.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of six black and white photographs, each measuring 2 by 3 inches, all taken at Khartoum, Sudan. Four of the photographs are of Amelia Earhart and her Lockheed Model 10-E Electra (NR16020) taken during a refueling stop at Khartoum, on June 13, 1937, during Earhart's attempted around-the-world flight. These photographs feature some hand-tinting. Another photograph, taken on November 30, 1936, is of James A. Mollison's Bellanca 28-90 Flash Dorothy. The sixth picture is one of the donor, Edward Frosdick, posed standing in front of an airplane wearing a flying helmet and goggles, taken around the same time period.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books, and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting, on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida, in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. An exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
James A. Mollison (1905-1959) was a pilot who set many records either flying alone, or with his wife Amy Johnson. Both Mollison and Johnson also served in the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II. Flying in his Bellanca 28-90 Flash Dorothy, Mollison set a transatlantic speed record in October 1936.
Provenance:
Edward Frosdick, Gift, 1989, NASM.1989.0096.
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 125 black and white photographs that Cecil Tucker collected during his tenure at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The photographs include the following Curtiss-Wright aircraft: the Curtiss-Wright Robin, including "Wrong-Way" Corrigan's aircraft; the Curtiss-Wright Kingbird, built for the Marine Corps; the Curtiss-Wright Condor, including images of the Condor T-32 built for the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, the two Condors modified for the Navy for use by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as the Condors sold to Eastern Airlines, Switzerland, and Argentina; and the Curtiss-Wright AT-9, CW-19R, and CW-22B. Famous individuals pictured include: Amelia Earhart, Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Lowell Thomas, the famous radio broadcaster. Also of interest are severala few images of aircraft with Latin and South American insignia.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 125 black and white photographs that Tucker collected during his tenure at Curtiss-Wright. The photographs include the following Curtiss-Wright aircraft: the Curtiss-Wright Robin, including "Wrong-Way" Corrigan's aircraft; the Curtiss-Wright Kingbird, built for the Marine Corps; the Curtiss-Wright Condor, including images of the Condor T-32 built for the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, the two Condors modified for the Navy for use by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as the Condors sold to Eastern Airlines, Switzerland, and Argentina; and the Curtiss-Wright AT-9, CW-19R, and CW-22B. Famous individuals pictured include: Amelia Earhart, Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Lowell Thomas, the famous radio broadcaster. Also of interest are a few images of aircraft with Latin and South American insignia.
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 Curtiss-Wright Photography [Tucker] Collection is arranged by subject.
Biographical / Historical:
Cecil Tucker worked for Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri,from 1928 until 1945. Tucker started as a wire man and worked his way up to the Assistant Superintendent of Factory Administration for the St. Louis plant.
Provenance:
Paul B. Tucker, gift, 2000, 2000-0033
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first US airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) in providing a rapid form of coast to coast transportation service. This collection includes material that Daniel M. Sheaffer collected about Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT).
Scope and Contents:
This collection includes material that Daniel M. Sheaffer collected about Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), including: tickets, advertisements, brochures, route maps, schedules, TAT business documents, TAT Air Mail and Postal Telegraph documents, photographs, postcards (showing "TAT plane over" various geographical landmarks), correspondence, and scrapbooks.There is also some material pertaining to Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The photographs show TAT terminals and aircraft, and famous personalities including Amelia Earhart and Will Rogers.
Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects. In addition, images of some material in the collection have been excluded from online display due to possible copyright restrictions.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged by type of material.
Biographical / Historical:
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first US airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) in providing a rapid form of coast to coast transportation service. Daniel M. Sheaffer, as the chairman of the executive committee of TAT, was a pioneer in the development of commercial aviation for mail express and passengers. He assisted in the actual development of the TAT line and with the inauguration of the service.
Provenance:
Mrs. Daniel M. Sheaffer, Gift, unknown, NASM.XXXX.0267
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), Inc. Air-Rail Service Scrapbooks collection consists of three large, fabric covered scrapbooks. The set documents the pre- and post-inaugural activities of TAT for the period of time between June and November, 1929.
Scope and Contents:
This collection includes three scrapbooks. The news clippings in Volume I cover the period of July 6-10, 1929, when the first transcontinental air-rail service was inaugurated. Volume II, covering the period of June 11 through August 23, 1929, documents the pre- and post-inaugural activities surrounding the establishment of the TAT. Both volumes contain newsprint with images of high-profile travelers and stakeholders, such as Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Ina Claire, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mary Pickford. The third volume (untitled) covers the time between September 4 and November 1, 1929, when the news of the TAT Ford Tri-Motor "City of San Francisco" disappearing in the mountains of New Mexico captivated readers nationwide.
Arrangement:
This collection is in orginal order, with each scrapbook compiled in chronological order.
Biographical/Historical note:
The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) was the first U.S. airline associated with railroads (Pennsylvania and Santa Fe) to provide a rapid form of coast-to-coast transportation. Daniel M. Sheaffer, chairman of the executive committee of TAT, was a pioneer in the development of commercial aviation for passenger and express mail services. Both he and founder Clement Melville Keys were instrumental in the development of the TAT line and with the inauguration of the service.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of the following: four 7.5 by 5 inch black and white photographs of Amelia Eahart in Lae, New Guinea in July of 1937; Amelia Earhart on wing of Lockheed Electra, with indigenous people in foreground; Amelia Earhart on top of Lockheed Electra, smiling; group photo of Manager of Guinea Airways (an Australian operated service to New Guinea in the 1930s)unidentified woman, Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan; and a group photo including Earhart,Noonan, Mr. F.C. Jacobs of the New Guinea Gold Mining Co., and Mr. and Mrs Joubert, manager of Bulolo Gold Dredging (BGD). Photographs are stamped on back with "Copyright Photograph, A. A. Koch, Lae, New Guinea."
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida, in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. An exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
Provenance:
Margaret White, Gift, 2017
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
Fred Noonan (1893-1937) was a Merchant Marine officer and navigator who disappeared on July 2, 1937 with Amelia Earhart during their failed around-the-world flight attempt. This collection consists of a telegram, dated April 8, 1937, sent by Fred Noonan to a friend, Matt Neehan; a photograph of Noonan and his first wife, Josephine; and three news clippings dating from 1966-1970 regarding the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Noonan.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a telegram, dated April 8, 1937, sent by Fred Noonan to a friend, Matt Neehan. In it, Noonan thanks Neehan for a letter he sent and plans a visit after his around-the-world flight with Amelia Earhart. Someone (presumably Neehan) has written a note on the front that reads, "Fred Noonan, [Amelia] Earhart Pilot - They didn't make it. M." On the back are notes in pencil and a draft telegram which reads, "Don't give up STOP I know Fred STOP least experience of two years [unreadable] has taught me to believe he will surmount any [unreadable] - I'll bet on Fred. Matt." Also included in the collection is a small sepia toned photograph of Noonan and his first wife, Josephine, taken in 1928. Finally, the collection contains three news clippings dating from 1966-1970 regarding the disappearance of Earhart and Noonan.
Note: Two of the news clippings in this collection have been excluded from online display due to possible copyright restrictions.
Arrangement:
Collection is in chronological order.
Biographical / Historical:
Fred Noonan (1893-1937) was a Merchant Marine officer and navigator who disappeared on July 2, 1937 with Amelia Earhart during their failed around-the-world flight attempt. Noonan served with the Merchant Marine for more than twenty years, including service during World War I, before obtaining his pilot's license in 1930. Noonan then went to work for Pan American Airways (Pan Am) (USA) working first as a navigation instructor, then later as an airport manager and inspector. Noonan later flew as navigator on Pan Am Sikorsky S-42 Clipper flights in San Francisco, including endurance flights made by Edwin Charles "Ed" Musick. Noonan was subsequently tasked with mapping Pan Am's routes across the Pacific. Having met through mutual acquaintances, Amelia Earhart chose Noonan to serve as navigator on her attempted 1937 around-the-world flight in a twin-engine Lockheed Model 10-E Electra. She and Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. A exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
Provenance:
Joan Wallace, Gift, 2015, NASM.2015.0034
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
Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. This item is a letter sent to Joel Schaffer in 1929 by Amelia Earhart which includes a typed listing of books, compiled by New York University Professor Alexander Klemin for the Guggenheim Foundation, on the subject of aeronautics.
Scope and Contents:
This item is a letter sent to Joel Schaffer in 1929 by Amelia Earhart. The cover letter is typed, but signed by Amelia Earhart. The packet includes a typed listing of books, compiled by New York University Professor Alexander Klemin for the Guggenheim Foundation, on the subject of aeronautics.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. A exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
Provenance:
Teri Jensen-Brosh and Jean Roblyer, Gift, 2012, NASM.2013.0010.
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 eight black and white photographs taken in Hawaii in the late 1930s relating to Amelia Mary Earhart and Pan American Airways (Pan Am) aircraft.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of eight black and white photographs taken in Hawaii in the late 1930s. The photographs range in size from approximately 2.5 by 3.5 inches up to approximately 5 by 7 inches. Some may have been taken by Walton Alexander Anderson, others appear to be press or promotional photography. Four photographs relate to Amelia Mary Earhart's first unsuccessful round-the-world flight attempt in March 1937. Two photos show Earhart, Paul Mantz, and Fred Noonan wearing leis and speaking to the press. Two photographs show Earhart's Lockheed Model 10-E Electra (NR16020) undergoing repairs at Luke Field on Ford Island, Oahu, Hawaii. The collection also contains four photographs relating to Pan American Airways (Pan Am) aircraft in Hawaii, at least some of which were also possibly taken on Ford Island. Aircraft shown in these photographs include the Sikorsky S-42 Clipper (NR-823M), Martin (Glenn L.) Model 130 Philippine Clipper (NC-14715), and Martin (Glenn L.) Model 130 China Clipper (NC-14716).
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
Walton Alexander Anderson (1917-1993) served in the US Army Air Corps and was stationed in Hawaii in the late 1930s.
Provenance:
Mary Hunt, Gift, 2015, NASM.2015.0015
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
Kinner, Winfield B. "Bert,", 1882-1957 Search this
Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Date:
November 27, 1927
Summary:
This collection consists of a letter dated November 27, 1927 written and signed by Amelia Earhart to Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a letter dated November 27, 1927 written and signed by Amelia Earhart to Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner. In the letter, Earhart expresses her satisfaction with her Kinner Airster and inquires about the status of engine testing and development. Earhart also voices concern that another manufacturer might use the characteristics of the Airster to capture the market for that type of airplane before Kinner perfects the engine.
Arrangement:
Collection is a single item.
Biographical / Historical:
Amelia Earhart (1897--1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida, in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. An exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan.
Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner (1882--1957) enlisted in the US Army Air Service during World War I, but the war ended before he was trained to fly. So, in 1919, Kinner moved to Los Angeles, California, where he rented a barn, built his first airplane and taught himself to fly. Until his retirement in 1941, Kinner remained active in the aviation business. Kinner organized the following aircraft and engine companies: Kinner Airplane & Motor Corp; Security Aircraft Corp; American Aircraft Corp; and Security National Aircraft Corp. These companies produced a variety of aircraft, including the Kinner Airster, the first aircraft that Amelia Earhart purchased. Kinner is perhaps most famous for producing the popular Kinner K-5 engine and for designing the first folding wing aircraft, the Security Airster S-1-A and S-1-B.
Provenance:
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kinner, Gift, 1992, NASM.1993.0002
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.
