This collection consists of 1.8 cubic feet of technical manuals collected by Captain Cornell Aurell Varsogea, USAF , on the following aircraft: Lockheed C-130 Hercules, McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, Martin (Glenn L.) B-57 Canberra Family, Republic F-105 Thunderchief, Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, and Boeing KC-135.
Biographical / Historical:
Captain Cornell Aurell Varsogea, USAF (1947-1985), was a navigator and weapon systems officer. Captain Varsogea was with the 17th Wild Weasel Squadron from 1972-1973, flying Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs in Vietnam; he was with the Roving Ravens, 467th where he flew Martin (Glen L.) EB-57 Canberras, he also flew Lockheed C-130 Hercules with the Reserve unit and from 1977 until his death in 1985 he flew McDonnell F-4 Phantoms with the 191st Fighter Interceptor Group of the Michigan Air National Guard.
Provenance:
Charles Varsogea, Gift, 2012
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
7.28 Cubic feet (5 records center boxes, 1 16 x 20 x 3 inch flatbox, 1 12 x 16 x 3 inch flatbox)
7.66 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Photographs
Publications
Financial records
Audiotapes
Telegrams
Ephemera
Date:
1931-1985
bulk 1931-1939
bulk 1946-1962
Summary:
The Bendix Corporation (1924-1983), manufacturers of devices for the automotive and aviation industries, sponsored the Bendix Trophy Race—a transcontinental speed competition for aircraft—annually from 1931-1939, then sporadically from 1946-1962. This collection includes race-related materials from the Bendix Advertising and Publicity department, along with materials from other aviation events for which Bendix was a sponsor. Approximately a third of the collection relates to the corporation's activities from circa 1960 to 1983, including military and commercial avionics and communications systems, and support for the Unites States space program, particularly the construction of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39.
Scope and Contents:
This collection centers on the activities of the Bendix Advertising and Publicity department (later Advertising and Public Relations), for many years directed by William A. Mara (later Eldon E. Fox) and assisted by the New York public relations firm Carl Byoir and Associates, Inc. Materials include correspondence, telegrams, documents, brochures, press releases, photographs, and black and white and color negatives and transparencies. As the Bendix Trophy Races were closely associated with the National Air Races, the collection includes race programs, schedules, entry forms, and related air racing ephemera, as well as a number of photographs by Robert E. Burke and Associates, for many years the official photographer of the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio. Similar materials relate to the National Soaring Contest held in Elmira, New York (1935-1946), and the All Woman Transcontinental Air Race (1956-1962) for which Bendix was a sponsor, various National Aircraft Shows and National Aviation Shows, and Bendix's membership in the Aircraft Industries Association of America (AIAA). The collection also includes materials relating to the design and production of the Vincent Bendix Trophy and related replicas and engraved plaques by the Medallic Art Company (New York, NY) and plaster models and plaques by The Potter-Bentley Studios, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio). Also included are photographs and two sets of 11 audio cassette tape recordings each of interviews made as part of the 1985 program "The Golden Years," and photographs taken at the related October 30, 1985, event at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The later third of the collection relates to Bendix's activities circa 1960-1985, with documents and photographs relating to the construction of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39, followed by a small amount of assorted advertising ephemera for various Bendix electronic products and services.
Arrangement:
The materials are arranged in the original physical order as received from the donor, and have been grouped into four series. Folders within a series generally run in chronological order, although the last series contains an assortment of materials many of which would be more logically placed in earlier series. Folders of correspondence are generally arranged in reverse chronological order within the folder. Many of the photographs appearing in Series 2 (Bendix Trophy Races, By Year) can be found duplicated elsewhere in the collection. Boxes 6 and 7 both contain oversized materials.
Biographical / Historical:
The Bendix Corporation, founded in 1924 by inventor Victor Bendix, began as a manufacturer of devices for use in the automotive industry, initially of engine-related items such as starting motors and carburetors, but soon expanding to brakes and hydraulic systems. In 1929, renamed as Bendix Aviation, the corporation branched out into the design and manufacture of equipment for the closely related aeronautics industry, including aircraft hydraulics for brake and flap systems, aircraft engine carburetors, and various electric and electronic instruments. In 1931, Bendix decided to sponsor the first Bendix Trophy Race—a transcontinental speed competition open to all comers, male or female—"to encourage experimental developments by airplane designers and to improve the skills of aviators in cross-country flying techniques such as weather plotting, high altitude and instrument flight." The Bendix Trophy Races were held in conjunction with the National Air Races, occurring with great fanfare annually from 1931-1939, but were suspended from 1940-1945 during World War II. In 1946, the races resumed, but now had to contend with the invention of the jet engine—accordingly, the Bendix Trophy Race was split into two categories: the "R" Division for reciprocating engine airplanes, and the "J" Division for U.S. military jet airplanes. Interest in air racing had declined in the post-war period, and no race was run in 1950. In 1951 the races resumed, and from this point on were limited to U.S. military jets only. Subsequent Bendix Trophy Races occurred in 1953-1957, and then (after a three-year gap) in 1961, with the last race held in 1962.
By this point in time, the Bendix Corporation—which had branched out to dominate the US market in aircraft radio and radar equipment during World War II—was producing missile and radar systems for the US military. In the 1960s Bendix was also building ground and airbourne telecommunications and telemetry systems for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Bendix Field Engineering division worked on the construction of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39 at the Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA) adjacent to Cape Canaveral, Florida, including the Apollo Launch Control Center, Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), and operational support equipment. In the 1970s, Bendix and its numerous Divisions were involved in a series of mergers, sales, and other changes involving the Raytheon and Allied (later Allied-Signal Aerospace) corporations, followed by a hostile takeover attempt in 1982 by Martin Marietta. In 1983, Bendix was acquired by Allied-Signal Aerospace (later Honeywell International) which retained the avionics part of the business.
The original Vincent Bendix Trophy was donated to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in 1985 [artifact number A19850368000]. On October 30, 1985, an event sponsored by Bendix/Allied-Signal was held at the museum in Washington, D.C., honoring aviators involved in the Bendix Trophy Races. Titled "The Golden Years," the program included interviews with several winners of the Bendix Trophy.
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 contains 183 photographs gathered by Lt. Col. George B. Allison for his book Linebacker II: A View from the Rock. These photos (8x10," B&W) document the arrival, preparation (maintenance, refueling, bomb loading), takeoff and landing of Boeing B-52 Stratofortress aircraft at Andersen AFB. A small number of photographs also show the U-Tapao AB in Thailand. Other aircraft pictured in the collection are: the McDonnell Douglas F4 and Phantom II, the Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker, and the Republic F-105. Also included are photos of ground, maintenance, and flight crew members. Aerial photographs in the collection give views of the area around Hanoi, before and after bombing (including the "Hanoi Hilton" prison). In addition, there are photographs of maps of S.E. Asia showing targeted areas, South Vietnamese propaganda leaflets, and two "gag" photos of B-52s. Finally, there are seven photographs taken through an aircraft radarscope of an attack on a pair of B-52 bombers by a SAM.
Biographical / Historical:
Operation Linebacker II, the first strategic bombing attack by the U.S. after World War II, was the heaviest bombing campaign in history. Also known as the "Eleven-Day War," the attack set forth a continuous barrage of air raids that targeted various strategic points around Hanoi and Haiphong between December 18 and 29, 1972. Sites bombed included power plants, warehouses, and rail and ship yards. Surrounded by a defense of SAM-2 missile sites, the Hanoi and Haiphong areas were among the most heavily defended regions in the entire world at that time. The U.S. aircraft bomber employed during this attack was the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, a long-range heavy bomber. Departing from both Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and U-Tapao Air Base in Thailand, the bombers succeeded in destroying eighty percent of North Vietnam's electrical power production. Following the attacks, reconnaissance aircraft were dispatched to gather information on damage that had resulted from the mission. Lt. Col. George B. Allison is a master navigator with more than 4,200 hours flying time, some 2,100 of which were in the B-52. He has nine years crew experience in bombardment aircraft and seven years staff experience in planning and instructing SAC bombing and navigation operations. He flew 76 B-52D combat missions in Southeast Asia from both U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand, and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. More than one-half of these were as a crew radar navigator during the last three months of 1972. They included 20 missions against targets in North Vietnam, two of which were LINEBACKER II missions from Guam against Hanoi.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
George Allison, XXXX-0568
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:
Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975 -- Aerial operations, American Search this
Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975 -- Aerial operations Search this
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Family (Model 464) Search this
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
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.
McDonnell F-4 (F4H) Phantom II Family [Transparencies]
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.
This collection consists of four photo albums filled with images from Michael Francis Malone's time at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. They are all spiral bound and measure approximately 10 by 12 inches. In addition to photographs, the albums contain business cards; receipts; news clippings; and other ephemera. One album features hand-painted artwork on the cover. The collection also contains forty-three 35mm Kodachrome slides in original cardboard mounts, and a small selection of loose color and black and white prints of various sizes (the largest of which measures 8 by 10 inches). Images in the collection show various scenes on base; views of Malone on duty; aircraft; various sites in Thailand; various Thai citizens; and a number of images of a United Service Organizations (USO) show held at the base. Aircraft shown in the photographs include the North American T-39A (CT-39A) Sabreliner; Douglas B-66 Destroyer; Republic F-105 Thunderchief; Boeing KC-135; North American F-86 Sabre; Lockheed C-130 Hercules; and the McDonnell F-4 (F4H) Phantom II. Notable entertainers shown in the photographs include Bob Hope; Phyllis Diller; Joey Heatherton; Anita Bryant; Les Brown & His Band of Renown; and Vic Damone. Finally, the collection contains a small selection of Malone's military records and a few news clippings.
Biographical / Historical:
Michael Francis Malone was a military police officer with the 355th Air Police Squadron and was stationed at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand from October 1966 to September 1967. While at Takhli, Malone took a number of photographs and also received additional photographs from a friend in the base's photo lab. One notable event during Mr. Malone's time at Takhli was a United Service Organizations (USO) appearance by Bob Hope. Mr. Malone retired from the military in August 1968 but served in the Air National Guard from the late 1980s until 2003. Malone was also a ranger with the National Park Service for 28 years.
Provenance:
Michael Malone, Gift, 2016
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
Nick Strelchuk served with the US Navy as part of Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31). This collection consists of one 10 by 8 inch color photograph showing an air-to-air view of a US Navy Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31) McDonnell F-4 (F4H) Phantom II flying beside a captured MiG MiG-21 Fishbed.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of one 10 by 8 inch color photograph showing an air-to-air view of a US Navy Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31) McDonnell F-4 (F4H) Phantom II flying beside a captured MiG MiG-21 Fishbed. The photograph was taken by a radar intercept officer (RIO) during a war game exercise at Fallon, Nevada in 1973.
Arrangement:
Collection is a single item.
Biographical / Historical:
Nick Strelchuk served with the US Navy as part of Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31). Strelchuk was the pilot of the McDonnell F-4 (F4H) Phantom II that flew as wingman to the McDonnell F-4S Phantom II that is in the National Air and Space Museum's collection (A19890038000) on the mission in which it shot down a MiG MiG-21 Fishbed during the Vietnam War on June 21, 1972.
Provenance:
Nick Strelchuk, Gift, 2023, NASM.2024.0004
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 26 black and white prints, mostly 7.25 by 9.5 inch, relating to the Vietnam War era and its aircraft. Most of the photographs were taken by Bengt Öste, in conjunction with his Swedish state media work. The images include photographs of military personnel and aerial views of Vietnam, as well as the following aircraft: Cessna O-1 Bird Dog (L-19); Bell UH-1 Iroquois; Douglas A-4 Skyhawk; Sikorsky H-34; Douglas A3D-2 Skywarrior; McDonnell Douglas F4F-1 Phantom II; Martin B-57B Canberra; Tupolev Tu-16 Badger; and Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. There is also one image of North American P-51 Mustang production in 1944.
Biographical / Historical:
Bengt Öste (1927-2004) was a Swedish journalist. During the 1960s Öste worked in print media, as an editor for both Svenska Dagbladet and Idun Swedish newspapers. In 1971 he joined Swedish state TV2's news program Report, where he worked until his retirement in 1992.
Provenance:
Christer Hedberg, Gift, 2015
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
![view Aviation Technical Manuals Collection [Varsogea] digital asset: Finding aid](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=170&id=https://sirismm.si.edu/siris/findingaid.gif "Finding aid")