U.S. Repositories Listing - NASM Corporate & Organizational Records

LISTING BY REPOSITORIES

National Air and Space Museum

CORPORATE, ORGANIZATIONAL AND INTERRELATED COLLECTIONS

Aircraft Radio Corporation Archives [White], Acc. 1987-0023

55.4 cubic feet

The Aircraft Radio Corporation (ARC) of Boonton, New Jersey, was established as a division of the Radio Frequency Labs (RFL) of Boonton to develop airborne receivers for the Civil Aeronautics Administration's low frequency navigation ranges. By 1929 the receivers had been designed and the Stromberg-Carlson Co. of Rochester, New York, agreed to produce the equipment which ARC would then market as an independent company. Before World War II, ARC participated in a number of "firsts" with their equipment, including the first all-blind flight (Doolittle, 1929), the first radio-equipped scheduled airmail flights, and the first Army Air Corps standard radio-beacon receiver. During World War II ARC produced radio and radar sets used in quantity in Allied fighter aircraft. After the war ARC concentrated on developing equipment for light civilian aircraft (single- and twin-engine) including communication equipment, navigation receivers, and direction finders. In 1959 ARC became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cessna Aircraft Co. of Wichita, Kansas, which continued ARC's activities at Boonton.
Contents: Records of ARC from its inception through the early 1980s including correspondence with vendors and subcontractors (1920s, 1930s), and material relating to the buy out by Cessna in 1959, records of the Engineering Division including patent files (1950s-70s), files on patent suits from the early days of the company, records of the drafting department and laboratory notebooks (1930s, 1940s), Financial Division records including contract and contract termination files, accounting papers, and ledgers, office files of Dr. Lewis M. Hull, a radio engineer who joined RFL and later became president of ARC, and M. M. Eells, ARC sales manager in the 1930s and 1940s and documents relating to the Seaval Corporation and Boonton Research Corporation, sister companies to ARC.

Aircraft Recognition Training Materials, Acc. XXXX-0158

8 cubic feet

Contents: Drawings, posters and unassembled silhouette recognition models for aircraft in active service during World War II, produced by the Aircraft Identification Section of the USAAF. The posters and drawings include silhouette three-view drawings, photographs from several angles, and cut away drawings of the aircraft. The aircraft models are made of punched cardboard and include description and assembly instructions.

American Astronautical Society Records, Acc. XXXX-0163

12 cubic feet

The American Astronautical Society (AAS) was formed in 1953 to support and promote the conquest of space based on scientific reasoning and deduction. Membership was open only to prominent engineers and scientists in rocket-, aerodynamics-, astronautics-, medical- and aerospace-related fields.
Contents: Records of officers and boards, organizational sections and subsections, and national meetings and symposia; membership and publication records; and miscellaneous business records of the society. Miscellaneous material gathered to write a history of the organization.

American Rocket Society Records, Acc. XXXX-0140

Correspondence, photographs; 1952-1961; 1 box.

Originally formed in 1930 as the American Interplanetary Society, its interests included science fiction, rockets and space travel. It merged in 1963 with the Institute of the Aerospace Sciences to become the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Includes correspondence with local chapters, scattered rosters, and copies of local chapter bulletins.

Autogiro Company of America v. The United States Collection, Acc. XXXX-0060

10.9 cubic feet

The Autogiro Co. of America was formed in 1931 to hold the US licensing rights of the Cierva Autogiro Co., Ltd. of England. Autogiro sublicensed these rights to Kellet Autogiro Co. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and Pitcairn Autogiro Co. (Willow Grove, Pennsylvania), which developed and manufactured a number of autogiros during the 1930s. During World War II, Kellet stopped working on autogiros in favor of helicopters. Pitcairn Autogiro became Pitcairn Larsen Autogiro in 1940, then G&A Aircraft, Inc., which was bought out by Firestone Aircraft in 1943 before fading from the aviation scene. In 1958 Autogiro brought suit against the US, charging that the government had infringed on Autogiro's patent rights by procuring rotary wing aircraft from Bell, Hiller, McColloch, and Vertol (Piasecki), which were not sublicensees of Autogiro's patents.
Contents: Documents relating to the 1958-62 court case Autogiro Co. of America v. US. Includes transcripts of hearings and copies of patents and contracts relevant to the case.

Aviation and Aviation Week Photographs and Reports Collection, Acc. XXXX-0415

2.18 cubic feet

Aviation and Aeronautical Engineering, popularly called Aviation, published its first issue on 1 August 1916. The magazine was a biweekly trade publication intended to disseminate aeronautical information to "constructors, engine makers, aviators, and sportsmen." Beginning with the 7 July 1947 issue, the publisher, McGraw-Hill of New York, combined Aviation and its weekly news summary, Aviation News, into a single weekly journal called Aviation Week. To reflect the growing importance of space, McGraw-Hill expanded the magazine into Aviation Week and Space Technology with the 4 January 1960 issue.
Contents: Primarily subject files on aviation-related subjects including airlines, engines, and aircraft, as well as barnstorming and other matters. Also several correspondence files of Edward P. Warner, the editor of Aviation, as well as manufacturer's reports on a variety of aircraft components.

Beech Aircraft and Gates Learjet Public Relations Collection [Modeland], Acc. 1987-0063

4.36 cubic feet

Beech Aircraft Corp. of Wichita, Kansas, was founded in 1932 by Walter Beech, a pioneer in light aircraft design. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Raytheon since 1980, the company specializes in the design and manufacture of small single- and twin-engine aircraft for the general aviation, charter/commercial, and military training markets. Lear Jet Corp. was originally founded by William P. Lear in 1960 as the Swiss American Aviation Corp. In 1962 the company relocated from Europe to Wichita and was renamed Lear Jet Corp. Lear Jet was acquired by Gates Rubber Co. in 1967 and, three years later, was renamed Gates Learjet Corp. The company pioneered the corporate jet market and continues to provide support for operators of Lear Jet/Gates Learjet aircraft.
Contents: Public relations material on Beech and Gates Learjet aircraft. Photos, brochures, correspondence, and audio tapes compiled by Vern Modeland, former public relations director for Beech and Gates Learjet (successively).

Beech Model 17 Photographs, Acc. XXXX-0196

1.54 cubic feet

The Beech Aircraft Corp. of Wichita, Kansas, was founded in 1932 by Walter Beech, a pioneer in light aircraft design. The first aircraft produced by the company was the Model 17, a four- or five-place cabin biplane with pronounced negative stagger. This feature made it one of the most recognizable aircraft of the 1930s and earned it the name Staggerwing. The first Staggerwing, flown in November 1932, exceeded 200 mph, faster than most contemporary military aircraft. Larger engines, retractable landing gear, and aerodynamic modifications improved performance, so that by 1939 the aircraft cruised at 200 mph with top speeds in the 250 mph range. During World War II, the Staggerwing served in the US military as the UC-43 (USAAF) and GB (Navy) and in the British Royal Air Force as the Traveller. Following the war, Beech briefly marketed the G17S as the final production Staggerwing.
Contents: Pictorial history of the development, design, manufacture, shipment, and delivery of Beech Model 17s. Photos showing details of engineering drawings, assembly parts and process, completed aircraft on the assembly line and in flight, and advertising art.

Bendix Air Races Collection, Acc. 1988-0115

5.45 cubic feet

The Bendix Air Races began in 1931 as an outgrowth of the closed-circuit pylon races held at the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio. The Bendix was a long-distance (transcontinental) race designed to encourage the development of airframes and pilot skill. The races stopped during World War II and resumed in 1946 with the institution of Jet- and Reciprocating-Engine Divisions. The Bendix Races continued annually until 1962.
Contents: Public relations files on the Bendix races. Photographs, programs and related publications, speeches, and correspondence as well as files on the National Soaring Contest (1935-41 and 1946), Intercollegiate Air Meet (1948), National Intercollegiate Flying Association (May 1957), All-Women Trans-Continental Air Race (1959), First Annual Aircraft Show (Cleveland, 1946), and a post-World War II reunion of pre-war race winners.

Boeing Commercial Aircraft Marketing Documentation, Acc. 1986-0013

6.75 cubic feet

The Boeing Airplane Co. was established in 1916 in Seattle, Washington. For a short period (1928-34), Boeing was a subsidiary of the United Aircraft and Transport Co. (now United Technologies Corp.) but withdrew, with Stearman Aircraft and Boeing Aircraft of Canada, to form a new company under the Boeing name. In 1961 Boeing reorganized and changed its name to The Boeing Co. to reflect the company's broader interests, which included commercial, military, and general aircraft; rotorcraft; and aerospace production components. In 1952 Boeing began work on a large jet transport, initially designated the Model 367-80 to convince Boeing's competitors that the project was a re-engined Model 367 reciprocating engine transport. The "Dash 80" rolled out on 15 May 1954 and first flew 15 July 1954. The first production model, designated Model 707, was delivered to Pan American Airlines in August 1958, followed by others for civil and military (C-135) use. The 720, a derivative of the 707, followed, as did the 727 short/medium range aircraft (design work began in June 1959), 737 short range aircraft (announced February 1965), 747 wide-body long-range aircraft (announced April 1966), 757 advanced short/medium-range aircraft (announced early 1978), and 767 advanced wide-body medium-range aircraft (announced early 1978). Boeing also participated in the abortive US Supersonic Transport (SST) program of 1963-71.
Contents: Documentation on Boeing's post-war commercial aircraft programs. Marketing brochures, booklets, and pamphlets comprising promotional and engineering presentations for all Boeing commercial jet aircraft from the 707 to the 767, the Boeing SST proposal, and several projects from Boeing's Vertol helicopter division. General market research studies and lectures by Boeing Vice President John E. Steiner.

College Park Airport Collection [Knauer], Acc. 1987-0087

2.18 cubic feet

College Park Airport, in College Park, Maryland, is the oldest continually-operated airport in the world. Flight operations at College Park began in 1909 when the Wright Brothers gave flight instruction to US Army Signal Corps personnel at the site. The airport continues to operate under the auspices of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission as a single-runway general aviation airport. The grounds also include a small museum and the site has been designated as a historic landmark by the State of Maryland. Fred C. Knauer was instrumental in the formation of committees to preserve the airport against encroachment by developers and to publicize the airport's history.
Contents: Material collected by Knauer to support his efforts to preserve College Park Airport. Documents relating to the history of the airport, the conservation of the airport, and the establishment of the museum on the airport grounds. Correspondence, photo-graphs, newsclippings, a scrapbook, and other mixed media.

Continental, Inc. Archives, Acc. XXXX-0059

4.5 cubic feet

Continental, Inc. was formed in 1945 to develop a "roadable" aircraft designed by Robert E. Fulton, the company's president. The Fulton Airphibian was designed to convert from a light aircraft to a small, two-seat convertible for road travel. The prototype Airphibian first flew on 7 November 1946. The Airphibian was awarded a Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) Approved Type Certificate in December 1950, becoming the first roadable aircraft ever certified. The Airphibian, however, never found a place in the light aircraft market and the company collapsed in 1954.
Contents: Records of Continental, Inc. from early planning documents predating Continental's creation through the company's collapse in 1954. Technical reports and engineering drawings from the development of the Airphibian; correspondence between Continental, the CAA, and Continental's suppliers concerning marketing and certification of the aircraft; general correspondence of the company.

Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services Collection, Acc. 1986-0007, 1987-0046, 1988-0101

6.54 cubic feet

The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) was established in 1951 by Department of Defense Directive 110.09-2 to advise and assist the Secretary of Defense on policy relating to women in the armed forces. The major objectives of the committee were to inform the public of the need for women in the services, the responsibility assumed by the military to provide for the welfare of women, and to accelerate the recruitment of women. By the 1980s DACOWITS had become involved in a wide variety of military issues relating to women.
Contents: Records of DACOWITS and individuals associated with the committee. Published articles, newspaper clippings, and manuscripts, DACOWITS meeting minutes and reports covering the tenures of Sarah N. McClendon (1975) and Dr. Margaret Merrick Scheffelin (March 1982 - December 1984). General DACOWITS records (1983-87).

Deutsche Zeppelin Reederei Collection, Acc. 1990-0032.

.10 cubic foot.

This company was formed 22 March 1935 in a virtual takeover of the Zeppelin Company started in 1908; Air Ministry General Field Marshall Goring became the president. Includes a book, "Deutsche Luftschiffahrt," and 7 pamphlets with timetables/schedules. for the LZ 127, LZ129 and LZ130.

Douglas D-558 Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0052

8.72 cubic feet

The Douglas D-558 series aircraft were high-speed research aircraft designed by Douglas Aircraft Co. for the US Navy and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) for flight testing at Muroc Dry Lake (now Edwards AFB and Dryden Flight Research Center), California. The D-558-1 Skystreak was a straight-wing monoplane powered by an Allison turbojet. It first flew on 14 April 1947 and set a new speed record of 651 mph (1047 kmph, Mach .828) over the measured course at Muroc four months later. Three of the six D-558-1s originally ordered by the Navy were built. Douglas modified the remaining three to swept-wing configurations powered by a Westinghouse turbojet and Reaction Motors rocket engine. The D-558-2 Skyrocket first flew on 4 February 1948. The second D-558-2 was modified in 1950 to an all-rocket configuration and on 20 November 1953 became the first aircraft to break Mach 2. All surviving D-558s were retired in 1956 and plans by the Office of Naval Research to develop a D-558-3 hypersonic research aircraft were dropped.
Contents: Engineering drawings for the Douglas D-558-1 Skystreak and D-558-2 Skyrocket. Component and assembly drawings, and engineering changes.

Eastern Air Lines Collection, Acc. 1987-0038

186.39 cubic feet

Eastern Airlines was originally formed as Pitcairn Aviation, Inc. in 1927. In July 1929 it was acquired by the North American Aviation Corp. as the Eastern Airlines Division and, in January 1930, was renamed Eastern Air Transport. By February 1933, Eastern had acquired Ludington Airlines, giving Eastern routes to most major eastern cities, including New York, Atlanta, Miami, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. In 1934 the airline was renamed Eastern Airlines and introduced Douglas DC-2s on its longer routes. In 1937 Eastern began DC-3 service and acquired Wedell-Williams Air Service Corp., thereby extending its routes westward to Houston. North American sold its holdings in Eastern to a group headed by Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. By 1960 Eastern had extended its coverage to Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico, as well as westward to Detroit and St. Louis. In January 1960 Eastern introduced jet service with DC-8s and, in April 1961, inaugurated "Air Shuttle" service between Boston, New York, and Washington, DC, with its propeller-driven aircraft. By 1975 Eastern's network covered one hundred cities in thirty states, as well as Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean. In 1986 Eastern was acquired by Texas Air Corp., making Texas Air the largest airline in the US. Following labor problems, including a strike by Eastern's machinists that was supported by the pilots and flight attendants, Eastern declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1989.
Contents: Bound volumes from Eastern's Corporate Library. Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) Traffic and Passenger Surveys, CAB reports, Official Airlines Guides, bound periodicals.

Early Birds Reunions Autograph Collection, Acc. XXXX-0124

Autographs; 1927-1977; 1 bound parchment volume.

Consists of autographs obtained at the annual meetings of the Early Birds of Aviation, Incorporated. The autographs are called "Fine Pickins" and "Bird Tracks."

ERCO Ercoupe Engineering Records, Acc. XXXX-0403

12.44 cubic feet

The Engineering and Research Co. (ERCO) of Riverdale, Maryland, was established in 1930 as a manufacturer of various aircraft-related equipment. By the late 1930s, ERCO was involved in designing the Ercoupe, a two-seat, low-wing cantilever monoplane with linked control surfaces worked by a single steering wheel, rather than a conventional stick-and-rudder arrangement. ERCO began production of the Ercoupe in 1940, but World War II interrupted production shortly thereafter. Ercoupe production resumed after the war, but was again suspended in 1949, when ERCO reoriented to defense related activities only. Universal Aircraft Co. (now Univair) purchased rights to the aircraft, but concentrated on parts support rather than producing complete airframes. The Forney Co. of Fort Collins, Colorado, produced a small number of modified Ercoupes (1958-60) as the F-1 Aircoupe. Alon Aircraft also produced several hundred A-2 Aircoupes (1965-67), which included rudder pedals as a standard feature. After Alon was purchased by Mooney Aircraft, the latter manufactured over a hundred modified Ercoupes as the M-10 Cadet, which included full three-axis control (separate rudders, ailerons, and elevators) and a full avionics package. Approximately six thousand Ercoupes were produced over thirty years, two-thirds of which were manufactured in 1946 by ERCO. The aircraft remains a popular, low-cost aircraft on the general aviation scene.
Contents: Engineering material on the original design and production of the Ercoupe. Engineering lab reports, memo and correspondence files, Civil Aeronautics Authority technical publications regarding aircraft certification, engineering drawings, and raw stress-test data.

Fairchild Industries, Inc. Collection, Acc. 1989-0060

277 cubic feet

The Fairchild group of companies grew out of the aerial photography interests of Sherman M. Fairchild. In 1925 Fairchild, having already created a group of companies to control aerial photographic work, formed Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corp. and Fairchild Caminez Engine Corp. to manufacture airframes and power plants. In 1929 Fairchild Aviation Corp., the holding company for the Fairchild interests, acquired Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Co. and became a subsidiary of the Aviation Corp. (Avco). In 1931 Fairchild withdrew from Avco by giving up Fairchild Airplane and Fairchild Engine (ex-Fairchild Caminez) holdings. In 1934 Kreider-Reisner became Fairchild Aircraft Corp. (FAC) and Fairchild created Ranger Engineering Corp. to manufacture aircraft engines. Two years later Fairchild Aviation Corp. split, with FAC and Ranger forming the Fairchild Engine and Aircraft Corp. (FEAC) while the aerial photography and survey concerns stayed in Fairchild Aviation Corp. FEAC soon acquired two materials processing companies, Duramold Aircraft Corp. (1937) and Al-Fin Corp. (1941), to control forming and bonding processes in aircraft manufacture. Also in 1941, FEAC organized the Stratos Corp. to develop high-altitude superchargers. Through World War II, FEAC built military training and transport aircraft and in the following decade expanded into a wide variety of interests, including personal aircraft (1945-49; company liquidated), drones and missiles (1945-?; company reorganized into a division of Fairchild), nuclear-powered aircraft (1946-51), and armaments (1955-60; sold to Armalite). In 1961 FEAC became Fairchild Stratos Corp. (FSC) and expanded into space applications. In 1964 FSC acquired Hiller Aircraft Corp., a helicopter manufacturer, and became Fairchild Hiller Corp. (FHC), which acquired Republic Aviation Corp. in 1965. In 1971 FHC became Fairchild Industries, Inc. (FI) and acquired Swearingen Aviation Corp., an aircraft manufacturer. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, FI continued to diversify into a number of non-aviation-related fields, including materials handling, communications, and electronics. In 1987 FI discontinued its remaining airframe manufacturing operations following the cancellation of government contracts and, in 1989, was bought out by Banner Industries.
Contents: Historical files on Fairchild Industries, its predecessors, and subsidiaries. Primarily historical/public relations material, including photographs and brochures. Business records for FEAC, Kreider-Reisner, Hiller, Republic, Ranger, Stratos, and Swearingen. Documents relating to Fairchild's joint ventures with Fokker (the Netherlands), Pilatus (Switzerland), and other aircraft manufacturers. Extensive photo negative collection, film and videotape libraries.
Includes logbooks of Daniel Beardand Ammon H. Kreider.

Fairchild KS-25 High Acuity Camera System Collection, Acc. 1986-0028

2.18 cubic feet

In the mid-1950s, the Defense Department requested a system for achieving better quality photographic intelligence using smaller and lighter cameras on high-speed aircraft at high altitudes. In response Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corp. designed the KS-25 High Acuity Camera System, an integrated camera/lens system using a wide-angle 24" focal length lens capable of producing transparencies with resolutions of 140 lines/mm on a high contrast target or 90 lines/mm on a low contrast target. The lens for the KS-25 was designed by Dr. James G. Baker of Spica, Inc. It represented new optics technology, allowing wide-angle viewing at daylight illumination on high speed cameras with a resolution that was effectively limited only by diffraction.
Contents: Material documenting the development and testing of the KS-25's f/4 achromatic lens system. Test data, photographs, and drawings. Correspondence detailing Baker's successful fight to secure a patent on the lens system.

Fairchild Model 24 Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0430

1.09 cubic feet

The Fairchild (Kreider-Reisner) Model 24 was a single-engined, two-, three-, or four-place, high-wing cabin monoplane with conventional landing gear designed for the private aviation market. The aircraft, initially designed by the Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Co. (later a division of Fairchild Aviation Corp.) of Hagerstown, Maryland, was first introduced at the Detroit Air Show in 1932. It received its Civil Aeronautics Authority Approved Type Certificate in April of that year. Over the next fifteen years the Model 24 progressed through seventeen different models of increasing power and payload with both radial and in-line engine versions. Always a popular aircraft, production of the Model 24 was only suspended in 1942 when the Federal government closed down all civil aircraft production because of the war. The Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Co. (Temco) of Dallas, Texas, resumed Model 24 manufacture in 1946, after Fairchild failed to do so, but stopped all production because of the 1948 slump in the postwar aviation market.
Contents: Engineering drawings for the Model 24 series (incomplete set) including revisions for some drawings. Drawing lists prepared by Fairchild for CAA Airworthiness Certification of the Model 24 series.

Falcon Jet Corporation Collection, Acc. XXXX-0426

1.09 cubic feet

Falcon Jet Corp. was incorporated in 1972 as a joint venture of Pan American World Airways and Avions Marcel Dassault-Breguet of France. The company operates as the American distributor for the Dassault Falcon series executive jets. In 1975 Falcon Jet opened a "completion facility" at Adams Field, Little Rock, Arkansas, where the company performs interior and exterior finishing work on pre-built Falcon airframes.
Contents: Public relations and sales material on the Falcon Jet product line. Aircraft specifications, performance evaluations versus competitive executive jets, sales brochures, and the corporate newsletter Falcon Jet Flightdeck.

Federal Express Corporation Cargo Falcon (N8FE) Documentation, Acc. XXXX-0149

8.72 cubic feet

Development work on the Dassault MystŠre 20/Falcon 20 began in 1962 as a collaborative effort by Avions Marcel Dassault and A‚rospatiale (then Sud-Aviation). The prototype Falcon first flew in May 1963. In June 1965 the Falcon 20 received French and American Transport Category Type Approval. Deliveries of the Falcon series D, a standard Falcon upgraded with larger engines and fuel tankage, began in mid-1968. In 1972 Little Rock Airmotive, under contract to Pan American Business Jets, began to modify a number of Falcon series D aircraft from passenger to cargo configuration by installing a large cargo door, strengthened floor and tie-down locations, and specialized electronics. In June 1972, Federal Express Corp. purchased the first of its Falcon fleet from Pan Am, aircraft #199, operated by Pan Am under US registration N4388F. By 1982 Federal Express had a fleet of thirty-three Falcons, but began to phase out Falcon operations and placed thirty-two of its fleet up for sale. In August 1983 Federal Express donated aircraft #199, which it had operated under N8FE, to the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
Contents: Documents relating to Dassault MystŠre 20 (Falcon 20 series D) #199, US registration N8FE. General publications regarding the Falcon 20 aircraft, including manuals, service bulletins, and airworthiness directives, issued by Dassault, Federal Express, and General Electric. Material relating specifically to #199 including aircraft and engine logs, modifications, service and maintenance records, and cannibalization receipts.

Flight Safety Foundation Collection [Lederer], Acc. XXXX-0410

8.72 cubic feet

The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), founded in 1945, is dedicated to improving safety in aviation. The FSF advises airlines on accident investigation, airport safety, operational precautions, and safety in weather forecasting. Jerome F. Lederer (1902-?) was an aeronautical engineer with degrees from New York University (BS, 1924; MS, 1925). After working for the US Air Mail Service (Aeronautical Engineer, 1926-27; Director of Aeronautical Technology, 1927-29), Aeronautical Insurance Underwriters (Chief Engineer, 1929-40), and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB; Director, Safety Bureau, 1940-42; Airline War Training Institute, 1942-44), he joined FSF as Technical Director (1948-67). Following his tenure at FSF, Lederer moved to NASA (Director of Manned Space Flight Safety, 1967-70; Director of Safety, 1970-72) and the Institute for Safety and Systems Management, University of Southern California (Adj. Professor, 1974-?).
Contents: Flight Safety Foundation material from Lederer's tenure as Technical Director. Safety pamphlets, accident investigation reports, correspondence, and memos published or received by FSF. Papers, letters, pamphlets, and bulletins addressed to or used by Lederer. CAB Safety Bulletins; National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, NASA, and Department of Commerce technical and scientific reports relating to aviation safety.

General Electric Company Turbine Engine Collection, Acc. 1986-0144

4.36 cubic feet and 222 drawings

The General Electric Co. (GE) became involved in aeronautical gas turbines through Sanford Moss's pioneering work on turbosuperchargers in the 1910s and 1920s. In October 1941 GE entered the gas turbine propulsion field when, in agreement with the British and American governments, it received two secret British turbojets, drawings for a third, and a team of engineers from the British company Power Jets, Ltd. Within a year GE had developed the limited-production I-14, which powered the first US jet-propelled aircraft, the Bell XP-59A. GE began full production of the I-16 soon after and continued the development of more powerful engines. The company remains a major manufacturer of all types of turbine powerplants, including turbojet, fanjet, and turboprop engines.
Contents: Documentation relating to GE turbine engines. Engineering drawings of early engines, engine components, and test cells. Training manuals for several contemporary turbine engines, proposals for development of early turboprop engines, and performance test data and configurations for various engines.

Goodyear Aerospace Collection, Acc. 1988-0128

1.09 cubic feet

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. began manufacturing spherical balloons for the US Army before World War I. Following the war, Goodyear acquired the rights to the Zeppelin airship patents and created the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corp. to control all of Goodyear's lighter-than-air activities. Goodyear-Zeppelin produced several dirigibles for the US Navy but concentrated on the production of non-rigid airships (blimps) after most of the dirigibles were lost in operational accidents. Over the next half-century Goodyear-Zeppelin and its successor, Goodyear Aerospace Corp., built over three hundred airships, more than any other company in the world. In 1987 Loral Corp. bought Goodyear Aerospace, which continues to operate as a division of Loral.
Contents: Material documenting Goodyear Aerospace's attempt to revive interest in airships during the 1970s. Promotional material, briefing packets, and congressional hearing transcripts relating to Goodyear's Heavy Lift Airship concept.

Grumman F9F and F11F Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0214.

1.09 cubic feet

Cougar was a two seat jet fighter designed for the US Navy. Includes three-view and general arrangement drawings, marking and insignia.

Gwinn Aircar Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0064

2.18 cubic feet

The Gwinn Aircar Co. of Buffalo, New York, was formed in 1935 by Joseph M. Gwinn, Jr., former Chief Engineer at Consolidated Aircraft Corp. The Aircar was designed as a "fool-proof" airplane that would be simple and, above all, safe to fly since it would neither stall nor spin. The aircraft first flew in early 1937 and received Civil Aeronautics Authority Approved Type Certificate 682. Gwinn hired two pilots, Frank Hawks and Nancy Love, to tour the country demonstrating the aircraft. On 23 August 1938, Hawks failed to clear high-tension power lines while taking off in the Aircar and died in the resulting crash. Gwinn suspended production and closed the Aircar plant.
Contents: Engineering and production drawings of the Gwinn Aircar.

Hawthorne Flying School (Beverly "Bevo" Howard) Collection, Acc. XXXX-0414

2.41 cubic feet

Beverly "Bevo" Howard (1914-1971) was an aviation promoter and aerobatic pilot. He soloed in 1931 at age 16 and in 1932 joined Hawthorne Aviation as a line boy. By 1936 he was the President of Hawthorne and joined Eastern Airlines (1936-38) at age 21, the youngest airline pilot in the US. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Hawthorne Aviation Schools trained approximately ten thousand pilots from thirty-two countries, including military pilots from the US, France, and Pakistan. Best known as a stunt pilot, Howard was the first to perform an outside loop in a light aircraft (1938), succeeding in a 37« horsepower Piper Cub. He won the National Lightplane Aerobatic Championship for three years in a row (1939, 1940, 1941) and the International Aerobatic Championship three times (all classes 1946, 1947, 1949; second place 1948, 1950). While flying at a show in Greenville, NC, on October 17, 1971, Howard had a fatal accident.
Contents: Material primarily relating to the Hawthorne Flying Schools. Classbooks from the Air Force cadets trained at Hawthorne facilities in North and South Carolina, a scrapbook of the 1943-45 issues of Hawthorne Prop Wash (the company newsletter), and photos used in Prop Wash.

Heinkel-Hirth He 011 Jet Engine Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0185

2.18 cubic feet

The Heinkel-Hirth He S 011 turbojet engine was designed in 1944-45. The engine, consisting of a three-stage axial compressor, annular combustion chamber, and a two-stage axial turbine, burned J-2 light diesel oil (or K-1 diesel oil in an emergency) and developed 2860 pounds static thrust. The engine was considered, but rejected, for installation on the Junkers Ju 287, the first jet-propelled heavy bomber.
Contents: Component and assembly drawings for the He S 011 unit.

Institute of Aeronautical Sciences Photograph Collection, Acc. XXXX-0206

2 cubic feet

The Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) was established in 1932 as a society of aeronautics-related professionals. It was modeled after the British Royal Aeronautical Society. The stated purpose of the IAS is to "advance the art and science of aeronautics [and] to publish works of literature, science, and art for such purpose..."
Contents: Photographs, many autographed or otherwise inscribed, of prominent members of the IAS.

Internal Bureau Change Committee Records, Acc. 1986-0021

9.81 cubic feet

The Internal Bureau Change Committee (IBCC) oversaw the process by which the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics administered retrofits and modifications to experimental and production aircraft. The IBCC process was informal in the 1950s but as programs became more complex a more formal review process, the Engineering Change Proposal (instituted by 1960), replaced the IBCC.
Contents: Master file of the IBCC documenting the final action (approval or disapproval) for all proposed changes to aircraft under naval contract. IBCC action sheets and change notices showing title, justification, and description of changes made to aircraft.

Kauffman, Virgil / Aero Service Corporation Collection, Acc. 1987-0146

.45 cubic feet

Virgil Kauffman (1898-1925) was a photographer and photogrammetrist. Kauffman was a unit photographer in the US Army during World War I and was assigned to the Air Service for aerial reconnaissance. After the war Kauffman joined the Aero Service Corp. and eventually became president of the company. Aero Service was founded in 1919 to carry out a wide variety of projects, including aerial photography, photo mapping, and remote sensing. The company participated in several important projects, including work with the Tennessee Valley Authority, US Geological Survey, and mapping work for the European and Pacific theaters during World War II.
Contents: Files on Aero Service Corp. and Virgil Kauffman. Correspondence, published materials, press clippings, photographs, and maps documenting Aero Service and its photogrammetric under N8FE, to the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
Contents: Documents relating to Dassault MystŠre 20 (Falcon 20 series D) #199, US registration N8FE. General publications regarding the Falcon 20 aircraft, including manuals, service bulletins, and airworthiness directives, issued by Dassault, Federal Express, and General Electric. Material relating specifically to #199 including aircraft and engine logs, modifications, service and maintenance records, and cannibalization receipts.

Mansfield Lahm Airport Memorial and Dedication Scrapbook, Acc. XXXX-0268.

.23 cubic foot

On 9 September 1967 the Mansfield, Ohio, Airport was renamed and dedicated as the Mansfield/Lahm Airport. Mr. Paul Garber of the then National Air Museum was one of the speakers. Includes photographs. See also 1986-0044 for General Frank P. Lahm's papers.

Martin Marietta Viking Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0215.

1.09 cubic feet

Contains engineering drawings for the Martin Marietta Viking unmanned space probe used to explore Mars beginning in 1976, and also publications and changes in specifications.

Messerschmitt Me 163 Component Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0055

3.27 cubic feet

The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was the world's first operational rocket-propelled fighter aircraft. The Me 163 was based on the earlier DFS 194, which was designed by Alexander M. Lippisch as a high-speed research aircraft for the Deutsche Forshungsinstitut fur Segelflug (German Glider Institute, DFS). The prototype first flew in August 1941 and on 2 September set a speed record of 622 mph (1002 kmph). Production of the Me 163B-1 began in 1943, but was transferred to Lichtflugzeugbau Klemm G.m.b.H. The Me 163B-1 entered operational service in autumn 1944, but its success was limited by the short endurance (eight minutes powered flight) of the aircraft.
Contents: Component drawings for the Me 163.

Mooney M-18 Mite Drawings and Reports, Acc. 1989-0028

1.09 cubic feet

Mooney Aircraft, Inc. was formed in 1946 by Albert W. Mooney and Charles G. Yankey, both former executives of Culver Aircraft Corp. The company soon marketed the M-18 Mite, a low-wing, single-place, cabin monoplane designed for the general aviation market and offering extremely low operating costs. The M-18 was awarded Civil Aeronautics Authority Approved Type Certificate 803 in 1949. Increases in engine power improved the performance of the aircraft, eventually giving the M-18 a top speed of over 140 mph and a service ceiling of 19,400 ft. Production of the Mite ended in the mid-1950s. In the mid-1970s, the Mooney Mite Aircraft Corp. was formed to market the M-18 as a homebuilt aircraft.
Contents: Original drawings and reports for the M-18 Mite.

National Aeronautic Association (NAA) Archives, Acc. XXXX-0209

41 cubic feet

The Aero Club of America, established in 1905, was reorganized in 1922 as the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The NAA was created to advance the "art and science of aviation and related subjects and the diffusion of knowledge thereof by educational means." To meet this objective the NAA attempts to keep the public informed on the importance of aeronautics and space, institutes space education programs to stimulate youth interest, and promotes and supports competitive and sporting aeronautic events.
Contents: Records of the NAA. Documents on programs to heighten public awareness of aviation. Material relating to the NAA's educational programs and clubs and its active role in supporting and promoting competitive aeronautic events. Business records, minutes, and correspondence of the NAA and material on aviation awards supported or given by NAA, including the Wright and Collier Trophies.
Includes about 11,400 pilot registrations, divided into Aerial Sports, Aviation (9000), Dirigibles (300), Seaplanes (1000), and Spherical Balloons (1100), with alphabetical indexes.

Ninety-Nines, Inc. History Books Collection, Acc. XXXX-0470

6.54 cubic feet

This collection consists of scrapbooks or 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; newsclippings of the organization, individual chapters and sections, and on 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.'

Northrop Alpha Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0213

2.18 cubic feet

The Northrop Alpha was single seat, low wing monoplane with a fixed landing gear and open cockpit, designed as a mail plane in the late 1920s/early 1930s. Collection contains drawings and correspondence.

Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) Manuals, Acc. XXXX-0203

.33 cubic feet

The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) was developed by the Research and Advanced Development Division of Avco Corp. to increase the overall efficiency of complex development programs. PERT, utilized by the USAF, Navy, NASA, and other government agencies, was a computerized control system that used statistical methods to improve the accuracy of planning and to increase management efficiency, cost effectiveness, and profit.
Contents: Documentation for the PERT program. System publications and manuals explaining PERT and its operation.

Rockwell HiMAT RPRV Documentation, Acc. 1989-0059

5.68 cubic feet

The Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology (HiMAT) program was established by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards AFB, California) and the USAF Flight Dynamics Laboratory (Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio) to decrease the time needed to flight test advanced design technology by providing a low-cost, low-risk test bed vehicle. Following control technical development in 1975, NASA awarded a contract to Rockwell International for two HiMAT Remotely-Piloted Research Vehicles (RPRV). The Rockwell HiMAT consisted of a basic core vehicle containing the power plant, control, and telemetry systems; modular main wings, canard, and tail surfaces; and engine intake and afterburner/exhaust structures to allow flight testing of alternate designs. The first of the HiMATs was delivered to NASA in March 1978 and the second in June, with the first free flight occurring in July 1979. The Rockwell HiMAT was controlled by a ground-based pilot through television, radar, and telemetry links to the vehicle. There were backup systems on chase aircraft and a self-righting system on the RPRV in the event of ground control loss. One vehicle was donated to NASM and placed on display in May 1989.
Contents: Documentation for the NASM HiMAT. Correspondence, photographs, test information, computer programs, printouts, punch tapes, and schematics.

Rotorway Scorpion Too Collection, Acc. 1988-0033

.5 cubic feet

Rotorway, Inc., was formed in 1968 to market the Scorpion, a single-seat homebuilt helicopter. In the early-1970s Rotorway offered an upgraded version, the Scorpion Too, which featured side-by-side seating for two. The company offered the vehicle in kit form, including parts, power plant, drawings, and technical documentation. The Scorpion Too, later redesignated Scorpion 133, was offered in both turbocharged and standard versions.
Contents: Documentation for the Rotorway Scorpion Too helicopter kit purchased by Dr. Harold C. Theurer in the early 1970s, built by him, registered in the US as N18849, and later donated to the National Air and Space Museum. Drawings, weight and balance requirements, Federal Aviation Administration forms, rotor adjustment procedures, Theurer's hand-written notes, a price list, parts catalogs, service manuals, assembly instructions, and other technical information. Brief biographical sketch of Theurer.

Stearman (Boeing Wichita) Model 75 Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0251

13.5 cubic feet

The Stearman Model 75 series were two-place, open cockpit biplane training aircraft. The aircraft served as a major primary trainer for the US and other countries. The Model 75 first flew in 1934 and military procurement began in 1936. Different engines and minor structural modifications created a number of different models which operated under US Army Air Corps designations PT-13, PT-17, and PT-27 and in the US Navy as the N2S series. More than 10,000 of all types of the Model 75 were built before production ended in 1944.
Contents: Engineering drawings for the Stearman Model 75.

Pre-World War I Salon, Paris Glass Plates, Acc. 1987-0121

Photographic negatives; 55 glass plates.

Pre-World War I airplanes and airships, photographed by George J. Goldthorpe & Co.

Thompson Brothers Balloon Company Collection, Acc. XXXX-0014

3 cubic feet

The Thompson Brothers Balloon Co. was established in 1902 to manufacture balloons but soon shifted to exhibition work, with manufacturing and sales becoming a sideline. The company closed in 1939.
Contents: Memorabilia and records relating to the company, including newsclippings, copperplates, expense accounts, and photographs. Manuscript by Frank H. Thompson (1971) giving the history of the company.

Travel Air Negatives, Acc. XXXX-0197

1.09 cubic foot

The Travel Air Co. was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1925 by Walter Beech, Lloyd Stearman, and Clyde Cessna. Although Stearman and Cessna left in 1927 to found the Stearman Co. and Cessna Aircraft Co., respectively, by 1929 Travel Air was the largest producer of commercial aircraft in the US. In that year, Travel Air was bought by Curtiss-Wright Corp., and continued to expand as a division of Curtiss-Wright. Beech left the firm in 1932 to found Beech Aircraft and Travel Air was eventually absorbed into Curtiss- Wright.
Contents: Primarily negatives and photographs of commercial aircraft manufactured by Travel Air. A history of Travel Air written in 1929. Magazine articles relating to the company.

United States Army Obsolete Publications Collection, Acc. XXXX-0166

150 fiche

Contents: Microform duplicates of supply and ordnance catalogs issued by the US Army (1912-77), distributed by the Chief of Military History, Center for Military History, to all army museums and selected Federal museums to aid in accurate identification and cataloging of Army historical properties.

United States Boomerang Association Records, Acc. 1988-0016

1.09 cubic feet

The United States Boomerang Association (USBA) is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1983 in Connecticut and Ohio to promote the science and sport of boomerang throwing. Members of the USBA receive a quarterly newsletter, Many Happy Returns, and are ranked based upon their performance in sanctioned boomerang competition. The USBA maintains up-to-date files on boomerang manufacturers, materials, clubs, and other items relating to boomerangs.
Contents: Official records of the USBA. Correspondence (1983-87), competition information (1984-86), by-laws (1984-86), financial records (FY1985/86), and USBA informational files (1985-87). Newsletters, advertisements, and endorsements.

United States Military Aircraft History Cards Microfilm, Acc. XXXX-0461, XXXX-0462, 1987-0149, 1987-0150, 1988-0139, 1989-0139, 1990-0085, 1992-0010 AND 2000-0024

316 reels

Contents: Microfilm of individual aircraft record cards. Records for USAF aircraft retired from military service through 1952. Records for retired US Navy aircraft (1911-65). Records for active Navy aircraft (1965-86).

United States Navy Recognition Training Slides Collection, Acc. XXXX-0161.

Slides; 1950s; 1 box.

Used for training in recognition of aircraft and ships.

United States Air Organizing Committee for the Bicentennial of Air and Space Flight Records, Acc. XXXX-0100

7 cubic feet

In 1982 President Ronald Reagan established the US Organizing Committee for the Bicentennial of Air and Space Flight. This body coordinated with an international committee to organize events commemorating the 200th anniversary of the first manned balloon flight in November 1783 (France) and the first flight in America in June 1784.
Contents: Business files of the committee. Official and general correspondence, financial records, public relations video and audio tapes created by the committee.

United Technologies Corporation Collection, Acc. 1985-0008, 1986-0004, 1986-0024, 1986-0111, 1988-0014, 1988-0079

2 cubic feet

United Aircraft and Transport Co. (UATC) was formed as a holding company in 1928 to guide developments in a number of transportation-related companies. UATC originally included a number of aviation manufacturers, including Boeing, Chance Vought, Hamilton Standard, Stearman, Sikorsky, Northrop, and Pratt and Whitney, as well as several export and transport lines. In 1934, Boeing, Stearman, and Boeing Aircraft of Canada withdrew from UATC to form a separate company under the Boeing name. Northrop also withdrew and was acquired by Douglas Aircraft. UATC reorganized as the United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) with the remaining companies. In 1975 the company changed its name to United Technologies Corp. (UTC), to better reflect the broad scope of UTC's holdings.
Contents: Corporate publications of UTC, its predecessors, UAC and UATC, and corporate subsidiaries. Annual reports, employee and stockholder magazines, article reprints, and pamphlet material.

Waco Aircraft Company Archives, Acc. XXXX-0151

75.60 cubic feet

In 1921 Clayton J. Bruckner, Elwood "Sam" Junkin, and George "Buck" Weaver formed Advance Aircraft Co. in Troy, Ohio. They later renamed the company Weaver Aircraft Co. and, in 1929, Waco Aircraft Co. By the 1930s the company was a leader in the design of wood and fabric aircraft. At their most widespread use, Waco aircraft were operated by public, private, military, and corporate owners in thirty-five countries. During World War II, Waco devoted itself entirely to war production, manufacturing large numbers of troop- and cargo-carrying gliders. Following the war Waco attempted to market a wholly new design, but the post-war slump in the private aviation market and the high development costs of the aircraft forced Waco to withdraw from aircraft manufacture in June 1947. During its twenty-eight year existence Waco produced sixty-two different aircraft models and led all its competitors in number of aircraft registered.
Contents: Records of the Waco Aircraft Co. Office files, marketing and sales information, and design data. Engineering drawings and report files.

Westinghouse Sentinel S1000 Material, Acc. 1994-0003.

Videotapes, brochures; 1993; 3 items.

Their Sentinel airships are designed for military and naval purposes, communications, commercial advertising, aerial transport, and drug smuggling interdiction.

Women Flyers of America (WFA) Collection, Acc. 1987-0050, 1988-0058

3 cubic feet

The Women Flyers of America was formed in 1940 for women who were interested in all aspects of aviation. The organization provided flight training for those women who wanted to become licensed pilots. It became inactive in 1954.
Contents: Material relating to the Women Flyers of America. Correspondence, newsletters, by-laws, financial reports, and a scrapbook on the organization. Biographical information on some members.

INTERRELATED COLLECTIONS

The following pages contain collection descriptions for groups of collections relating to a particular program or theme. They are presented here with a historical note for the program or theme followed by descriptions for the individual collections.

Collections Relating to the Civil Aeronautics Authority

The Civil Aeronautics Authority was created by act of Congress in 1938, taking over the duties of the Department of Commerce Aeronautics Branch (est.1926) and its successor, the Bureau of Air Commerce, and the aviation-related responsibilities of the Post Office Department and the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Authority consisted of two branches: the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), responsible for regulating air commerce and accident investigations, and the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), responsible for air safety, control of air traffic, operation of Federal Airways communication systems, and airport improvement. In 1940 the Authority was split, with the CAB remaining an independent body, while the CAA was placed under the Commerce Department. In order to keep pace with the rapid growth in civil aviation after World War II, which proved beyond the capabilities of the CAA, Congress established the Federal Aviation Administration in 1958 as an independent body incorporating the CAA, the Airways Modernization Board (est. 1957), and portions of the CAB. The CAB was dissolved in 1983 as part of the deregulation of the US airline industry.

Civil Aeronautics Administration Aircraft Specifications, Acc. XXXX-0175

1.09 cubic feet

Contents: CAA files on specifications for airworthiness of aircraft, including helicopters, airships, gliders, and floats, as well as airplanes. Inspection handbook from the CAA of approved aircraft from December 1940 with revisions through 1948.

Civil Aeronautics Board Domestic Air Routes Dockets, Acc. 1988-0078

15.26 cubic feet

Contents: Records of CAB decisions regarding the operation of domestic airline routes arranged alphabetically by airline and route in reverse chronological order. Dockets relating to routes not in use at the time of the CAB's dissolution and foreign airlines operating on US domestic routes.

Collections Relating to the Curtiss-Wright Corporation

The Curtiss-Wright Corp. was formed in June 1929 by the merger of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. and the Wright Aeronautical Corp. Curtiss-Wright operated in three main divisions: the Curtiss Aeroplane Division (later Curtiss-Wright Airplane Division), which manufactured airframes until it closed in 1951; the Wright Aeronautical Corp., which produced aeronautical engines; and the Curtiss-Wright Propeller Division, which manufactured propellers and other propulsion-related equipment.

Curtiss F9C-2 Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0366

2.2 cubic feet

The aircraft in the Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk series were the only operational fighters to be based aboard the US Navy airships USS Akron (ZRS-4) and Macon (ZRS-5). The F9C series was designed by the Curtiss Aeroplane Division of Curtiss-Wright Corp. as carrier fighters to meet the Navy's Specification 96 (issued 10 May 1930), but the prototype XF9C-1 failed to pass the acceptance test for carrier operations. The aircraft, however, was small enough to fit through the hangar doors on Akron and Macon. After testing between March and June 1931, the aircraft was fitted with a skyhook and made the first hook-on to an experimental trapeze fitted on the airship USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) on 27 October 1931. Curtiss redesigned the landing gear and tail unit, modified the wing configuration, and increased engine power, and offered the aircraft as the XF9C-2 in October 1931. The first production F9C-2 flew on 14 April 1932 and made the first hook-on to USS Akron on 29 June 1932. All six aircraft were delivered by September 1932 and began to operate as fighters and scouts from Akron. All the aircraft survived the loss of Akron in 1933 and continued to operate from Macon until she was lost in 1935 with four F9Cs aboard. The surviving Sparrowhawks served as utility aircraft until 1939, when they were retired. One aircraft (BuNum 9056) was transferred to the Smithsonian.
Contents: Engineering drawings for the Curtiss F9C-2 series.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Propulsion Division Collection (Goddard Papers), Acc. XXXX-0419

55.97 cubic feet

Contents: Records of the Propeller Division relating to rocket propulsion experiments carried out from 1943-57. Experiments were based on the work of Dr. Robert Goddard (1882-1945), who collaborated directly with Curtiss-Wright until his death and provided Curtiss-Wright with licenses to utilize his rocket patents. Drawings, photographs, test reports, engineering analyses, technical data, administrative/contractual progress reports, engineering work orders and related correspondence.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation Records, Acc. XXXX-0067, 1987-0029

142.4 cubic feet

Contents: Records of the Curtiss-Wright Corp. Technical and engineering reports of Curtiss-Wright Airplane Division's operations in St. Louis (Robertson), Missouri (1935-45) and Buffalo, New York (1932-45). Army Air Service Materiel Division and USAAF Air Technical Services Command memorandum reports collected by Curtiss-Wright's St. Louis and Buffalo technical reference libraries. Files of the Patent Department, records of patents filed by Curtiss-Wright and patent-infringement cases involving Curtiss-Wright. Specifications issued by and photos commissioned by the Keystone Aircraft Corp. (Huff-Daland Airplanes, Inc. through March 1927; acquired by Wright, 1928; with Loening Aeronautical formed Keystone Division of Curtiss-Wright, 1929-32). Financial records of the Curtiss-Wright Airports Corp. (liquidated, 1936). Photographic negative collection of Curtiss-Wright aircraft from the 1930s and 1940s, concentrated on the war years.

Collections Relating to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was created by Congress on 3 March 1915 to supervise and direct the "scientific study of the problems of flight with a view to their practical solution, the determination of problems which should be experimentally attacked, and their investigation and application to practical questions of aeronautics." In 1958 Congress established NASA, which inherited the functions of NACA along with the responsibility of managing US space activities other than Department of Defense programs. Currently NASA works in five main programs to reach the objectives set in the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958: space science and applications, manned space flight, launch vehicle development, tracking and data acquisition, and advanced research and technology.

NACA/NASA Langley Field Aircraft Logbooks, Acc. XXXX-0056

2 cubic feet

NACA developed an aeronautical research center on the grounds of Langley AFB, Hampton, Virginia, that NASA continues to operate. Research at Langley has ranged over a wide variety of aeronautical subjects intended to extend the performance, efficiency, and capability of aircraft. Operations at Langley range from theoretical and wind-tunnel experiments through full-scale flight testing.
Contents: Original aircraft, engine, and equipment logbooks for aircraft operated by NACA and NASA from Langley Research Center, providing a complete history of the aircraft/engine/equipment from its manufacture through its pre-NACA/NASA service and during its operation by that agency.

NACA/NASA Technical Reports, Acc. XXXX-0143, XXXX-0160, XXXX-0168

107 cubic feet

Contents: NACA and NASA technical reports for both in-house and contract research covering a variety of aeronautics, astronautics, earth and space science topics, and technology research and development topics. Microfiche copies of the majority of NACA and NASA Technical Reports (1915-1980). Paper copies of NACA Wartime Reports (1939-1946) and miscellaneous reports from the Technical Memorandum series.

NASA F-8 Supercritical Wing Collection, Acc. XXXX-0104

7.7 cubic feet

The supercritical wing concept was invented by Dr. Richard Whitcomb (1921- ) to improve airfoil efficiency at transonic (Mach .8+) speeds. Following initial design work in 1964, Whitcomb tested the concept in the NASA's eight foot Transonic Dynamics Wind Tunnel at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia (1964-69). North American Aviation then contracted to produce a supercritical wing to be fitted to a Vought F-8 aircraft as a flying test bed. Flight testing at Edwards AFB, California (1971-72), substantiated the wind tunnel results and further tests were planned on North American T-2 and General Dynamics F-111 test bed aircraft.
Contents: Documents gathered from Langley Research Center on the development of the supercritical wing concept and the F-8 test bed program. Primarily notes and reports covering the wind tunnel development, flight testing, and evaluation of the concept. General and press information about the program.

NASA Publications and Press Material, Acc. XXXX-0039, XXXX-0210, 1987-0067

14 cubic feet

Contents: Documents published by NASA covering a variety of topics including NASA missions (manned and unmanned), data applications, project proposals, and "spinoff" benefits (1955-73). General press releases, NASA News and NASA News Releases (1967-70), and press kits for specific missions, primarily in the Apollo program. NASA-related press clippings from the Apollo period (c.1967-72) from both public and government periodicals.

NASA Transparencies Collection, Acc. XXXX-0272

4 cubic feet

Contents: Color and black-and-white transparencies from NASA covering the Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, Pioneer, Viking, and Voyager programs, as well as proposals for the Space Shuttle.

Collections Relating to NASA, the US Space Program

NASA was inaugurated on 1 October 1958 with the intent of conducting a manned space program. NASA took over the rocketry and propulsion work previously performed by the US Air Force, Navy, and National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The Air Force initiated unmanned launches during the International Geophysical Year (1957-58). Launches have continued to the present with a wide variety of payloads, including space science, weather, communications, and Earth observation satellites. The manned program progressed through Mercury (1959-63; launches 1961-63), Gemini (1962-67; launches 1965-66), Apollo (1960-72; launches 1968-72), and Skylab (1969-74; launches 1973-74). After a hiatus following the Skylab Program, the manned program focused on the Space Shuttle Program, based on a reusable spacecraft. The manned program was supported by a number of unmanned exploration vehicles in the Ranger, Lunar Orbiter, and Surveyor series throughout the 1960s, as well as research into a number of related areas.

Aerojet-General M-1 Engine Reports, Acc. XXXX-0190

2 cubic feet

The initial (1959) plan for the NASA lunar program, Apollo, envisioned manned lunar exploration in the 1970s when NASA expected large launch vehicles to be available. Nova was the largest of the four launch vehicles planned for the program. The second stage of the multistage Nova was to be powered by the liquid hydrogen M-1 engine. Aerojet-General Corp. began development work on the M-1 on 30 April 1962 and canceled the project in August 1965 after the indefinite postponement of the Nova program.
Contents: Design information, development program plans, quarterly technical progress reports, research and development proposals, and technical reviews prepared primarily by Aerojet-General for NASA concerning the development of the M-1 rocket engine.

Bellcomm, Inc. Technical Reports Library, Acc. XXXX-0093

88 cubic feet

Bellcomm, Inc., a subsidiary of AT&T, was organized to assist NASA's Office of Manned Space Flight, Systems Office, in the overall integration of the Apollo spacecraft. Bellcomm was directly responsible for systems engineering and analysis. The company ended operations in 1972 with the end of the Apollo program.
Contents: Non-book portion of Bellcomm's Technical Library. Technical reports prepared by NASA subcontractors or NASA facilities during the first decade of space exploration (1960-70) covering a variety of space program-related subjects, including defunct programs and space medicine, as well as the better-known exploration projects, such as Mercury, Gemini, Surveyor, and so forth. Reports issued by the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) at Pasadena, California, including Space Program and Research Summaries, and technical and engineering documents.

Fairchild ATS-6 Communications Satellite Collection, Acc. XXXX-0094

7.3 cubic feet

ATS-6, the final in a series of six satellites in NASA's Applications Technology Satellite (ATS) Program, was the most powerful communications satellite to go into orbit at the time of its launch on 30 May 1974. It was designed and built by the Fairchild Space and Electronics Co. under contract to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to demonstrate and evaluate the application of new technologies for future satellite systems. During its five-year mission ATS-6 demonstrated the first direct broadcast television from geosynchronous orbit; relayed data from and tracked low orbiting satellites; relayed communications and positions of ships and aircraft; and carried out a variety of experiments in communications, meteorology, and physics.
Contents: Technical reports and operation and design handbooks from the design stage of the spacecraft during the early 1970s. NASA ground station acquisition and tracking data, ATS simulator runs, and specifications and work statements for IBM-built subsystems. Fairchild ATS flight operations training manuals. ATS-6 Final Engineering Performance Report (NASA, November 1981).

Kennedy Space Center Glass Transparency Collection , Acc. 1987-0136

6 cubic feet

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) grew out of NASA operations at the Atlantic Missile Range (AMR), Canaveral Air Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Following NASA's acquisition of land to the north of Canaveral for use in Apollo testing and launch operations in the early 1960s, the NASA office at AMR was upgraded to an operating center and named after the late President John F. Kennedy. KSC serves as the main launch facility for NASA's orbital missions.
Contents: C.900 glass plate transparencies documenting operations at KSC. Photographs and graphics primarily covering the Apollo program.

Mercury Program "Big Joe" Installation Records (Eiband Collection), Acc. XXXX-0189

2 cubic feet

Soon after the organization of NASA in October 1959, that agency designated the Mercury Program as the first US manned space effort. The goal of the program was to launch a single man into Earth orbit and return him to Earth. Before launching a manned flight, NASA planned a series of unmanned launches with the Mercury spacecraft/launch vehicle combinations to ensure the success of later manned flights. The first successful launch of an instrumented Mercury boiler-plate capsule, dubbed Big Joe, occurred on 9 September 1959 on an Atlas-10D launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The capsule reached an altitude of 100 miles before successfully reentering the atmosphere.
Contents: Data on the Big Joe capsule and its operation. Drawings of the thermocouple, telemetry, cooling, instrument, intercom, and other systems. Notes and information on operations, afterbody assembly, personnel assignments, safety measures, and other aspects of the work performed on the capsule during the Big Joe project.

Spacesuit Android Drawings, Acc. 1989-0062

.5 cubic feet

The Spacesuit Android was built by International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT) under contract to NASA. NASA's Manned Space Flight Center, Crew Systems Division, used the android to test and evaluate spacesuit designs and related equipment for mobility and operational stress. The android was later considered by the USAF for use in its bionics program and is currently part of the NASM artifact collection.
Contents: Engineering drawings for the android and related equipment.

Spacesuit Component and Survival Rucksack Test Collection, Acc. 1988-0114

2.18 cubic feet

Contents: Material documenting the development of spacesuits and accessories for post-Mercury manned missions. Acceptance data packages and test data for the suits, life-support systems, and survival rucksack.

Tiros Satellite Documents, Acc. XXXX-0199

5.45 cubic feet

The Television Infra-Red Observation Satellite (Tiros) program was an outgrowth of the weather satellite program of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the mid-1950s. In 1958 ARPA let a contract to the Radio Corp. of America (RCA) for ten satellites. In April 1959 NASA assumed responsibility for the Tiros program and the first of ten research and development launches occurred one year later (1 April 1960). On 2 July 1965 NASA launched the tenth and final original RCA satellite, by which time NASA, the Weather Bureau (later the Environmental Science Services Administration [ESSA]), and RCA had agreed on the Tiros Operational Satellite (TOS) program. The nine TOS system satellites, coded ESSA, were all launched successfully between February 1966 and February 1969. The ESSA series were followed by five Improved Tiros Operational System (ITOS) satellites launched for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the successor to ESSA. The Tiros/TOS/ESSA programs provided the first system for gathering meteorological information, including daily information on cloud cover, upper level winds, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation on a global scale.
Contents: Documents pertaining to the Tiros/TOS/ESSA programs. Primarily mission plans, engineering reports, and field operating procedures.

United States Space Program Collection, Acc. XXXX-0154

12 cubic feet

Contents: Material gathered by the Space Science and Exploration Department, National Air and Space Museum, relating to the US space program up to and including the Skylab missions. Primarily photographs and NASA press material covering the individual missions and related subjects, including spacesuits, food, lifting bodies, and other support and auxiliary functions.

United States Space Program Manuals, Acc. 1988-0112, 1988-0113

8 cubic feet

Contents: Technical manuals from the American manned space program including spacecraft familiarization instructions, rendezvous and docking configurations, mission evaluation reports, operational procedures, Skylab experiment reports, and payload descriptions.

United States Space Program Spinoff Documentation , Acc. XXXX-0188

.5 cubic feet

In an attempt to heighten public awareness of the benefits of the space program, NASA documented technological advances in fields not directly related to space travel, such as electronics, manufacturing, medicine, weather forecasting, and food technology.
Contents: Manuscripts, sketches, charts, magazines, pamphlets, and correspondence covering a variety of spinoff technologies.

Voyager II Uranus Moon and Ring Images, Acc. 1986-0128

2 cubic feet

Part of NASA's program for space exploration includes the use of remote sensing probes to explore the solar system. In 1972, NASA proposed the Voyager program, which would launch two probes to the outer planets to take advantage of the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn in 1977. The Voyager spacecraft were assembled at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, and shipped to Cape Canaveral, Florida, for launch atop Titan III-Centaur boosters on 5 September 1977 (Voyager I) and 20 August 1977 (Voyager II). The spacecraft reached Jupiter in 1979 (Voyager I, 5 March; Voyager II, 9 July) and later, Saturn (Voyager I, 12 November 1980; Voyager II, 25 August 1981). They transmitted a wealth of scientific information and images. Following the Saturn encounter, Voyager I changed course to exit the solar system. Voyager II, utilizing Saturn's gravity, also altered course to encounter Uranus (January 1986) and Neptune (August 1989) before leaving the solar system.
Contents: Optical imaging from Voyager II's January 1986 Uranus encounter. Negatives and prints from the Voyager imaging computer, including ranging data and image processing information, covering the major moons of Uranus and the Uranus ring system.

Collections Relating to NASA, the US Space Program, Apollo

NASA established the Apollo Program to carry out manned lunar exploration. The initial timetable called for a successful lunar landing during the 1970s. Following President John F. Kennedy's call (25 May 1961) for a manned lunar landing by the end of the decade, NASA accelerated its timetable accordingly. Flights began in November 1967 with the unmanned launches of Apollos 4, 5, and 6. The first manned launch occurred in October 1968 with Apollo 7. Apollo 8 (21 - 27 December 1968) was the first manned mission to orbit the moon. Apollos 9 (3 - 13 March 1969) and 10 (18 - 26 May 1969) tested the lunar module in Earth and lunar orbit respectively. Apollo 11 (16 - 24 July 1969) was the first manned craft to land on the moon, followed by Apollos 12 (14 - 24 November 1969), 14 (31 January - 9 February 1971), 15 (26 July - 7 August 1971), 16 (16 - 27 April 1972), and 17 (7 - 19 December 1972). Apollo 13 (11 - 17 April 1970) was planned as a lunar landing mission, but an explosion in the Apollo Service Module caused the mission to be aborted. A total of twelve men landed on the moon, carried out numerous scientific experiments, and returned more than 837 pounds of lunar soil for analysis.

Apollo Command-Service Module Training Manuals Collection, Acc. XXXX-0087

3 cubic feet

Contents: Training manuals prepared by North American Aviation (later North American-Rockwell) for its Apollo Logistics Training course, established to familiarize ground personnel with the systems on board the Apollo Command-Service Module (CSM). The manuals cover a variety of subjects, such as the stabilization and control systems, guidance and navigation systems, and telecommunications and electrical power subsystems, as well as the engines and propulsion systems. Apollo and Skylab operations handbooks and CSM vehicle plans.

Apollo Mission Images Collection, Acc. XXXX-0110, XXXX-0111, XXXX-0112, XXXX-0113, 1985-0014

107 cubic feet

Contents: Photographic images from the Apollo program. Includes photographs taken on the Apollo lunar missions with a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad camera; photographs from the panoramic mapping camera installed on Apollos 15-17, including panoramic positive film (Apollos 15-17), uncut panoramic prints (Apollos 16-17), cut panoramic prints (Apollos 15-17), and rectified panoramic prints (Apollos 15-17); prints and film from the metric mapping cameras on Apollos 15-17; and transparencies from the Apollo lunar missions (Apollos 8, 11-17).

Apollo Program Mission Files, Acc. XXXX-0153

1 cubic foot

Contents: Documents relating primarily to Apollos 8, 12, and 13. Includes mission transcripts, NASA reports and press kits, and news releases. Also includes magazines and books pertaining to general aspects of the missions, as well as general information on the Saturn V launch vehicle.

Apollo 8 Mission Reports , Acc. XXXX-0202

.3 cubic feet

Apollo 8 (21 - 27 December 1968) was the second manned flight of the Apollo program, the first manned flight of the Saturn V launch vehicle, and the first manned mission to orbit the moon. The mission objectives were to "demonstrate crew-vehicle-support facilities performance during a manned Saturn V mission with [the Apollo Command-Service Module]" and to "demonstrate performance of nominal and selected backup lunar orbit rendezvous mission activities." The three-man crew included Frank Borman (commander), James A. Lovell (command module pilot), and William A. Anders (lunar module pilot).
Contents: Mission reports from Apollo 8 including transcripts, photographs, charts, and drawings.

Apollo 11 Newsclippings, Acc. XXXX-0208

11.99 cubic feet

Apollo 11 (16 - 24 July 1969) was the fourth manned flight of the Apollo program and the first manned landing on the moon. The three-man crew, Neil A. Armstrong (commander), Michael Collins (command module pilot), and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. (lunar module pilot), accomplished the mission objectives, which included scientific experiments in addition to the landing itself. Armstrong and Aldrin landed in the Sea of Tranquility at 3:17pm EDT on 20 July and, six hours later, at 9:55pm, Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon. The two men spent two hours outside the lunar module and gathered 21kg of lunar samples before lifting off at 12:54am, 21 July, to rendezvous with Collins, who had remained in lunar orbit to conduct scientific experiments.
Contents: Published material relating to the Apollo 11 mission, primarily newspaper and magazine articles from a number of countries dealing with the mission itself, as well as peripheral subjects including astronauts' families, public reaction to the landing, and the twenty-two-nation goodwill tour by the crew following their return.

Collections Relating to NASA, the US Space Program, Apollo-Soyuz

The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) (15 - 24 July 1975), the first cooperative international space flight, was a joint effort between the US and the Soviet Union. A three-man Apollo spacecraft docked with a two-man Soyuz spacecraft in Earth orbit and the crews exchanged goodwill messages and gifts and conducted a number of joint activities.

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Earth Observation and Photography Experiment, Acc. 1988-0127

4 cubic feet

The Earth Observation and Photography Experiment (EOPE) was among the experiments carried out during the Apollo-Soyuz mission. EOPE used trained observers to identify, describe, and photograph surface features of scientific interest in support of ongoing research in geology, oceanography, hydrology, meteorology, desert studies, and environmental science.
Contents: Files of Dr. Farouk El-Baz, Principal Investigator for EOPE. Documentation primarily relating to EOPE, but also including correspondence, notes, and reports dealing with all aspects of the ASTP mission, including crew training and post-flight evaluation.

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Images Collection, Acc. XXXX-0107, XXXX-0108, XXXX-0109

32 cubic feet

Contents: Cut prints, transparencies, and roll prints of Hasselblad and Zeiss Earth Resources photos. Motion picture films documenting the various phases of ASTP and activities during the mission.

Collections Relating to NASA, the US Space Program, Skylab

Skylab, NASA's orbital workshop program, utilized the remaining spacecraft from the Apollo Program to place a manned workshop in Earth orbit for long-duration missions. The workshop, Skylab 1, was launched on 14 May 1973 from Kennedy Space Center atop the final Saturn V launch vehicle. Despite launch damage to the workshop's meteoroid/heat shield and solar panels, three crews manned the workshop: Skylab 2 (25 May - 22 June 1973; Charles C. Conrad, Joseph P. Kerwin, Paul J. Weitz), Skylab 3 (28 July - 25 September 1973; Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott, Jack R. Lousma), and Skylab 4 (16 November 1973 - 8 February 1974; Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, William R. Pogue). While aboard Skylab, each crew conducted a number of physiological experiments relating to long-term exposure to zero-g environments, as well as long duration astronomical and earth resources observations.

Skylab (McDonnell-Douglas Astronautics Co.) Collection, Acc.XXXX-0090

1 cubic foot

Contents: McDonnell-Douglas Astronautics Co. documents relating to the construction of the Skylab Orbital Workshop (1970-72). Still photographs covering the construction of the vehicle and its transportation to Kennedy Space Center, Florida, which were submitted to NASA every month during the project. Daily status reports during the operating life of Skylab (29 May 1973 - 8 February 1974) and engineering drawings of the vehicle prepared by McDonnell-Douglas for the Smithsonian Institution's NASM.

Skylab 4 Commander's Flight Data File (Gerald Carr Collection), Acc. XXXX-0089

4 cubic feet

Skylab 4 was launched on 16 November 1973. During their record-setting eighty-four days in space, the three-man crew (Gerald Carr, Edward Gibson, and William Pogue) conducted a variety of experiments and observations, including material-handling, medical, and student-designed experiments. With the crew's return to Earth on 8 February 1974, Skylab 4 became, and remains, the longest duration American manned space flight.
Contents: Flight Data File issued to Mission Commander Gerald P. Carr (1933- ) for training during the three months prior to launch. Crew manuals, checklists, and procedural documentation, including both Skylab 4 "mission only" and general "all missions" manuals. Carr's "cue cards," including the daily in-flight work schedules and menu cards for all three manned flights.

Skylab 4 Pilot's Flight Data File (William R. Pogue Collection), Acc. XXXX-0145

9 cubic feet

Skylab 4 was launched on 16 November 1973. During their record-setting eighty-four days in space, the three-man crew (Gerald Carr, Edward Gibson, and William Pogue) conducted a variety of experiments and observations, including material-handling, medical, and student-designed experiments. With the crew's return to Earth on 8 February 1974, Skylab 4 became, and remains, the longest duration American manned space flight.
Contents: Flight Data File issued to Spacecraft Pilot William R. Pogue (1930- ) for training during the three months prior to launch. Crew manuals, checklists, and procedural documentation, including both Skylab 4 "mission only" and general "all missions" manuals. Pogue's "cue cards," including daily in-flight work schedules and menu cards. Material relating to Apollo Lunar Excursion Module operations, reflecting Pogue's status as backup crewman during the Apollo lunar missions.

Collections Relating to the National Air Museum/National Air and Space Museum

The National Air Museum (NAM) was created by act of Congress in 1946 as a separate bureau of the Smithsonian Institution to house the aeronautical collections of the Smithsonian. In 1966 the name was changed to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), reflecting the growing importance of space-related artifacts in the collection. At the same time, Congress authorized the construction of a separate building for NASM on the Mall in Washington, DC.

National Air Museum/ National Air and Space Museum Annual Reports, Acc.XXXX-0413

2 reels

Contents: Microfilmed copies of the annual report to the President of the US concerning NAM (1947-65) and NASM (1966-69).

NASM Aviation History Project Files, Acc. 1988-0009

7.63 cubic feet

The NASM Aviation History Project (AHP) began in 1983 in the NASM Aeronautics Department. AHP planned to produce a comprehensive four-volume history of aviation through c.1983, with three volumes of text and a fourth of primarily bibliographic material. The project was supervised by curators Tom Crouch, Von Hardesty, and Dominic Pisano. Initial plans called for the text volumes to be ready for publication between 1986 and mid-1988. The project was canceled in 1985, before publication of the first volume.
Contents: The files of AHP. Primarily manuscripts and typed drafts. Microfilm hard copies, photocopies of newspaper and magazine articles, photographs, posters, maps, and a few original photographs, transparencies, and negatives.

National Air and Space Museum Sound Archives , Acc. XXXX-0139

c.1000 reels

Contents: Audio tape recordings on aviation and space related topics. Primarily recordings of NASM events or recordings of non-NASM events made by NASM personnel and covering a wide variety of event formats. Series titles include Meetings and Lectures, Interviews, Ceremonies and Presentations, Broadcasts, Lunch Box Forums and Air and Space Forums ("brown bag" lecture series), Sound Effects, and Press Conferences. Several series continue to receive new recordings.

Collections Related to Publications of NASM

Aircraft Engines in Museums Documentation, Acc. 1986-0140

7 cubic feet

Contents: Correspondence and computer data sheets used to prepare Aircraft in Museums Around the World (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1981 and 1983) and Aircraft Engines in Museums Around the World (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1981 and 1983). Punch cards used to create computer printed columns.

Aircraft of the National Air and Space Museum Collection, Acc.) 1986-0046

1 cubic foot

Contents: Photographs and draft texts for Aircraft of the National Air and Space Museum (Claudia M. Oakes, ed.; Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1981), a companion volume to the aircraft collection on display in the National Air and Space Museum building at its opening on 1 July 1976. Drafts for the text of each entry in the book. Original and duplicate photos and correspondence relating to photo copyright.

Exhibition Flight Collection, Acc.XXXX-0423

1 cubic foot

Contents: Research material used by curators Robert Mikesh and Claudia Oakes to prepare Exhibition Flight (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1973), a companion volume to the Exhibition Flight exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC.

Jet Age Collection, Acc. XXXX-0421

1 cubic foot

Walter J. Boyne, as Director of the National Air and Space Museum, sponsored a symposium marking the fortieth anniversary of jet aviation. Speakers at the symposium included Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the first turbojet engine; Hans von Ohain, inventor of the first German turbojet engine; Charles Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier; and other government and industry specialists. The papers from the symposium were later published as The Jet Age: Forty Years of Jet Aviation (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1979).
Contents: Correspondence between Boyne and the speakers, photographic materials from the presentation of the papers, and mechanicals for the book.

United States Women in Aviation Through World War I Collection, Acc. XXXX-0424

1 cubic foot

Contents: Research material used by curator Claudia Oakes to prepare US Women in Aviation Through World War I (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1978). Photographs, photocopies of newsclippings, correspondence, and biographies.

Collections Relating to Peenemunde Rocket Research

The German Army and Navy experimental station at Peenemunde, on the North Sea coast of Germany, was established in the mid-1930s to continue rocketry work begun at Kummersdorf in 1930. By the end of World War II, the research station had produced a number of successful weapons, including the first surface-to-surface guided missile (V-1), the first ballistic missile (V-2), and the first operational air-to-surface missile (He 293), as well as other designs. The equipment developed at Peenemunde formed the basis for post-war research and designs by both the US and the Soviet Union.

Peenemunde Aerodynamics Reports (Fort Bliss/ Puttkamer) Collection, Acc. XXXX-0192

2 cubic feet

Contents: Original Peenemunde Archiv reports related to aerodynamics and vehicle design and performance. Material passed through the technical library at Fort Bliss, Texas, before transfer to the NASM Archives.

Peenemunde Archiv Reports, Acc. XXXX-0193

2 cubic feet

Contents: Documents from the Peenemunde Archiv 66 series covering a wide variety of rocketry-related subjects including thermodynamics, propulsion, and guidance.

Collections Related to the USAAF/USAF

Organized aeronautics in the US Army began in 1907 with the establishment of an Aeronautical Division under the command of the Army's Chief Signal Officer. In 1914, this was upgraded to become the Aviation Section, US Army Signal Corps. Air operations during World War I demonstrated the utility of aircraft for uses unrelated to communications and, in 1918, the Aviation Section was removed from Signal Corps control, becoming the Division of Military Aeronautics, US Army, and later the US Army Air Service (USAAS). The growth of the importance of military aviation between the world wars led to continued upgrades in the status of the organization, first to the US Army Air Corps (1926), then to the USAAF (1941). When the US Army reorganized in March 1942, the AAF was one of three coordinate branches, on par with the Army Ground Forces and the Supply Services. World War II further demonstrated the importance of air power and the National Security Act created the US Air Force (USAF) as an independent branch of service, equal to the Army and Navy, on 18 September 1947.

Freeman Field Reports, Acc. XXXX-0159

.5 cubic feet

During World War II, American and Allied forces captured a number of enemy aircraft. These and other equipment were sent to Freeman Field, Seymour, Indiana, and the Glider Test Base at Freeman Field for examination and evaluation to aid in future aircraft design and tactical development.
Contents: Reports and correspondence relating to enemy aircraft and equipment at Freeman Field. Reports and correspondence from the Glider Test Base at Freeman Field.

Nike-Ajax Antiaircraft Missile System Technical Manuals, Acc.XXXX-0207

1 cubic foot

The Nike series missiles were surface-to-air missiles for point defense against aircraft and ballistic missiles. Development of the Nike-Ajax (SAM-A-7) began in 1945 at Bell Laboratories. The first Nike-Ajax site became operational in December 1953 and plans called for installations at forty major cities in the continental US, as well as at American installations in foreign countries. As deployed, the system consisted of a Douglas-built airframe and a Bell (Aerojet-General) powerplant controlled by a Westinghouse radar guidance system. It was superceded by the more powerful Nike-Hercules (SAM-A-25) and Nike-Zeus and was phased out of the inventory by 1965.
Contents: Technical manuals for the Nike-Ajax missile system primarily covering electrical, electronic, and guidance equipment for system testing and operation.

Southwest Pacific Theater Intelligence Reports, Acc. XXXX-0183

10 cubic feet

Contents: Weekly intelligence summaries from the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II containing pertinent information for pilots relating to the progress of the war. Includes information on Allied attacks and their effects, enemy strengths and movements, new armaments and tactics used on both sides, and survival tips.

USAF Aircraft Engineering Drawings, Acc. XXXX-0521, 1987-0135, 1988-0135

c.6000 rolls

Contents: Microfilmed engineering drawings of aircraft operated by the USAF and its predecessors. Primarily complete sets of engineering drawings for most major types. Some reports and standards.

USAF Equipment Files, Acc. XXXX-0147

20 cubic feet

Contents: Documents pertaining to USAF equipment from the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. Nomenclature cards listing equipment type, USAF designation (nomenclature), and a brief description of the equipment. Cards filed alphabetically by type (e.g. "Truck, Fuel Servicing") or designation (e.g. "F-1A"). Separate files containing cards exclusively for aircraft, engines, munitions, radio and radar, or photographic equipment. Documents pertaining to type designation assignments from the late 1970s.

United States Army Around the World Flight (1924) Collection , Acc. XXXX-0152

2 cubic feet

Between 6 April and 28 September 1924, a flight of specially designed Douglas aircraft operated by the US Army Air Service completed the first aerial circumnavigation of the globe. Two of the four Douglas World Cruisers completed the 27,000 mile trip (371 hours, 11 minutes flying time).
Contents: Duplicates of documents concerning the flight and related activities held in National Archives Record Groups 18, 22, 59, and 72. Correspondence, memos, newspaper articles and logbooks concerning the flight, including descriptions of the Douglas World Cruiser (DWC) aircraft, memoranda relating to requests for permission to overfly and photograph foreign countries. Material dealing with the flight route, pilot selection, aircraft selection, equipment to be utilized, and weather.

Collections Related to the USAAF/USAF, Wright Field/Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

In 1917 the Aviation Section of the US Army Signal Corps established an aviation engineering section at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. In 1927 the Engineering Division of the Army Air Corps, as it was then known, moved to nearby Wright Field and there remained as the Air Force Materiel Division (AFMD) and Air Materiel Command (AMC) until Wright Field combined with Patterson Field to become Wright-Patterson AFB in 1948. The Engineering Division was responsible for development and testing of aeronautical equipment, conducting static and dynamic tests of materiel up to full-scale flight testing of complete aircraft. The Division also maintained a technical library of documents relating to military aeronautics.

Wright Field Propeller Test Reports, Acc. XXXX-0417

2 cubic feet

Contents: Reports of propeller tests conducted at Wright Field by the Engineering Division and the Materiel Division.

Wright Field Technical Documents Library, Acc.) XXXX-0428

475 cubic feet

Contents: Technical Library of the Materiel Division from Wright Field. Reports and other documents on aviation-related topics, including general science (aeronautics, physics, chemistry, etc.) and personnel, organization, operations, and equipment for American and foreign air forces. Documentation on foreign services and equipment is primarily from military intelligence reports. Test reports from the Materiel Division.

Wright/McCook Fields Aircraft Project Books, Acc. XXXX-0058

5 cubic feet

Contents: Project books for aircraft tested by the Engineering Division in the early 1920s. Photostats of specifications, contracts, and Air Service inspection and test reports. Photographic negatives documenting the aircraft.

Wright/McCook Fields Still Photograph Collection, Acc. XXXX-0172

825 cubic feet

Contents: Still photographs taken by the Materiel Division at McCook Field, Wright Field, and Wright-Patterson AFB, as an integral part of the testing and investigation procedure. Black-and-white and color photographs illustrating the design, development and testing of military aircraft; structural components; and personal, emergency, and survival equipment. Photographs of aircraft accident investigations, publicity, and development of McCook Field facilities into the current Wright-Patterson AFB.

Collections Relating to the US Supersonic Transport Program

The US Supersonic Transport (SST) program was initiated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 1963. The objective of the program was to develop a Mach 2+ aircraft capable of carrying c.300 passengers with intercontinental range. By the late 1960s contracts had been let to the prime contractors: Boeing (airframe) and General Electric (engines). The program, however, was four to five years behind the Anglo-French Concorde and Soviet Tu 144 programs, which had both graduated to supersonic flight testing while the American program had yet to advance beyond the mockup stage. In 1971 the slow pace of technical development, environmental concerns, high costs, and questions over the commercial feasibility of the aircraft led Congress to cancel the program.

US Supersonic Transport Program (Friedman) Collection, Acc. 1987-0130

5.8 cubic feet

Contents: Files of Robert K. Friedman (Chief, FAA SST Support Division) relating to the development of commercial SST capability in the US. Primarily technical and research reports. Press releases, marketing brochures, proposals, assessment and evaluation reports on the entire SST program. Material on foreign and domestic military research, applications of supersonic technology, sonic boom research, and marketing and presentation material from Lockheed, Boeing, North American, and Convair.

US Supersonic Transport Program Collection [Vierling], Acc. XXXX-0144

11 cubic feet

Contents: Files of Bernard J. Vierling (Deputy Director, FAA Office of SST Development 1965-69; Acting Director 1969-71). Primarily in-depth documents, brochures, reports, and studies pertaining to SST proposals from Boeing, Lockheed, and associated bid contractors General Electric and Pratt and Whitney. Material relating to sonic boom research, congressional funding, private funding, congressional and civilian antagonists, and the Concorde and Tu 144 programs. Newsletters, executive committee papers, executive board reports and minutes of meetings, financial reports, awards, banquet programs, and photographs pertaining to Vierling's involvement in the National Aviation Club from 1952 through 1972.

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