In the early 20th century, few things excited the public more than the development of mechanized flying machines. Whether aircraft or dirigible, these machines were documented in the specialized and popular literature of the day. The Smithsonian Libraries is committed to digitizing its special collection of rare books and journals on the invention and growth of aviation. Many of the tiles we’ve scanned and digitized to date are accessible through the Internet Archive. Continue reading
Tag Archives: aviation
The Wright Flyer
It’s December 17th — the anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first machine powered air flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In remembrance of that date 109 years ago, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries is featuring The Wright Flyer: An Engineering Perspective by Howard S. Wolko and John David Anderson. The online version of this 1987 Smithsonian Institution Press book is available via the Internet Archive. Continue reading
New Acquisitions in the National Air and Space Museum Library
Here are some of the newest additions to the National Air and Space Museum Library collection.
Ambassadors from Earth: Pioneering Explorations with Unmanned Spacecraft by Jay Gallentine. University of Nebraska Press,Lincoln, Nebraska 2009. TL795.3 G35 2009
Edwards Air Force Base (Images of Aviation) by Ted Huetter and Christian Gelzer. Arcadia Publishers, Charleston, South Carolina, 2010. TL568. E34 H84 2010
Empire of the Clouds: When Britain's Aircraft Ruled the World by James Hamilton-Paterson. Faber, London, England, 2010. HD9711. G72 H36 2010
Hot Air Balloons: History, Evolution and Great Adventures by Jean Becker. White Star/Vercelil, London, England, 2009. fGV762. B43 2009
Out of Production List: Western Jet Airliners edited by M. Falcus. DestinWorld, Durham, England, 2009. TL685.7 O98 2009
Women Military Pilots of World War II: A History with Biographies of American, British, Russian and German Aviators by Lois K. Merry. McFarland and Company, Jefferson, North Carolina, 2011. D785. M47 2011
World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston-Powered Aircraft: Republic ZR-12 Rainbow by Mike Machat. Specialty Press, North Branch, Minnesota, 2011. TL686. R42 M33 2011
—Leah Smith
Birthday of Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Anne Morrow Lindbergh, aviator, author, mother and wife of Charles A. Lindbergh was born on June 22, 1906. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College in 1928 and married Charles A. Lindbergh on May 27, 1929.
A lot of the early years of the Lindbergh's marriage were spent flying. Anne served as her husband's co-pilot, navigator and radio operator on many history-making flights.
The National Geographic Society awarded its Hubbard Gold Medal to Mrs.Lindbergh in 1935 for her accomplishments in 40,000 miles of exploratory flying over five continents with her husband. She was also the first American woman to earn a glider pilot license.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh was also a prolific author. The National Air and Space Museum Library has quite a few of her works. Her most famous work, Gift from the Sea, (BD435. L52 1977X) was originally published in 1955. This lyrical essay-style book was inspired by a visit to Captiva Island off the coast of Florida. In this introspective book Mrs. Lindbergh uses the natural imagery of the seashells found on the island's beaches to reflect on the life of the American woman in the 20th century.
The National Air and Space Museum Library also has some of her other works such as Listen! The Wind (TL540. L49 A27 1938X).
The library also has a series of diaries written by Mrs.Lindbergh:
Bring Me a Unicorn: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1922-1928 (TL540. L739A1b)
Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh , 1929-1932(TL540.L49A4 1973X)
Locked Rooms and Open Doors: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1933-1935 (PS3523. I516Z52V)
The Flower and the Nettle: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1936-1939 (PS3523. I516Z516X)
War Within, War Without: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh 1939-1944 (PS3523. I516Z528X)
Another of Mrs. Lindbergh's more famous works, North to the Orient, (TL540. L49 A3 1935X) is also in the library's collection. This memoir of the Lindbergh's 1931 trip by floatplane through the Northwest Passage, Arctic Canada and Alaska (the Great Circle Route) finally making their way to the Orient (Japan) is filled with vivid descriptions of the landscape and the many interesting people the couple met on their adventure. It's hard to believe that Anne Lindbergh was only 24 years old at the time and the mother of an infant son. This is a very rich and poetic travelogue.
She was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, the National Women's Hall of Fame and the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey. Anne Morrow Lindbergh passed away on February 7, 2001 at the age of 94.
The library also has books written by the Lindbergh's daughter Reeve about her mother and her famous father, No More Words: A Journal of My Mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh and Under a Wing: A Memoir.
—Leah Smith
The Wright Stuff
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
Dedication of the Wright brothers home and shop in Greenfield village, Dearborn, Michigan, April sixteen, nineteen hundred thirty-eight. 1938? The photographic print is from the original negative of the only picture taken of man's first flight, Kitty Hawk, N.C . . .
Today, August 19, is National Aviation Day, as well as being Orville Wright's birthday. He was born in 1871. The Libraries has many titles in its collections centering on Orville and his brother, as can be determined from a quick search. Some highlights:
Honoring Mr. Orville Wright on the fortieth anniversary of the first flights of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 17 December 1903. Hotel Statler, Washington, D.C., 17 December 1943.
The relations between the Smithsonian Institution and the Wright brothers, by Charles G. Abbot.
The Wright family genealogies: excerpts from the Andrews, Clapp, Stokes, Wright, Van Cleve genealogies : compiled with Ainsworth, Black, Crowe, Dickey, Elston, Garibaldi, Heller, Patterson, Ross, Scott, Sanford, Urbine, and Wilson family connections. by Alfred Stokes Andrews ; graciously assisted by Estelle Garibaldi Andrews.
Les frères Wright et leur oeuvre, par Geo. Bia … Rapport présenté à la Section aéronautique de la Société belge des ingénieurs et des industriels. Illustré par Fox …
Touching the sky: the flying adventures of Wilbur and Orville Wright Louise Borden & Trish Marx ; illustrated by Peter Fiore.
Happy birthday, Orville!
—Elizabeth Periale
