This collection consists of the original aircraft registration files from the Aeronautics Branch, US Department of Commerce (and its successor organizations the Civil Aeronautics Administration, Federal Aviation Agency, and Federal Aviation Administration) on several historically significant aircraft, as well as pilot files for Douglas "Wrong-Way" Corrigan, James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, and Charles Augustus Lindbergh.
The Aeronautics Branch of the US Department of Commerce was established by the Air Commerce Act in 1926 to provide oversight of aviation activities including air commerce, creating and enforcing air traffic regulations, pilot licensing, and aircraft certification. In 1934, the Aeronautics Branch was renamed the Bureau of Air Commerce and soon became responsible for recently established air traffic control centers that had been created by various airlines at the Bureau's encouragement. The Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 created the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA), which took over the duties of 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 Agency in 1958 as an independent body incorporating the CAA, the Airways Modernization Board (est. 1957), and portions of the CAB. The Federal Aviation Agency became part of the newly created US Department of Transportation in 1967 and was renamed the Federal Aviation Administration.
This collection consists of the original aircraft registration files from the Aeronautics Branch, US Department of Commerce (and its successor organizations the Civil Aeronautics Administration, Federal Aviation Agency, and Federal Aviation Administration) on several historically significant aircraft. The aircraft covered in the collection include the first aircraft registration issued; Curtiss J-1 (Model 50H), NC-9243 (Douglas Corrigan); Lockheed Model 10-E Electra, NR-16020 (Amelia Earhart); Travel Air Model 5000 Woolaroc, NX-869 (Art Goebel); Hughes H-4 (HK-1) Hercules, NX-37602; various aircraft pertaining to Charles Lindbergh including the Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis, N-X-211 and the Lockheed Model 8 Sirius Tingmissartoq; Lockheed Model 10-E Electra, NC-16059 (Dick Merrill); Cessna 180 Spirit of Columbus, N1538C (Jerrie Mock); Lockheed Model 5B Vega, NR-105W (Wiley Post); Standard (NJ) J-1 #249 (Edwin and Lars Ockander); Turner-Laird LTR-14 Miss Champion, NX-263Y (Roscoe Turner); and Wedell-Williams Model 44 (44 III), NR-61Y (Roscoe Turner). These files contain registration and license applications, modification documents, and correspondence relating to the aircraft. The collection also includes pilot files for Douglas "Wrong-Way" Corrigan, James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, and Charles Augustus Lindbergh.
Arrangement note
Collection is in numerical order in keeping with the original numbered file folders.
Rights
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Restrictions
No restrictions on access
Citation
Aircraft Registration Files, "Celebrity" Aircraft, NASM.1990.0043, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Topics
Curtiss Robin J-1 (Model 50H) Lockheed Model 10-E Electra, Earhart Aircraft (NR16020) Turner-Laird LTR-14 "Miss Champion" Lockheed Model 10-E Electra Travel Air 5000 Hughes H-4 (HK-1) Hercules Cessna 180 Skywagon Lockheed Model 5B Vega "Winnie Mae," NR105W (2nd Post Vega) Standard J-1 Wedell-Williams Model 44 (44 III) Aeronautics Airplanes -- Registration and transfer Air pilots
Type
Collection descriptions Archival materials Application forms Correspondence