Donald Sewell Lopez Collection

Download Image

There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

To view items in this collection, use the Online Finding Aid

Donald Sewell Lopez (1923-2008) was a legendary figure in aviation having had a remarkable career as a fighter pilot in World War II and the Korean War, contributing significantly to aeronautical engineering and education, and playing critical roles in the planning and development of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). This collection includes slides, digital images, and audio-visual material maintained by Donald S. Lopez during his time as the NASM Deputy Director.

Donald Sewell Lopez (1923-2008) joined the staff of the Smithsonian Institution in 1972 as part of the team responsible for planning the construction and opening of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). As assistant director for Aeronautics, Lopez was instrumental in developing the exhibits that welcomed visitors at the museum's opening on July 1, 1976. Lopez became deputy director of NASM in 1983, a position he held until 1990. He served as senior advisor to the director before retiring in 1993, holding a position as senior advisor emeritus until he was again appointed deputy director in 1996, a position he held until his death. Before coming to the Smithsonian, Lopez was already an aviation legend: he was a fighter pilot in the 23rd Fighter Group of the 14th Air Force - successors of the legendary Flying Tigers - in China. He flew Curtiss P-40s and North American P-51 Mustangs, demonstrating his extraordinary flying skills under the leadership of famous war heroes Col. Tex Hill and Gen. Claire Chennault. During his two years in China, Lopez flew 101 missions and tallied up five victories, the required number to be recognized as an "Ace." Lopez was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and three Air Medals for his service during World War II. After the War, Lopez became an Air Force test pilot and then served in combat again during the Korean War flying North American F-86s. Lopez then served at the Pentagon, during which time he also earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology and a master's degree in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology. Lopez served at the US Air Force Academy as an associate professor of aeronautics and chief of academic counseling before retiring from the US Air Force in 1964 at the rank of lieutenant colonel. Lopez then worked as a Systems Engineer on the Apollo-Saturn Launch Vehicle and the Skylab Orbital Workshop for Bellcomm, Inc. Lopez was a member of the American Fighter Aces Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association and was a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Lopez was the recipient of many honors and awards, including being named an Elder Statesman of Aviation by the National Aeronautic Association (1995); the Federal Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Leadership Award recipient (1999); the Frank G. Brewer Trophy in Museum Education recipient; being inducted as a fellow by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (2006); and being honored as one of the living legends at the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends at Rickenbacker Field in Columbus, Ohio (2007). Lopez's publications include Into the Teeth of the Tiger (Bantam, 1986), The National Air and Space Museum: A Visit in Pictures (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989) and Fighter Pilot's Heaven: Flight Testing the Early Jets (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995).

Identifier

NASM.2008.0042

Creator

Lopez, Donald S.,, 1923-2008

Date

1940s-2006

Provenance

Donald S. Lopez, Transfer, 2008, NASM.2008.0042

Extent

3.218 Gigabytes

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of 48 slides, some of which are duplicates, mostly relating to Lopez's service in World War II. The slides, most of which are black and white, depict various aircraft including Lockheed P-38M Lightning, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Dornier Do 215 B-5 Kauz 3 (Screech Owl)(Night Fighter Modification), Douglas P-70, Bell P-39 Airacobra, Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko (Moonlight) Irving (Night Fighter Model 11), North American P-51 Mustang, and Northrop P-61 Black Widow. The slides also depict Lopez and a number of people who served with him in China including Lieutenant Jessie Gray, and Lieutenant Oswin "Moose" Elker. One slide also depicts the crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell that occured in Chihkiang on January 19, 1945. There are also images of Lopez at work in the Museum and of his wife, Glindel Lopez in her wedding gown. Finally, there is an image of the William S. Phillips painting, "Into the Teeth of the Tiger," showing Lopez in combat (this piece is owned by the Lopez family). A number of these images were used in Lopez's book "Into the Teeth of the Tiger." The collection also includes a DVD of a panel lecture at the Udvar-Hazy Center on the Northrop P-61 Black Widow on June 8, 2006 featuring Donald S. Lopez, Robert Bolinder, Louis Bost, Avery J. Miller, Robert Ferguson as speakers and Dik Daso as moderator; a CD of photographs taken at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2000 showing Lopez and other NASM staff as well as figures such as Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager, Robert A. "Bob" Hoover, Patricia "Patty" Rosalie Kearns Combs Wagstaff, James A. "Jim" Lovell, Robert L. "Hoot" Gibson, and Frank Borman; and a reel of 16mm color film, with sound, entitled Reunions: Memories of an American Experience.

Arrangement note

Arranged in original order.

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

Donald Sewell Lopez Collection, NASM.2008.0042, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics

Type

Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Dvds
16mm films
Digital images

Visit

One museum, two locations

What's On

At the museum and online

Explore

Dive deep into air and space

Learn

For teachers and parents

Give

Be the spark