This collection consists of the material documenting Jules and Frank VanDersarl's aircraft and aviation activities.
Jules and Frank VanDersarl were teenagers from Denver, Colorado, when they began in 1909 to construct a Blériot aircraft. The brothers constructed the aircraft from scratch, including the engine, leading to successful flights with no prior flight instruction in June 1911. Frank VanDersarl went on to work as General Manager and Chief Pilot for Mountain Flyers, giving aviation demonstrations and flights. Frank founded Rocky Mountain Airlines in 1921, ran the Denver Post Airshow for seven years, and was the owner of VanDersarl Aeroplane Motor Products (VAMP) Aircraft Company. Frank also owned the first aviation school in Denver (1930- 1932), was the chief of Curtiss-Wright Denver, and owned and operated the Denver Union Airport until the depression ended his venture. During World War II, Frank worked at the Denver Opportunity School training workers and mechanics for the aviation industry. Jules VanDersarl built and flew gliders and airplanes before World War I and worked on Curtiss JN-4 Jennys and Canucks. He also worked on early aviation engines and rebuilt aircraft, especially working with the engines to improve their performance. Both VanDersarl brothers were inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame. The VanDersarl Blériot was successfully restored and flown by Javier Arrango in 2012 and is now on display at the Udvar-Hazy National Air and Space Museum.
Identifier
NASM.2020.0003
Date
1920s
Provenance
Jules V. VanDersarl, Gift, 2019, NASM.2020.0003
Extent
0.33 Cubic feet (One slim document box and one 36 by 49 inch folder.)
Archival Repository
National Air and Space Museum Archives
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of the following material documenting Jules and Frank VanDersarl's aircraft and aviation activities: Blériot blueprints (in English); black and white photography; newspaper articles; and aviation trade literature. The following aircraft are shown in the photographs: VAMP CV; International Aircraft F-17 Sportsman; Douglas World Crusier (DWC) Prototype; Ryan M-1; Alexander Eaglerock; Dayton Wright (Consolidated) TW-3; WACO; Curtiss JN-4; Douglas O-2/BT; Swallow Ford Trimotor; Fairchild FC-2; Consolidated P-30 (PB-2); Lincoln (Aircraft) Standard Tourabout; and Beech Bonanza. The trade literature is as follows: "Buyers Guide of Aircraft Products," published by the Motor and Equipment Association; "Crawford Airplane Company" 1925-1926 Catalog; "Roebling Aircraft Products;" "Aviation Manual" by Standard Oil Company; "Airplanes Flying Boats Airplane Parts General Aviation Supplies Motors Catalogue 11" by Logan Aviation Company; "Fokker Aircraft;" "Curtiss and Associated Companies;" "Photography from the Air" by Folmer Graflex Corporation; "Timken Bearings for Aviation;" "Armburst Breath Water Cup;" Cincinnati Aircraft Supply Co.; "Pioneer Drift Indicator;" advertisement for Yancey "Aerial Navigation and Meteorology;" and information regarding Aeronautical Workers Accident Insurance Company.
Arrangement note
Arrangement by type.
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
Jules and Frank VanDersarl Collection, NASM.2020.0003, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.