Flight and Space. Barron Hilton Flight and Space Exploration Archives
Collecting Area
Identifier: Flight and Space
Purdue Archives and Special Collections' collection of primary source materials on the history and development of powered flight began in 1940 with the gift of aviator Amelia Earhart's papers by her husband, George Palmer Putnam. Since that initial donation, the number of flight-related archival collections has increased to reflect the steady growth of faculty and alumni contributions to the development of flight and later, space exploration. The Barron Hilton Flight and Space Exploration Archives was established in 2011 with generous support provided by Barron Hilton and the Conrad Hilton Foundation and now includes the papers of engineers, aviation professionals, scholars, and astronauts including Purdue distinguished alumni such as Neil A. Armstrong and Eugene Cernan.
Found in 181 Collections and/or Records:
Ruth Senderrek Mecca papers on Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes
Unprocessed — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 2022-046
Dates:
circa 1944 - 2000
Emilio Salazar papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 23
Scope and Contents
The Emilio Salazar papers document flight instruction at the Purdue Aeronautical Corporation (PAC), and maintenance from the post World War II era to the 1970s. The majority of the papers date from 1950-1970. Aircraft covered by these materials are the DC-3, DC-6B, and DC-9. Many of the instructional materials used by PAC and Purdue Airlines were donated from major airlines such as: Eastern, United, Pan American, and Braniff. Materials from Salazar's later career cover pilot rules and...
Dates:
1928 - 1975; Majority of material found within 1950 - 1970
Ralph H. Schneck Military collection
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 123
Scope and Contents
The Ralph H. Schneck Military collection (2.2 cubic feet; 1854-1973) documents Ralph H. Schneck’s childhood, military training, and service in the United States Army Air Corps. The collection includes personal correspondence, photo albums with detailed captions, artifacts and a DVD of Schneck giving a personal account of his childhood until his enlisting in the Army. Schneck’s correspondence and photographs in particular give a rare, detailed glimpse into the daily existence of a soldier...
Dates:
1854 - 1973; Other: Date acquired: 01/07/2013
Collection on A. A. Sego
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSA 30
Scope and Contents
The Collection on A. A. Sego documents the life and career of Sego, a 1917 Purdue alumnus and test pilot. The collection includes Sego's 1917 leather bound Gala Week program, one photograph of Sego in his aviator helmet, and several photocopied articles pertaining to his life and career.
Dates:
1917 - 2004; Majority of material found within 1917 - 1919
John R. Simmons student papers
Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSA 313
Scope and Contents
The John R. Simmons student papers document some of the coursework Simmons completed while an Aeronautical Engineering student at Purdue from 1950-1954. Included are "AE-90 Class Div. A" assignments/tests, and various English essays. Also included among the papers is a report titled, "Aircraft Powerplant Testing," by the instructional staff of the Powerplant Division of the School of Aeronautics, Purdue University, September 1951, and several type-written sheets of Civil Air regulations. Types...
Dates:
1943 - 1951
Sirisha Bandla Purdue pennant Flown on Virgin Galactic Unity 22 Mission
Unprocessed — Box 1
Identifier: 2022-079
Dates:
2021-07-11
South Shore Country Club program
Unprocessed — Box Communal Accessions 14
Identifier: 20111007.1
Dates:
1935
Space Exploration News collection
Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 128
Scope and Contents
The Space Exploration News Collection features front page news stories relating to the Apollo 11 moon landing, John Glenn's history making orbit around the Earth on Friendship 7, the ending of the Space Shuttle Program and other monumental moments in the history of space exploration.
The original periodicals will be retained for historical value and use in displays and exhibits. The collection consists of three newspapers and one magazine.
The original periodicals will be retained for historical value and use in displays and exhibits. The collection consists of three newspapers and one magazine.
Dates:
1962 - 2011; Other: Majority of material found within 1962 - 1969
Space Exploration News collection, addition 01
Unprocessed — Box 1
Identifier: 20120901
Dates:
1965 - 1986
Paul E. Stanley papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSF 50
Scope and Contents
The Paul E. Stanley papers document the earliest years of the School of Aeronautics and the planning that went into creating the school. Other material among the papers pertain to the early years of the Purdue Airport and Division of Engineering Sciences. Neil Armstrong was a student of Stanley's, and there are clippings, front pages of newspapers, reports, an invitation sent by Armstrong to Stanley for his homecoming celebrating in Wapakoneta, Ohio, along with other pre and post-Apollo 11...
Dates:
1909 - 1972; Majority of material found within 1947 - 1969
Richard (Dick) G. Strippel Research and Writings on Amelia Earhart
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 204
Scope and Contents
The Richard (Dick) G. Strippel Research and Writings on Amelia Earhart (1931-1999; 4.3 cubic feet) comprise the materials used to write the book, Amelia Earhart: the myth and the reality…. Strippel compiled the materials presented here in preparation for the book’s publication. The collection also contains the book proposal and drafts for Amelia Earhart: the myth and the reality…, correspondence related to the publication of the...
Dates:
1931-1999; Other: Date acquired: 07/06/2016
Wilmer and Mildred Stultz papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 209
Scope and Contents
The Wilmer and Mildred Stultz papers document the career, travels, and family life of the Stultzes. The photo albums feature some of the 50 planes flown by Stultz, colleagues in the aviation field, aerial photographs of air fields and cities, automobiles from the 1920s, key flights flown by Stultz and events surrounding those flights, including the 1928 flight of the "Friendship" Fokker with Amelia Earhart and Louis Gordon, and other aspects of his career. Types of materials...
Dates:
1917 - 1960; Other: Majority of material found within 1928
Wilmer Stultz papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 38
Scope and Contents
The Wilmer Stultz papers document Wilmer Stultz's role as pilot in the 1928 transatlantic flight aboard the "Friendship" Fokker airplane. Types of materials in the papers include a flight plan, photograph, contract, letter, and Stultz's pilot's license.
Dates:
1927 - 1928; Other: Majority of material found within 1927 - 1928
Thomas Q. Carney papers
Unprocessed — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 2023-127
Martin L. Thornburg papers
Collection — Box Communal Collections 38, Placement: 16
Identifier: MSF 381
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of one folder which contains a paper by M. L. Thornburg.
Dates:
1923
Pierre J. Thuot papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 179
Scope and Contents
The Pierre J. Thuot papers document the three shuttle missions that Thuot flew. These were STS-36, STS-49, and STS-62. Within the collection, there is material on all three but with the main focus on STS-49. There is little information about STS-36 because it is still classified by the U.S. government. Included in the collection are over 50 color photographs of Thuot training for the Intelsat VI capture that he performed on STS-49. In addition to the photographs, included in the...
Dates:
1989 - 1994
Tom Lugar Collection on Neil Armstrong
Unprocessed — Box Communal Accessions 49
Identifier: 20200227.2
Dates:
1965 - 1969
Toni Mayo papers and research files for "Defining Flight"
Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 181
Abstract
Documentation and research notes from twenty personal narratives of Huntington County, Indiana pilots and aviatrixes who flew during the early to mid-twentieth century. The research notes from oral histories were used by Toni Mayo in the compilation of her master’s thesis and book, Defining Flight.
Dates:
1911-2003; Other: Majority of material found in 1998-2001; Other: Date acquired: 05/11/2013
Rudolph Van Meter photographs of Amelia Earhart
Collection — Box Communal Collections 42, Placement: 2, Folder: 1
Identifier: MSP 6
Scope and Contents
The Rudolph Van Meter photographs of Amelia Earhart contains 12 photographs, most taken by Van Meter of Earhart in Hawaii, during her first world flight attempt. Also included are a photograph of Rudolph "Rudy" Van Meter and photographs taken by the US army.
Dates:
1937
Virgil Grissom Memorial 2017 Galactic Gathering memorabilia
Unprocessed — Box 01
Identifier: 20180323
Dates:
1962 - 2017
Wagner Collection of Space Exploration and Moon Landing First Day Covers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSF 491
Scope and Contents
This collection contains eight volumes of Space Exploration and Moon Landing First Day Covers, containing an extensive and unique look into the stamps and first day covers of the early era of flight and space. They are primarily United States issued, but the collection also contains numerous international first day covers. Binder one begins with a stamp, issued July 20, 1969 and includes a "memorandum for the vice president, as Chairman of the Space Council to be in charge of...
Dates:
1961 - 1986; Other: Majority of material found within 1969
Cecil F. Warner papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSF 498
Scope and Contents
The Cecil F. Warner papers document his teaching and research career dedicated to the areas of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, gas turbines, rocket propulsion and air pollution. The papers also reflect Warner's involvement within the community and countless volunteer hours committed to Boy Scouts, Habitat for Humanity, Kiwanis, First United Methodist Church and Home Hospital.Types of materials include: artifacts, audiovisual materials, booklets, books, CD-ROMs,...
Dates:
1921 - 2007; Other: Majority of material found within 1940 - 2010
Paul J. Weitz papers
Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 172
Scope and Contents
The Paul J. Weitz papers document the time Weitz spent as an United States astronaut and as Deputy Director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The papers contains eleven notebooks that were used by Weitz to record day-to-day meeting notes and tasks. The first entry is April of 1976 and the last entry is January of 1994. The notebooks contain information about The Challenger accident and Weitz's response to the incident from the day it happened and document what the administration...
Dates:
1976 - 1994
Terry White photographs of Amelia Earhart
Collection — Box Communal Collections 70, Placement: 05
Identifier: MSP 321
Scope and Contents
Includes ten 3"x5" black and white photographs taken by Terry White of Amelia Earhart in Hawaii on her first world flight attempt in 1937.
Dates:
1937