Flight and Space. Barron Hilton Flight and Space Exploration Archives

Record Group

Identifier: Flight and Space

Staff Only

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 174 Collections and/or Records:

South Shore Country Club program

Unprocessed Material — Box Communal Accessions 14

Identifier: 20111007.1

Dates: 1935

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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.

Dates: 1962 - 2011; Other: Majority of material found within 1962 - 1969

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Space Exploration News collection, addition 01

Unprocessed Material — Box 1

Identifier: 20120901

Dates: 1965 - 1986

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Richard (Dick) G. Strippel Research and Writings on Amelia Earhart

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSP 204

Abstract

This collection contains research and reference files, correspondence, manuscripts, publication records, photographs, and oversized materials related to the writing and publication of Amelia Earhart: the myth and the reality…

Dates: 1931-1999; Other: Date acquired: 07/06/2016

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Thomas Q. Carney papers

Unprocessed Material — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 2023-127

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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...

Dates: 1989 - 1994

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Tom Lugar Collection on Neil Armstrong

Unprocessed Material — Box Communal Accessions 49

Identifier: 20200227.2

Dates: 1965 - 1969

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Virgil Grissom Memorial 2017 Galactic Gathering memorabilia

Unprocessed Material — Box 01

Identifier: 20180323

Dates: 1962 - 2017

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

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

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

William F. Causey Space Collection, addition 1

Unprocessed Material — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 2022-022

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

William F. Causey Space Exploration Collection

Unprocessed Material — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 20190910.1

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Donald E. Williams papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSA 12

Scope and Contents

The Donald E. Williams papers document Williams' two shuttle missions; STS-51-D and STS-34, along with memorabilia from STS-1, the first mission. Also included are various mission patches and decals. The artifacts include his flight helmet, and items used in space; gloves, knife, fork, teaspoon, and can opener.

Types of materials include: artifacts, checklists (mission), clippings, decals, memorabilia, NASA press kit, papers, mission patches, and photographs.

Dates: 1978 - 1991; Majority of material found within 1985 - 1989

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Karl D. Wood papers

Collection — Box 1

Identifier: MSF 464

Scope and Contents

The Karl D. Wood papers document the teaching and aeronautical engineering career of Karl D. Wood. Types of materials include: correspondence, calendar notations, miscellaneous papers and newspaper clippings.

Dates: 1935 - 1967; Majority of material found within 1942 - 1946

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Gordon Yoder collection of Space Exploration memorabilia

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSP 292

Scope and Contents The Gordon Yoder collection of Space Exploration memorabilia primarily contains items related to Apollo 11, with additional items related to NASA. Types of items include books and serials, commemorative plates, glassware, liquor bottles, space toys, posters, one of which is related to STS-1, along with other commercially produced commemorative objects produced to celebrate human spaceflight. Of note are issues of The Eagle, the newsletter of the Apollo 11 Collectors Society, magazines and...

Dates: 1964 - 2005

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Maurice J. Zucrow papers

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSF 428

Scope and Contents The Maurice J. Zucrow papers document aspects of Zucrow's career in the areas of gas turbines and rocket propulsion. Included among the papers are his authored or co-authored reports, papers, books, and Purdue University Engineering Experiment Station bulletins. Many of the books include his annotations or copies Zucrow designated as "master copy," with extensive marginalia. Also included are some of the textbooks Zucrow used as a student, and other reference books he used in his career....

Dates: 1925 - 1965; Other: Majority of material found within circa 1940s - 1969

Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections