Ed Rice Papers

This collection contains books, magazines, reports, telegrams, pamphlets, memorabilia, ephemera, photographs, negatives, glass plate negatives, transparencies, 3D images, slides, stereoplan slides, philatelic materials, autographs and letters, aviation jewelry and wings, postcards, games, puzzles, print press; comic books, nameplates, programs, press releases, maps, clippings, posters, 16mm moving images, blueprints, memoranda, business correspondence, price listings, private correspondence, booklets, narratives, charts, three views, military records, advertisements, flyers, office notes, and other materials that were created and/or collected by Ed Rice throughout his life and career. The Ed Rice Papers are house in 131 containers of various sizes, sixteen flat file folders, five items in flat file drawers, and one object totaling 131.4 linear ft.

The collection was purchased and arrived in multiple accessions from 1980 through 1993. Because of the multitude of increments and the separation of materials throughout the years, original order could only be in part preserved such as in Series III., Subseries 7. the client file folders. Where necessary, such as in the Media Series, order was imposed by the processing archivist. The curator identified twelve series with the first series being the Personal History Series, which is further organized into five subseries: 1. Vita, 2. Correspondence, 3. Social Activity, 4. Personal Documents, and 5. Donations made to History of Aviation Collection (HAC).

Subseries 1. contains various biographical narratives composed by Rice and obituaries.

Subseries 2. Correspondence received: topics are Rice providing information about an Autogiro for publication, acknowledgement for years of service at Aerojet-General Corporation, for speeches held, letters of appreciation from former colleagues, personal correspondence; among which is a letter including images from Stella Randolph regarding Gustave Whitehead, of interest is a confidential letter from Randolph to Rice regarding Major O'Dwyer from 1987 as well as a copy of Randolph's testament, agreement between Randolph's executrix Gettine Young and HAC and Ed and Kay Rice regarding the disposition of the Randolph estate.

Other correspondents are G. W. Reading, George Haddaway, UTD President Bryce Jordan, Janice Barden, Olive Senn, with aviation writers and aviation museums, Jewel Estes (WASP), Jimmy Mattern; Erik Hildesheim, Herb Fisher including his biographical information; Delphine Bohn; Audrey S. Balchen, wife of Bert Balchen including an image of "Fish" Hassel's Stinson Detroiter airplane; and Peter Grosz.

Of interest are an assortment of proofs of pen and ink sketches by aviation artist Ray Beste, a letter of endorsement for the nomination to American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow of Gilbert DeVore, and correspondence between Ed Rice and A. M. "Tex" Johnston regarding the Cobra II.

Subseries 3. includes newsletters, correspondence, brochures, reunion information, nomination application regarding Gilbert DeVore, Aviation Writers Association (AWA) winner listings, event programs and flyers, and awards of organizations Rice belonged to or was interested in.

Subseries 4. comprises address books and notes, clippings regarding obituaries and genealogy, Dallas as an industrial location, funnies, about Herb Fisher, aviation and general topics in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and articles about The Rover Boys juvenile books; business cards and notes as well as National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) rosters; photographs, ephemera, certificates of memberships, correspondence, booklets, sketches, and cartoons of aviation clubs that Rice belonged to; book listings kept by Mrs. Kay Rice, obituary, and Ed Rice's farewell letter to his late wife; photographs of Ed Rice and others and airplanes; Rice's pilot log books, pilot charts, speeches held by Rice and others on management education, transportation, Howard Hughes, Al Hall, and general aviation; and a fragment of a last will of Ed Rice. Of interest are the newspaper copes of the Peanuts cartoons that were signed by Charles M. Schulz.

Subseries 5. contains inventory listings of the Rosendahl Collection, the Spexarth Collection, which can also be found in the holding files of Special Collection. The remainder are listings, inventories, and notes of materials that Ed Rice donated to HAC.

The second series is the Research Series, which encompasses correspondence between Rice and aircraft manufacturers regarding Rice's dual propeller gear for aircraft motors design, as well as correspondence about components and stainless steel for aircraft; photographs, notes, three views, blueprints, sketches, booklets, narratives, charts, and articles. Of interest is the narrative by Ed Rice about "Dual Propeller Gear for Aircraft Motors and controllable Pitch Adaptations."

The third series is the Employment Series, which is further organized into eleven subseries: 1. Douglas Aircraft Company and Early Employment, 2. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, 3. Superior Skycraft Corporation/Doyle Packing Company, 4. Western States Aviation, 5. Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, 6. Hiller Aircraft Company, 7. Aerojet-General Corporation, 8. DeVore Aviation Corporation of America, 9. History of Aviation Collection (HAC), 10. Frontiers of Flight Museum (FOF), and 11. G. Edward Rice and Associates (GERAS).

Subseries 1. includes termination slips and letter of certification of employment.

Subseries 2. covers blueprints of parts, templates, and Lockheed drafting room manual.

Subseries 3. consist of Rice's business card, organizational chart drafted by Rice, and a narrative about the Superior Skycraft Corporation company history, as well as correspondence regarding the establishment of Doyle Packing Company. Correspondence concerning the manufacturing of gliders made of plywood during World War II and other employment matters during Rice's service with these two companies. Reports submitted to Singer Manufacturing Company concerning the manufacturing of wooden airplanes, and notes on Army and Navy glider contract information.

Subseries 4. entail financial balance sheets of the company.

Subseries 5. contains a telephone phone directory, foreign distributor's sales agreements, correspondence about the Stinson personal flying program, sales, manual, and flight instruction, meeting highlights, correspondence about advertising the Voyager 150 and Rice's comments about a budget report that he submitted, newsletters, budget reports, engineering reports, various company forms, and flyers.

Subseries 6. includes booklets used for advertisement and brochures, clippings regarding Hiller's first new type of aircraft, the Hiller-copter, correspondence sent by Rice as Sales Manager, inter-office memorandum and correspondence regarding a rescue attempt, travel expense reports in Rice's function as a Sales Manager, Rice's notes including an outline map of the United States on a presentation about Stanley Hiller, Jr., press releases and articles about Hiller Aircraft Company, price listings for Bell Helicopter, specifications for Bell helicopters model 47D1, and facsimile images.

Subseries 7. is the largest and most important component of this series and collection all together, which deals with the Jet-assisted Take-off (JATO) application in civil and military aviation as well as non-aviation uses. A large number of the documents are the business records collected by Rice during his tenure at the Aerojet-General Corporation as Manager, Commercial JATO Sales, in addition to technical information during the development, testing phase, and approval phase of the JATO rockets.

The researcher will find charts listing the types of aircraft where the rockets were installed including N-Numbers and contact information; annual reports, advertisement brochures, pamphlets, presentations, positive and negative images, and moving images, notes, graphs, charts, tables, technical drawings, blueprints, gross-weight performance charts, articles, presentation given by Rice, press releases; correspondence between Rice and various aviation magazines and individuals promoting the JATO rocket; license agreements and contracts between Aerojet-General Corporation and Documentary Film Service regarding the production of a documentary.

Rice's planning calendar; correspondence between Aerojet-General Corporation - namely Ed Rice - and government entities, certificate data sheets tests and engines and other equipment models issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) for different types of aircraft, Civil Air Regulations for different components and aspects of JATO rockets, operation manuals, proposals regarding CAA's policies, and statistical information; budget reports submitted by Rice; convention information and promotional information.

The Client Files comprises correspondence, memoranda, and notes between Aerojet-General Corporation - namely Ed Rice - with clients and potential clients regarding the purchase, installation and testing of, as well as incidents with JATO rockets. Materials are engineering reports, promotional brochures, charts, listings, notes, memoranda, contract proposals; images depicting installations, personnel, takeoff and landings, bonfire testing, drop testing, rocket components, tools, and test runs; moving images depicting the application on aircraft and take-off, inspection check-off listings, addresses given to the National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA), customer listings, order sheets, newsletters and news bulletins, proposals, and quotes.

The Convention Files cover memoranda, notes, correspondence, brochures, and presentations given by Rice to promote the JATO rockets of the Aerojet-General Company. Corporate History is covered by brochures, directories, brief outline of the development of rocket assisted take-off, narratives, and biographical information. Correspondence sent and received cover topics such as promotion of products, sales, membership in other business aviation associations, setting up meetings, photographs, and inquiries of product information and specifications.

The Engineering Reports Files include reports about applications of the JATO rocket with various aircraft manufacturers.

The non-aviation application cover mainly land speed racing competitively driven by Walt Arfons and his brother Art as well as Craig Breedlove. Materials are ephemera, clippings, articles, event listings, images, correspondence, images depict installation, racing, and impact on racecars. Images also depict applications on vehicles used by the United States Army, boating, and mini-sub developed by Aerojet-General Corporation.

The memoranda files cover supporting data for projects, charts, information in regards to parts of the JATO rockets, discussing development issues namely ignition, investigations, studies, costs, and activity reports among other topics.

The Operating Manuals are instructions for various JATO rocket models; the presentations cover the technical and economic impact of JATO rockets on the aviation industry; the Technical Information cover correspondence dealing with the malfunction and compliance check, the JR. JATO igniter investigation and improvement program, training, and reports.

Subseries 8. covers the period where Ed Rice was Vice President of Marketing at the DeVore Corporation. Materials are business correspondence regarding production, sale, and installation of JATO rockets; of interest is a letter from May 1963 from Aerojet-General Corporation to Gilbert DeVore stating that Aerojet-General is discontinuing their JATO program; correspondence sent by Rice in his function as Vice President of Marketing.

DeVore Aviation Service Corporation correspondence to stockholders; DeVore Aviation Service Corporation correspondence regarding taking over the JATO program as to design, installation, and certification of the program, of interest is the summary of the company's projects; civil action papers, proposals, notes, charts, memoranda, annual financial reports, technical reports, data sheets, approval applications, ephemera, photographs of the greeting cards depict Gen. Jimmie Doolittle standing on the float of the Navy R3C-2 Racer, articles, narratives, ephemera, engineering reports, memoranda, manuals, and newsletters.

Materials for the Pee-Kay-DeVore, Inc. cover ephemera, articles, excerpts, advertising brochures, newsletters, press kit, flyers, price listings, service policies, specification sheets, and photographs.

Materials for the Tel-Tail Division include reports, articles, promotional brochures, price listings, statistical data concerning advertisement, brochures, press releases, correspondence sent and received by Rice, photographs, listings regarding which airlines are equipped with Tel-Tail lighting systems, advertisement drafts and published, notes, type certificates, sale representative directories, and Rice's business travel itineraries.

Materials for the Verilite Aircraft Company, Inc. contain images, press kits, and press releases.

The Project Files and Project Reports deal with the production, installation, sales, delivery, and maintenance of JATO rockets featuring correspondence, annual reports, listings, ephemera, calculation notes, charts, directories, calculations, analysis reports, and reports for FAA approval for various aircraft manufacturers and clients.

The Sales Files contain correspondence, price listings, ephemera, notes, brochures, telegrams, charts, narratives pertaining to domestic as well as foreign sales and in particular Venezuela.

The Technical Info and Technical Report Files contain charts, reports, tables, calculations, excerpts, reflective sheets for various aircraft and airline companies. Of interest is the agreement between McDonnell Douglas Corporation and Aervias Venezolanas, S.A.

The Travel File lists the itineraries of Ed Rice's travels in his function as Vice President of Marketing.

Subseries 9. covers his time as Curator for the History of Aviation Collection, Eugene McDermott Library at The University of Texas at Dallas. Materials are correspondence to various associations and individuals in the aviation industry - such as George W. Jalonick III - in relation to honoring Jimmie Doolittle, and/or George Haddaway concerning establishing the HAC library or organizing a symposium Battle for the Skies Symposium. Of interest is a letter from UTD President Bryce Jordan to the President of The Samuel Noble Foundation concerning the latter's contribution, which made the purchase of the Erik Hildesheim Collection possible.

Further materials are images, indices, correspondence, notes, financial reports, address listings, microfiche, ephemera, mission statement, volunteer listings, reports, list of items for possible loan to FOF, articles, package slips, questionnaires, and flyers discussing the day-to-day operation of the History of Aviation Collection. The letter in the Correspondence Sent file addressed to Ross Perrot promoting HAC is of interest as well as the resignation letter from Ed Rice to UTD President Rutford. The correspondence between Ms. Janice Barden and other constituencies discusses the establishment of a Business Aircraft Center within the HAC. The Donation to HAC file contains information about the Louis Teer Collection and Al Harting Collection.

The Drina Welch Abel files contain her manuscript, images, correspondence, and notes regarding her research and future book projects. The Memoranda files deal with the establishment and day-to-day operation of HAC. The Project files include information regarding the promotion of HAC to the general aviation community. Materials are correspondence, minutes, articles, photographs, clippings, press releases, listings, newsletters, annual reports, and financial statements.

Subseries 10. highlights Ed Rice's activities as a board member of the Frontier of Flight Museum at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. Topics are fundraising, financial operations, museum operation; history, establishment, and construction of the museum; the correspondence between Lt. Gen. E. R. Quesada and Rice deals with donations made by the former. Materials are board minutes, committee minutes, agendas, brochures, correspondence, clippings, presentation kits, images, grant applications, tables, newsletters, memoranda regarding board meetings and gala, flyers, notes, draft policy for programs such as Friends of the Museum of Flight.

Subseries 11. contains materials dealing with Rice's own business of appraising aviation collections. Materials are general information and excerpts about donating materials, correspondence with clients and particular the one with Ms. Delphine Bohn regarding her biographical information, listings of government technical items and civil aircraft manuals.

The fourth series is the Aviation History Series, which covers a multitude of aspects in aviation history through brochures, press kits, clippings, photographs, booklets, articles, narratives, flyers, listings, manuals, press releases, speeches, technical bulletins, charts, reports, presentations, advertisement, excerpts; correspondence between General Airways and other manufacturers regarding specification of various airplanes; ephemera, maps, airline schedules, memorabilia, narratives, event programs, organizational charts, directories; the images in the Hollywood files are snapshots from the sets depicting actors, aircraft, and scenes.

The researcher will also find in the Early Bird file in part signed documents, photographs, correspondence, clippings, cachets, and ephemera of early aviators; of interest are the signed stamps; the images in the Tuskegee Airmen files are part of an exhibit. Of special interest is the Famous Flights and Flyers file, which includes a signed comic book 'Devil at my Heels.' The True Story of Capt. Louis Zamperini.

Series IV and V complement each other and intersect.

The fifth series is the Media Series, which covers a variety of general aviation topics. Media types are advertisements, art prints, articles, brochures, clippings, ephemera, manuals, pamphlets, papers and talks given at conferences - mostly held at a symposium at Hartford, Connecticut, December 7-9, 1966 Aviation and the Transportation System. Progress, Profits and the Public Interest-, press kits, press releases, publications, reports, and postcards. Of interest are the signed programs, postcards, and photographs of various aviation celebrities as well as the German and American cigarette cards and cigarette cards booklet.

The sixth series is the Photographic Series, which is further organized in seven subseries: 1. Negatives, 2. Positives, 3. Aviation Topics, Images smaller than 8x10, 4. Aviation Topics, Images 8x10 and larger, 5. Photo Album, 6. Slides, and 7. Scrapbooks.

Subseries 1. contains black and white as well as color negatives. Topics are aircraft engines, various types of aircraft in flight and on ground, accidents, balloon festivals, airshows, air meets, race cars, reunions, and private images of houses and people, fly-ins, space shuttle, OX-5 Hall of Fame, Smithsonian Institute, and general aviation depicting aircraft and people.

Subseries 2. includes black and white as well as color positives. Topics are aircraft engines, various types of aircraft in flight and on ground, accidents, balloon festivals, airshows, air meets, race cars, reunions, and private images of houses and people, fly-ins, space shuttle, OX-5 Hall of Fame, Smithsonian Institute, and general aviation topics depicting aircraft and people. Of interest are the images regarding the History of Aviation Collection depicting the establishment and early beginnings of the department. Some images are signed by German pilot and World War II ace Adolf Galland. People are Ed Rice, George Haddaway, Barry Goldwater, Jimmie Doolittle, C. R. Smith, Mrs. Rosendahl, George H. Williams, Jr., Erik Hildesheim, Mike Spexarth, William Fuller, and officials of The University of Texas at Dallas.

Subseries 3. covers main aviation topics, such as aerial photography, aircraft identified and unidentified, airline, air races, airships, air shows, army aircraft 1917-1940, early aviation, famous airplanes and pilots - ocean and polar flight, museums, parachute, women in aviation, and World War I.

Subseries 4. embraces main aviation topics, such as aircraft; airlines; airports; awards; balloons; early aviation; exhibition; famous fliers, airplanes, and airports; lighter-than-air; parachute; people; pre-World War I; Ed Rice; space; women in aviation; World War I; Zeppelin; aerial photography; aircraft carrier; and World War II.

Subseries 5. includes images that were stored in photo albums or scrapbooks covering the history of aviation in Jersey; unidentified family album depicting people, airplanes, pilots, African American pilot, scenes, aerial photography, Horchem Arial Circus, Harry Crudson, Wilkins Oklahoma Post Office Store, car racing, Love Field, Oklahoma City, archeology dig site, oil fields, Flyin' Frolic at Love Field; Aviation during World War I covers German, American, British, and French aviation; aerobatic flying, and Kelly Field; and a scrapbook covering the Aeronca airplane and Consolidated Vultee manufacturer through images, clippings, and advertisement.

Subseries 6. shows slides of airships, balloons from Montgolfier to Branson, a DeHavilland airplane, airplane with signage on empennage with Playboy logo, pin-up girls, and Ed Rice sitting in a cockpit.

The seventh series is the Audio Series, featuring the induction of Anthony W. "Tony" LeVier into the Hall of Fame as well as oral history interviews provided to Ed Rice by Bill Perreault, and a tape regarding G. Edward Rice as the curator of the History of Aviation Collection.

The eighth series is the Philately Series, highlights the history of airmail services in the United States through envelopes, print posters, cachets, brochures, clippings, articles, ephemera, stamps, and first day covers.

The ninth series is the Ephemera series, which is further organized in two subseries: 1. Picture Postcards and 2. Other Formats.

Subseries 1. depicts aircraft of domestic and foreign airlines as well as the entire spectrum of aviation and its related industries. Of particular interest are the themed greeting cards ranging from Valentine's Day to New Year's and other occasions.

Subseries 2. highlights civil and military aviation through picture and history cards, coasters, napkins, tickets, luggage tags, calendar, certificates, spotter flash cards, decals, dollar bill, and cigarette cards depicting aircraft.

The tenth series is the Memorabilia Series, which contains medals, pins, coins, belt buckles, medallions, wings, insignia, tokens, clips, buttons, ball pens, and other promotional items covering the entire span of the history of aviation from the balloon age to the jet age.

The eleventh series is the Unidentified Materials Series, which contains unidentified technical notebooks, a fragment of a letter, and a note.

The twelfth series is the Non-Aviation Topic Series. Object 1. Antique Book Press. Excellent condition with original baked black enamel and gold finish. Brought from New England around Cape Horn to San Francisco in the early 1800's on a sailing ship. Used in Benicia, first capitol of California, not only in book binding but also to print a limited edition letter-size newspaper in the gold rush days,” and The Hudson-Fulton Celebration is featured through an event program.