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Oliver C. Aldrich, Jr. Collection

 Collection
Identifier: H011-93

Scope and Content

This collection contains correspondence, moving images, video tapes, audio tapes, photographs, slides, printed materials, reprinted or copied materials, personal photographs, and scrapbooks collected and saved by Oliver C. Aldrich, Jr. during his lifetime. The Oliver C. Aldrich, Jr. Collection is housed in twenty-two manuscript boxes, five half-size manuscript boxes, sixteen video boxes, four audio tape boxes, six album boxes, ninety-five moving film canisters, thirteen non-standard folders, twenty-seven items in flat file, and ten non-standard boxes and totals 89.91 linear ft.

The collection came unorganized in many boxes. The processor eliminated duplicates and arranged the collection into twelve series with the first series being the Personal Information Series, which is further organized into six subseries: 1. Letters, 2. Clubs and Organizations, 3. Reprinted materials, 4. Model Aircraft, 5. Printed materials, and 6. Scrapbooks.

Subseries 1. consists of letters to and from the National Archives, personal letters, and telegrams.

Subseries 2. Newsletters, membership information, decals from the many clubs and organizations to which Aldrich belonged.

Subseries 3. Information about model aircraft including catalogs, aircraft descriptions and diagrams, decals, radio control manuals, and rules.

Subseries 4. Reprinted magazine articles with general aviation topics.

Subseries 5. Printed magazine articles with general aviation topics.

Subseries 6. Four scrapbooks. One made by Oliver Aldrich as a boy, another a gift from his daughter in 1964, and two from friends in 1990 and 1992. Topics are general aviation related.

The second Series is the Air Racing and Air Shows Series, which is further organized into four subseries: 1. Air Racing results from 1909 through 1991, 2. Air Races from 1926 through 1992, 3. Air Shows, and 4. Conventions and meetings related to aircraft.

Subseries 1. Results from air races held from 1909 through 1991 with a corrected copy.

Subseries 2. Results, programs, advertisements, ephemera, and newspapers from air races around the country.

Subseries 3. Results, programs, advertisements, ephemera, and newspapers from shows around the country.

Subseries 4. Results, programs, advertisements, ephemera, and newspapers from combined air shows and races around the country.

The third series is the Drawings Series, which is further organized in three subseries: 1. R.S. Hirsch drawings, 2. H. C. Kevelars drawings, and 3. Scale model drawings by many artists.

Subseries 1. Materials are three view drawings of airplane models by R.S. Hirsch.

Subseries 2. Materials are three view drawings of airplane models by H.C. Kevelars.

Subseries 3. Materials are three view drawings of airplane models by various artists.

Subseries 4. Oversize materials are three view drawings of airplane models and blueprints either by artists or publication.

The fourth series is the Newspapers and Newspaper Clippings Series consisting of newspapers and newspaper clippings saved by the donor relating to general aviation.

The fifth series is the Ephemera Series. Materials include posters, oversize pictures, decals, and a pennant in relation to air shows and air races.

The sixth series is the Videos Series, which is further organized into nine subseries: 1. Air Races, 2. Air Shows, 3. Civil Air Transport (CAT), 4. Confederate Air Show, 5. Society of Air Racing Historians (SOARH), 6. Interviews, 7. People, 8. Home Videos, and 9. Uncategorized.

The videos have not been viewed for content and the condition is unknown. They have been organized by information on the labels and divided into subseries from that information.

Subseries 1. Air Races.

Subseries 2. Air Shows.

Subseries 3. Civil Air Transport (CAT).

Subseries 4. Confederate Air Force.

Subseries 5. Society of Air Racing Historians. (SOARH).

Subseries 6. Interviews. Individuals interviewed by Oliver Aldrich.

Subseries 7. People.

Subseries 8. Home Videos.

Subseries 9. Uncategorized.

The seventh series is the Negatives Series, which is further organized into five subseries: 1. Planes Identified, 2. Autographed Photos, 3. Aircraft, 4. People, and 5. Planes Unidentified.

Subseries 1. Materials are identified and dated 35 mm negatives. Topic includes Galveston Air Show, League City, Boeing Museum, Levelor Hangar, QED, Tsunami, Jess Schryack, SOARH, Crawford Museum, Reno, and Quantico.

Subseries 2. Topics cover Hooks Airport, Jet-fighter Museum, Lone Star Museum, Planes of Fame Museum, Richmond VA museum, Pearl River, Okla fly-in, Cobra III in hanger, F-31-1, F-35-1 in Ft. Worth, Maachi-M-72, Kerry Hurt in P-51, Anson Johnson, John and Dorothy Sunyak, Bill Ong, Grace Harris, Dick Becker, and J. D. Reed.

Subseries 3. Unidentified negatives.

Subseries 4. 3 1/4" X 2 1/4" negatives. Topics are airplanes, people, and events.

Subseries 5. features a group of 4x5 negatives found in individual envelopes with some information on the outside of the envelope. Where possible, cross referenced to the photos in other parts of the collection was provided. Topics are airplanes, people, and events.

The eight series is the Photographs Series, which is further organized into five subseries: 1. Planes Identified, 2. Autographed Photos, 3. Aircraft, 4. People, and 5. Planes Unidentified.

Subseries 1. Planes are identified by tail numbers. For further information view FAA Registry - Aircraft - N-Number Inquiry Website, http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Inquiry.aspx

Subseries 2. Autographed photos of aviators, some addressed to Oliver Aldrich.

Subseries 3. Planes identified by other than tail number.

Subseries 4. Individuals and groups of people with some identification.

Subseries 5. Additional photos of planes, people, events, and trophies.

The ninth series is the Slide Series. Some slides were organized by donor, others were taken from labelled boxes with information that was transferred to sleeves. No attempt was made to verify the information on the original containers. Some professional slides purchased by or given to donor. The slides were organized into fifty subseries and put into albums for ease in viewing and retrieval. View container list for more information.

The tenth series is the Personal Photos Series. Some photos were arranged in albums with no apparent order. These photos were kept together and put into albums labelled Albums #1, #2, #3, and #4 and show people, events, museums, air shows, and postcards. Some information is written on the back of some of the photos, Some have been dated by the donor, some have the date imprinted by the developer. Each album was described as a subseries. Subseries 6 is the miscellaneous lose photos found throughout the collection in envelopes or boxes

Subseries 1. Black and white photos.

Subseries 2. Album #1.

Subseries 3. Album #2.

Subseries 4. Album #3.

Subseries 5. Album #4.

Subseries 6. Unorganized photos.

The eleventh series is the Audio Tapes Series, which is further organized into four subseries: 1. Interviews, 2. Air Races/Air Shows, 3. Society of Air Racing Historians, and 4. Recordings.

Interviews, recordings made at air shows and at the meetings of the Society of Air Racing Historians. The tapes have not been listened to ascertain the correctness of the information on the tapes or on the outside covers.

Subseries 1. Interviews with various individuals and organized alphabetically by last name.

Subseries 2. Tapes made at air shows and air races.

Subseries 3. Original recording and master tapes at the Society of Air Racing Historians meetings and symposia.

Subseries 4. Recordings of radio and television programs and purchased tape recordings.

The twelveth series is the Moving Film Series, which contains 8mm, color safety film of various lengths. Topics are air races, air baron, and various airshows, such as Cleveland, Confederate Air Force, Dayton, Harlingen, Mojave, Oshkosh, Phoenix, Pima, Reno, US Air Force, and US Navy.

Dates

  • 1909 - 1993
  • Majority of material found within 1960 - 1993

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection is in English.

Access Restrictions

Materials in this collection are open for research.

Literary Rights Statement

Permission to publish material from this collection in any form, current or future, must be obtained from the Special Collections and Archives Division, Eugene McDermott Library, The University of Texas at Dallas.

Biographical Sketch

Oliver Cromwell Aldrich, Jr. was born in Houston, TX on November 11, 1918. A 7th generation Texan, he graduated at Edinburgh High School in 1936 and attended Texas A & M College of Mechanical Engineering from 1936 to 1937. He farmed in the Rio Grande Valley from 1938 until the 1950s when a freeze destroyed all the crops and the citrus orchards. He and his wife of 52 years, Alice, had four children and six grandchildren. His younger brother, George M. Aldrich was renown for his model airplane designs, model engine enhancements and was "National Model Stunt Champion" for several years.

Although never a pilot, Oliver Aldrich belonged to many organizations that supported his interests in airplanes, air racing, and building model aircraft. He was a member of the Society of Air Racing Historians (SOARH), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAC), Bomber Field, Inc., and Academy of Model Aeronautics,

He subscribed to many aviation related periodicals and took pride in having copies of "Model Airplane News" going back 45 years.

An avid collector, Oliver Aldrich went to many air shows, air museums and air club meetings and gatherings. He took pictures, made videos and sound recordings. He saved programs, tickets, membership information and souveniers from the many places he visited and the meetings he attended. He first went to the Reno Air Races in about 1948 and continued until the year of his death, 1993.

Sources

Source
"Oliver Aldrich Collection," Aric Aldrich, Biographical information, E-mail, 2012, Holding file, History of Aviation Collection, Special Collections and Archives Division, Eugene McDermott Library, The University of Texas at Dallas.
Source
"Oliver Aldrich Collection," "Obituary Aldrich," "Houston Chronicle," March 3, 1993, Holding file, History of Aviation Collection, Special Collections and Archives Division, Eugene McDermott Library, The University of Texas at Dallas.

Extent

89.91 Linear Feet (Twenty-two manuscript boxes, five half-size manuscript boxes, sixteen video storage boxes (8.5x17.5x5 ), six photo album boxes (18x13x5), one non-standard box (10x12x3), one non-standard box (13x16x3), one non-standard box (16x15x3), one non-standard box (15x12x3), two non-standard boxes (25x19x2.5), one non-standard box (18x15x1.5), one CD storage box (5x5x6), one non-standard box (11.25x9x3), ninety-six audio/film canisters, small (7.25 x 1), four non-standard folder (24x18), nine non-standard folders (45x34), and twenty-seven rolled items in flat file (45x34).)

Abstract

Oliver C. Aldrich had an interest in airplanes, model airplanes, air-racing and air shows. He collected information, took pictures, made video and audio recordings at the many events that he attended. He also saved newspapers, magazines, and articles from various sources.

Series Description

The Oliver C. Aldrich, Jr. Collection is arranged in twelve series:

Series I. Personal Information 5.0 linear ft. (five manuscript boxes), 1927-1993.

Arranged in six subseries: 1. Correspondence, 2. Clubs and Organizations, 3. Model Aircraft, 4. Reprinted Articles, 5. Printed Articles, and 6. Scrapbooks.

Subseries 1. Correspondence 0.2 linear ft. (seven folders), 1934-1992.

Arranged by letters to National Archives, general correspondence and telegrams.

Subseries 2. Clubs and Organizations 1.8 linear ft. (three manuscript boxes, one half-size manuscript boxes and thirteen folders), 1935-1992.

Arranged alphabetically by organization.

Subseries 3. Model Aircraft 0.6 linear ft. (one manuscript box and one half-size manuscript box), 1930-1991.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Subseries 4. Reprinted Articles 0.4 linear ft. (one manuscript box) 1927-1992.

Arranged alphabetically by source and subject.

Subseries 5. Printed Materials 1.0 linear ft. (two manuscript boxes and one half-size manuscript box), 1928-1991.

Arranged by subject.

Subseries 6. Scrapbooks 1.0 linear ft. (one non-standard box), 1927-1991.

Arranged chronologically.

Series II. Air Racing/Air Shows/Conventions 6.6 linear ft. (twelve manuscript boxes), 1909-1992.

Arranged in four subseries: 1. Air Racing Results, 2. Air Races, 3. Air Shows, and 4. Conventions and Meetings.

Subseries 1. Air Racing Results 0.4 linear ft. (one manuscript box), 1909-1992.

Arranged chronologically.

Subseries 2. Air Races 4.6 linear ft. (four manuscript boxes and three non-standard boxes), 1927-1992.

Arranged chronologically.

Subseries 3. Air Shows 1.4 linear ft. (three and one-half manuscript boxes), 1946-1992.

Arranged by location and then chronologically.

Subseries 4. Conventions and Meetings 0.2 linear ft. (one-half manuscript box), 1953-1992.

Arranged alphabetically by organization.

Series III. Scale Drawings 3.1 linear ft. (three non-standard boxes), 1965-1990.

Arranged in four subseries: 1. J.S. Hirsch-raceplane drawings, 2. H.C. Kavelaars-seaplane drawings, 3. Model airplane drawings, and 4. Drawings and Blueprints.

Subseries 1. J.S. Hirsch-raceplane drawings 1.0 linear ft. (one non-standard box), 1969-1978.

Arranged alphabetically by name of plane.

Subseries 2. H.C. Kavelaars-seaplane drawings 1.0 linear ft. (one non-standard box), 1974-1980.

Arranged alphabetically by name of plane.

Subseries 3. Model airplane drawings 2.1 linear ft. (one non-standard box), 1965-1990.

Arranged alphabetically by name of plane.

Subseries 4. Drawings and Blueprints 41.25 linear ft. (thirteen flat file folders and twenty-seven rolled items), 1928-1986.

Series IV. Newspapers and Newspaper Clippings 1.4 linear ft. (one-half manuscript box and one non-standard box), 1920-1991.

Arranged chronologically.

Series V. Emphemera 2.1 linear ft. (one non-standard box), undated.

Arranged by size.

Series VI. Videos. 11.2 linear ft. (sixteen video storage boxes), 1927-1992.

Arranged in nine subseries: 1. Air races, 2. Air shows, 3. Civil Air Transport, 4. Confederate Air Show, 5. Society of Air Racing Historians (SOARH), 6. Interviews, 7. People, 8. Home Videos, and 9. Uncategorized.

Subseries 1. Air Races 2.8 linear ft. (sixty-two video cassettes) 1927-1992.

Arranged alphabetically by location and chronologically.

Subseries 2. Air Shows 1.43 linear ft. (thirty-one video cassettes), 1946-1992.

Arranged alphabetically by location and chronologically.

Subseries 3. Civil Air Transport 0.03 linear ft. (four video cassettes), 1955-1988.

Arranged alphabetically by location and chronologically.

Subseries 4. Confederate Air Force 0.03 linear ft. (three video cassettes), 1963-1987.

Arranged alphabetically by location and chronologically.

Subseries 5. Society of Air Racing Historians 1.2 linear ft. (twenty-six video cassettes), 1987-1992.

Arranged alphabetically by location and chronologically.

Subseries 6. Interviews 0.07 linear ft. (nine video cassettes), 1987.

Arranged alphabetically by name of person being interviewed.

Subseries 7. People 1.0 linear ft. (seventeen video cassettes), 1985-1990.

Arranged alphabetically by name of person in the title.

Subseries 8. Home Videos 0.7 linear ft. (fourteen video cassettes), 1970-1991.

Arranged alphabetically by location and chronologically.

Subseries 9. Uncategorized 0.7 linear ft. (fourteen video cassettes), 1941-1992.

Arranged alphabetically by location and chronologically.

Series VII. Negatives 1.3 linear ft. (two non-standard boxes), 1967-1991.

Arranged in five subseries: 1. Identified and dated, 2. Identified, 3. Unidentified, and 4. 3 1/4 X 2 1/2 Negatives.

Subseries 1. Identified and Dated 0.01 linear ft. (one folder = nineteen sleeves), 1967-1991.

Arranged chronologically.

Subseries 2. Identified 0.01 linear ft. (one folder = twenty-three sleeves), undated.

Arranged by topic.

Subseries 3. Unidentified 0.01 linear ft. (one folder = four sleeves), undated.

Arranged by topic.

Subseries 4. 3 1/4 X 2 1/2 Negatives 0.01 linear ft. (one folder = four sleeves), undated.

Arranged by topic.

Subseries 5. Assorted Negatives 0.4 linear ft. (seventy envelopes), undated.

Arranged by topic.

Series VIII. Photographs 2.4 linear ft. (six manuscript boxes), 1930-1992.

Arranged in five subseries: 1. Planes Identified, 2. Autographed Photos, 3. Aircraft, 4. People, and 5. Planes Unidentified.

Subseries 1. Planes Identified 2.8 linear ft. (four manuscript boxes), 1930-1992.

Arranged by tail number.

Subseries 2. Autographed Photos 0.01 linear ft. (one folder), 1955-1992.

Arranged by signature.

Subseries 3. Aircraft 0.2 linear ft. (one-half manuscript box), 1929-1949.

Arranged by company, pilot, or type.

Subseries 4. People 9.2 linear ft. (one-half manuscript box), 1929-1977.

Arranged by name of person .

Subseries 5. Planes Unidentified 0.7 linear ft. (one manuscript box), 1929-1949.

Arranged by topic.

Series IX. Slides. 4.0 linear ft. (four non-standard boxes), 1970-1988.

Arranged in original order.

Series X. Personal Photographs 4.0 linear ft. (four photograph boxes), 1919-1992.

Arranged in six subseries: 1. Unidentified B/W Photos, 2. Photo Album #1, 3. Photo Album #2, 4. Photo Album #3, 5. Photo Album #4, and 6. Photo Album #5.

Subseries 1. Unidentified B/W Photos 0.01 linear ft. (one folder), 1919.

Arranged by topic.

Subseries 2. Photo Album #1 0.5 linear ft. (one-half album box), 1979-1990.

Arranged by topic or location.

Subseries 3. Photo Album #2 0.5 linear ft. (one-half photo album box), 1967-1991.

Arranged by topic or location.

Subseries 4. Photo Album #3 0.5 linear ft. (one-half photo album box), 1935-1987.

Arranged by topic or location.

Subseries 5. Photo Album #4 0.5 linear ft. (one-half photo album box), 1986.

Arranged by topic or location.

Subseries 6. Photo Album #5 0.5 linear ft. (one-half photo album box), 1986.

Arranged by topic or location.

Series XI. Audio Tapes 3.2 linear ft. (four non-standard boxes), 1975-1991.

Arranged in four subseries: 1. Interviews, 2. Air Races/Air Shows, 3. Society of Air Racing Historians, and 4. Recordings.

Subseries 1. Interviews 1.2 linear ft. (forty-nine audio cassettes), 1986.

Arranged by name or person interviewed.

Subseries 2. Air Races/Air Shows 1.4 linear ft. (forty-one audio cassettes), 1970-1983.

Arranged by location and chronologically.

Subseries 3. Society of Air Racing Historians (SOARH) 0.6 linear ft. (twenty-five audio cassettes), 1986-1990.

Arranged by chronologically.

Subseries 4. Recordings 0.03 linear ft. (three audio cassettes), undated.

Arranged by title on tape.

Series XII. Moving Film 6.0 linear ft. (ninety-six film canisters small), 1967-1985.

Arranged by alphabetically by topic.

Provenance Statement

The Oliver C. Aldrich, Jr. Collection was donated to the History of Aviation Collection, Special Collections and Archives Division, Eugene McDermott Library, The University of Texas at Dallas, by his wife on October 27, 1993.

Additional Sources

For additional sources regarding H. C. Kavelaars consult the Science Museum Library and Archives in Wroughton, Great Britain:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/download/GB%200069%20KAV.

Books and Magazines

Books and magazines were pulled and catalogued to be included into the HAC monograph and magazine stacks.

Image ID

It is the researcher's responsibility to secure permission from copyright holders of materials to which this institution does not own copyright.

Images in this collection are identified by a unique number that provides information about the format, record group, collection, box, folder, and image numbers. Please use this number when ordering reproductions of images from this collection.

Record Group Code

1 = CAT/Air American Archives

2 = Doolittle Archives

3 = Lighter than Air Archives

4 = George H. Williams, Jr., World War I Aviation Library

5 = History of Aviation Archives

6 = University Archives

7 = HAC Stacks

8 = WPRL Stacks

9 = Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Collection

10 = Belsterling Collection

11 = Closed Stacks

12 = Unidentified

13 = Chance Vought Archives

14 = Twirly Birds Archives

Image Format Code

P = Photograph/Postcard

S = Slide

N = Negative

T = Positive Transparency

B = Black and White

C = Color

Example: 5OA-1-1-PB1

5 = History of Aviation Archives (HAC)

OA = Oliver Aldrich Collection

1 = Box Number

1 = Folder Number

P = Photograph/Postcard

C = Color

1 = Image Number

Images archived in plastic image holders may also have a location code in the format: 1/TL. In this example, the number is the sheet number and the letters indicate the top left position on the sheet. Position indicators are T = top, L = left, R = right, M = middle, and B = bottom. Position indicators may be combined to describe the position on the sheet, as shown in this example.

Note to the Researcher

Personal photographs were taken from albums, envelopes, and boxes and put into acid free sleeves. Any information on the album, envelope or box was transferred to the sleeve. No attempt was made to verify this information.

Because of a mistake in numbering, folders 3, 5 and 7 in box 59 and folder 9 in Box 60 are intentionally missing.

Newspapers and newspaper clipping were removed from boxes 15,16 and 17 and put into box 18 folders 1-6 and box 19 folders 1-3.

The newspapers in Series II. were separated, flattened, and arranged chronologically and put into appropriate boxes.

None of the audio tapes were played to check for quality or to determine if information on the label was correct.

The negatives were put into acid-free sleeves and any information on the original envelope or container was put onto the new sleeve.

A group of 4x5 negatives found in individual envelopes with some information on the outside of the envelope. They were put into new acid free envelopes and where possible, cross referenced to the photos in other parts of the collection.

An Excel spread sheet containing information about the language, director, producer, format, color, film stock, audio, length, reel size, hub radius, condition, and comments for the moving film in Series XII. is available upon request (file name Film Library Inventory Project 2009. Please contact the Curator of Special Collections for details.

Material Removed List

4.0 linear ft. (four record center boxes) of duplicate photos, printed materials, brochures, articles, clippings, magazines, and mementos have been removed.

Title
Guide to the Oliver C. Aldrich, Jr. Collection, 1918-1993
Status
Completed
Author
Barbara Hotinski
Date
2016-03-30
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English (eng)

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and Archives Division, History of Aviation Archives. Repository

Contact:
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