C. Roger Cripliver Papers

This collection contains information, photographs, press material, operations data, moving images, charts, blueprints, ephemera, memorabilia, catalogues, manuals, and other materials that were created and/or collected by C. Roger Cripliver. The C. Roger Cripliver Papers are housed in 278 boxes of various sizes totaling 239.0 linear feet.

The collection arrived in good condition and in multiple accessions. The archivist identified eleven series with the first series being the Aircraft of Consolidated/Vultee/Convair/General Dynamics and Affiliated Companies Series, which is further organized into eight subseries: 1. Consolidated B-24 and Variants, 2. Consolidated B-32 Dominator, 3. Convair B-36 Peacemaker, 4. Convair B-58 Hustler, 5. General Dynamics F-16, 6. General Dynamics F-111, 7. Convair XC-99, and 8. Consolidated/Vultee/Convair/General Dynamics Miscellaneous Aircraft.

Subseries 1. contains information, photographs, press material, and operations data about the Consolidated B-24 bomber and its variants.

Subseries 2. includes documents and photographs related to the production and operation of the Consolidated B-32.

Subseries 3. comprises documents and photographs related to the production and operation of the Convair B-36.

Subseries 4. houses documents and photographs related to the production and operation of the Convair B-58.

Subseries 5. covers documents and photographs related to the production and operation of the General Dynamics F-16.

Subseries 6. embraces documents and photographs related to the production and operation of the General Dynamics F-111.

Subseries 7. consists of documents and photographs related to the prototype production and operation of the Convair XC-99 (an experimental cargo variant of the B-36, which never entered official production).

Subseries 8. includes documents and photographs about various aircraft produced by Convair, or it predecessor and successor companies. It also includes information about prototype and experimental aircraft that never entered official service.

The second series is the Other Manufacturer’s Aircraft Series and is further organized in two subseries: 1. AAF/USAF/USA/USN Technical Manuals and 2. Other Aircraft Information.

Subseries 1. is made up of official technical manuals produced by the United States Department of Defense to be used in the operation of military aircraft. It includes aircraft form all branches of military service, as well as fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

Subseries 2. includes documents and photographs about other aircraft of the world both military and civilian.

The third series is the Corporate Information Series and is further organized in five subseries: 1. Consolidated Vultee, 2. Convair, 3. General Dynamics, 4. Lockheed Martin, and 5. Other Aircraft Manufacturers. The first four subseries represent the companies that through the process of amalgamation have become the modern day Lockheed Martin. The fifth series contains all other aircraft manufactures not part of this group.

Subseries 1. consists of information, histories, notes, special occasions, and pictures related to the Consolidated Vultee Corporation.

Subseries 2. houses historical and financial information, photographs, and other material related to the Convair Corporation. It is chiefly focused on activities at the Fort Worth Division of Convair.

Subseries 3. contains historical and financial information, photographs, and other material related to the General Dynamics Corporation. It is chiefly focused on activities at the Fort Worth Division of General Dynamics.

Subseries 4. includes historical and financial information, photographs, company publications, and other material related to the Lockheed Martin Corporation. It is chiefly focused on activities at the Fort Worth Division of Lockheed Martin.

Subseries 5. contains information about a wide variety of aircraft manufacturers.

The fourth series is the Aviation Topics Series, which is further organized into nineteen subseries: 1. Untied States Air Force (USAF)/United States Navy (USN) Aviation, 2. USSR Military Aviation, 3. Aviation Organizations and Associations, 4. Texas Aviation, 5. Aviation Art/Photography/Air Shows and Air Races, 6. Aviation Museums and Education, 7. Aircraft Engines, 8. Aviation History, 9. Civil Aviation, 10. Aviation Tools and Powerplants, 11. Aviation Instruments, 12. C. Roger Cripliver Projects, 13. Ground Observers Corps, 14. Aircraft Naming Conventions, 15. US Government Aircraft Stores and Configurations, 16. Civil Aeronautics Administration, 17. Government Documents, 18. Aviation Scrapbooks, and 19. Aviation Articles/Philately.

Subseries 1. houses documents, articles and photographs about USAF and USN aviation. Topics addressed include bases and facilities, specific commands, history of operations, aircraft and policy, and the 1991 Gulf War.

Subseries 2. contains documents, articles and photographs about Soviet military aviation during the Cold War. Topics include Soviet aircraft, military doctrine, policy, intelligence, activities, and operations.

Subseries 3. includes rosters, newsletters, by-laws, and reports of various organizations concerned with preserving, supporting, or continuing the legacy and history of aviation.

Subseries 4. houses articles, documents, and reports about the legacy and impact of aviation on the history of Texas. Much of the material is concerned with Fort Worth and its connections to the aviation industry.

Subseries 5. contains catalogs, articles, brochures for companies that supply aviation art and photographs. It also contains material discussing air racing in the 1930s and Texas air shows.

Subseries 6. includes brochures, flyers, newsletters, and other information about Aviation Museums located in the United States and the rest of the world. It also contains documents related to educational programs dealing with aviation.

Subseries 7. houses operation manuals, service guides, production information, and reports on both propeller and jet powered aircraft engines.

Subseries 8. contains reports, documents, photographs, and articles, related to milestones and important moments in aviation.

Subseries 9. includes schedules, reports, press information, and other documents about foreign and domestic airlines. It also addresses commercial and cargo aircraft, private aircraft, and corporate and business aviation.

Subseries 10. houses reports, instructions, and advertisements for various tools used to service and maintain aircraft. It also addresses advertisements and instructions for aircraft power system components.

Subseries 11. contains reports, advertisements, articles, images, and documents about instruments and equipment necessary to operate aircraft.

Subseries 12. includes correspondence, articles, requests for information, and other support C. Roger Cripliver provided in his capacity as an aviation historian.

Subseries 13. houses manuals, aircraft identification guides, certificates, and support and education materials for the Ground Observers Corps. The Ground Observer Corps was a Civil Defense organization created to allow American citizens to protect the nation by watching out for enemy aircraft. C. Roger Cripliver was a member of the Fort Worth section of the organization.

Subseries 14. contains reports, documents, and official statements on the United States Department of Defense method of naming military aircraft. It also lists the official names and designation numbers of aircraft of the United States as well as the rest of the world.

Subseries 15. includes reports, instructions, and manuals for configuring a wide variety of external stores (munitions, electronic warfare pods, fuel tanks, etc.) to American military aircraft.

Subseries 16. houses reports, directives, and other documents related to the Civil Aeronautics Administration duties in regulating aviation in the United States.

Subseries 17. contains documents created by the United State Government and related to aviation. It includes material from the Department of Defense, Federal Aviation Administration, United States Army, Department of Commerce, as well as transcripts of hearings before the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and government produced aeronautical charts.

Subseries 18. includes five scrapbooks into which C. Roger Cripliver has pasted pictures of various aircraft. Most of the pictures were taken from old newspapers and are quite fragile. Most aircraft are unidentified.

Subseries 19. houses assorted newspaper articles about various aviation topics, as well as the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy. It also includes articles, stamps, and other material related to aviation philately.

The fifth series is the Photograph Series, which houses various black and white and color photographs, color slides, negatives, and transparencies. Subjects include aircraft, the Convair/General Dynamics facility in Fort Worth, aviation museums, air shows, and other aviation related images.

The sixth series is the Model Designation Series, which contains information collected by C. Roger Cripliver on the model designation numbers used to identify various world aircraft. The numbers are listed in notebooks and on index cards.

The seventh series is the Objects, Artifacts, and Ephemera Series, which houses three dimensional objects and miscellanea including pins, patches, and models.

The eighth series is the Multimedia Series, which includes audio cassette tapes, reel to reel audio tapes, films, and a VHS video tape on aviation topics. It includes rare film footage of the F-111 undergoing sea trials on an aircraft carrier.

The ninth series is the Aircraft Operation Manuals on Microfilm Series, which is further organized in two subseries: 1. B-36 Peacemaker Operations Manual and 2. Douglas C-54 Operations Manual.

Subseries 1. contains the operating instructions for a Convair B-36. This is the complete, official Convair Operations Manual.

Subseries 2. houses the operating instructions for a Douglas C-54. This is the complete, official Douglas Operations Manual.

The tenth series is the Fort Worth Star Telegram Series, which contains articles collected from the journal.

The eleventh series is the Oversized Items Series, which includes items that were too large to fit in other series. It also houses three dimensional objects. Items present include large size posters, large photographs, pins, patches, models, and full newspaper sections.