Correspondence, 1965-1984, with Materials Dating from Circa 1953
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Correspondence, 1965-1984, with materials dating from circa 1953 Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives Smithsonian Institution Archives Washington, D.C. Contact us at [email protected] Table of Contents Collection Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 Administrative Information .............................................................................................. 1 Historical Note.................................................................................................................. 1 Descriptive Entry.............................................................................................................. 1 Names and Subjects ...................................................................................................... 2 Container Listing ............................................................................................................. 3 Series 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1980, AND UNDATED.............. 3 Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE WITH ORGANIZATIONS, 1957-1984, AND UNDATED............................................................................................................... 47 Series 3: SUBJECT FILES AND PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1946-1979, AND UNDATED...................................................................................................... 56 Correspondence https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_216965 Collection Overview Repository: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C., [email protected] Title: Correspondence Identifier: Record Unit 398 Date: 1965-1984, with materials dating from circa 1953 Extent: 32 cu. ft. (64 document boxes) Creator:: National Air and Space Museum. Department of Astronautics Language: English Administrative Information Prefered Citation Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 398, National Air and Space Museum. Department of Astronautics, Correspondence Use Restriction Box 33 contains copyrighted materials; see finding aid. Contact reference staff for details. Historical Note Frederick Clark Durant, (1916-2015) was born in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and educated as a chemical engineer at Lehigh University (B.S., 1939). He served as a naval pilot during World War II. In the post war years his career led him through a variety of aspects of aeronautics and rocketry, in both the government and private corporations. He was employed with Bell Aircraft Corporation, 1947-1948; the U.S. Naval Air Rocket Test Station, New Jersey, 1949-1952; as an Engineering Consultant, 1953-1954; with Arthur D. Little, Inc., 1955-1957; Avco-Everett Research Laboratory, 1958-1961; and Bell Aerosystems Company, 1962-1964. In 1965 he joined the National Air Museum (the National Air and Space Museum - after 1966) as its Assistant Director for Astronautics. He held that post until leaving NASM in 1980 to pursue other interests. Durant is a recognized expert on the history of rocketry and is a member of numerous societies, among them the American Astronautical Society and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and he is a past President of the American Rocket Society. Descriptive Entry This collection deals chiefly with Durant's tenure as Assistant Director for Astronautics at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). Perhaps the single topic of greatest interest is the effort to obtain a building for NASM, which was accomplished on July 1, 1976, when the new museum opened. A parallel Page 1 of 62 Correspondence https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_216965 theme concerns the drive to plan and complete the new museum's exhibits. Durant's wide contacts in the aerospace community, based on his years as an engineer and administrator, made him very useful in this respect. At the same time, there is a continuing interest in the on-going study of the history of military aviation and astronautics as well. Finally, there is documentation for Durant's private interests, which included stamp collecting, magic, and the activities of the Cosmos Club, to which he belongs. Correspondents include many of the United States astronauts; Arthur C. Clarke; Stanley Kubrick; and the creators of Star Trek, the popular television series. Names and Subject Terms This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Smithsonian Institution under the following terms: Subjects: Aeronautical museums Astronautical museums Astronauts Museum curators Museum exhibits Types of Materials: Manuscripts Names: Clarke, Arthur C. (Arthur Charles), 1917-2008 Cosmos Club (Washington, D.C.) Durant, Frederick C., 1916- Roddenberry, Gene Preferred Titles: Star trek (Television program : 1966-1969) Page 2 of 62 Series 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1980, AND Correspondence UNDATED. https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_216965 Container Listing Series 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1980, AND UNDATED. This series consists of Durant's correspondence with individuals interested in one or another aspect of his activities. For the most part it deals with efforts to develop the exhibits and collections at NASM, but historical inquiries also represent a significant part of the whole. Correspondents include Isaac Asimov, painter Chesley Bonestell, historian Daniel Boorstin, aeronautical engineer A. V. Cleaver, Mrs. Robert H. Goddard, Senator Barry Goldwater, Gene Roddenberry, Carl Sagan, G. Harry Stine, and several involved in the production of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Box 1 Box 1 of 64 Folder 1 Abbot, Charles G., 1969 Box 1 of 64 Folder 2 Abbot, William F., undated. Includes notes of a personal conversation Box 1 of 64 Folder 3 Abramson, Bertram N., 1970, 1974 Box 1 of 64 Folder 4 Acharya, J., 1978-1979 Box 1 of 64 Folder 5 Adams, Carsbie Clifton, 1971-1973 Box 1 of 64 Folder 6 Adler, A. William, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976 Box 1 of 64 Folder 7 Africano, Alfred, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1974-1977 Box 1 of 64 Folder 8 Agel, Jerome B., 1969-1970, 1972. Includes an interview between Agel and Durant discussing aspects of producing Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Box 1 of 64 Folder 9 Akens, David Strode, 1967-1969, 1971, 1978 Box 1 of 64 Folder 10 Albert, Roy J., undated Box 1 of 64 Folder 11 Allen, Harold, 1970 Box 1 of 64 Folder 12 Allen, James G., 1967-1968 Box 1 of 64 Folder 13 Allen, Jon Lewis, 1976 Box 1 of 64 Folder 14 Allen, Joseph P., 1975 Box 1 of 64 Folder 15 Allison, David, 1978 Box 1 of 64 Folder 16 Allward, Maurice, 1970-1974, 1976-1977 Box 1 of 64 Folder 17 Althin, Torsten, 1972 Page 3 of 62 Series 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1980, AND Correspondence UNDATED. https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_216965 Box 1 of 64 Folder 18 Altman, R., 1969 Box 1 of 64 Folder 19 Ananoff, Alexandre, 1965-1976, 1978 Box 1 of 64 Folder 20 Anders, Col. William A., 1970-1971 Box 1 of 64 Folder 21 Anderton, David A., 1974 Box 1 of 64 Folder 22 Andjelic, Tatomir P., 1969, 1971-1974, 1976, 1978 Box 1 of 64 Folder 23 Anschutz, Richard H., 1970 Box 1 of 64 Folder 24 Appley, Mortimer H., 1975-1976 Box 1 of 64 Folder 25 Arfons, Walter, 1966-1967 Box 1 of 64 Folder 26 Armstrong, Neil A., 1969-1970, 1979. Contains casual references to the first Apollo moon landing Box 1 of 64 Folder 27 Arpad, Horvath, 1968-1969 Box 1 of 64 Folder 28 Asimov, Isaac, 1972, 1974 Box 1 of 64 Folders 29-30 Aston, Rogers, 1970-1980. Consists of material describing the dedication of the new Goddard Rocket and Space Museum, Roswell Museum and Art Center, April 9, 1975. Includes photographs Box 1 of 64 Folder 31 Aston, Rogers, photographs and publications, 1975 Box 2 Box 2 of 64 Folder 1 Atchison, Joseph Anthony, 1971 Box 2 of 64 Folder 2 Atkinson, Paul G., 1966, 1972, 1975 Box 2 of 64 Folder 3 Auchincloss, Mrs. Hugh D., 1970 Box 2 of 64 Folder 4 Babison, Jane F., 1971-1973 Box 2 of 64 Folder 5 Baker, Barbara J., 1978 Box 2 of 64 Folder 6 Baker, Norman S., 1967, 1973, 1975 Box 2 of 64 Folder 7 Baker, Robert M. L., 1969-1970 Box 2 of 64 Folder 8 Baker, Robert M. L., UFO studies, 1968-1970. Includes photographs Box 2 of 64 Folder 9 Balin, Ina, 1971 Box 2 of 64 Folder 10 Ball, Albert, 1970 Box 2 of 64 Folder 11 Barbely, Charles G., 1972 Page 4 of 62 Series 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1980, AND Correspondence UNDATED. https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_216965 Box 2 of 64 Folder 12 Bardey, Robert S., 1969 Box 2 of 64 Folder 13 Barnes, A. L., 1979 Box 2 of 64 Folder 14 Barnes, Ann E., 1974 Box 2 of 64 Folder 15 Barnes, Barbara, 1972 Box 2 of 64 Folder 16 Barnes, Richard, 1972-1973 Box 2 of 64 Folder 17 Barre, General J. J., 1967 Box 2 of 64 Folder 18 Barsky, Constantine Grigorovich, 1977 Box 2 of 64 Folder 19 Bartelot, Richard G., 1970 Box 2 of 64 Folder 20 Barwick, Arthur R., 1969, 1971-1973, 1976 Box 2 of 64 Folder 21 Bascom, Willard, 1968, 1972, 1980 Box 2 of 64 Folder 22 Basler, Christian O., 1977 Box 2 of 64 Folder 23 Bassi, Sofia, 1972-1976. Concerns the 1972 presentation of her painting "Voyage in Space" to NASM Box 2 of 64 Folder 24 Bassi, Sofia, photographs, clippings Box 2 of 64 Folder 25 Basura, Nick, 1973 Box 2 of 64 Folder 26 Batchelor, John, 1972-1976. Includes photograph Box 2 of 64 Folder 27 Bauch, Gerhard, 1976 Box 2 of 64 Folder 28 Baum, Dwight C., 1963, 1973 Box 3 Box 3 of 64 Folder 1 Baumann, Robert C., 1958-1959, 1966 Box 3 of 64 Folder 2 Baume, Alessio, 1971 Box 3 of 64 Folder 3 Bazjanac, Davorin, 1968-1979 Box 3 of 64 Folder 4 Bazjanac, Davorin, publications, 1966-1971 Box 3 of 64 Folder 5 Bean, Alan L., 1978 Box 3 of 64 Folder 6 Becker, Thomas W.,