http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8xk8m24 No online items The Descriptive Finding Guide for the John Johannes “Jack” Hospers Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10076 Alan Renga San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives 1/12/16 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park San Diego 92101 URL: http://www.sandiegoairandspace.org/ The Descriptive Finding Guide for SDASM.SC.10076 1 the John Johannes “Jack” Hospers Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10076 Language of Material: English Contributing Institution: San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives Title: John Johannes “Jack” Hospers Personal Papers Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10076 Physical Description: .4 Cubic FeetThe collection is housed in three boxes (2 measuring 12.5”x10.5”x2.5”, 1 measuring 12.5”x10.5”x5”) and contains nineteen files. Date (inclusive): 1901-1989 Abstract: John Johannes “Jack” Hospers was a representative for the Chance Vought and Sikorsky divisions of UAC, and by 1945, was the company’s vice president. Conditions Governing Access This collection is open to the public by appointment Conditions Governing Use For copyright and use restrictions please consult the library director. Immediate Source of Acquisition This collection of materials was donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Preferred Citation [Item], [Collection Name], Archives, San Diego Air & Space Museum Biographical / Historical John Johannes Hospers was born October 5, 1901 in Ommen, Netherlands and became a naturalized citizen of the United States on January 4, 1926. He was married to Sally Ann Kata of Oswego, New York, and had one daughter. He attended the college at the Graduate Aviation Engineering School in New York City and in 1922, joined the Merchant Marine. After leaving the Merchant Marine, he worked briefly at a flying school in New York, and then joined the United Aircraft Corporation. In 1928, he became a field representative for the Chance Vought and Sikorsky divisions of UAC, and by 1945, was the company’s vice president. Hospers was caught behind German lines during the fall of France, where he was serving as a “Tech Rep” for the French Navy’s V-156 (SB2U Vindicator), then in service as a dive bomber. Eventually, he made his way to a neutral country and was repatriated. During the Pacific War, he served as a Lt. Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserves aboard several aircraft carriers. He was also the head “Tech Rep” for the fleet introduction of the F4U Corsair and helped sort out early difficulties, such as collapsing tail wheels and other engineering issues. All aircraft damage not credited to enemy action was given to him to investigate and to make recommendations. Postwar, he evaluated extreme cold carrier operations aboard USS Midway and led the fleet introduction of the F7U Cutlass, one of the first Navy fighter jets. After his service, Hospers remained active with the Navy League and the Dallas-Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. He was also active with the Dallas Grand Jury Association, a member of the Texas Aeronautics Commission Advisory Council, and served as the Director of the Dallas Health and Science Museum and the Caruth Rehabilitation Center. Jack Hospers passed away on December 17, 1989 and is buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas. Scope and Contents Materials include personal papers and correspondence, Chance Vought and United Aircraft Corporation communications, certificates, booklets, and newspaper clipping. Related Materials Vought images on SDASM's Flickr stream. Subjects and Indexing Terms Vought OS2U Kingfisher Vought Aircraft Corsair (Fighter plane) Vought F4U Corsair Vought F7U Cutlass Hospers, John Johannes “Jack” Series I: Correspondence The Descriptive Finding Guide for SDASM.SC.10076 2 the John Johannes “Jack” Hospers Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10076 Series I: Correspondence Folder 1 – Jack Hospers Personal 1. Application for enlistment into the Civil Air Patrol. 2. Notes for talk for the Bridgeport Lion’s Club, Sept. 2, 1942 3. Photographer’s ID card. 4. FCC restricted radiotelephone operator permit, April 28, 1948.v 5. Bureau of Aeronautics application for proposed foreign visit to France and Tunisia, July 1953. 6. National Defense Program fingerprint card. Folder 2 – Jack Hospers Personal Correspondence 1. Assorted typewritten and handwritten personal correspondence. Folder 3 – Ephemera 1. “A and R” newsletter addressing propaganda. 2. Basegram for SECNAV to ALNAV, September 3, 1942. 3. Civil Aeronautics Bulletin No. 23, Civil Pilot Training Manual, September 1941. 4. Program for Texas Jet Age Conference, November 26-27, 1956. (John J. Hospers speaker at 10AM, “The Jet Age”). 5. “Description of Accident, May 1, 1944” drawing. 6. Flying certificates. 7. Invitations. 8. Navy Aeronautics Officer’s Questionnaire. 9. “Navy in Your Future” booklet. A Letter from President Roosevelt to Members of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences on the Institute’s Tenth Anniversary, 1942.” 11. Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft greeting card. 12. Brochure for “Sikorsky Amphibion (sic) S-39 1931 Model.” 13. Two newspaper clippings, 1941 and 1949. Folder 4 – USS Midway 1. Communication to CO of USS Midway from Hospers requesting permission to accompany part of a “shakedown cruise,” September 1945. 2. Communications regarding social invitations, March/April 1946. 3. June 1946 Field Service Report. 4. USS Midway Cold Weather Cruise Report, November 6, 1946. Folder 5 – Corsair Biplane 1930 1. “Notes of the Corsair Seaplane at Felixstone, 1933.” Folder 6 – F4U Corsair 1. Memorandum from R.R. Vought to J.J. Hospers, September 22, 1942. 2. Letter from J.J. Hospers to George B. Barnes, ACMM, October 14, 1942. 3. Letter from J.J. Hospers to Major E.W. Dichman, October 14, 1942. 4. Telegram from C.J. McCarthy to J.M. Barr, November 2, 1942. Folder 7 – F7U Cutlass 1. Memo from J.J. Hospers to F.O. Detweiler, May 13, 1952. 2. Memo from T.A. Said to Jack Hospers, February 5, 1954. Folder 8 – OS2U/SBU2 1. Chance Vought Engineering Department Advance Instructions re: SBU-1, December 17, 1935. 2. Memo from S.J. Zeigler, Jr. to Inspector of Naval Aircraftre: SBU-2, February 9, 1937. 3. “News Letter – Confidential – to be destroyed after reading,” June 7, 1940. 4. Telegram from E.E. Wilson to J. J. Hospers, et al, October 31. 5. Letter from J.J. Hospers to Ensign Albert Hospers, November 6, 1942. Series II: Notebook Folder 9 – Personal Logbook, 1928-1931 1. One daily logbook for Hospers’s work at Chance Vought on the O3U-2, the Navy’s original 1930 “Corsair.” Includes explanation of duties and serial numbers of airframes Series III: Reports The Descriptive Finding Guide for SDASM.SC.10076 3 the John Johannes “Jack” Hospers Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10076 Series III: Reports Folder 1 – Report Physical Description: 1. XSO2U-1 Airplane, 1940. observation plane. Folder 2 – Report Physical Description: 1. Tour of Inspection of the South and Central Pacific Areas Covering F4U-1 Operations, Maintenance, and Spares, December 30, 1943. Includes mimeograph copy. Folder 3 – Miscellaneous documents re Project Joe No. 2, 1945 Physical Description: 1. Item #1. Report to B.A.R., 1945. 2. Item #2. Flight Plans - C.V.A. Handwritten notes (1 p.) 3. Item #3. Weather Data, May 1945. Includes mimeograph copy. 4. Item #4. Stratford Log. Includes mimeograph copy. 5. Item #5. Statement of Colonel L. S. Moore, USMC, June 4, 1945. Includes mimeograph copy. 6. Item #6. Statement of Major W. E. Clasen. Includes mimeograph copy. 7. Item #7. Statement of Major R. G. Owens, Jr. (Mimeograph). 8. Item #8. Official National Aeronautical Association Timers. Includes mimeograph copy. 9. Item #9. Logs of Transcontinental Flight. 10. Distance - Great Circle - Estimated - Statute Miles (1 p.). Original ripped; in protective sleeve with photocopy. 11. Log giving actual take-off and arrival time (1 p.). Original ripped; in protective sleeve with photocopy. Includes mimeograph copy. 12. Elapsed Time Between Points (1 p.). Original ripped; in protective sleeve with photocopy. Includes mimeograph copy. 13. Item #10. Project Joe #1 Comparative Figures. Logs of Transcontinental Time. Includes mimeograph copy. 14. Item #11. Navy Inspection Report on Condition of Airplanes Bureau Numbers 14325, 14534 and 14358. Includes mimeograph copy. 15. Item #12. Photographs of Pilots and Planes. (1 p. cover only; no images). 16. Item #13. Official C.A.A. Dispatches and Reports. (1 p. cover only). 17. Report on Project Joe No. II. Outline, with handwritten notes. 18. Memo: Comparative Figures on F4U-1, F4U-4 and F6F-3 Airplanes, May 19, 1944. Includes data sheets dated December 9, 1943. SC.10076 Folder 4 – Report Physical Description: 1. Report of Trip Aboard the Aircraft Carriers U.S.S. Tarawa (CV-40) and U.S.S. Valley Forge (CV-45) 26 September through 1 October 1948. File EM-2089. Memo from Hospers to Mr. J. M. Shoemaker, November 17, 1948. Folder 5 – Press reports Physical Description: 1. Press reports re Corsairs in combat, Korea, 1951 4 news items, typescript: AP, April 21; Chicago Daily News, April 21; New York Times, July 25, 1951; New York Times, August 20, 1951. Folder 6 – Report Physical Description: 1. Corsair Outline, circa 1952. Typescript (44 pages). Folder 7 – Memo Physical Description: 1. Security declassification of publications, 1953 Memo dated 18 Nov 1953 re declassification (SO-45054) of three Hospers reports 1943-1945. Folder 1 – Field Service Report 1936 Physical Description: 1. Field Service Reports Nos. 155-217, January 5, 1936 - December 28, 1936. documents, 1 in. (Acco fastener binding). Folder 2 – Field Service Report 1938 Physical Description: 1. Field Service Reports Nos. 276-377 Inclusive, 1938. Folder of documents, 2 in. (Acco fastener binding). The Descriptive Finding Guide for SDASM.SC.10076 4 the John Johannes “Jack” Hospers Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10076 Series III: Reports Folder 3 – Service Reports, 1939-1940 Physical Description: 1.