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Correspondence

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Finding aid
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .

Object Details

sova.sia.faru0398
Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Department of Astronautics
Topic
Museum curators
Museum exhibits
Aeronautical museums
Astronautical museums
Astronauts
Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Department of Astronautics
See more items in
Correspondence
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.
Extent
32 cu. ft. (64 document boxes)
Date
1965-1984, with materials dating from circa 1953
Archival Repository
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Identifier
Record Unit 398
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 398, National Air and Space Museum. Department of Astronautics, Correspondence
Rights
Box 33 contains copyrighted materials; see finding aid. Contact reference staff for details.
Genre/Form
Manuscripts
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 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.
SIA.FARU0398
Large EAD
https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_216965
Record Unit 398
SIA
Record ID
ebl-1503511304052-1503511304067-0

Showing 26 result(s)

  • Archival materials 26 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Correspondence 26 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • CC0 26 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • No 26 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • ead_component 26 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus

Clear facet(s):

Included:

  • Remove Set Name: Correspondence / Series 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1980, AND UNDATED. / Box 16 close
  • Folder 7 Goddard, Roy F., 1976

  • Folders 3-4 Goddard, Mrs. Robert H. (Esther), 1967-1980

  • Folder 14 Graham, Alfred R., 1970-1979

  • Folder 10 Gompertz, Richard F., 1970

  • Folder 16 Green, Leon, Jr., 1970

  • Folder 22 Guerra, Arthur, 1974

  • Folder 18 Grey, Jerry, 1972-1973

  • Folder 23 Guest, Kathryn, 1977

  • Folder 27 Hackes, Peter, 1976-1978

  • Folder 20 Grimwood, James, 1966

  • Folder 21 Grosse, A. V., 1969

  • Folder 5 Goddard, Mrs. Robert H. (Esther), Auburn, Massachusetts, memorial to Robert H. Goddard, 1974

  • Folder 1 Goddard, Robert H., Senate bill S.397, 1975. Concerns acquisition of Auburn, Massachusetts, site

  • Folder 8 Gold, Thomas, 1969-1977

  • Folder 9 Goldwater, Senator Barry, 1972-1974

  • Folder 19 Grierson, John, 1976-1978

  • Folder 6 Goddard, Mrs. Robert H. (Esther), First Goddard Conference on Science, Technology, and Society, 1978

  • Folder 15 Graybiel, Ashton, 1968-1976

  • Folder 17 Greenman, Paula, 1974-1978. Includes photographs and slides

  • Folder 12 Goodstadt, George J., 1972

  • Folder 2 Goddard, Robert H., "The Empty Frame," 1976

  • Folder 11 Gonzales, Tony, 1977-1979. Includes photograph and slides

  • Folder 24 Guisinger, Roger Neil, 1978-1979. Includes photographs

  • Folder 13 Graff, William Tell, Jr., 1975


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