Lockheed Martin Tactical Defense Systems Records

Range: 1908 - 1959 Size: 28 cubic feet Record Group: 99/128

Lockheed Martin Tactical Defense Systems in Akron, Ohio was the successor of Goodyear Aerospace, a former subsidiary of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The records mainly cover the development and manufacturing of airships and include photographs, photograph albums, and glass plate slides. Of special note are the factory construction logbooks and photographs depicting the assembly of the airships U.S.S. Akron and the U.S.S. Macon.

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Lighter-Than-Air Society Collection

Range: 1900 - 1974 Size: 70 cubic Record Group: $content.recordGroup

The Lighter-Than-Air Society (LTAS) is a non-profit organization founded in Akron, Ohio in 1952 that promotes the history, preservation, and education of the airship industry and serves as a caretaker of the rich heritage of lighter-than-air flight. The collection consists of correspondence, photographs, books, speeches, newspaper clippings, publications, and films documenting the history of lighter-than-air flight and the LTAS.

Guggenheim, Daniel, Airship Institute Records

Range: 1926 - 1952 Size: 13 cubic feet, 15 boxes Record Group: 22/8

The Daniel Guggenheim Airship Institute was operated by the Municipal University of Akron from 1929 – 1949.  As part of the College of Engineering, the institute provided students with research opportunities relating to lighter-than-air flight, heavier-than-air flight, and meteorology.  The records consist of correspondence, technical reports, and administrative files.  Guggenhiem Reports on-line

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Gross, Alan “AirshipAl” Collection

Range: 1922 - 2017 Size: 114 cubic feet Record Group: $content.recordGroup

Alan “AirshipAl” Gross is an airship aficionado and collector of all things airship.  He worked on the ground crew at the Flushing Airport in New York City and helped found two airship companies, Airships International Ltd. and Airship Enterprises Inc.  The collection includes information on various airships important in the history of lighter-than-air flight including the Goodyear, Budweiser, SeaWorld, Shamu, MetLife, Fuji, and Jordache blimps, to name a few.  Materials include press kits, flight manuals, drawings, books, journals, newspaper clippings, photographs and slides, videotapes and films, musical scores, phonograph recordings, inflatables, clothing, and airship toys and collectibles.  View the photographs and slides from the collection here.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Records, Aviation Series

Range: 1900 - 1991 Size: 36 cubic feet Record Group: 99/106

The materials consist of documents (e.g., correspondence, press releases, reports, press clippings), photographs, publications, blueprint drawings, videotapes, and small artifacts primarily from – or created by – the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Public Relations Dept. and maintained in the corporate archives. The records are arranged by the following topics: Airplanes, Airships, Balloons, Missiles/Rockets/Space and General corporate information on aviation.

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Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Records

Range: 1898 - 1993 Size: 1,000 cubic feet Record Group: 99/106

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in Akron, Ohio in 1898 by F.A. and C.W. Seiberling. The company began by manufacturing bicycle and carriage tires, but soon produced tires for automobiles, trucks, airplanes, tractors, and earth-moving equipment, as well as mechanical goods such as belts, hoses, and conveyors. During the world wars the company manufactured blimps and balloons as well as airplane parts and tires for military vehicles. Goodyear later manufactured weapons for the Cold War and components for the space program. The records include correspondence, annual reports, financial reports, publications, news releases, newspaper clippings, advertisements, scrapbooks, product files, photographs, and films and video that document the history of the company. Topics include aviation, lighter-than-air flight, labor relations, employee activities, products, advertising, plants and plantations, public relations, and racing.

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Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Records, Photographic Prints and Negatives Series

Range: 1912 - 1984 Size: 772 cubic feet Record Group: 99/106

The Photographic Prints and Negatives Series of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Records consists of approximately half a million images that visually document the history of the company from 1912-1984.  The images depict a variety of topics including factory scenes and equipment, lighter-than-airships, parade balloons, employees, company farms and plantations, numerous rubber products, professional and amateur sports, automotive and motorcycle racing, advertising, aeronautics, women in the workplace, war-time production, and Goodyear’s extensive line of passenger, commercial, and other tires.  Formats include glass plate, nitrate, and acetate negatives in addition to black and white and color prints and slides.  All images from 1912-1951 have been digitized and are available on our Digital Collections Website.

Foster, Robert J., Papers

Range: 1950s - 1980s Size: 2.0 Record Group: $content.recordGroup

Robert J. “Bob” Foster (1924-2009) of Randolph, Ohio served in the Navy during World War II and worked at Goodyear Aircraft Corporation and then Goodyear Aerospace for 39 years, from 1946 to 1985. He received three patents while working at Goodyear. His papers include correspondence, photographs, and blueprints relating to his life and work. 

Flickinger, Maynard L., Papers

Range: 1924 - 1987 Size: 1 cubic feet Record Group: 99/131

Maynard L. Flickinger (1900-1990) of Barberton, Ohio was an M.I.T. graduate and an airship engineer for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s s Aeronautics Department, the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation, and the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation. His papers predominantly contain photographs and printed materials pertaining to airship design and airship travel, especially the U.S.S. Akron and the U.S.S. Macon. 

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Fish, Floyd Hamilton Jr., Papers

Range: 1929 - 1974 Size: .25 Record Group: 99/111

Floyd Hamilton “Ham” Fish, Jr. (1923-2009) of Blacksburg, Virginia was a mechanical engineer and inventor who worked for Dupont in Wilmington, Delaware from 1954-1986, primarily in Pioneering Research. He was also an airship aficionado and assembled a small collection on the subject. His papers include correspondence, working/office files, original drawings by Fish of lighter-than-air craft, and Fish’s publications relating to his time working at DuPont, particularly on airship envelopes.

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Emich, Michael C., Lighter-Than-Air Collection

Range: 1920s - 1990s Size: 3.0 Record Group: $content.recordGroup

Michael C. “Mike” Emich of Akron, Ohio is an accomplished balloonist who builds and pilots hot air and gas balloons. He has set several world ballooning records and has achieved numerous awards and honors in ballooning. His collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs that document his life and work as well as materials he collected on the history of lighter-than-air flight.  

Arnstein, Karl, Papers

Range: 1919 - 1957 Size: 30 cubic feet Record Group: 99/126

Dr. Karl Arnstein (1887-1974) was a designer of zeppelin airships for the Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin Company in Germany and later for the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation in the United States.  His papers consist of personal and professional notes, correspondence, publications, photographs, drawings, sound recordings, and mementos that document his life and career. The papers also include published articles and manuscripts by Dr. Arnstein and his associates, scripts for speeches and presentations given by Arnstein, and publications and clippings related to Arnstein’s career interests.

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Akron Women’s Chapter of the National Aeronautic Association Records

Range: 1928 - 1978 Size: 4.0 Record Group: 99/167

The Akron Women’s Chapter of the National Aeronautic Association was founded in 1924 to educate and excite the people of Akron, Ohio on aviation, including lighter-than-air flight.  The records document the activities, organization, and procedures of the group as well as the development of heavier-than-air and lighter-than-air flight in northeastern Ohio.

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