Whereabouts of the Original Curtiss Factory Records?

[Jim]

I posted the below question about the whereabouts of the old Curtiss factory records a while back and did not get any responses. I am posting the question again in hopes that someone might have a idea of where these records may have gone.

"The recent questions about Curtiss machines reminds me of a discussion I had many years ago with the curator at the Curtiss museum in New York concerning the disposition of the old factory production records, especially the aircraft build cards that would show things like model number, date of production, Curtiss serial number, kind of engine installed, etc. I had asked whether they still existed and the answer was that they were sold off long ago and their whereabouts was unknown. Off and on I have tried finding where they might be, whether in a museum or a collector's vault but so far I've had no luck. I've also tried looking at the original Army and Navy aircraft records from that time period and while there is a tiny bit of information there, it is not easy to tie it to Curtiss production since the Army used their own secondary serial number system that does not correspond to the Curtiss serial number system."

Does anyone know whether the original Curtiss production records still exist and if so where they might be?

Thanks!

[Colin A Owers]

Jim

I have been researching USN aircraft and have a potted history of all USN aircraft up to Bureau No. 7100 - covers all WWI aircraft and their post-war derivatives. This has been compiled from aircraft record cards, accident reports, log books and official files.

If this would help you let me know.

The Seattle Museum of Flight is suppose to have early Curtiss docuemnts, but I have not been able to get a reply from them to date.

Colin A Owers

[JohnFitz]

Colin, Do you have anything on the Wright Martin (Loening M-8) of 1918? The USN did use a few. Hope you don't mind me asking. Cheers!

JohnFitz

I was surprized the other day to learn that the Curtiss-Wright co is still listed on the stock exch. Have you tried writing Curtiss-Wright direct?

You could get their add. fr their stock symbol...CW.

[Jim]

Thanks Colin. Of the several WW I era (give or take a year or two) Curtiss aircraft on which I am trying to get a bit more information, I believe most of them are Army, but one of them is a Navy N-9 (the floatplane version of the Jenny). I will post the serial number this evening when I get my records in front of me.

Thanks for the good suggestion Topgun but I had already tried that and found it a dead end. They said everything from the early days was either handed over to the Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, N.Y. or sold off. I tried writing the Curtiss Museum but I got no response so I took a trip there and was able to get a meeting with the curator. The information was the same thing - the curator said that those records of aircraft production were not given to the museum, that they were part of the material that was sold, and that there were no records as to who bought what.

The Seattle Museum of Flight sounds like it might be a good lead to check into as to whether the early Curtiss production records and aircraft build cards might have found their way there, but Colin's lack of response from them doesn't sound like they are set up to answer questions about their holdings.

[joegertler]

Jim;
Other than some production information on the Curtiss D-12 engine (R&D, prices, production, development, orders, production changes and evolution etc)and the original spreadsheets for the Circa 1914 Russian orders and number of planes, delivered, dates costs problems etc (see "F-Boat thread), I am fairly certain you will not find much production informtion (or the cards). However, the following statement by a representative of The Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum at Teterboro Airport, may be helpful to you..
"Also, we have more history of the Curtiss Wright Corporation than any other organization in the world. Now we are getting referrals from the Air and Space Museum and from Curtiss Wright itself. They refer people to us, because they do not have the records."

[Jim]

Hi Colin. The Curtiss serial number of the N9 is 5304. If you have any information on it I would love to hear it.

Hi Joe. Thanks for the tip about the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum at Teterboro. I will give them a try as well.

Jim