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- Detroit News--Airplane--Lockheed Orion--James V. Piersol, William A. Kuenzel and Early Bird--Item1 - The <em>Detroit News</em> bought a new Lockheed Orion in 1934 to assist in its news-gathering efforts. The monoplane, christened "Early Bird", contained space for a reporter or radio operator, a compact radio broadcasting station and three cameras--one of which was located in a streamlined nacelle on the left wing. A viewfinder in the cockpit interior helped the pilot line up the wing-mounted camera.

- June 10, 1934
- Collections - Artifact
Detroit News--Airplane--Lockheed Orion--James V. Piersol, William A. Kuenzel and Early Bird--Item1
The Detroit News bought a new Lockheed Orion in 1934 to assist in its news-gathering efforts. The monoplane, christened "Early Bird", contained space for a reporter or radio operator, a compact radio broadcasting station and three cameras--one of which was located in a streamlined nacelle on the left wing. A viewfinder in the cockpit interior helped the pilot line up the wing-mounted camera.
- Ruth Law in Curtiss Pusher Aircraft, circa 1915 - Ruth Law earned her pilot's license in 1912 and soon developed a taste for aerobatics and record breaking. In 1916 she flew 590 nonstop miles from Chicago to the state of New York. During World War I, Law argued unsuccessfully for women to fly in combat roles. Law continued to set records until she retired from flying in 1922.

- circa 1915
- Collections - Artifact
Ruth Law in Curtiss Pusher Aircraft, circa 1915
Ruth Law earned her pilot's license in 1912 and soon developed a taste for aerobatics and record breaking. In 1916 she flew 590 nonstop miles from Chicago to the state of New York. During World War I, Law argued unsuccessfully for women to fly in combat roles. Law continued to set records until she retired from flying in 1922.
- Ruth Elder's Airplane, the "American Girl," Fueling up before Take-off, October 11, 1927 - Ruth Elder planned to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. On October 11, 1927, Elder and co-pilot George Haldeman took off in their Stinson Detroiter <em>American Girl</em>. An oil leak forced them to ditch in the ocean some 360 miles short of land. Still, the 2,623 miles Elder covered set a new distance record for a female pilot.

- October 11, 1927
- Collections - Artifact
Ruth Elder's Airplane, the "American Girl," Fueling up before Take-off, October 11, 1927
Ruth Elder planned to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. On October 11, 1927, Elder and co-pilot George Haldeman took off in their Stinson Detroiter American Girl. An oil leak forced them to ditch in the ocean some 360 miles short of land. Still, the 2,623 miles Elder covered set a new distance record for a female pilot.
- Group from Edison Institute Schools Visit the Piccard Stratosphere Flight Balloon at Ford Airport, September 1934 - The Piccard stratosphere flight departed from Ford Airport field on October 23, 1934. Spouses Jean and Jeannette Piccard ascended 10.9 miles in a metal gondola carried by a hydrogen balloon. This image was taken at one of the airport's hangars in September of 1934, and depicts the Piccards with a group of visiting children from the Edison Institute School.

- September 17, 1934
- Collections - Artifact
Group from Edison Institute Schools Visit the Piccard Stratosphere Flight Balloon at Ford Airport, September 1934
The Piccard stratosphere flight departed from Ford Airport field on October 23, 1934. Spouses Jean and Jeannette Piccard ascended 10.9 miles in a metal gondola carried by a hydrogen balloon. This image was taken at one of the airport's hangars in September of 1934, and depicts the Piccards with a group of visiting children from the Edison Institute School.
- Group from Edison Institute Schools Visit the Piccard Stratosphere Flight Balloon at Ford Airport, September 1934 - The Piccard stratosphere flight departed from Ford Airport field on October 23, 1934. Spouses Jean and Jeannette Piccard ascended 10.9 miles in a metal gondola carried by a hydrogen balloon. This image was taken at one of the airport's hangars in September of 1934, and depicts the Piccards with a group of visiting children from the Edison Institute School.

- September 20, 1934
- Collections - Artifact
Group from Edison Institute Schools Visit the Piccard Stratosphere Flight Balloon at Ford Airport, September 1934
The Piccard stratosphere flight departed from Ford Airport field on October 23, 1934. Spouses Jean and Jeannette Piccard ascended 10.9 miles in a metal gondola carried by a hydrogen balloon. This image was taken at one of the airport's hangars in September of 1934, and depicts the Piccards with a group of visiting children from the Edison Institute School.
- Curtiss Aeroplane Co. Trade Catalog, "Curtiss Flying Boats, Aeronautical Motors, Aeroplanes, Hydroaeroplanes," 1917 - Glenn Curtiss established what would become the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company in his hometown of Hammondsport, New York, in 1909. As military orders soared during World War I, Curtiss relocated the company to Buffalo, New York, in 1916. Curtiss's firm was acquired by Willys-Overland the following year, and it merged with the Wright Company in 1929.

- 1917
- Collections - Artifact
Curtiss Aeroplane Co. Trade Catalog, "Curtiss Flying Boats, Aeronautical Motors, Aeroplanes, Hydroaeroplanes," 1917
Glenn Curtiss established what would become the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company in his hometown of Hammondsport, New York, in 1909. As military orders soared during World War I, Curtiss relocated the company to Buffalo, New York, in 1916. Curtiss's firm was acquired by Willys-Overland the following year, and it merged with the Wright Company in 1929.
- Horizontal Air Traffic Controller Radar Display Plaque, circa 2001 - Federal oversight of air traffic control began in 1938, but radar technology -- greatly improved during World War II -- was not widely implemented until the late 1950s. Detroit Metro Airport received one of the first computer-integrated radar scopes capable of displaying an airplane's identification number and altitude directly on the screen. This plaque commemorates that unit, used from 1970 to 2001.

- circa 2001
- Collections - Artifact
Horizontal Air Traffic Controller Radar Display Plaque, circa 2001
Federal oversight of air traffic control began in 1938, but radar technology -- greatly improved during World War II -- was not widely implemented until the late 1950s. Detroit Metro Airport received one of the first computer-integrated radar scopes capable of displaying an airplane's identification number and altitude directly on the screen. This plaque commemorates that unit, used from 1970 to 2001.
- Pamphlet, "Experiments and Observations in Soaring Flight," Wilbur Wright, 1903 - Theories and research on aviation were shared widely through professional journals. While conducting their experiments, Wilbur and Orville Wright read almost everything they could find, and Wilbur contributed his own articles on the brothers' work. This August 1903 article, based on Wilbur's June 1903 presentation to the Western Society of Engineers, describes their successful glider flights of 1902.

- June 24, 1903
- Collections - Artifact
Pamphlet, "Experiments and Observations in Soaring Flight," Wilbur Wright, 1903
Theories and research on aviation were shared widely through professional journals. While conducting their experiments, Wilbur and Orville Wright read almost everything they could find, and Wilbur contributed his own articles on the brothers' work. This August 1903 article, based on Wilbur's June 1903 presentation to the Western Society of Engineers, describes their successful glider flights of 1902.
- Ford Tri-Motor Airplane Assembly Line, Dearborn, Michigan, 1927 - Henry Ford attempted to apply automobile assembly line techniques to the manufacture of airplanes, and to build them in large numbers. Monthly production peaked at 25 planes in June 1929. The Great Depression forced Ford to re-focus on his core auto business, and the company's commercial aircraft production ended in May 1933.

- February 07, 1927
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Tri-Motor Airplane Assembly Line, Dearborn, Michigan, 1927
Henry Ford attempted to apply automobile assembly line techniques to the manufacture of airplanes, and to build them in large numbers. Monthly production peaked at 25 planes in June 1929. The Great Depression forced Ford to re-focus on his core auto business, and the company's commercial aircraft production ended in May 1933.
- Newspaper, The Detroit News for November 23, 1963, "Mrs. Kennedy Escorts Body to White House" - This Saturday evening issue of the <em>Detroit News</em> shows the way newspapers reported the developing news surrounding President John F. Kennedy's death. The editors took the unusual step of devoting the entire front page and much following pages to the continuing events. This lengthy coverage was unusual and occurred only to report such major events.

- November 23, 1963
- Collections - Artifact
Newspaper, The Detroit News for November 23, 1963, "Mrs. Kennedy Escorts Body to White House"
This Saturday evening issue of the Detroit News shows the way newspapers reported the developing news surrounding President John F. Kennedy's death. The editors took the unusual step of devoting the entire front page and much following pages to the continuing events. This lengthy coverage was unusual and occurred only to report such major events.