Hanging from the ceiling inside the Museum’s Library is a beautiful model of a Beechcraft A-36TC Bonanza turboprop plane, built by volunteers in the Museum’s Model Shop who often produce models for display in the museum. This particular model is of special endearment. Constructed by Ron Peterka, Bill Simmons, and Gayle Boddy, it commemorates an around-the-world flight undertaken by a very special Library volunteer, Dennis Stewart.
Blanche Stuart Scott, also known as Betty Scott, may have been the first female aviator in the United States. The San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives houses many rare photos of Blanche.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum is excited to receive the donation of an altimeter from the aircraft flown by Emilio Carranza on his 1928 Goodwill flight from Mexico City to Washington D.C. Known as the "Mexican Lindbergh,” Captain Carranza is arguably the most significant Mexican aviator.
The history of Civil Air Transport (CAT) is exceptional and atypical in aviation history. Formed after World War II in China by General Claire L. Chennault and Whiting Willauer, the airline used surplus aircraft from the war, such as the C-47 Dakota and the C-46 Commando, airlifting supplies and food into war-ravaged China beginning in 1946. The San Diego Air and Space Museum has two posters advertising commercial flights for CAT in our collection. These posters show the unique nature of this intriguing airline. CAT started to operate scheduled passenger services, beginning with international flights to Hong Kong, then to Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Thailand, as well as domestic routes within Taiwan.
This registration card is from the Convair Model 118, which was built by Consolidated Vultee Aircraft (later Convair) In the mid-1940’s as an attempt to enter into the post-war aviation boom with a mainstream flying car.
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