Born 7 September 1931 in Houston, Texas, Gordon M. Jackson was an engineer at Convair in San Diego, a Division of General Dynamics. He first joined the General Dynamics Astronautics Division in 1961, transferring to Convair in 1964. He was assigned to the propulsion fluids group in the mechanical design department, later joining the Modification Engineering Department. During his career with Convair, Jackson was recognized as the unofficial historian of the company’s historical production records. 

Researchers seeking information about the company’s products, back to its formative years and predecessor companies, relied on Jackson’s handwritten spread sheets, documenting company model numbers, years and quantity produced, nicknames, customers and other information of interest, such as geometry, weight, speed and as well as collaborators. Requests were often from highly placed organizations, such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Air Force Museum, as well as from many noted aviation authors. After his Convair retirement. Jackson attended law school, passed the California State Bar, and practiced law in the San Diego area. He passed away in La Mesa, California on June 10, 2018.

The collection's Descriptive Finding Guide.