The team in the Library & Archives at the San Diego Air & Space Museum is always adding reading material to its collection. Some newly added books include:

• The greatest air aces stories ever told : The men of the American, British, and Commonwealth Air Forces who fought for the sky in two World Wars / by Col. Robert Barr Smith (Ret.) and Lawrence J. Yadon. Biography. 2017.
• A sailor's story in black & white : Battle for the Hawk / by David B. Almond. Biography. 2013.
• Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the sky! / by James Buckley, Jr. Graphic Novel. 2019.
• Bossart: America’s forgotten rocket scientist / by Don Mitchell. Biography. 2016.
• The education of a fighter pilot / by Austin L. “Toss” Olsen. Memoir/Autobiography. 2020.
• Hangar talk: Interviews with fliers, 1920’s – 1990’s. Biography. 1998.

Our Collection in Publications
The Museum’s large photo collection is used frequently in various publications, including books, magazines, and journals. Two of this summer’s publications featuring our photos are:
Fighting to be heard: How the British Aerospace 146 started the Regional Jet revolution / by Brian Wiklem. Hardcover. 2022. Photos from our PSA Collection.
Rare and Unique Vehicles Magazine #7. Summer 2022 edition. Photo from our Convair Collection.

Mini Spotlight
One hundred years ago:
In the summer of 1922, Pacific Marine Airways began regular flights between San Pedro and Catalina Island. Pacific Marine Airways operated two Curtiss HS-2L flying boats and was one of the first regularly scheduled aircraft passenger service to Catalina Island. This advertisement was published on the back of The Ace: The Aviation Magazine of the West, “An Independent Magazine Published in the Interest of Commercial Aviation”, Volume 4 Number 2, September 2022.

New Digital Collection
The job of an archivist is to save history for future generations. Archiving and preservation have taken many forms over the past few centuries. In the present day, historic images and documents sometimes exist solely in digital form, independent of the survival of the original source. Even if the original exists, many do not have the skills or resources to make certain that the media can be correctly preserved and shared. Therefore, the San Diego Air & Space Museum has begun to accept donations of digital versions of such important images, documents, and audio-visual material. The Library & Archives has the expertise and infrastructure to ensure that such important history can be preserved and disseminated. 

An example of important digital content recently received focuses on a famous North American B-25 Mitchell: The Desert Warrior. This B-25 flew an astonishing 73 combat missions during World War II, inflicting heavy damage on the Axis throughout the Mediterranean Theater. The family of the Desert Warrior’s Captain, Ralph Lower, donated these materials, which includes images of the plane and a sound recording of the crew talking about the action they saw in North Africa during a war bond tour. 

More information on this collection can be found at:
https://sandiegoairandspace.org/collection/item/desert-warrior-image-collection