Ralph S. Johnson papers, 1935-2008 | Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections

By Mary A. Sego, 2009

Printer-friendly |

Collection Overview

Title: Ralph S. Johnson papers, 1935-2008

Primary Creator: Johnson, Ralph S. (1906-2010)

Extent: 14.2 Cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement:

The papers are arranged into five series.

[Series 1: Engineering Drawings, Papers, Articles, DVD, 1941-1948], [Series 2: Newspaper Clippings, Ceritificate, Honorary Doctorate of Engineering, 1992-2008], [Series 3: Memoirs and Biographical Information, 1941-2005], [Series 4: Photographs, ca. 1930-2005], [Series 5: Addendum - January 5, 2012],

Date Acquired: 05/09/2008

Subjects: Aerospace engineering, Airplanes--Piloting, Flight Archives at Purdue University, Purdue University--Alumni and alumnae, United Air Lines

Forms of Material: Articles, Black-and-white photographs, Clippings (Information artifacts), Color photographs, Personal papers

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Ralph S. Johnson papers (1935-2008; 0.4 cubic feet) document the pioneering aviation career of Ralph Johnson. Included among the papers are aeronautical engineering drawings done by Johnson, along with articles and papers authored by him. The newspaper clippings, awards, and honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Purdue University focus on the latter part of his career, as he was being recognized as an aviation pioneer. The biographical information was written and collected by the authors, as a part of a nomination for an award. His memoirs provide a unique look into his life at this time period in aviation history. Most of the photographs represent the planes he flew during his career.

Subject/Index Terms

Aerospace engineering
Airplanes--Piloting
Flight Archives at Purdue University
Purdue University--Alumni and alumnae
United Air Lines

Administrative Information

Repository: Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections

Alternate Extent Statement: 1 mss box, 11 cubic foot boxes, 2 flat boxes

Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions: Purdue University, per deed of gift.

Acquisition Source: Ralph S. Johnson

Acquisition Method: Donation.

Preferred Citation: MSA 25, Ralph S. Johnson papers, Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries

Finding Aid Revision History: Revised by Mary Sego, 2012; EW 10/2012

Other URL: http://collections.lib.purdue.edu/fa/pdf/johnson_r.pdf

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Papers and drawings, 1941-2008],
[Box 2: Papers, 1929-1944],
[Box 3: Papers, 1943-1960],
[Box 4: Papers, 1960-2009],
[Box 5: Aeronautical Publications and Patent Information, 1934-2002],
[Box 8: Artifacts, circa 1940s-2006],
[Box 6: Aeronautical and Miscellaneous Publications, 1929-2009],
[Box 7: Day Planners, Notebooks, Pilot Logs, Flight Records, 1930-1968],
[Box 9: Artifacts, circa 1930s-2008],
[Box 10: Photo Albums and Scrapbooks, 1978-2008],
[Box 11: Photo Albums, 1924-1960s],
[Box 12: Photographs, circa 1930s-2000s],
[Box 13: Awards, Certificates and Airplane Photograph, circa 1950s-2006],
[Box 14: Awards, Certificates and Photo Boards, circa 1950s-2010],
[Item 1: Flight techniques, 1944],
[Item 2: Plane design drawings, 1945],
[Item 3: Jackson Hole Wildlife, undated],
[All]

Box 1: Papers and drawings, 1941-2008

Folder 1: Engineering Drawings and Paper, 1942-1944

Item 1: Approach and Landing Procedure, Technique, and Equipment for Proficient Landing of Aircraft During Blacked-Out Conditions -- Incorporating the All-Weather Approach and Landing Technique, April 16, 1942
Item 2: Centrifugally Operating Grounding Switch, July 15, 1944
Item 3: Throttle Landing Power Limiter-Indicator, July 22, 1944
Item 4: Throttle Landing Power Limiter (Mounted on Carburetor Body), July 25, 1944

Folder 2: Articles and Papers, Circa 1940s-1948

Item 1: Descent Test, undated, circa 1940s [detailed letter from Ralph Johnson to W. C. Mentzer and R.D. Kelly]
Item 2: An All-Weather Approach and Landing Technique for DC-3 Airplanes, May 2, 1941
Item 3: “All Weather Flight Methods”, written and directed by Ralph S. Johnson, Engineering Department of United Air Lines, United Air Lines Transport Corporation, c. 1943 [dvd, b&w; sound; length: 37 minutes, 48 seconds; file size: 1.28 GB; plays with Windows Media Player, 2 copies]
Item 4: Chief Test Pilot, United Air Lines, Inc. [paper presented before the Society of Automotive Engineers, Los Angeles, California, October 6, 1944 – includes photographs of flight deck coordinator instrument and engine]
Item 5: Exposure—The Key to Flight Safety, Air Transport, April, 1947
Item 6: Buzzing is Bad Business, Air Transport, May 1947
Item 7: Cross-Wind Landings, Air Transport, June, 1947
Item 8: Cross-Wind Takeoffs, Air Transport, July, 1947
Item 9: When Vulnerable Be Vigilant, Air Transport, October, 1947
Item 10: All-Weather Landing Descent, Air Transport, November, 1947
Item 11: Get Better Landings with All-Weather Roll-Ons, Air Transport, March, 1948

Folder 3: Newspaper Clippings, Certificate, Honorary Doctorate of Engineering, 1992-2008

Item 1: Aviation Industry Finally Recognizing Pioneer’s Feats [newspaper clipping from Scottsdale Progress, July 11, 1992]
Item 2: Goodland Native, 100, is ‘Part of the History of Flight’ Wyoming declares: June 26 was Captain Ralph S. Johnson Day [newspaper clipping from Lafayette Journal and Courier, Sunday, July 2, 2006]
Item 3: Jack Knight’s Long Night: The Mail Went Through [newspaper clipping, source and date unknown; notation states one of Ralph’s friends and his favorite newspaper article, a hero to Ralph]
Item 4: Purdue University College of Engineering School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Co-Nominated with Purdue University Libraries [nomination for Doctorate of Engineering, honoris causa, Fall, 2007]
Item 5: Itinerary for Ralph S. Johnson, Commencement Weekend, May 8-11, 2008
Item 6: "The President and Trustees of Purdue University cordially invite you to dinner celebrating those receiving honorary doctorates at Spring Commencement " [invitation to Westwood, Saturday, May 10, 2008]
Item 7: "The President and Trustees of Purdue University cordially invite you to a Luncheon celebrating Spring Commencement 2008 [invitation to luncheon in the Café and John Purdue Room – Stone Hall, Saturday, May 10, 2008]

Folder 4: Aviation: The Early Years [spiral bound publication compiled by Jacqueline McBrien Morgan from the respective memoirs of: Ralph S. Johnson, test pilot, United Airlines and Richard L. McBrien, Engineer, United Airlines, undated

Folder 5: Memoirs and Biographical Information, 1977-2006

Item 1: Transcript, interview with Ralph S. Johnson, by Red Kelso, Cheyenne, Wyoming, November 16, 1977
Item 2: “Captain Ralph S. Johnson,” spiral bound biography, sent to Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame, by Captain Billy Walker, 1992
Item 3: Excerpts from an article on Ralph Johnson in RUPANEWS, November, 2002 [pages 3-4 of a what appears to be a fax transmission, other pages missing]
Item 4: “The Best Of Times: Memoirs of Ralph Johnson,” as told to his niece, Jacqueline McBrien Morgan, during his 99^th year, 2005
Item 5: “Fait pour Valour”, by Billy Walker, ca. 2006 [biographical pages for Captain Ralph S. Johnson, compiled and clipped together]

Folder 6: Photographs, Circa 1930s-2006

Item 1: Captain Ralph S. Johnson, Chief Test Pilot, United Airlines, 1935-1947 [8”x10” photograph, in United Airlines uniform]

Item 2: C-82 dispersing insecticide, Ralph Johnson’s plane, Ralco, CO [photograph mounted on board, undated]

Item 3: Ralph S. Johnson, Aviation History [twenty photos on CD, jpegs, 35.3 mb, along with a sheet with notations on the significance of each photograph]

Item 1: B-18 Loading Up: taken in the mid-1950s
Item 2: Captain Ralph, United Airlines: taken in the late 1930s - early 1940
Item 3: Douglas DC-5: Ralph test flew this aircraft while on loan from United, undated
Item 4: Flight Deck Coordinator: Ralph’s Master Equipment Company manufactured thousands of these scrolling checklist aids for the airlines and military from the 1950s to the 1970s
Item 5: Firebomber test: one of Ralco’s PV-2 Harpoons converted to borate bomber use, undated
Item 6: Flight Safety Foundation citation – Ralph was honored with the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in November, 2005
Item 7: Long Island Newsday Zero Vix Landing Spread, undated
Item 8: PV-2 Flightline, undated
Item 9: PV-2 loading, undated
Item 10: PV-2 number 112, undated
Item 11: Ralph S. Johnson and S-39, undated
Item 12: Ralph S. Johnson Bonanza, undated
Item 13: Class of 1931 – U.S. Army pilot training photo, undated
Item 14: Ralph S. Johnson (head and shoulders) at the Pima Air Museum the night he was inducted into the Arizona Hall of Fame in April, 2006
Item 15: NAA Award – Ralph receiving the National Aeronautics Association Elder Statesman Award, 1991
Item 16: Ralph on PV-2, undated
Item 17: Ralph and B-17, undated
Item 18: Ralph and B-24, undated
Item 19: Ralph and PV-2 – Ralph at 99 in front of a PV-s Harpoon he donated to the Pima Air Museum, undated
Item 20: S-39 Ad – advertisement for rides in the Sikorsky S-39 Ralph flew for the Ball Brothers at Lake Wawasee, Indiana, undated