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Descriptive Finding Guide for Mort W. Brown Personal Papers
SDASM.SC.10021
SDASM.SC.10021
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Table of contents
Title: Mort W. Brown Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10021
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.44 Cubic feet
One box, 15” x 5” x 10.25”
Date (inclusive): 1908-2006
Abstract: This collection contains materials related to the life and work of Mort W. Brown (1908- ), the first (retired) Chief Pilot
of Production Flight Test with the Cessna Aicraft Company, working from 1937 to 1972.
Morton W. Brown (1908- ), is the first (retired) Chief Pilot of Production Flight Test with the Cessna Aicraft Company, working
from 1937 to 1972. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, before the age of 10, his family moved to Colorado, where Brown became fascinated
with flight. In 1927 he joined the US Marines, serving aboard the USS California until his honorable discharge in 1931. He
then attended Eddie Martin’s School of Aviation in Santa Ana, CA, and obtained his transport pilot license in 1933, returning
to Denver afterwards to look for work.
Eventually, in 1937, he was employed at the Cessna Aircraft Company as a sales manager and test pilot. He worked for Cessna
for approximately 35 years. During this time, he was responsible for the release of 85,000 airplanes through Production Flight
Test, of which he personally flew the first hour(s) on over 14,000 airplanes. When he retired in 1972, he had accumulated
20,760 actual flight hours, documented in 23 logbooks.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
The materials in this collection were donated to the San Diego Air & Space Museum in 2006.
Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
Related Archival Materials note
Digitaized images from this collection are available for viewing at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/sets/72157634327306950
One box, 15” x 5” x 10.25”, contains three CD canisters containing numerous photos and digital copies of photos, publications,
documents, news clippings and magazine articles, as well as log book scans. There is also a CD and printed hardcopy of his
biography, “Pistons, Props, and Trail Draggers.”
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cessna Aircraft Company.
Flight testing
Nineteen fifties
Nineteen forties
Nineteen seventies
Nineteen sixties
Nineteen thirties
Private planes
Private planes--Flight testing
Test pilots