Series I: Commercial Uses of Fowler Designs Series I:
1920-1966
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series documents the commercial use of Fowler's designs, specifically the Fowler flap. Included are photographs that
illustrate the use of the flap on various airplanes in different modes of extension. Items of note include a negative of the
first working model of a Fowler variable area wing constructed in 1920, photographs of the first experimental airplane using
a Fowler flap, the Canuch and other early experimental planes. This series also includes a limited number of press releases,
correspondence, and technical reports of tests on Fowler flaps.
Access Note
Access to negatives is restricted.
Box 1, Folder 1
Photos of XC-99 and XB-47 and Press Release Clippings (1 of 2)
Box 1, folder 2
Photos of XC-99 and XB-47 and Press Release Clippings (2 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 3
Photos of Flap Installations on Various Aircraft (1 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 4
Photos of Flap Installations on Various Aircraft (2 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 5
Photos of Fowler Flap Installations including 1st Installation and Brief History (1 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 6
Photos of Fowler Flap Installation including 1st Installation and Brief History (2 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 7
Photos of Flap Installations (1 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 8
Photos of Flap Installations (2 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 9
Photos of Flap Installations (3 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 10
Photos of Flap Installations (4 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 11
Photos of Flap Installations (5 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 13
Full Scale Wind Tunnel Test of Fairchild F-22 equipped with Fowler Flap (1 of 2)
Box 1, folder 14
Full Scale Wind Tunnel Test of Fairchild F-22 equipped with Fowler Flap (2 of 2)
Box 1, folder 15
Breguet 941 STOL Aircraft Transition Velocities (1 of 2)
Box 1, folder 16
Breguet 941 STOL Aircraft Transition Velocities (2 of 2)
Series II: Fowler-Designed Aerodynamic Flow Control Devices Series II:
1932-1970
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is comprised primarily of National Advisory Committe for Aeronautics (NACA) technical notes and test reports,
many of which contain blueprints and/or photographs. The series includes photographs depicting various flap installations,
as well as newspaper clippings and correspondence, such as correspondence with NASA Ames Research Center concerning scheduled
tests of Ames Fowler Model propellers. Items of note include photographs of boundary layer control gloves, and a letter from
The Smithsonian Institution National Air Museum with a photograph of a Fowler airplane model on display at the museum.
Arrangement
The series is arranged according to its original order into six subseries: Boundary Layer Control, Flaps, Ailerons, Ducted
Fans and Deflected Slipstream, Dragulator, and Miscellaneous.
Folder 1/17-56, 2/1-21
Fowler-Designed Aerodynamic Flow Control Devices
1932-1970
Box 1, folder 17
Method for Improving the Inherent Weaknesses of Supersonic Airplane
Box 1, Folder 18
Boundary Layer Control, Detachable Boundary Layer Control Gloves
Box 1, Folder 19
Boundary Layer Control, Description of Boundary Layer Control Gloves
Box 1, Folder 20
Boundary Layer Control, Description of Detachable Boundary Layer Control Gloves
Series III: Original Fowler Aircraft Designs and Data Series III:
1927-1966
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains Fowler's original research, data and designs, documented by blueprints, reports, and charts. Also included
are original drawings, also known as lofts. In addition, this series includes test reports by Fowler and by the University
of Washington Aeronautics Laboratory regarding tests performed on Fowler-designed models. Items of note include photographs
of full-size mockups of containerized air cargo planes, as well as photographs showing the "correct" method of handling cargo
containers on the Fowler sky-truck. Of special interest are drawings and photographs of special uses Fowler proposed for the
sky-truck such as a mobile surgical unit during World War II. Also of note are photographs of test models of the Fowler flap
dating as early as 1927.
Access Note
Access to the drawings is restricted due to limited processing, and requires special permission from the Director of Special
Collections & Archives.
Folder 2/22-41, 3/1-22
Original Fowler Aircraft Designs and Data
1927-1966
box 12-17
Original Fowler Aircraft Drawings
n.d.
Series IV: Air Cargo Reports and Data Series IV:
1937-1979
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains materials documenting air cargo transport, including articles, reports by Fowler, blueprints, and photographs
of the Fowler-designed air cargo transport container and sky-truck. One item of note is a drawing of an air cargo container
titled "Future Air Freighter for Carrying Express and Mail," indicating an unrealized use of Fowler's sky-truck and air cargo
containers. A model of the air cargo container is owned by the SJSU Department of Aeronautics and is housed at the Mineta
International Airport in San José.
Folder 3/23-37
Air Cargo Reports and Data
1937-1979
Series V: Miscellaneous Reports Series V:
1940-1969
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains reports and blueprints, and includes the minutes of the second meeting of the Technical Subcommittee
of the Prototype Aircraft Committee.
Folder 3/38-42, 4/1-18, 5/1-4
Miscellaneous Reports
1940-1969
Series VI: Aircraft Conversion Reports and Data Series VI:
1958-1980
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is primarily comprised of technical reports. Many of the reports include folded blueprints. Also included is a
small amount of correspondence related to the technical reports.
Folder 5/5-24
Aircraft Conversion Reports and Data
1958-1980
Series VII: Artifacts Series VII:
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains models of airplanes equipped with Fowler flaps, as well as a few working models of aircraft devices by
Fowler. Some of the airplane models are on display in the Special Collections Reading Room. .
Sub-Series 1: Aircraft Models
Physical Location: On Display
Lockheed Ventura Military Aircraft Model
Lockheed Ventura Military Aircraft Model
Lockheed Military Aircraft Carrier Model
Lockheed Military Aircraft Carrier Model
Consolidated Vultee xB32 Model
Physical Location: On top of Flatfile 2.
Sub-Series 2: Model Cases
Box 8
Boundary Layer Control Wing Section
Box 9
Lockheed P-38 Lightning Model
Box 9
N2000S Aircraft Model Presented to Professor Thomas E. Leonard
Series VIII: Publications Series VIII:
1928-1974
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is primarily comprised of materials published by NASA and the precursor organization, NACA. Also included in this
series is Fowler's seminal 1948 book on flaps, entitled
Fowler Flaps for Airplanes: An Engineering Handbook (1948). This series is organized by publisher in the following order: NACA, NASA, and Other Publishers. In addition, the
NASA publications are organized by type. NACA and NASA publications are arranged alpha-numerically. Other publishers are arranged
alphabetically by author surname.
Box 5/25-27
Sub-Series 1: NACA Publications
?-1958
Box 5/28-41, 6/1-49, 7/1-20
Sub-Series 2: NASA Publications
1959-1974
Box 7/21-36
Sub-Series 3: Other Publications
1928-1974
Box 7/37
Sub-Series 4: Personal Correspondence
1941
Christmas Card from Harlan and Dorothy Fowler
1941
Series IX: Images Series IX:
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains images that were originally in frames, as well as oversized images and slides. Many of the images were
used to illustrate Fowler's text on airplane flaps. In addition, there are photographs and lithographs of commercial airplanes
that incorporate the use of the Fowler flap. There are also approximately 150-35mm slides depicting aircraft and aircraft
models from WWII to the 1960s, as well as a caricature drawing of Fowler riding on an airplane wing model.
Box 11, folder 3
Consolidated Vultee Model xB32
Box 11, Folder 4
Consolidated Co. Vultee xB-46
Box 11, Folder 5
Consolidated Vultee Model 240
