Lech (Andrew F.) Personal Papers, 1905-1995

View only results with digital items
Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Title:
Andrew F. Lech Personal Papers
Dates:
1905-1995
Creators:
Lech, Andrew F.
Abstract:
Andrew Lech was an aviation model maker. His highly detailed models have been displayed at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and the San Diego Air & Space Museum. His models date back to the 1920s.
Extent:
0.36 Cubic Feet One Box
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum Library & Archives”]

Background

Scope and content:

1 box containing 13 folders of correspondence, photos, drawings, and various printed materials. The information regarding the commissioned models did not include the name of the patron.

Biographical / historical:

Andrew Lech (1905 – 1991) was a postal worker in Chicago, Illinois. He lived in the suburb of Aurora. He retired from the post office in approximately 1940. He began making scale models on a part-time basis while in high school. He began work on the Spirit of St. Louis model in 1931. It was completed in 1933. It had a wingspan of 36 inches and featured working systems, including fully functioning control systems. In 1940 he was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution to provide structural and external view drawings of the Spirit of St. Louis. He also constructed fifty precise scale models of various 1900 to 1930s aircraft. In addition, he was commissioned by a patron in Orange County in 1967 to build scale models of experimental aircraft as well as models that were proposed, but never executed. This commission also included dioramas of WWI airdromes.

In 1939 Mr. Lech began a correspondence with Paul Garber, Assistant Curator for aeronautics with the Smithsonian Institution. This culminated in the donation of the model to the Smithsonian in 1972.

Acquisition information:
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Alan Renga
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2016-01-26 16:44:34 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open to researchers by appointment.

Terms of access:

Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.

Preferred citation:

[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum Library & Archives”]

Location of this collection:
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101, US
Contact:
(619) 234-8291
archives@sdasm.org
Website