The Descriptive Finding Guide for the General Dynamics Astronautics Special Collection. SDASM.SC.10052
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
1/4/2016
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: General Dynamics Astronautics Special Collection
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10052
Physical Description:
.5 Cubic Feet
This is a two box collection with measurements 12 ¼ x 10 ½ x 5 inches and 12 ¼ x 10 ½ x 2 ½ inches. The contains mainly corporate
documents – mostly publications and periodicals, booklets, a calendar, a sign catalog, reports, photographs, posters, and
35mm slides.
Date (inclusive): 1954-1995
Abstract: The paraphernalia of this collection comes from Stan Hodges, Art Director at Convair in the mid-1950s and 1960s. He designed
many of the posters that were placed in the plant, as well as the General Dynamics sign.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Conditions Governing Use
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
Preferred Citation
Please credit the San Diego Air and Space Museum's Library and Archives.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Biographical / Historical
The Convair division of General Dynamics Corporation initially was tasked with the development of the Atlas intercontinental
ballistic missile, which later became the vehicle to transport vehicles and men into space.
In 1955 and 1956, measures were taken create a separate division of Convair in order to work on the Atlas Model 7 Project.
The new division was known as Astronautics. General Dynamics directors voted to acquire land and to build an Astronautics
plant in San Diego. A similar amount was provided by the Air Force for equipment. Another milestone in 1956 was the beginning
of construction of the Atlas plant in Kearny Mesa, San Diego. The following year, Astronautics formally became an operating
division of Convair. An Atlas component test facility was constructed at Point Loma, San Diego. Other missile test facilities
were established at Edwards Rocket Site north of Los Angeles and at Sycamore Canyon near San Diego.
In June 1961, the official name of Convair-Astronautics changed to General Dynamics Astronautics.
Scope and Contents
This is a two box collection with measurements 12 ¼ x 10 ½ x 5 inches and 12 ¼ x 10 ½ x 2 ½ inches. The contains mainly corporate
documents – mostly publications and periodicals, booklets, a calendar, a sign catalog, reports, photographs, posters, and
35mm slides.
Included in this collection are some General Dynamics patches, commemorative coins, decals, and tie tacks – all of which can
be found in the curatorial department.
Two General Dynamics newsletters (Both of them Astronautic Ed., Vol. 17, No. 17, August 12, 1964) have been removed from this
collection and placed in the General Dynamics Newsletter Collection.
One oversized poster has been placed in the Oversized Material Special Collection, OMSC_00001.
Related Materials
Convair/General Dynamics Collection
Atlas Missile Collection
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Atlas (missile) -- History
Convair
General Dynamics Astronautics Division
General Dynamics Corporation. Convair Division
Hodges, Stan
Folder 1 – General Dynamics Corporate Publications I
Physical Description: 1. General Dynamics Convair Division Supramar Hydrofoil Boats.
2. General Dynamics Convair Division “Convair is people, products & events.”
3. General Dynamics Convair Division “Product Effectiveness.”
4. Two copies of “Operations Analysis,” Convair (Astronautics) Division, General Dynamics Corporation, San Diego, California.
5. “Quality Control & Testing,” General Dynamics Convair Division.
6. General Dynamics Astronautics “Aerospace Opportunities for Engineers and Scientists.”
7. Two copies of “PERSPECTIVE ’64,” published by General Dynamics Astronautics.
8. “Perspective ’64 – The Evolution of Management,” published by General Dynamics Astronautics.
9. “Astronautic Facility” June 11, 1958 (Purple cover).
10. “Convair (Astronautics) Division of General Dynamics Corporation.”
11. “Convair (Astronautics) Division of General Dynamics Corporation” (foldout).
12. Two copies of “Convair Astronautics” (Black cover with red circle in center).
13. “Launch Operations Support”
Folder 2 – General Dynamics Corporate Publications II
Physical Description: 1. 3 copies of a spiral bound book, “Atlas Rocket: 15 years of sweat, tears.”
2. “Atlas Base Activation – Convair (Astronautics) Division, General Dynamics Corporation.”
3. Brown binder titled “The Centaur Program, Convair (Astronautics) Division of General Dynamics Corporation.
Folder 3 – General Dynamics Booklet
Physical Description: 1. “Space Primer – an introduction to astronautics, Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation.”
2. Convair Astronautics Employee Handbook
Folder 4 – General Dynamics, Reports, Proposals, & Presentations
Physical Description: 1. Techniques for Departure and Return in Interplanetary Flight by Karel J. Bossart, Technical Director. Presented at the
Institute of Aeronautical Sciences 1958 National Midwestern Meeting, May 14, 1958.
2. Presentation to The Honorable Richard M. Nixon, Vice President of the United States of America, October 1, 1958.
3. Presentation to Neil H. Mc Elroy, Secretary of Defense Designate and party, September 25, 1967.
4. A proposal for Saturn Stage S-IB Report.
5. A proposal for The Design, Fabrication, and test of a space cabin simulator.
6. A proposal for Veal hotel Spacecraft.
7. Folder containing information about the Atlas Missile, including an Atlas Fact sheet, a Q&A about the Atlas structure,
Atlas Fabrication Notes, several biographies, and photographs and diagrams with captions.
Folder 5 – Periodicals
Physical Description: 1. Astronautics and Aerospace Engineering, August 1993 – Early Planetary Missions/SST Challenge/ Space Station Studies.
2. Aerospace Management for Technical Decision-Making and Long-Range Planning, May, 1963.
3. The Reporter, January 3, 1963.
Series III – Miscellaneous
Folder 6 – Sign Catalog
Physical Description: 1. This is a corporate book laying out the terms, regulations, and designs for signs. This catalog belongs to Stan Hodge of
General Dynamics Astronautics. Revised October, 1963.
Folder 7 – General Dynamics Dictionary
Physical Description: 1. Two paper copies and one hardbound copy of the General Dynamics Dictionary, © 1967.
Series IV – Photographs, Posters, Calender and Slides
Folder 1 – 1989 Calendar with Convair History
Folder 2 – 35mm Slides
Physical Description: 1. Over 200 metal and paper 35mm slides. Topics include missiles, buildings, and equipment.
Folder 3 – Posters
Physical Description: 1. This folder contains four cartoonish and humorous posters that were placed in General Dynamics facilities.
Folder 4 – Photographs
Physical Description: 1. This folder contains twenty-four photographs of General Dynamics posters and a General Dynamics Atlas missile exhibit
Series V – Pins and Patches
Folder 5 – Patches with Certificates
Physical Description: 1. RQ-4A Global Hawk ELINT Demonstration patch and certificate.
2. RQ-4A Global Hawk Milestone – 1,500 combat flight hours patch and certificate.
3. RQ-4A Global Hawk 14-15 April, 2000 – 31.5 hours; World Record Breaking UAV Jet Powered Endurance Flight patch and certificate.
Series VI – Oversized Materials
Physical Description: There is one oversized poster labeled as GD Astro_1 in the Oversized Material Special Collection, OMSC_00001.
Items stored in Curatorial Department
Physical Description: 1. Northrup Grumman Miniature American Flag
2. Northrup Grumman Global Hawk Chrome tie pin or luggage lock (inside a colorful rectangular box)
3. Brass commemorative coin of the first flight of the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk at the Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration
(also inside the colorful rectangular box)
4. Black and silver F-111 pin with various wing sweep positions
5. Electric Boat made by GD
6. Silver Global Hawk pin
7. Two aluminum commemorative coins from General Dynamics dated July 13, 1958; Five year dedication to the opening of the
Kearny Mesa facilities (given to attendees of event)
8. Convair United States Navy Sea Launch Cruise Missile Program pin, also known as Tomahawk
9. Brass Tomahawk pin
10. One golden tie tack of the USS Whale SSN-638, a nuclear powered attack submarine
11. One silver tie tack of the USS Whale SSN-638, a nuclear powered attack submarine
12. One gold tie tack of given to the GD/Astronautics Safety Committeeman
13. One brass(?) tie tack of an F-102 Delta Dagger
14. One brass(?) tie tack of an unidentifiable rocket – possibly a Scout rocket
15. One Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical E-Systems Global Hawk sticker
16. Two GIIIIIIIID General Dynamics Astronautics patch (one large, one small)
17. One Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Firebolt patch
18. One Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Global Hawk patch
19. One Global Hawk ELINT Demonstration patch (America and Germany)
20. One USAF Global Hawk Industry Team Enduring Freedom patch
21. One DSTO Global Hawk patch (America and Great Britain)
22. One Global Hawk 1000 hours of flight patch.
