Sanders (Rear Admiral Eddie R.) Personal Papers, 1907-1992

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Summary

Title:
Rear Admiral Eddie R. Sanders Personal Papers
Dates:
1907-1992
Abstract:
During September 1942, World War II Rear Admiral Eddie R. Sanders was a Lt. Commander at NAS Anacostia working as a test pilot. Early that month he received orders to precede to NAS San Diego to examine and test fly a recently capture Mitsubishi A6M2 fighter, the first to have been captured intact by US forces. His evaluation of the aircraft helped Allied forces develop tactics to overcome the “Zero,” as the A6M2 was called by the Allies.
Extent:
0.18 Cubic Feet 1 box, 12.5 x 10 x 2.5.
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, 12.5 x 10 x 2.5. The collection contains one flight book. Two separate photographs of the captured and restored fighter are also included along with one art print of a D1-108 Zero. Also in the set are four separate news clippings (one duplication), referring to the acquisition and purpose of testing the captured Zero. There are two separate magazine articles; one with reference to Eddie Sanders and his recollection of the test and its results, while the other talks about the famed fighter plane.

Biographical / historical:

During September 1942, World War II Rear Admiral Eddie R. Sanders was a Lt. Commander at NAS Anacostia working as a test pilot. Early that month he received orders to precede to NAS San Diego to examine and test fly a recently capture Mitsubishi A6M2 fighter, the first to have been captured intact by US forces. His evaluation of the aircraft helped Allied forces develop tactics to overcome the “Zero,” as the A6M2 was called by the Allies.

As such, Sanders was the first Navy pilot to conduct extensive flight tests of a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2 fighter plane, doing so first on September 2, 1942.

The downed, “Zero”, was recovered by the U.S. Navy on June 4, 1942, in the Aleutian Islands Alaska. It was brought, largely intact, to the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, California for inspection and repair. It was then put into operation and tested over San Diego’s air space. Eddie Sanders took less than one month to compile his significant findings.

Noteworthy contributions, discovered by Sanders, included the Zero’s capabilities in the areas of maneuverability, aileron control and sudden altitudes climbing limits, along with short turning radius noted within various given speeds and temperature ranges.

The implementation of Sanders’ combat recommendations are often described as an important turning point in the Pacific Theater

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 2016-06-02 14:01:56 +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
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