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Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Related Materials
  • Scope and Contents

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
    Title: Andrew Fodor Personal Papers
    Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10050
    Physical Description: 0.41 Cubic Feet One Box
    Date (inclusive): 1904-1951
    Abstract: The collection contains Andrew Fodor's personal collection of papers, letters and photos primarily relates to his involvement in the Mutual Aircraft Service.

    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

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

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.

    Biographical / Historical

    Andrew Fodor was born in 1904 to John S. and Clara Fodor. He spent most of his early life in Connecticut farming. On September 18, 1929, Fodor received his diploma from Sweeney Aviation School in Kansas City, Missouri in Mechanical and Flying. In 1928 Alfred Fefelle founded the Mutual Aircraft Service in Kansas City and was looking for investors. Fodor decided to become one of the primary investors in Mutual Aircraft, along with his brothers. Mutual produced only one airplane, The Blackbird designed by Frank Bellanca. Unfortunately, the depression hit and Mutual Aircraft Service went bankrupt. The Blackbird crash landed on Fodor's farm in 1931 and was placed in a barn until it was discovered in 1995. Fodor's descendants donated the airplane to the San Diego Aerospace Museum, where it was restored. Andrew Fodor died August 7, 1951 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut.

    Related Materials

    O'Dwyer, William, "Biplane in a Barn", Flight Journal. December 1999. Steinberg, Jon, "Historic biplane under Restoration." The Daily Californian. 20 August 1999: AS. Stewart, Chuck. "Oh No, Not Another Biplane in a Barn Story." Pacific Flyer. January 2002.
    *photocopies of articles located in subject vertical files

    Scope and Contents

    The collection contains Andrew Fodor's personal collection of papers, letters and photos primarily relates to his involvement in the Mutual Aircraft Service. The papers and letters relate primarily to Mutual's aircraft and financial problems. The older photo's subject matter involves Mutual's aircraft factory and the Blackbird. The newer color photos detail the restoration of the Blackbird at the San Diego Aerospace Museum.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Mutual Aircraft Service
    Bellanca Airplanes
    Mutual Aircraft Service Blackbird
    Sweeney School of Aviation
    Fodor, Andrew