The Descriptive Finding Guide for Andrew Fodor Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10050
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
12/03/2014
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.
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
[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.
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.
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
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
Box 1; 11 folders
Physical Description:
• Sweeney Aviation School Diploma and tuition certificate, September 1929
• Handwritten Correspondence from Andrew Fodor (1930) on arrival to Kansas City
• Correspondence from parent company regarding Mr. Bellanca and new machinery and stock transfer procedures.
• Various handwritten correspondence to and from Andrew regarding purchase orders, build, shipment, etc.
• Various Purchase Orders
• Various Telegrams
• Various personal correspondences
• Flying Dutchman pack of ten minute instruction flight tickets.
• Various photos of Mutual Aircraft Service Inc. plant and floor with planes and components being built
• Various photos of scale models built by Andrew Fodor
• Various photos of barn where Mutual Blackbird was found.
• Photos of Blackbird and parts that were found in barn in 1996
• Photos of air race and planes
• Transparency copies of photographs
• Transparencies of Blackbird restoration by SDAM
• Unmarked photos of what appear to be a Standard aircraft with Hall-Scott engine.
• Photos of Mutual Blackbird during production and post-production
• Photo of Byrd Expedition Ford Tri-Motor
• Photos of Employees with completed Mutual Blackbird and also in the Mutual automobile
• Photos of 1940's era aircraft