Descriptive Finding Guide for Mort W. Brown Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10021

Finding aid prepared by Stephania Avillar
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA, 92101
(619) 234-8291
June 27, 2014


Title: Mort W. Brown Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10021
Contributing Institution: San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 0.44 Cubic feet One box, 15” x 5” x 10.25”
Date (inclusive): 1908-2006
Abstract: This collection contains materials related to the life and work of Mort W. Brown (1908- ), the first (retired) Chief Pilot of Production Flight Test with the Cessna Aicraft Company, working from 1937 to 1972.

Biographical/Historical note

Morton W. Brown (1908- ), is the first (retired) Chief Pilot of Production Flight Test with the Cessna Aicraft Company, working from 1937 to 1972. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, before the age of 10, his family moved to Colorado, where Brown became fascinated with flight. In 1927 he joined the US Marines, serving aboard the USS California until his honorable discharge in 1931. He then attended Eddie Martin’s School of Aviation in Santa Ana, CA, and obtained his transport pilot license in 1933, returning to Denver afterwards to look for work.
Eventually, in 1937, he was employed at the Cessna Aircraft Company as a sales manager and test pilot. He worked for Cessna for approximately 35 years. During this time, he was responsible for the release of 85,000 airplanes through Production Flight Test, of which he personally flew the first hour(s) on over 14,000 airplanes. When he retired in 1972, he had accumulated 20,760 actual flight hours, documented in 23 logbooks.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

The materials in this collection were donated to the San Diego Air & Space Museum in 2006.

Conditions Governing Access note

The collection is open to researchers by appointment.

Conditions Governing Use note

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

Related Archival Materials note

Digitaized images from this collection are available for viewing at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/sets/72157634327306950

Scope and Contents note

One box, 15” x 5” x 10.25”, contains three CD canisters containing numerous photos and digital copies of photos, publications, documents, news clippings and magazine articles, as well as log book scans. There is also a CD and printed hardcopy of his biography, “Pistons, Props, and Trail Draggers.”

Preferred Citation note

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

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Cessna Aircraft Company.
Flight testing
Nineteen fifties
Nineteen forties
Nineteen seventies
Nineteen sixties
Nineteen thirties
Private planes
Private planes--Flight testing
Test pilots

 

Box 01

 

Item 01 – CD Canisters

Scope and Contents note

Three CD Canisters 1.Small Canister, contains scans of… a.Coverletter, contents and descriptions b.JPEG Master 1&2 of historical Mort Brown & Cessna photos, publications, documents, news clippings, and magazine articles from 1937 – 2006. c.JPEG Master – Mort Brown’s log books d.Free CDs for researchers, etc, containing excerpts of Mort’s Aviation History.
2.First Large Canister a.Duplicate copy of the above, including a master CD of Mort’s aviation history. b.TIFF – Mort Brown’s entire collection of historical photos, documents, etc c.TIFF – Mort Brown log books 1-3.
3.Second Large Canister a.TIFF – Mort Brown logbooks 4-23.
 

Item 02 – Pistons, Props, and Tail Draggers

Scope and Contents note

Binder held hard copy of “Pistons, Props, and Tail Draggers: Excerpts from Mort’s Aviation History,” as well as CD copy.
 

Item 03 – Note from Mort & Sharon Brown

Scope and Contents note

Inventory and letter containing information about the donation from Mort and Sharon Brown, ~17 pages, dated October 24, 2006.