The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Timothy M. Cunningham Personal Papers SDASM.SC .10228
AR
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
2019
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Timothy M. Cunningham Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC .10228
Physical Description:
1.24 Cubic Feet
The collection consists of documents and correspondence relating to Mr. Cunningham’s time spent as Supervisor and then Director
of the SDASM Restoration Department during the period 1972 to 2003.
The collection is housed in one banker-sized archival box, 13” x 16-1/2” x 10-1/2” high.
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: The collection consists of documents and correspondence relating to Mr. Cunningham’s time spent as Supervisor and then Director
of the SDASM Restoration Department during the period 1972 to 2003.
Physical Description:
The collection is housed in one banker-sized archival box, 13” x 16-1/2” x 10-1/2” high.
Physical Description: Description: The collection is housed in one banker-sized archival box, 13” x 16-1/2” x 10-1/2” high.
Content notes: The collection consists of documents and correspondence relating to Mr. Cunningham’s time spent as Supervisor
and then Director of the SDASM Restoration Department during the period 1972 to 2003.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to research by appointment. Some restrictions may apply.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated to the Museum.
Bibliography
Timothy M. Cunningham was born on May 4, 1921. He attended Catholic grade and high schools in St. Paul, Minnesota. When
World War II started, he entered the Army Air Corps as a flying cadet. After graduating, he was assigned as a flight instructor,
and later became a B-24 Airplane Commander.
After the war, he was an Air Force Reserve Pilot, and also worked as a civilian flight instructor until he was hired by the
FAA as an Air Traffic Controller. He served as an Air Traffic Controller in Minneapolis, San Antonio, Burbank, and San Diego.
He retired in San Diego after 30 years and went to work as a flight instructor for the Armed Forces Aero Club at Montgomery
Field, San Diego. He also became an accident prevention counselor in the San Diego area. He obtained teaching credentials
for the State of California, and was employed for one year as a part-time teacher at Mesa College in the Aeronautical Department.
Later, he was hired by his friend Ted Steckbauer at Brown Field where he worked as a technical writer, flight instructor,
glider pilot, tow pilot, and ground and flight simulator instructor.
When he discovered that there was an aerospace museum restoration shop in San Diego, in 1978, he became a volunteer at the
San Diego Aerospace Museum, and helped with restoration of such airplanes as the Ryan SC and the Ryan M-1, Spirit of North
Dakota, and the building of the Spirit of St. Louis III. He later joined the museum staff where he worked for more than 30
years as Restoration Supervisor, and later Restoration Director. He was also a member of the museum's Exhibit Committee.
He was dedicated completely to doing all that he could to make the museum a truly outstanding San Diego landmark.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Diego Air and Space Museum
Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (Zero Fighter) Zeke (Ben, Ray) Family
Cunningham , Timothy M.
Folder 1 – Correspondence – Personal Letters from staff, volunteers and friends covering period 1979-2001.
Folder 2 – Correspondence – Museum Letters regarding Museum projects; air shows; donation material; and Museum activities;
covering period 1972 to 2003.
Series II: Museum Documents
Folder 3 – Museum Staff / Volunteers
Physical Description: Correspondence; referrals; obituaries; lists of craftsmen who built the Spirit of St. Louis, 1978-1979; list of workers
who helped with salvage after the 1978 Museum fire; covers period 1978 to 2003.
Folder 4 – Museum Rosters / Lists
Physical Description: Rosters and telephone lists of volunteers and staff of Museum Restoration Department.
Folder 5 – Museum – Tim Cunningham
Physical Description: Certificates of Appreciation; vacation requests; birthday cards; correspondence; collection of memorable events; covering
period 1978-1995.
Folder 6 – Museum Exhibits / Restoration Committee
Physical Description: Notices of Exhibits Committee Meetings; reports; correspondence, for period 1980-1999.
Folder 7 – Museum – Donations of Restoration Machinery
Physical Description: Donation Records; correspondence; want lists for requesting donations of equipment after the 1978 fire.
Folder 8 – Museum – Events / Invitations (Folder #1 of 2, 1978-1986)
Folder 9 – Museum – Events / Invitations (Folder #2 of 2, 1987-2003)
Folder 10 – Museum – Activities
Folder 11 – Museum Newsletters (Folder #1 of 2)
Folder 12 – Museum Newsletters (Folder #2 of 2)
Series III: Restoration Projects
Folder 13 – Ecuador II
Physical Description: News clippings; correspondence; history; event brochure.
Folder 14 – Wright Flyer
Physical Description: News clippings; proposal; research material; correspondence.
Folder 15 – Zero Fighter
Physical Description: Booklet, “Zero-Sen,” Planes of Fame Publications, 1978 (2 copies); correspondence; research material; Report of Repairs,
New Parts, Deviations and Modifications, November 1984 (2 copies); Zero Restoration Team.
Folder 16 – Air Museums / Air Shows
Folder 17 – Aircraft Information
Physical Description: Brochures; flyers; written accounts of various aircraft, including Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless, Ryan M-1, Spirit III, Ford Tri-Motor.
Folder 18 – Aviation History
Physical Description: Articles containing historical information on aviation, including map of first test flight of Spirit of St. Louis; Junkers
JU-52; Roster Military Order of the World Wars, 1982-1983; Airmail’s Odyssey; San Diego Aviation Highlights.
Folder 19 – Curtiss-Wright Junior, CW-1
Folder 20 – Events / Invitations – General
Folder 22 – Newsletters – General
Folder 23 – News Articles
Folder 24 – Memorabilia
Physical Description: Pocket folder containing a mask for a volunteer’s birthday; decals; pins; name badges; business cards; plus ad for volunteers
on poster board, 11” x 14-1/2” (loose in box) and three bumper stickers (loose in box).
