The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Mark Irwin Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10077
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
1/14/2015
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Mark Irwin Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10077
Physical Description:
1 Cubic Feet
The collection contains 4 boxes of photographs taken by Mark Irwin during his employment with Convair.
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Mark Irwin worked for Convair as the Chief of the Film and Video Group from 1944 to 1977, during one of the most innovative
and productive time periods of the company’s existence. His work covers Convair’s premier programs such as the Seadart, the
R3Y Tradewind, the Atlas ballistic missile, the POGO and the Tomahawk cruise missile.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to the public by appointment.
Conditions Governing Use
For copyright and use restrictions please consult the library director.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection of materials was donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Mark Irwin Personal Papers, Archives, San Diego Air & Space Museum
Biographical / Historical
Mark Irwin worked for Convair as the Chief of the Film and Video Group from 1944 to 1977, during one of the most innovative
and productive time periods of the company’s existence. His work covers Convair’s premier programs such as the Sea Dart, the
R3Y Tradewind, the Atlas ballistic missile, the POGO and the Tomahawk cruise missile. In addition to routine filming projects,
Irwin conducted a variety of unusual shoots such as cold weather (snow) environments at Squaw Valley and Bemidji MN, and in
1956 embarked on a 2-year assignment at Cape Canaveral, FL at the very beginning of the Atlas program.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains 4 boxes of photographs taken by Mark Irwin during his employment with Convair. The collection includes
binders containing photographs, brochures, newspaper clippings, and notes dating from 1950s through the 1970s.
Related Materials
Atlas Film Collection donated by Lockheed Martin/United Launch Alliance
Atlas Photo/Negative Collection donated by Convair
Bill Chana Personal Papers
Joseph Famme Personal Papers
Eugene Rankin Personal Papers
Atlas Film Collection, Lockheed Martin/United Launch Alliance
Atlas Photo/Negative Collection, Convair/General Dynamics
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Convair Model 48 Charger
Atlas (missile) -- History
Aerial photography
Irwin, Mark
General Dynamics Corporation. Convair Division
Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation
Binder 1
Physical Description: contains an assortment of photos and brochures on cinematography and the Atlas missile. Notes on cross country missile trip
Binder 2
Physical Description: contains photos, newsletter and notes from 1955 to 1957: flow test at Point Loma, wind tunnel testing, Point Loma Test Site,
Hollywood star Mara Corday, missile transport, and Cape Canaveral.
Binder 3
Physical Description: 3. Binder 3 contains photos and materials dating from 1951 to 1953: F-102, YF-102B, Sea Dart testing, cold weather assignment
in Minnesota, Sandy Coggan, and Admiral William F. Halsey.
Binder 4
Physical Description: 4. Binder 4 contains photos, newspaper clippings and other materials dating 1954: photo assignment at Squaw Valley, CA; Decompression/Passenger
Safety testing, Convair 240, Convair R3Y Transport Seaplane, Tradewind, DC-4 trip San Diego to Moffet Field, XFY-1 Pogo testing,
“Skeets” Coleman, and Donald P. Germeraad.
Binder 5
Physical Description: 5. Binder 5 contains aircraft and facility photos: PB2Y-2 Coronado, PB2Y-3, B-32, XC-99, B-36, C340, C240, C131, XFY-1 POGO,
XF2Y-1 Sea Dart, R3Y Tradewind, F-102, F-106, and AGM-109. Photos of Convair facility: 2 exterior and 21 interior photos on
a display featuring assembly, safety equipment, engine buildup, fuselage, and cockpit for F-106. Photo of Arthur Godfrey with
pilot in front of F-106 and one of Arthur Godfrey holding model of F-106. Other photos of baseball team, Convair parade float
and people, open house for F-106, pilots in front of aircraft, and 2 aerials of Convair facility.
Binder 6
Physical Description: 6. Binder 6 contains photos taken in 1960s. 13 photos of Atlas manufacturing, 9 Atlas transport, 2 photos of Mercury astronauts,
Atlas launch with Mercury capsule, newspaper clippings and brochures on Mercury project, drawing of Atlas rockets and Mercury
capsule, press release from Western Electric Company of Mercury project, photo of John Glenn launch, Atlas/Centaur launch,
4 photos of filming Mercury Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt Maryland, 2 photos of Mercury tracking
and ground control charts, photos of stations tracking Mercury: Ops room at Cape Canaveral, Point Arguello, CA; Kauai, Hawaii
station; and Kano, Nigeria. 2 photos of Donald “Deke” Slayton visit to San Diego posing with Atlas, Atlas launch photo of
Scott Carpenter’s 107D, photo of John Glenn prior to launch, Wally Schirra visit to San Diego with his Atlas, Wally’s 104D
launch, 6 photos of crowd welcoming John Glenn and Scott Carpenter to San Diego at airport in 1962, 10 photos of Glenn and
Carpenter’s visit to the Convair plant, 6 photos of Atlas transport, 3 photos of 1963 Gordon Cooper at Convair, 1 photo of
Saturn rocket, Atlas in launch stand with moon in background, and various newspaper clippings.
Binder 7
Physical Description: 7. Binder 7 contains images on the Inert Test Vehicle (ITV), Cruise Missile (CM), Space Shuttle and Cape Canaveral launches:
1 photo of ITV 1974, internship evaluation paperwork 1973, film Log for ITV and CM: camera mount, movie department, tig welding
job, 6 photos space shuttle foaming tests, 4 photos on flow of fluid test on TC-1, 4 photos of the CM diagram penetration
test, 2 photos of equipment for filming CM, 2 photos ITV capsule 1974, CM bulkhead cutting, CM fore body, 3 photos CM fusion
welder, 3 photos CM Mandrill and Tail cone, CM fore body section, 2 photos CM Assembly area, 3 photos of Peggy Head posing
in with BM, 2 photos of CM fore body in x-ray lab, 2 photos of assembly of flight control box, photo of CM drop test fuel
tank, CM training aid, 4 photos of CM E.M.P. Model 1975, 4 photos of CM inflatable inlet tests at high-speed wind tunnel,
2 photos of computer welding, 2 photos CM mid body section with wing slot and access doors 1975, 2 photos of vacuum coating
process, 4 photos of assembly area, 3 photos of wing cycle test, 3 photos of air inlet cycle test, 3 photos of BTV section
in lathe, CM rollout 8/27/75, 2 photos of body and wing install, 2 photos of film equipment, photo of recovery parachute container,
assembly area, 2 photos of CM-STV-5 display, 2 photos of hot bench actuator check, 2 photos of assembly line, 1 photo of wing
calibration, 2 photos of capsule sleeve, 1 photo of weld shop, 3 photos of STV assembly, 2 photos of CM trailer of exterior
and interior, 4 photos of the Cape Canaveral camera site, 31 photos of launch at Cape Canaveral, 1 photo of STV-5, CM recovery
drogue schute, 2 photos of Irwin removing ice cycles, photo of 1958 “Famous Scientist” Lecture Film Series, and photo front
of car.
Binder 8
Physical Description: 8. Binder 8 contains 18 photos on the USAF F-106 and manufacturing of the aircraft at Convair and 9 photos of the Shuttle
Centaur with people. Box also includes Model B-32 Erection and Maintenance Manual from Consolidated Vultee, Texas plant. Other
misc. papers on CM.