The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Burdett Fuller Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10051
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
1/25/2015
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Burdett Fuller Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10051
Physical Description:
0.2 Cubic Feet
One Box
Date (inclusive): 1880-1949
Abstract: Burdett Fuller was a naval reserve flyer who started a flying school and passenger service that grew into an active operation
known as Burdett Airport and Burdett Airline.
Commercial enterprises in early aviation began to develop after World War I when veteran aviators left the military and saw
a future in air travel. Burdett Fuller was a naval reserve flyer who started a flying school and passenger service that grew
into an active operation known as Burdett Airport and Burdett Airline located off Western Avenue at 94th Street in Southwestern
Los Angeles. Fuller began his airline in 1919 with war surplus Jennys and opened his Burdett Airport in 1922. Primarily a
flight instruction operation, he taught Jack Frye, his partner, Bobbie Trout, Paul Richter, Ruth Elder, Frances and Josephine
Wood (first twin pilots) and Jack Maxness how to fly. His flight logbook indicates about 40% of his flying time was instruction
with charter passenger, sightseeing, aerial photography, and therapy for hearing disabilities filling most of the entries
from 1928 to 1935.
Recognized as a pioneer commercial pilot, licensed as Transport Pilot #538, Fuller logged 10,031 hours, 38,225 flights, and
18,259 passengers during his commercial pilot career. He never lost a passenger or student. Fuller sold his interest in Burdett
Airline and Airport to Jack Frye in 1927 and later worked for Douglas Aircraft as a test pilot. His student and partner, Jack
Frye, developed Burdett Airline into mergers with Aero Corp. and Standard Airlines, later flying under Western Air Express
(an early U.S. mail carrier) and finally into Trans World Airline (TWA) where he was president through the 1940s. Another
historic aviation venture involving Fuller and Frye was known as the "13 Black Cats" a stunt team working for the pioneer
movie industry in the early 1920s. Jack Frye was one of the pilots. They were based at Burdett Airport, reportedly the first
private airport in Western United States.
Fuller died December 24, 1949 at the Long Beach Naval Hospital at age 68. He was buried at Sawtelle National Cemetery.
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
The collection consists of 1 scrapbook, 2 photo albums, and flight logbook.
Related SDASM Resources:
A.L. Hobart Photo Album, AL-070
Luke Luqueer Photo Album, AL-073C
Related Research Institutions:
Huntington Library, Los Angeles, CA
Pima Air Museum
Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA
Smithsonian, National Air & Space Museum, Washington D.C.
Related Secondary Sources:
Grand Central Air Terminal (Images of America) by John Underwood, Arcadia
Publishing, 2006.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Stunt flying
Burdett Fuller Airport
Trans World Airlines
McDonnell Douglas aircraft
Fuller, Burdett D.
Box 01
Series I: Flight Logbook – Burdett D. Fuller, Transport Pilot #538 (includes cloth pouch)
Physical Description:
Flight log begans 5/31/28 with certification of 22,643 flights to date; 7,300 hours. Issued at Clover Field Airport, Santa
Monica by Department of Commerce, Burdett Airport, 9401 S. Western Ave, Los Angeles. Log book continues from 6/1/28 to 2/25/35
totaling 38,225 flights, 18,295 passengers, and 10,031 hours. Airports logged as destinations – Aero Corp., Clover Field,
Pacific, Goleta, Mines, Wilson, Long Beach, Downey, Carpentaria, United, Santa Ana, Glendale, and Arcadia. Flight descriptions
– instruction (about 40%, sightseeing, pleasure, and passenger transport).
Series III: Two Photo Albums
Physical Description: Mostly shots of pilots posed in front of aircraft and aerials of the Burdett Airport and surrounding area of Mines Field,
Clover Field (Douglas Plant). Also included are photos of Bobbi Trout (prominent women pioneer pilot). Photos have been digitized
and 178 images have been placed on Flickr.