The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Edward Sly Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10230
AR
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
2019
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: Edward D. Sly Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10230
Physical Description:
.5 Cubic Feet
The collection contains items reflecting the career and interests of Edward D. Sly, including photographs, scrapbooks, and
media articles.
The collection consists of one gray flat oversized archival box, 12" x 18" x 6".
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Edward Dwight Sly was a distinguished aeronautical engineer with Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical. This collection contains information
about his time at the company.
Physical Description: The collection contains items reflecting the career and interests of Edward D. Sly, including photographs, scrapbooks, and
media articles. The collection consists of one gray flat oversized archival box, 12" x 18" x 6".
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to research. Some copyright restrictions may apply.
Biographical / Historical
Edward Dwight Sly was a distinguished aeronautical engineer with Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical.
Ed Sly was born in Calexico, California on July 9, 1919, and grew up in Lakeside, California, with his father Altho (a teacher),
mother Esther and brother Bill. He graduated from Grossmont Union High School in 1936 and immediately began his career at
the Ryan School of Aeronautics.
He attended night school at San Diego State College (now SDSU) over a period of 17 years, ultimately earning a Bachelor of
Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1956, winning the Physics Award, and graduating second in his class of approximately
600 students.
At Ryan, Ed met and married Marion Croome on January 29, 1949. They had four children.
His 51-year career at Ryan resulted in his being written into the U.S. Congressional Record in 1987 as "an individual most
responsible today for technical contributions that have helped create our new era of unmanned vehicle systems." A world record-setting
operator of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPVs), he worked on a series of more than 30 manned and unmanned aircraft built by
Ryan (and later Teledyne Ryan) in times of peace and war. He piloted reconnaissance RPVs during the Vietnam War, and the
guidance and control systems were, in large measure, the result of Ed's contributions. During his remarkable career, he established
unmanned aircraft world records for single-flight endurance, altitude, and career pilot hours. He was a true pioneer with
a lengthy list of professional distinctions.
Mr. Sly died in San Diego, California, on April 17, 2006.
Separated Materials
The following item has been transferred to the SDASM Film Library:
Time-Life Collection "To The Moon," LP set and book.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ryan PT-22 Recruit
Ryan Aeronautical
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Ryan Aeronautical Model 124/BQM-34A Firebee
Sly, Edward
Folder 1 – Scrapbook
Physical Description: Compass Cope scrapbook, large format, 17-1/2" x 11-1/2" x 3", containing magazine and newspaper articles, documents and
memorabilia on the Ryan Aeronautical Compass Cope UAV project.
Folder 2 – Scrapbooks
Physical Description: Four spiral bound scrapbooks containing mostly magazine images of various aircraft.
Folder 3 – Scrapbook
Physical Description: Spiral bound scrapbook containing newspaper articles about the Ryan Fireball aircraft.
SERIES II: Newspaper/Magazine Articles
Folder 4 -- Newsletter: Apollo-Soyus "Rendezvous in Space," newsletter, July 15, 1975.
Folder 5 -- Magazine Life Magazine, May 20, 1957, article on Vertijet, pp. 136-142.
Folder 6 -- Magazine Steel Horizons promotional magazine of Allegheney Ludlum Steel Corp., 3rd Quarter 1956.
Folder 7 -- Ryan School Photographs
Physical Description: Sixteen 8" x 10" black & white photographs of the Ryan School of Aeronautics, facilities and personnel (to be digitized).
Folder 8 -- Snapshots
Physical Description: Envelope with snapshots of people, places, and aircraft (to be digitized).
Folder 9 -- Photographs
Physical Description: Four large format, 11" x 14", photographs of the Fireball aircraft (not digitized).
Folder 10 -- Book, "Lightning Bugs and Other Reconnaissance Drones," by William Wagner, 1982, inscribed by Edward Sly to son
Robert.
