The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Ed Morrow Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10103.O/S
AR
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
3/10/16
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: The Ed Morrow Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10103.O/S
Physical Description:
1.4 Cubic Feet
There are many material types including photographs, negatives, magazines, books, newspapers, correspondence, blueprints,
and drawings. The collection ranges from the late 1920s to modern day material. It is arranged by material type, size, and
subject.
This is a 3 box collection. There is one photograph stored in the Oversized Materials Special Collection (OMSC_00001) box.
It is labeled as MorrowOM_1.
One box measures 15 ½ x 12 ½ x 5 inches. The other two boxes measure 15 ½ x 10 ¼ x 5 inches.
Date (inclusive): 1899-1994
Abstract: Ed Morrow was a key member of the team that built the Spirit of St. Louis
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers by appointment
Conditions Governing Use
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Preferred Citation
The Ed Morrow Personal Papers from the Library and Archives of the San Diego Air and Space Museum
Biographical / Historical
Born in Sherman County, Oregon, Herbert Edwin “Ed” Morrow lived on a farm in Oregon until his early twenties. He studied to
become a machinist, but moved to San Diego in 1922 to learn how to fly. He never intended to work in the aviation industry,
but his mechanical and ironworking skills were sought after. Morrow was a dedicated worker for Ryan Aeronautical, and he was
a key member of the team that built the Spirit of St. Louis. He built the aircraft with precise specifications and requirements
and he had to personally fit some of the parts on the plane under the direct supervision of Lindbergh himself. Morrow was
the last Ryan employee to say goodbye to Lindbergh before his famous flight. Ed Morrow supposedly was the only Ryan employee
to receive two “thank you’s” from Lindbergh – one before the flight, and one during the celebration afterwards. Morrow was
also a roommate of Douglas Corrigan – the “Wrong-Way” pilot – who flew from New York to Ireland.
Morrow retired in El Cajon, California. He was an important figure in designing and rebuilding the replica of the "Spirit
of St. Louis" from memory for the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
Ed Morrow passed away on December 7, 1994 in San Diego.
Scope and Contents
This is a three box collection. One box measures 15 ½ x 12 ½ x 5 inches. The other two boxes measure 15 ½ x 10 ¼ x 5 inches.
There are many material types including photographs, negatives, magazines, books, newspapers, correspondence, blueprints,
and drawings. The collection ranges from the late 1920s to modern day material. It is arranged by material type, size, and
subject.
There is one photograph stored in the Oversized Materials Special Collection (OMSC_00001) box. It is labeled as MorrowOM_1.
Related Materials
Lindbergh Collection
Ryan Aircraft Collection
Album issued to volunteers who built Ryan NYP-3 Spirit of St. Louis Replica; AL-109
Spirit of St. Louis drawings by Morrow.
Separated Materials
Items removed and placed with SDASM Curatorial Department
OX5 Aviation Pioneers Member Plaque for Ed Morrow
Wooden Clark “Y” Section Wing Plaque 1926
Metal tin of Spirit of Saint Louis in Paris with four Coasters
Tiparillo cigar box containing three airplane pins and three badges for Ryan Aviation
Small box with safety film from Kodak Processing 1954
Two white work aprons from Ryan Aviation
Framed yellow biplane on ground
Ryan “Spirit” pictures with Ed Morrow
White envelope with postage and photos
Piper Cub along with sketched drawings of prop plane
Items removed and placed with SDASM Film Room
One box of twelve 5” x 7” negatives of the Spirit of St. Louis
Items removed and placed in Oversized Material Boxes
MorrowOM-1 – Photograph of Banquet at Ryan
MorrowOM_2 – Sketches of the Spirit of St. Louis
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Aircraft industry
Morrow, Ed
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus)
Ryan Aeronautical Company
Corrigan, Douglas
Folder 1 – Morrow Correspondence
Physical Description: This folder contains personal and corporate correspondence between several figures including Charles Lindbergh, Ed Morrow,
Daniel B. Burdett, and Walter O. Locke involving business with Ryan Aeronautical. Much of the correspondence involves communication
and contracts regarding the YPT-25 aircraft.
Folder 02 – Morrow Speech/Notes
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of pages of speech notes, including “From ‘where’ and ‘how’ came the ‘Spirit of St. Louis,’” and
answers to questions regarding Lindbergh and the Spirit.
Folder 03 – Morrow Clippings/News + Photocopies
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of clips from newspapers, newsletters, and magazines regarding the construction of the Spirit
of St. Louis, Charles Lindbergh, woodcarving, wooden planes, American aircraft, Ed Morrow, and the reproduction of the Spirit
for the San Diego Aerospace (Air & Space) Museum.
Folder 04 – Morrow Drawings and Blueprints
Physical Description: This folder contains several drawings and blueprints of the Spirit of St. Louis (from Morrow’s memory), as well as shaping
and placement methods of manifold production.
Folder 05 – Morrow, Builders of NYP
Physical Description: This folder contains lists and information on the builders of the Spirit of St. Louis, as well as technical notes of the replica.
Folder 06 – Miscellaneous Ephemera
Physical Description: This folder contains postcards, messages, lists, memorial booklets, a timeline, a Ryan payroll book, and more.
Folder 07 – Flyers, Write-ups, and Newsletters
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of newsletters from SDAM, Sherman County, Pacific Beach Historical Society, San Diego Trust &
Savings Bank, and more. Most of the articles are about Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis.
Folder 08 – Photocopies and Printouts
Physical Description: This folder contains photocopies of newspaper clips, letters, photographs, and notes.
Folder 01 – Photographs Scrapbook
Physical Description: This folder contains a shoelace bound scrapbook with photographs of planes, people, and landscape c.1926-1927.
Folder 02 – Kearny Mesa Fire/Boulder Dam Scrapbook
Physical Description: This folder contains a scrapbook with photographs, notes, and newspaper clippings regarding the Boulder Dam, The Kearny Mesa
Fire, and an interstate camping trip.
Folder 03 – Ryan M-1/M-2 Engineering Drawings
Physical Description: This folder contains a photocopy of the Ryan M-1/M-2 blueprints and calculations (originally in a binder), compiled by Ed
Morrow in 1992.
Folder 04 – Spirit of St. Louis Drawings
Physical Description: This folder contains a photocopy of the Spirit of St. Louis replica blueprints (originally in a binder), compiled by Ed Morrow
in 1992.
Folder 05 – Douglas Corrigan Binder Biography Newsclips
Physical Description: This folder contains an eighty-seven page scrapbook of newspaper articles covering Douglas Corrigan’s “Wrong-Way” flight and
his following celebrity status.
Folder 06 – Books
Physical Description: 2. David M. Carpenter, “Flame Powered – The Bell XP-59A Airacomet and the General Electric I-A Engine,” (Jet Pioneers of America),
1992.
Folder 07 – Magazines
Physical Description: 1. “NAS Miramar Air Show (1991).” 2. “Clipper – Lindbergh: A Personal Remembrance on the 50th Anniversary of his Historic
Flight” (May, 1997). 3. “National Air Festival, San Diego” (1979). 4. Paul R. Matt, “Historical Aviation Album – All American
Series Volume VI” (1969). 5. “San Diego Magazine – Aerospace: A Dynamic Museum Proposal by Robert Hostick” (November, 1968)
Folder 01 – Oversized Newspaper
Physical Description: 1. Teri Rietz, “Fitting together the pieces of history,” (The Californian).
Folder 02 - Negatives
Physical Description: This folder contains nine negatives and two negative strips of aircraft and individuals.
Folder 03 – Small Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of small sized photographs of people, aircraft, and aerial
Folder 04 – Medium Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of medium sized photographs of people, aircraft, and an event at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
Included are pictures of the Spirit of St. Louis, the replica and Ed Morrow.
Folder 05 – Morrow Aircraft Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of medium and large sized photographs of a variety of aircraft including the Ryan B-3 Brougham,
the Ryan M-1 and Douglas Cloudster, the Ryan ST-A, and more.
Folder 06 – Morrow Personal Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of photographs of Ed Morrow on his camping trip to Boulder Dam, photographs at the San Diego Air
& Space Museum, and photographs from the Rohr and Ryan Aeronautical Corporations.
Folder 07 – Morrow NYP Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains dozens of photographs of the Ryan NYP, NYP structural frames, and Spirit of St. Louis. Many of these
photographs came from the Rohr and Ryan Aeronautical Corporation.
Folder 08 - Drawings
Physical Description: This folder contains several drawings of people and aircraft including the DH4, the Spirit of St. Louis, and Charles Lindbergh.
Folder 09 – Large Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains several large photographs mostly of aircraft and group pictures.
Folder 10 – Douglas Corrigan Scrapbook Photographs
Physical Description: This folder contains seven photographs and one photocopied newspaper article of Douglas Corrigan.
Folder 11 – Douglas G. Corrigan Scrapbook
Physical Description: This oversized scrapbook contains several newspaper articles concerning Douglas Corrigan’s flight to Ireland.
Folder 1 -- XFR-1 Fighter Miscellaneous Drawings
Physical Description: Cut-away drawing, stations drawing, and three-view of Ryan XFR-1 (Fireball), plus a list of ground handling equipment and
a diagram of an electric control box for unknown aircraft.
Folder 2 -- Blueprints, Ryan ST, Part 1
Physical Description: Various blueprints of Ryan ST, including three-view.
Folder 3 -- Blueprints, Ryan ST, Part 2
Physical Description: Various blueprints of Ryan ST and hand drawn sketches.
File Pocket 4 -- Development Data for M1 and M2
Physical Description: Drawings and partial prints of M1 and M2 aircraft from Ryan Aviation.
Folder 5 -- Engine Blueprints
Physical Description: Morrow’s personal prints of structure and engine assessment of a prop plane.
Folder 6 -- Engineering Blueprints, Spirit of Saint Louis
Physical Description: Spirit of Saint Louis printed book and copied poster prints for Ryan Aviation.
Folder 7 -- Spirit of Lindy 2 Drawings
Physical Description: Sketched drawings of wording for Spirit of Lindy 2 airplane.
SERIES V: Aviation Documents (Ryan)
Folder 8 -- Spirit of St. Louis Instrument Panel Information
Folder 9 -- Articles on Spirit Project - EAA Museum
Folder 10 -- Spirit Pictures and Information
Folder 11 -- The Birth of the Spirit
Folder 12 -- Certificate and List of Craftsmen for Spirit Replica
Folder 13 -- List of Workers Who Built Original “Spirit”
Folder 14 -- Lindbergh Spirit Information
Folder 15 -- Project “We” Engineering Booklet 1 of 2
Folder 16 -- Project “We” Engineering Booklet 2 of 2
Folder 17 -- Photos Project “We” 1965, Structure Details
File Pocket 18 -- Project “We” Metal Fitting Patterns
Folder 19 -- Master Negatives for Project “We” – NYP
Folder 20 -- Old Project “We” Blueprints
Folder 21 -- Project “We” Original Design
Folder 22 -- Project “We” Trim and Scrap Templates
Folder 23 -- Airplanes: Types, Designs, Models, Specs 1 of 2
Folder 24 -- Airplanes: Types, Designs, Models, Specs 2 of 2
Folder 25 -- Ryan S-T Restoration Stencils
Folder 26 -- Pattern and Template Material
Folder 27 -- Sketches 1 of 2
Folder 28 -- Sketches 2 of 2
Folder 29 -- Miscellaneous Sketches
Folder 30 -- Solar MS-1 Project
Folder 31 -- Old Ryan Days -- Photocopies
Folder 32 -- Ryan M-1 and M-2 Tracing Pad Drawings and Blueprints
Folder 33 -- Aircraft Sketches and Drawings
Folder 34 -- Spirit of St. Louis Poster Drawing (2 copies)
Folder 35 -- SDASM Donation Paperwork
Folder 36 -- Ryan Guidebook, Notes
Folder 37 -- Ryan Brougham Book, Notes, Photos, Articles
Folder 38 -- Ryan School of Aeronautics Brochures
Folder 39 -- Ryan 20th Anniversary Dinner Program
Folder 40 -- Payroll Information
Folder 41 -- Ryan ST-A Restoration Personnel
Folder 42 -- Blueprint, Fuselage, Assembly, and Ryan Aeronautics, Model ST
Folder 43 -- Ryan ST-M, Ryan Aeronautics, Operation-Service, Manual – Copy
Folder 44 -- Pictures and Drawings of NYP and Aero Models and EAA Replica
Folder 45 -- Model-Covering Method
Folder 46 -- “R-C” – NYP Model Information
Folder 47 -- Views of original NYP under Construction
Folder 48 – Biography of Daniel Burnett, Jr.
Folder 49 – Book, “Tales Up!” Signed Throughout
Folder 50 -- Ford Tri-Motor Story
SERIES VI: Personal Correspondences and Newspapers
Folder 1 -- In Memoriam, Susie Kopplin, 1936
Folder 2-- Ed Morrow Biographical Information
Folder 3 -- Newspaper Clippings
Folder 4 -- Ray Gordon Article on Charlie’s Experimental Monoplane
Folder 5 -- Correspondence
Folder 6 -- Correspondence, Bob Parks
Folder 7 -- Correspondence, Bob Buck
Folder 8 – Book “Tex Rankin”
Folder 9 -- Misc. Articles
Folder 10 -- NYP-Model 1/8 scale articles
Folder 11 -- Honorable Discharge
SERIES VII: Photos and Videos
Folder 12 -- Morrow Album #1
Folder 13 -- Morrow Album #2
Folder 14 -- Morrow Album #3
File Pocket 15 -- Morrow Album #4
Folder 16 -- Pilot Log Book Ed Morrow’s pilot logbook from August 26, 1947 to September 14, 1977.
Folder 17 – Piper Cub Info
Folder 18 – Ryan N.Y.P. NX-211 Monoplane Document Binder
Miscellaneous AV material
Physical Description: 1. Eight cassette tapes.
a. Two cassette tapes titled, “Tape A – sides 1 & 2 ( and sides 3 & 4), Ed Morrow Interview.”
b. “Bob Dale interview of Ed Moorw and Walt Ballard – Spirit #3.”
c. “Ray”
d. “Nona (violin).”
e. “Aug. 25, 1982 KPBS about Lindy and NYP – Ed Morrow.”
f. Two cassette tapes titled, “Feb. 4, 1984 Meeting Pac Bch Hist Society. Lindy & Spirit of St. Louis. Ed Morrow Guest Speaker.
Narrated by John Fry and Howard Rozelle. Side 1 No. 1,” and Tape #2.
g. Copy No. 3 Bill Chana & Bill Immenschuh interview Ed Morrow on March 23, 1987.
2. One VHS tape titled, “’Memories’ made for me at Spirit of St. Louis dinner, June 6, 1978.”
