Guide to the Harlan D. Fowler Papers
MSS.1995.04
Sara Chabino
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
© 2004
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
special.collections@sjsu.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: Harlan D. Fowler Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS-1995-04
Physical Description:
17 boxes
(27.5 linear feet)
Collection also includes materials in 2 flat file drawers, 5 freestanding models and one Fowler Flap Model in a box.
Date (inclusive): 1920-1980
Abstract: The Harlan D. Fowler Papers (1920-1980) document the career of Harlan D. Fowler, inventor and aviation engineer. The collection
consists of his professional papers including technical reports, blueprints, original data, technical publications, drawings,
and photographs, as well as airplane models relating primarily to the Fowler flap and the Fowler-designed air cargo container.
Access
Collection is open for research, however, the negatives and the Fowler drawings are restricted. Written permission is required
to access these drawings, and usage of the materials is subject to approval by the San Jose State University Library Director
of Special Collections & Archives.
Separated Material
All large-scale blueprints noted in the collection are stored separately in flat-file storage. A model of an airplane cargo
container, which was previously part of this collection, is owned by the SJSU Aviation and Technology Department.
Publication Rights
Copyright is assigned to the San José State University Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
Harlan D. Fowler Papers, MSS-1995-04, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Sara Chabino Lott in 2004. Revised by Mary Ellen Petrich in 2009. Encoded by Mary Ellen Petrich. Reviewed
by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen. Accruals added and finding aid updated by Samira Habibi April 2018. Accrual added and finding
aid updated by Eilene Lueck March 2022.
Biographical History
Born June 18, 1895, Harlan Davey Fowler grew up in Sacramento, California. Fowler married twice and had two children. He spent
his professional life as an aeronautical engineer and inventor. He died on April 27, 1982.
The year 1917 marked the beginning of Fowler's life-long career as an aeronautical engineer and inventor. Fowler worked as
an independent consultant and also for a number of aeronautical firms including: Fokker, The Glenn L. Martin Co., Convair,
Douglas Aircraft Co., Fowler Aircraft Co., the Bureau of Aeronautics, and the U.S. Air Force. He also patented twenty inventions,
the most significant of which include: Variable-Area Wing, 1921, patent #1392005; Cargo Container for Airplanes, 1948, patent
#2442459; and Convertible VTOL Aircraft, 1963, patent #3093347, and 1967, patent #3312426.
His greatest professional achievement was the development of the variable area wing, commonly known as the Fowler flap. The
Fowler flap is a high-lift device located on the trailing edge of an airplane wing that increases wing area and lift. During
the late 1910s and early 1920s, many engineers experimented with wings, slots and flaps to improve airplane performance. Fowler
developed a flap that slid back from the wing and rotated down, creating a slot. This flap increased the curvature and area
of the wing, which tunes it to operate more efficiently at lower speeds occurring during take-off and landing. The design
and testing of the Fowler flap was performed as a private venture, using Fowler's own time and funds.
In the summer of 1927, Fowler and airplane mechanic Stanley Crowfoot first tested the Fowler flap. Several years of tests
followed, after which the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) concluded that the Fowler flap would reduce landing
speed, decrease landing and take-off runs, and improve climbing ability. In 1937 Lockheed added the flap to the Lockheed 14
twin-engine airliner. Previously the flap had been used on German planes such as the Fieseler Fi 97. Later it was used on
Boeing B-29 bombers, some versions of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, and the Boeing B-17. Today, variations of the Fowler flap
are still being used on many commercial aircraft.
In 1949 the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania awarded Fowler with the John Price Wetherill Medal for the development
of the "Variable Lift Airplane Wing." In 1971 the Institute elected him to Life Fellow Membership. Fowler was active in the
Society of Automotive Engineers and was elected to the status of Fellow in 1977.
Fowler wrote a comprehensive text on flap design,
Fowler Flaps for Airplanes: An Engineering Handbook (1948). He also published three books outside his field:
Camels to California (1950),
Three Caravans to Yuma (1980), and
Behold the Flaming Sword (1983).
Chronology of Employment
Chronology of Employment
1910 |
Built man-carrying kites of Cody/Hargrave type. |
1917 |
Signal Corps; Aeronautical Engineer Production. |
1919-1920 |
McCook Field, Dayton, OH. Engineering Division; Assistant Engineer in charge of design. |
1921 |
Mather Field, Sacramento, CA; Assistant Engineer; Aerial Forest Fire Patrol. |
1922-1925 |
G. Elias & Bros., Buffalo, N.Y.; Aeromarine Plane and Motor Co.; Naval Aircraft Factory. |
1925-1927 |
Pitcairn Aviation Co., Philadelphia, PA. |
1927 |
U.S. Army Air Corps; Engineer. |
1928 |
Miller Corp., New Brunswick, NJ; Chief Aeronautical Engineer. |
1929-1936 |
Glenn L. Martin Co., Baltimore, MD; Staff Engineer. |
1943 |
Fowler Aircraft Co., San Diego, CA. |
1946 |
Independent Consulting Aeronautical Engineer. Whittier, CA. |
1951 |
McCook Field, Dayton, OH; Engineering Division. |
1956-1957 |
Independent Consulting Aeronautical Engineer. Longmont, CO. |
1962-1974 |
Independent Aeronautical Consultant. Burlingame, CA. |
1975-1982 |
Retired. Solvang, CA. |
Related Material
San José State University Department of Aviation and Technology Records, MSS-2010-06-08
Scope and Content of Collection
The Harlan D. Fowler Papers (1920-1980) document the career of Harlan D. Fowler, inventor and aviation engineer. Fowler is
recognized for inventing the Fowler flap, a variable area wing high-lift device for aircraft still used on most commercial
airplanes today. The collection consists of his professional papers including technical reports, blueprints, original data,
technical publications, drawings, and photographs, as well as airplane models relating primarily to the Fowler flap and the
Fowler-designed air cargo container. This collection documents the history of technology, the history of aviation, and the
development of the aircraft industry during World War II.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into nine series: Series I. Commercial Uses of Fowler Designs; Series II. Fowler-Designed Aerodynamic
Flow Control Devices; Series III. Original Fowler Aircraft Designs and Data; Series IV. Air Cargo Reports and Data; Series
V. Miscellaneous Reports; Series VI. Aircraft Conversion Reports and Data; Series VII. Artifacts; Series VIII. Publications;
and Series IX. Images.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Harlan D. Fowler in 2004.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Airplanes -- Design and construction -- History
Aerofoils
Fowler flaps
Aeronautics -- Research -- United States -- History
Aeronautics -- History -- 20th century
San José State University. Library. Special Collections & Archives
Series I: Commercial Uses of Fowler Designs Series I:
1920-1966
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series documents the commercial use of Fowler's designs, specifically the Fowler flap. Included are photographs that
illustrate the use of the flap on various airplanes in different modes of extension. Items of note include a negative of the
first working model of a Fowler variable area wing constructed in 1920, photographs of the first experimental airplane using
a Fowler flap, the Canuch and other early experimental planes. This series also includes a limited number of press releases,
correspondence, and technical reports of tests on Fowler flaps.
Access Note
Access to negatives is restricted.
Box 1, Folder 1
Photos of XC-99 and XB-47 and Press Release Clippings (1 of 2)
Box 1, folder 2
Photos of XC-99 and XB-47 and Press Release Clippings (2 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 3
Photos of Flap Installations on Various Aircraft (1 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 4
Photos of Flap Installations on Various Aircraft (2 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 5
Photos of Fowler Flap Installations including 1st Installation and Brief History (1 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 6
Photos of Fowler Flap Installation including 1st Installation and Brief History (2 of 2)
Box 1, Folder 7
Photos of Flap Installations (1 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 8
Photos of Flap Installations (2 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 9
Photos of Flap Installations (3 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 10
Photos of Flap Installations (4 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 11
Photos of Flap Installations (5 of 5)
Box 1, Folder 13
Full Scale Wind Tunnel Test of Fairchild F-22 equipped with Fowler Flap (1 of 2)
Box 1, folder 14
Full Scale Wind Tunnel Test of Fairchild F-22 equipped with Fowler Flap (2 of 2)
Box 1, folder 15
Breguet 941 STOL Aircraft Transition Velocities (1 of 2)
Box 1, folder 16
Breguet 941 STOL Aircraft Transition Velocities (2 of 2)
Series II: Fowler-Designed Aerodynamic Flow Control Devices Series II:
1932-1970
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is comprised primarily of National Advisory Committe for Aeronautics (NACA) technical notes and test reports,
many of which contain blueprints and/or photographs. The series includes photographs depicting various flap installations,
as well as newspaper clippings and correspondence, such as correspondence with NASA Ames Research Center concerning scheduled
tests of Ames Fowler Model propellers. Items of note include photographs of boundary layer control gloves, and a letter from
The Smithsonian Institution National Air Museum with a photograph of a Fowler airplane model on display at the museum.
Arrangement
The series is arranged according to its original order into six subseries: Boundary Layer Control, Flaps, Ailerons, Ducted
Fans and Deflected Slipstream, Dragulator, and Miscellaneous.
Folder 1/17-56, 2/1-21
Fowler-Designed Aerodynamic Flow Control Devices
1932-1970
Box 1, folder 17
Method for Improving the Inherent Weaknesses of Supersonic Airplane
Box 1, Folder 18
Boundary Layer Control, Detachable Boundary Layer Control Gloves
Box 1, Folder 19
Boundary Layer Control, Description of Boundary Layer Control Gloves
Box 1, Folder 20
Boundary Layer Control, Description of Detachable Boundary Layer Control Gloves
Series III: Original Fowler Aircraft Designs and Data Series III:
1927-1966
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains Fowler's original research, data and designs, documented by blueprints, reports, and charts. Also included
are original drawings, also known as lofts. In addition, this series includes test reports by Fowler and by the University
of Washington Aeronautics Laboratory regarding tests performed on Fowler-designed models. Items of note include photographs
of full-size mockups of containerized air cargo planes, as well as photographs showing the "correct" method of handling cargo
containers on the Fowler sky-truck. Of special interest are drawings and photographs of special uses Fowler proposed for the
sky-truck such as a mobile surgical unit during World War II. Also of note are photographs of test models of the Fowler flap
dating as early as 1927.
Access Note
Access to the drawings is restricted due to limited processing, and requires special permission from the Director of Special
Collections & Archives.
Folder 2/22-41, 3/1-22
Original Fowler Aircraft Designs and Data
1927-1966
box 12-17
Original Fowler Aircraft Drawings
n.d.
Series IV: Air Cargo Reports and Data Series IV:
1937-1979
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains materials documenting air cargo transport, including articles, reports by Fowler, blueprints, and photographs
of the Fowler-designed air cargo transport container and sky-truck. One item of note is a drawing of an air cargo container
titled "Future Air Freighter for Carrying Express and Mail," indicating an unrealized use of Fowler's sky-truck and air cargo
containers. A model of the air cargo container is owned by the SJSU Department of Aeronautics and is housed at the Mineta
International Airport in San José.
Folder 3/23-37
Air Cargo Reports and Data
1937-1979
Series V: Miscellaneous Reports Series V:
1940-1969
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains reports and blueprints, and includes the minutes of the second meeting of the Technical Subcommittee
of the Prototype Aircraft Committee.
Folder 3/38-42, 4/1-18, 5/1-4
Miscellaneous Reports
1940-1969
Series VI: Aircraft Conversion Reports and Data Series VI:
1958-1980
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is primarily comprised of technical reports. Many of the reports include folded blueprints. Also included is a
small amount of correspondence related to the technical reports.
Folder 5/5-24
Aircraft Conversion Reports and Data
1958-1980
Series VII: Artifacts Series VII:
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains models of airplanes equipped with Fowler flaps, as well as a few working models of aircraft devices by
Fowler. Some of the airplane models are on display in the Special Collections Reading Room. .
Sub-Series 1: Aircraft Models
Physical Location: On Display
Lockheed Ventura Military Aircraft Model
Lockheed Ventura Military Aircraft Model
Lockheed Military Aircraft Carrier Model
Lockheed Military Aircraft Carrier Model
Consolidated Vultee xB32 Model
Physical Location: On top of Flatfile 2.
Sub-Series 2: Model Cases
Box 8
Boundary Layer Control Wing Section
Box 9
Lockheed P-38 Lightning Model
Box 9
N2000S Aircraft Model Presented to Professor Thomas E. Leonard
Series VIII: Publications Series VIII:
1928-1974
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is primarily comprised of materials published by NASA and the precursor organization, NACA. Also included in this
series is Fowler's seminal 1948 book on flaps, entitled
Fowler Flaps for Airplanes: An Engineering Handbook (1948). This series is organized by publisher in the following order: NACA, NASA, and Other Publishers. In addition, the
NASA publications are organized by type. NACA and NASA publications are arranged alpha-numerically. Other publishers are arranged
alphabetically by author surname.
Box 5/25-27
Sub-Series 1: NACA Publications
?-1958
Box 5/28-41, 6/1-49, 7/1-20
Sub-Series 2: NASA Publications
1959-1974
Box 7/21-36
Sub-Series 3: Other Publications
1928-1974
Box 7/37
Sub-Series 4: Personal Correspondence
1941
Christmas Card from Harlan and Dorothy Fowler
1941
Series IX: Images Series IX:
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains images that were originally in frames, as well as oversized images and slides. Many of the images were
used to illustrate Fowler's text on airplane flaps. In addition, there are photographs and lithographs of commercial airplanes
that incorporate the use of the Fowler flap. There are also approximately 150-35mm slides depicting aircraft and aircraft
models from WWII to the 1960s, as well as a caricature drawing of Fowler riding on an airplane wing model.
Box 11, folder 3
Consolidated Vultee Model xB32
Box 11, Folder 4
Consolidated Co. Vultee xB-46
Box 11, Folder 5
Consolidated Vultee Model 240