Randle H. Egbert Aviation Collection

The Egbert Aviation Papers are comprised primarily of newspaper and magazine clippings. Some feature lengthy articles and narratives about the Wright Brothers and others only possess brief mentions of their names or photographs. In addition to the Wright Brothers, there is a small group of other aviation-related material.

The labeling of folders reflects types of material. Arrangement within folders is chronological with undated items placed at end of a folder. Series II continues into Box 2 for ease in finding large materials. Oversized documents removed from Series I are placed at the end of Box 2. Oversize newspapers from Series II are located in oversize storage.

Series I, Aviation Ephemera, is comprised mostly of aviation journals and pamphlets includingAerial Age, Air Trails, The Slipstream, Dayton Motor News, The Camera, Trade Winds, and Aviation and Aeronautical Engineering. It also contains several corporate publications including the Consolidated Vultee Annual Report from 1943, The Bee-Hive from the United Aircraft Corporation, and a Wright Air Development Center Welcome catalog for the class of 1959. There are two songbooks. These songbooks, a large journal, and oversize periodical clippings are placed at the end of Box 2. Included with the periodical clippings is a clipping of the "Route of C.P. Rogers and his Vin-Fiz: World's Record from Coast to Coast."

Series II, Wright Brothers Ephemera, contains clippings from Dayton newspapers from 1908- 2004 featuring accomplishments and news related to the Wright Brothers. The Dayton Daily News and the Dayton Journal-Herald are heavily represented. Many cover memorials made to honor the first flight and a large portion also covers the death of Orville Wright. The series also includes journal article pages related to the Wright Brothers. There is a folder of photocopies collected by Egbert from the New York Times Archives which contain information on the Wright Brothers and publications from the New York Times on the Wright Brothers. Each photocopy is stamped with numerous dates that span wide periods but could refer to publication and subsequent copy dates. Another folder holds photocopies of a bound notebook containing lithographs, photographs, and explanatory notations. No citation provides the origin of the book. Prints of artworks featuring the Wright Brothers are also in the series. There are several copies of lithographs created by V. Mellone which illustrate aviators who flew with Wilbur Wright in Le Mans, France. Memorabilia related to the Wright Brothers includes a 99 Years of Dayton Photography booklet, a set of six "Milestones in Manned Flight" medals, and a pamphlet on the Wright Brothers from Carillon Park. There is a file with clippings about Charles E. Taylor's work with the Wright Brothers. Large newspapers featuring historic events and contributions made to aviation by the Wright Brothers have been placed in map case drawer 74 indicated in the finding aid as "OS-74".