Max Baker Aviation Collection

Series 1 is a collection of Max Baker's research papers. Many of the papers are about the Wright Brothers and their contributions to aviation and engineering. The most formal paper is Baker's "The Wright Brothers as Aeronautical Engineers." Baker presented most of these papers at engineering society meetings, where he also presented slide-shows. A slide-show script is also included. Max Baker's patent of the drive shaft is also in this series.

Series 2 contains copies of the Wright Brothers materials and research. Included are copies of Wilbur Wright's diaries (1904,1905, and 1908), Wilbur Wright's correspondence with Octave Chanute (1901-1903), and their various patents. Wilbur Wright's article "Experiences and Observations in Soaring Flight" and research about Orville Wright's wind tunnel is also included.

Series 3 is Max Baker's photograph collection. Included are photographs of Max Baker, photographs and negatives of the Wright Brothers' engines, wind tunnel and its components, the Wright propellers, and various equipment and experiments. Max Baker made the glass slides from the photos to use in his lectures.

Series 4 is Max Baker's correspondence which spans 1940-1967. The correspondence includes contracts with individuals and institutions about Baker's research. Some of the correspondence is with Orville Wright's brother-in-law Henry Haskell. The letters discuss upcoming articles about the Wright Brothers, including a piece in the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Series 5 consists of oversized drawings. These include drawings of the Wright's' 1903 aircraft and engine, their 1905 aircraft, their 1903 airplane propeller and starting trolley details, Orville's wind tunnel and wind tunnel tests, their 1903 airplane, and two large photographs of wind tunnel testing equipment. Most valuable is a drawing of an engine by the Wright's mechanic, Charlie Taylor. Incidentally, the drawing was commissioned by Henry Ford of Ford Motor Company. All of these over-sized drawings are kept in the archive's over-sized file.

Series 6 consists of miscellaneous items such as an airmail stamp commemorative and newspaper articles. Most of the newspaper articles are from the 1938,1949, and 1950 Dayton newspapers. These include articles about the Wright Brothers and their work in Dayton. Other articles are about the contribution of replicas that were donated to Miami University and Oberlin College. A Kansas City Star column by Henry Haskell describing some of the contributions of the Wright Brothers and Max Baker's research is also included.

Series 7 consists of published materials. These include various professional journals, which are grouped by titles, span 1916-1945. One-of-a-kind journals are in files titled "Miscellaneous Journals." Max Baker used these materials in his job as an aircraft engineer and his research about the Wright Brothers. The journal U.S. Services, contains an article about the Wrights' 1903 airplane.