Tag Archives: preservation

Preserving and Displaying the “Bat-Wing Ship” – March Update

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Horetn

Close up of the acrylic canopy being analyzed by our conservation staff and Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (MCI).

Waiting for an update on the conservation and restoration of our Horten H IX V3 “Bat-wing Ship?” Here’s the latest! Our conservation staff, in collaboration with curator Russ Lee, is working with the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) to figure out the materials and technologies used to craft the Horten H IX V3.  For example, the transparent canopy was analyzed with a portable Raman spectrometer and determined to be a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plastic.  PMMA was developed by Rohm and Haas in the mid-1930s in Germany and the United States, and the material is reputed to have been incorporated quickly into aircraft canopies, gun turrets, and transparent noses. It is lightweight, impact resistant, relatively easy to form, and transmits light even better than glass.  In this instance, identifying the canopy as PMMA confirms what we already expected from our research of trade literature from that period.  It also shows how studying our collection, visually and with analytical tools like MCIs Raman spectrometer, provides direct physical evidence of an aircraft’s manufacture, which enriches our understanding of the history of early plastics in aviation.

Raman spectroscopy identifies materials by shining a laser beam at a surface and measuring the energy distribution of inelastically scattered light.  It is potentially non-destructive and does not require removing a sample from the aircraft.  MCIs spectrometer weighs only 6 lbs. and fits in a convenient “carry on” sized suitcase for trips out to the Udvar-Hazy Center and other Smithsonian museums.

Lauren Horelick is a objects conservator in the Collections Department of the National Air and Space Museum.

Where There is Wool, There is a Way

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My coworkers and I are fortunate: every day, we get to touch pieces of history that few others ever lay hands on and seldom see. Why are we so privileged? We are helping to move some of the National Air and Space Museum’s collections from their previous storage site to new facilities at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Garber

Samantha Snell with wool service caps and garrison caps in various stages of preparation for shipment at the Paul E. Garber Facility. Photo by Eric Long.

The move team consists of contractors, interns, and volunteers overseen by project specialist Samantha Snell. In 2011 and 2012, following much planning, coordination and effort by staff, we helped pack up spacesuits; pressure garments for high-altitude flying; and fur and leather-based objects. This winter, we began the process of relocating more than 1,200 wool artifacts in the Museum’s collection. A year’s worth of blog posts could be devoted to the treasures contained in our shipping crates, such as uniform components like socks used during the exploits of Charles A. Lindbergh and Francis Gary Powers; a beret worn by Jacqueline Cochran; a graduation hood that belonged to Hugh Dryden; uniforms worn by Chuck Yeager, Kiffin Rockwell, Alexander de Seversky and William “Billy” Mitchell;  and even a plush gremlin!

Uniforms

Wool caps and coats, including a Pan Am stewardess topcoat and William “Billy” Mitchell’s U.S. Army dress coat are prepared for shipment at the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, MD. From left to right, Katherine Watson, Amelia Kile, Ashley Koen, Stephanie Harris. Photo by Eric Long.

Representative examples of military uniforms used in World War I and World War II from major participating forces are part of the collection too, as well as civilian uniforms used by commercial airline pilots and flight attendants that reveal changing fashions and subtle (or not so subtle) messages about each airline’s corporate culture.

Each artifact has custom internal supports crafted to match its contours. These supports combat the disfiguring effects of gravity over time, which causes fabric to become stressed and prone to tearing at creases, folds, and seams. All the internal supports are made from archival, acid-free materials that help preserve the artifacts for as long as possible; so that future generations can learn from and enjoy them.

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Members of the Move Team unpack wool caps and other artifacts from plastic shipping crates in the new storage facilities at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center. Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Photo by Dane Penland.

The wool objects were being stored in the Museum’s facility in Suitland, Maryland. The buildings that make up this facility were constructed as early as the 1950s and were originally designed to house aircraft temporarily, so their use for small object storage was not ideal. The Udvar-Hazy Center’s new storage facility provides secure, climate-controlled storage designed specifically for small and medium-sized artifacts.  Now objects of like material and size can be stored together while not on display or loan. The result of this new storage space is maximized efficiency and benefit to the long-term preservation of these historic artifacts.

wool artifacts

Small wool artifacts, like this canteen used on Lindbergh’s Lockheed Sirius “Tingmissartoq,” are tracked in the Museum’s database using bar code scanning as they are relocated to new storage facilities at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center. From left to right, Stephanie Harris, Amelia Kile. Photo by Dane Penland.

As the last deliveries of wool artifacts are being scheduled, we are beginning to pack the remainder of the textiles based on material, including cotton, polyester, and silk. Even when the last small artifact is safely moved, there will be more work to be done. In the new Emil Buehler Conservation Laboratory, treatment is already underway on certain artifacts that have recently arrived. For now, we are enjoying the opportunity to be involved in relocating this unique collection.

Amelia Brakeman Kile is lead move contractor in the Collections Department of the National Air and Space Museum

 

Langley Preservation Project: Thinking Outside the Box

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In 1887, Samuel Pierpont Langley became the third Secretary of the Smithsonian.  Included among his many accomplishments is his founding of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in 1890.  His research in the fields of astronomy, physics, and aviation remain a testament to his diverse interests.  While Secretary, Langley took up the challenge of powered flight.  Langley’s efforts evolved from the study of birds in flight and proceeded through experimentation with small rubber band-powered models.  These early research efforts quickly gave way to more advanced experiments utilizing large whirling arms, and far more sophisticated large unpiloted models powered with steam and gasoline engines.  As the series of his Aerodromes (the name coined by Langley for his aircraft) developed from one stage to the next, Langley improved his design.  He had his first successes in 1896 with his unmanned, heavier-than-air Aerodrome No. 5 and No. 6 models.  Following these successes, in 1898, Langley received grants from both the United States War Department and the Smithsonian Institution to develop a full-sized piloted flying machine.  Unfortunately, Langley’s experiments came to an abrupt end with two crashes on take-off of his full-sized Aerodrome on October 7 and December 8, 1903, and the Wright brothers’ successful flight nine days later.

Following Langley’s death in 1906, his laboratory and designs became part of the Smithsonian Institution’s collection, and care was taken to organize, catalog, and house the collection. This unique collection includes objects from Langley’s research laboratory and remains important due to its rarity and the experimental nature of early powered flight between 1891 and 1903.  Paper, wood, silk, copper, brass, and steel are incorporated into the collection’s variety of propellers, wings, fuselage concepts, engines, and launch platforms.  After preliminary sorting and organization of the material, in the fall of 2011, a Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF) grant sought to formally upgrade the standard of this rare collection’s storage, and to provide valuable documentary information to researchers that was not previously available.  Some of the goals for the re-housing aspect of the project were to provide the collection with adequate or upgraded object supports and housing, and to prepare the collection for its eventual move to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.  Additional goals were to ensure the collection’s survival into the future by  improving documentation and addressing stabilization issues identified in the course of surveying.

Based on the diversity of the objects within the collection, we have had to consider innovative solutions in order to accommodate the varying sizes, materials, and conditions of the objects.   Due to the fragility of some objects, consideration was given to the quality of both the materials used and the support systems constructed.  When choosing materials for the re-housing project, we sought out products that are chemically stable, durable, and would not negatively impact the object.  Each artifact has different storage requirements and often calls for custom-made support systems in order to address the needs of the artifact, rather than trying to make the artifact fit a standardized system. Prior to constructing supports and housings, each object underwent a thorough inspection of its current condition and the identification of the safest points to support the object to avoid unnecessary damage during the course of handling and movement.  Archival materials such as ethafoam provide a sturdy support for the object; cushioning materials such as volara were then used to line the foam to provide a surface for the object to rest on. In some cases, a non-abrading surface was incorporated into the construction.  Archival tissue paper was sometimes used between the objects and their supports as an additional separating and buffering layer.  All supports were made of ethafoam carved to conform to the object’s shape and engage various points of contact; heat welding, rather than adhesive was used to cover the foam with volara in order to minimize the use of adhesives within enclosures.  Below are some of the solutions that we have constructed during the project.

 

Box Wing

Box wing on pallet (top); box wing resting inside drop-front box (lower)

When considering proper storage for the Box-Wing, forethought was given to the wing’s delicate wooden frame and heavily degrading silk surface. There were few points of contact in which the object could be safely engaged in order to prevent movement, while avoiding areas with delicate silk components.  A set of bumper supports strategically placed prevents movement of the wing horizontally, while the tight fit of the bumper pairs keeps the wing from displacing vertically.  The wing was placed on a two-tiered pallet system within a drop-front box in order to allow for ease of movement of the object without having to handle it directly, while providing a storage area for detached silk fragments beneath the wing, preventing disassociation.  This also served to reduce the footprint of the box’s size in storage.

 

Main Tank

Main tank cradle support; secondary tank and tubing cradles; overview of assembly with cradle supports (clockwise from top left)

The Tank Assembly consists of two copper tanks and associated piping extending in upward and opposite directions. The various sizes of the components of the objects required specialized cradle supports in order to prevent further deformation and damage.  This required individually designed supports of various heights and angles.  Twill tape was then used to mechanically prevent movement out of the cradles.

 

Boat Model

Boat model in drop-front box with project members for scale; rear cradle support with post for stabilization; front cradle with side walls to prevent movement; overview of lower cavity packing and supports (clockwise from top left)

When approaching the Boat Model it was realized that a combination of support types was needed in order to accommodate the main assembly of the object as well as the detached components. The model in its current state is unable to support itself.  Due to the large nature of the model, we were also challenged by a limited ability to increase its existing footprint within storage.  These considerations forced us to create an intricate support system that allowed all the pieces to fit together within a set parameter.  The model was stabilized using a combination of cradle and support pieces in order to prevent tilting and shifting of the object.  The front support was a cradle with two ridges to support the edges of the base, minimizing contact with a flaking surface, while the rear support featured a cradle and support post that fit within the rear well on the model and further prevented movement.  In order to minimize the space taken up by the detached elements, a cavity packing method was implemented within the space below the object.  These inlays were specially carved to fit each element and twill tape was used to prevent their vertical movement. The entire ethafoam support system was palletized on a piece of archival blue board to allow for ease of transfer to and from the object’s housing, as well as increase the strength of the support system.   A track was created from ethafoam to help guide the tray into its drop-front housing; the track also locks the tray into place and prevents vertical movement.

From the objects we have encountered so far, we have realized the true importance of creating specialized support structures and enclosures that will aid with research access and the survival of the artifact into the future.  When creating supports and enclosures, one must consider what is best for the object and seek out new and innovative systems; we learned you must really “think outside the box.”

Jessica Bulger is a Collections Care and Preservation Fund contractor, and Eleesha Blackwell is an intern for the Collections Division of the National Air and Space Museum.

The Envelope, Please

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Lee Ya-Ching stepping from the cockpit of her Stinson SR-9B Reliant "Spirit of New China", c.1939. NASM-9A06062, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Archives.

Balancing access and preservation is a continuous problem in every archive. The Museum’s Archives Division’s mandate is two-fold; to make collections accessible for researchers, and to preserve the collections for future generations. These two goals came into conflict while processing the Lee Ya-Ching Collection.

Lee Ya-Ching (1912-1998) was a Chinese aviatrix. During World War II she visited North and South America on a goodwill tour to raise money for the Chinese war effort. After the war, she returned to China. The collection of her papers from her stay in the Americas was buried for safekeeping. Many years later the collection came to light and was eventually donated to the National Air and Space Museum Archives Division. Years of being buried caused numerous conservation issues.

As a processor and the archives conservator, it was my job to determine how these materials are handled. As an archivist, I want the researcher to have access to as much of the collection as possible. As a conservator, I want to protect the materials. When moldy items were found, they were immediately removed from the collection, as mold is a known health hazard to staff and researchers, as well as being detrimental to the collection itself.

Other issues were not as easy to handle. One of these was a large number of sealed envelopes in the collection. Some of these were opened by Lee Ya-Ching and had become resealed by years of storage in damp conditions. The dilemma came when deciding what to do with envelopes that appeared to have never been opened. Should these letters be opened so that researchers can read the contents, or should they be left sealed? Arguments on both sides of the debate had me conflicted as to what to do. Sealed envelopes speak to the character of the individual. Information not received can influence decisions as much as information received. We as processors are obligated to process without influencing the story. Opening these letters alter the interpretation of this woman’s experiences.

Conversely, opening these envelopes gives the researchers access to more information. If these envelopes aren’t opened, researchers would have to be cautioned to leave them intact. Without opening the envelopes, we don’t know what types of materials are inside. Photographs, film, even certain inks and papers could be harmful to the collections.

After much discussion with colleagues, both in and outside the Museum, a final decision has yet to be made. The majority of archivists polled feel the envelopes should be opened, but that they should be segregated and marked as being sealed envelopes opened by the archivist. This would allow access by archivists for conservation and by scholars for research; however, they will know that Lee Ya-Ching did not have the information contained in these envelopes during her lifetime.  Please let us know what you think by posting a comment below.

Here’s more on Lee Ya-Ching – an article from Air & Space/Smithsonian Magazine, a blog post that includes a scene from a Hollywood film, Disputed Passage (1939) featuring Lee Ya-Ching, and a comic book (PDF format) on her wartime adventures.

Jordan Ferraro is an Archivist in the National Air and Space Museum Archives Division.