Viewing page 33 of 101

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Smithosonian Institution
National Air Museum
Washington 25, D.C.
September 28th, 1955

Mr. Roy Knabenshue
4241 E. Live Oak
Arcadia, California

Dear Roy and Jane:

It was wonderful to hear your voices Monday night and have that excellent opportunity of discussing your airship and your book. I have been trying to get in touch with Mr. Hamlin so that I could give you an up-to-date report on his decision about the book but I could not reach him, so that will form the subject of my next letter. Meanwhile I am very happy to learn of the arrangement which you have made for bringing your airship to the east coast. I have some good friends in Eastern Air Lines and I will ask them if they can assist with the receipt of this material upon its arrival at Newark Airport and help me further to get it to Washington.

Although, as you know, our exhibition premises are crowded, I hope to find some way of putting on exhibition the fuselage, with its engine and propeller together with the rudder. In that way we will get your name acknowledged and your craftsmanship illustrated. If we can accomplish this during the anniversary year of your 1905 flight it would be most significant and we could mark the anniversary with suitable acclaim.

Entrusting your manuscript to Mr. Hamlin, I have sought the assistance of a person whose knowledge of aeronautical literature is authoritative. I have explained to him that I hope to place this with a publication that can do it justice. "Aero Digest" is an excellent magazine which will be a good medium but Mr. Hamlin will give me an honest opinion whether another periodical, with perhaps a greater circulation, can use it and the possibility of trying for that broader utilization, which should bring with it a larger compensation.

As I proudly told you over the phone, I am most happy to have been accepted as a member of the Early Birds and was honored to be named as its Secretary. I can never equal the wonderful ability and marvelous record established by Ernest Jones but I can try to keep his light polished. You may remember that my original application, presented several years ago and turned down, was countersigned by you and Alys Bryant. I used the same application when I was urged to present it again, thus I wish to take this opportunity of thanking both of you for sponsoring my entry into this distinctive group. Alys Bryant passed away last September and, as requested, I distributed her ashes from the air over Arlington Cemetery. I have prepared a little article about this for the next "Chirp."