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16.

Nelson and Mr. Andrew Caffrey have resulted in the procurement of air mail data new to the Museum records. At the present time, the factual material collected has been utilized in improving our files but there is a definite potential therein for exhibits. This will be investigated as time permits.

Airmail history is often associate with the story of air pick-up operations as practiced by Godfrey Cabot [strikethrough],[[/strikethrough]] as early as 1918     ^[[,] by All American Aviation and other operators. This subject has also received much attention through the Curator's research, with resultant improvement in our records and exhibits.

During the recent war the curator's knowledge of kites became of value to the Navy. This practical application stimulated his interest in these basic aircraft, leading to the collection by him of data on kite history and development. This data has now been organized into a group of scrapbooks with sub-divisions based on types and uses of kites. There is ample material for a publication on this subject and it is hoped to undertake it in the near future.

b. Research by outside investigators.

Many persons were given personal assistance in the use of the collections either in the Museum or on loan. Mr. Ladd Smith, author of books and articles dealing with the development of air transport, was particularly gratified to see an original example of the Curtiss "Jenny" in the collections and enjoyed examining it in detail. Our models of airmail transport planes provided him with associated material. Mr. George Gimeski, also interested in the "Jenny," was loaned the "JN4-D Album"