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Summary

This collection consists of a letter dated November 27, 1927 written and signed by Amelia Earhart to Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner.

Biographical / Historical

Amelia Earhart (1897--1937) in 1928 was the first woman to fly (as a passenger) across the Atlantic, and in 1932 the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to fly solo and nonstop across that ocean. She flew many record flights, published several books and accomplished much for women in aviation before attempting on June 1, 1937, an around-the-world flight from Miami, Florida, in a twin-engine Lockheed Electra. She and navigator Frederick J. Noonan were flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island when they disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. An exhaustive sea and air search, ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt, was unsuccessful in locating Earhart and Noonan. Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner (1882--1957) enlisted in the US Army Air Service during World War I, but the war ended before he was trained to fly. So, in 1919, Kinner moved to Los Angeles, California, where he rented a barn, built his first airplane and taught himself to fly. Until his retirement in 1941, Kinner remained active in the aviation business. Kinner organized the following aircraft and engine companies: Kinner Airplane & Motor Corp; Security Aircraft Corp; American Aircraft Corp; and Security National Aircraft Corp. These companies produced a variety of aircraft, including the Kinner Airster, the first aircraft that Amelia Earhart purchased. Kinner is perhaps most famous for producing the popular Kinner K-5 engine and for designing the first folding wing aircraft, the Security Airster S-1-A and S-1-B.

Identifier

NASM.1993.0002

Creator

Earhart, Amelia, 1897-1937

Date

November 27, 1927

Provenance

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kinner, Gift, 1992, NASM.1993.0002

Extent

0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of a letter dated November 27, 1927 written and signed by Amelia Earhart to Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner. In the letter, Earhart expresses her satisfaction with her Kinner Airster and inquires about the status of engine testing and development. Earhart also voices concern that another manufacturer might use the characteristics of the Airster to capture the market for that type of airplane before Kinner perfects the engine.

Arrangement note

Collection is a single item.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Citation

Amelia Earhart Letter to Winfield B. "Bert" Kinner, NASM.1993.0002, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics

Women air pilots

Aircraft industry

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Correspondence