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Summary

This collection consists of one damaged glass plate negative of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Baldwin (Thomas) Red Devil when it was part of the collection of the Roosevelt Field Museum, circa 1929-1931. This three-quarter right front view of the Red Devil shows aviator Elinor Smith seated at the controls.

Biographical / Historical

After making a reputation with lighter-than-air craft, Thomas Scott Baldwin turned to heavier-than-air flying machines in 1909. By 1911 he had built several airplanes and had gained extensive experience as an exhibition pilot. He began testing a new airplane in the spring of 1911. It was similar to the basic Curtiss pusher design that was becoming quite popular with builders by this time, but it was innovative in that it was constructed of steel tubing. It was powered by a 60-horsepower Hall-Scott V-8. Baldwin called his new machine the Red Devil III, and thereafter each of his airplanes would be known as a Baldwin Red Devil. Baldwin built approximately six Red Devils. Most were powered by the Hall-Scott, but Curtiss engines were also occasionally used. By mid-1911, Baldwin was training pilots, taking up passengers, and performing regularly with Red Devil aircraft at air meets. He advertised Red Devils for sale into 1913.

Identifier

NASM.2010.0031

Date

circa 1928-1931

Provenance

Joshua Stoff / Cradle of Aviation Museum, Gift, 2010, NASM.2010.0031.

Extent

0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of one damaged glass plate negative of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Baldwin (Thomas) Red Devil when it was part of the collection of the Roosevelt Field Museum, circa 1929-1931. This three-quarter right front view of the Red Devil shows aviator Elinor Smith seated at the controls.

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

Baldwin (Thomas) Red Devil Glass Plate Negative, Acc. NASM.2010.0031, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Baldwin (Thomas) Red Devil

Aeronautics

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Glass plate negatives