The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) required that all civilian aircraft manufacturers obtain aircraft type certificates. A manufacturer had to submit a list of the aircraft's specifications (measurements, weight, and capabilities) to prove the craft's airworthiness. This collection contains CAA files on specifications of airplanes, helicopters, airships, gliders, and floats from 1940-1951.

The Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) was created by act of Congress in 1938, taking over the duties of the Department of Commerce Aeronautics Branch (est. 1926) and its successor, the Bureau of Air Commerce, and the aviation-related responsibilities of the Post Office Department and the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Authority consisted of two branches: the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), responsible for regulating air commerce and accident investigations, and the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), responsible for air safety, control of air traffic, operation of Federal Airways communication systems, and airport improvement. In 1940, the Authority was split, with the CAB remaining an independent body, while the CAA was placed under the Commerce Department. In order to keep pace with rapid growth in civil aviation after World War II, which provide beyond the capabilities of the CAA, Congress established the Federal Aviation Administration in 1958 as an independent body incorporating the CAA, the Airways Modernization Board, and portions of the CAB.