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Heath Airplane Co. was founded in Chicago, Illinois by Edward Bayard Heath. The Heath Parasol, designed by Heath and Clare Lindstedt, was introduced in 1926 and was soon made available in kit form as a homebuilt aircraft. Heath was killed in 1931 during a test flight on an experimental new aircraft model and the company was reorganized as the Heath Aircraft Corp. and moved to Niles, Michigan. In 1935, the company was sold to Howard E. Anthony. It was renamed the Heath Aviation Co. and moved shop to Benton Harbor, Michigan. After World War II, the company, now known as the Heath Company, turned away from aircraft and, with the help of a large surplus of electronic equipment available for sale, began manufacturing "Heathkits" to make items such as stereo equipment, amateur radio equipment, etc. at home. The company ceased all operations in 2012.
NASM.2013.0030
Heath Aircraft Corp (Heath Airplane Co)
bulk 1920s-1940s
Ron Fritz, Gift, 2012
0.67 Cubic feet ((1 box))
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of approximately 77 technical drawings produced by the Heath Company covering various aspects of different aircraft models including the Heath LNA-40; Heath Super Parasol; Heath LNB-4; Heath SNA-40 Continental Parasol; and the Heath CNA-40. There are also drawings for a stabilizer and various kinds of skis for a Stinson (Aircraft) L-5 Sentinel and an Interstate L-6 Envoy (O-63) pedestal. Finally, there are drawings for various Heath components with no specific aircraft model listed including skis; pedestals; stabilizers; propellers; wheels; wings; fuselage cowlings; turnbuckles; landing gear; and gas tanks. The drawings are mostly original pencil drawings on onionskin and range in size from 8.5 by 11 inches up to approximately 25 by 17 inches. The collection also contains approximately 56 digital images made from originals loaned by the donor for scanning. Aircraft depicted in the photographs include the Heath Super Parasol; Heath Baby Bullet; Heath LN; Heath LNB-4; Heath "2 Place Parasol;" Stinson (Aircraft) SM-6000 Airliner; Waco ASO (Waco 220) (J-5-9-Powered Waco 10) (ATC #41); Aeronca L-3 (O-58); Bellanca Pacemaker CH (CH-200); Curtiss JN-4C Jenny; Fairchild YF-1 (F-1, C-8); Waco DSO (Waco 150) (Hispano Suiza-Powered Waco 10) (ATC #32/42); Waco 10; Waco NAZ Primary Training Glider; Cessna BW; Curtiss XF8C-7 (XO2C-2, O2C-2, Helldiver Cyclone Command, Helldiver A-4); Taylor J-2 Cub; Monocoupe Monocoupe Model 70; and Vickers (Canada) Vedette.
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Heath Aircraft Drawings and Photographs, Accession 2013-0030, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Heath LNA-40
Heath Super Parasol
Heath SNA-40 Continental Paraso
Heath CNA-40
Heath LNB-4
Aeronautics
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Technical drawings
Digital images