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 Summary

This collection includes twelve photograph albums and loose photographs covering Doolittle's varied aviation career.

 Biographical / Historical

James H. Doolittle's (1896-1993) piloting career spanned military aviation history and his professional contributions to the aviation field, especially in the area of instrument flying, made a lasting impact. Doolittle became an Army aviator in 1917 and received a Doctor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering degree from MIT in 1925. During the 1920s and 1930s, Doolittle won many speed, cross-country and transcontinental records and trophies and is often referred to as the "Father of Instrument Flying," because he demonstrated "instrument only flight" in 1929. He left the military in 1930 to become manager of Shell Oil Company's aviation department, but returned to the Army during World War II. During World War II, Doolittle led the first raid on the Japanese mainland in 1942, and was later promoted to the commander of the 12th, 15th, and 8th Air Forces. He returned to civilian life in 1946 and served as a trustee of aviation and space companies and as a member of numerous organizational and government boards, panels, and committees.

 Identifier

NASM.XXXX.0501

Creator

Doolittle, James Harold, 1896-1993

Date

1903-1969

bulk 1920-1950

Provenance

Transfer from National Air and Space Museum Aeronautics Division, 1973, NASM.XXXX.0501

Extent

10 Cubic feet (10 boxes)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection includes twelve photograph albums and loose photographs covering Doolittle's varied aviation career, including images from Doolittle's trips to South America.

Arrangement note

There are two Series: Scrapbooks and Loose Photographs. Dates, condition, and a brief description of item-level content are listed below.

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

James H. Doolittle Scrapbooks, NASM.XXXX.0501, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States

Aeronautics, Military

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Scrapbooks