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 Summary

Donald A. Gerds was a senior concept interior designer for Douglas Aircraft Company who worked on the DC series of aircraft. This collection consists of approximately 1.74 cubic feet of material relating to the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and its predecessor aircraft models DC-8 and DC-9, including photographs, sketches, publications, and technical reports.

 Biographical / Historical

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine jet airliner designed for medium to long range flights. Production began in 1968 and 368 commercial DC-10s were delivered before production ended in 1989. A total of six commercial models of the DC-10 were developed. The first, the Series 10, entered scheduled airline service for American Airlines and United Airlines in August 1971. Series 30 and Series 40 models with intercontinental range were introduced in 1972. The DC-10CF (convertible freighter) followed in 1973 and could be arranged to accommodate either passengers or cargo. In 1979, Series 15 was introduced with a combination of smaller airframe and more powerful engines for optimal performance in high-altitude airports in hot climates. Finally, Federal Express ordered the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Series 30F, an all-cargo aircraft, which went into service in 1986. The DC-10 family of aircraft were designed with roomy cabin interiors and sophisticated climate control and pressurization systems allowing for separate temperature controls in different parts of the aircraft. They were also specifically designed to use existing airport facilities and to have quieter operation. The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender was a military variant of the DC-10 and 60 of them were built and delivered to the U.S. Air Force between March 1981 and November 1988. Donald A. Gerds was a senior concept interior designer for Douglas Aircraft Company who worked on the DC series of aircraft.

 Identifier

NASM.2014.0013

Creator

Gerds, Donald A.

Date

1959-1987

bulk 1959-1971

Provenance

Donald A. Gerds, Gift, 2013, additional material received in 2014 and 2017, NASM.2014.0013

Extent

1.74 Cubic feet (4 boxes)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of approximately 1.74 cubic feet of material relating to the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and its predecessor aircraft models DC-8 and DC-9. The material includes photographs, sketches, publications, and technical reports. Many of the photographs and sketches portray interior mock-ups or models, including concepts that were not built. The collection also includes two sets of lithographs; a color post card; and four color prints for framing depicting various McDonnell Douglas aircraft models.

Arrangement note

Collection is arranged by type of aircraft and then by topic within those sections. Donor provided most of the arrangement and original folder titles were kept where applicable. Folder titles added by the archivist appear in brackets.

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

McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Material [Gerds], NASM.2014.0013, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics

Aeronautics, Commercial

Aircraft industry

McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Family

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographic prints

Sketches

Technical reports