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The Rubye Berau Collection measures 0.18 cubic feet and dates from 1931-1977. The collection materials document Berau's aviation career.
Rubye Berau (1900-1978) was the proprietor of "The Canteen" in Akron, Ohio, when she became interested in aviation. In 1931, she became a member of the Squadron of Death (S.O.D.), an all-woman group of student fliers based at the Akron Airport. The Squadron had thirteen members and met the second Friday of each month and always on a Friday the 13th. Berau completed her training under Ray "Kitch" Kitchingman and received her pilot's license on August 23, 1932. She was part of an act with Babe Smith Walker, where Berau flew the aircraft and Walker was the parachute jumper. Berau also bought an aircraft, flown by Kitchingman, which was used to charter trips. She was a member of the Ninety-Nines.
NASM.2004.0066
Berau, Rubye, 1900-1978
bulk 1931-1977
Robert B. Cooley, Gift, 2004, NASM.2004.0066
0.18 Cubic feet (1 flat box)
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of the following types of material chronicling the aviation career of Rubye Berau: scrapbook pages; photographs, including shots of Berau, Babe Walker Smith, Admiral T. G. W. Settle, Harry Harter, Major Addison, Ray "Kitch" Kitchingman, Jimmy Doolittle, and groups shots of Squadron of Death (S. O. D.) members; newspaper articles; Berau's logbook (1931-1936); Berau's 1935 noncommercial pilot's license; telegram; S.O.D. Emblem; and autographed National Air Race tickets, 1934-1935. Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.
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.
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Rubye Berau Collection, Acc. 2004.0066, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Women air pilots
Aeronautics -- Exhibitions
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Articles
Logs (records)
Telegrams
Tickets