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Rare are the folks associated with the aviation community who don’t collect, at one level or another, aviation related publications, photographs, and/or memorabilia. I would go so far as to call it a genetic aviation aberration; a built-in, irrepressible desire to own or simply possess “things” that connect us to the people, art, technology, business, and/or history of flight.
The book that started it all: the 1957 “The Observer’s Book of Aircraft” by William Green w/three-views by Gerald Pollinger.
I remember well the day in 1957 when I made a conscious decision to get serious about collecting aviation books, magazines, and photographs. My father had just returned from a business trip and, as was customary for him in those days, he brought me a gift. It was a book, and though very small, its impact on my life would, over time, become very large.
That little blue hardcover book, authored by William Green, was the 1957 edition of “The Observer’s Book of Aircraft (OBoA)”. On each of its 144 two-page-spreads was a single photograph of an aircraft, a brief history of that aircraft, a modestly detailed specifications and performance summary, and a reasonably accurate three-view drawing by Gerald Pollinger. Designed to fit into a shirt pocket, it was 5-5/8 inches by 3-5/8 inches and encompassed 288 pages in total, including an index. The price was $1.25.
I read every word of that OBoA not once, but many times. I memorized all of the specifications for each of the aircraft and I visually absorbed every bit of detail it was possible to glean from the reasonably high-quality half-tones that served as photographic illustrations. Perhaps as importantly, that small book opened my eyes to the fact that there were other serious publications in the world that had been written about the one subject on the planet that was of utmost interest to me – aviation.
I now viewed my meager biweekly allowance from a new perspective. Suddenly I had a raison d’ étre; I wanted to find and buy and read every aviation book or magazine I could possibly lay my hands on. As I would quickly discover, however, not many books cost $1.25…
Bicycle trips to a local drugstore magazine rack proved a good starting point. “Air Progress”, “Flying”, and – surprisingly – a British magazine called “Flying Review” (with William Green as editor-in-chief), showed up monthly and with admirable regularity. Later, “Air Classics”, “Plane & Pilot”, “Private Pilot”, “Wings”, “Airpower”, and a few other such titles were added to my list.
I was not above mooching magazines I could not afford. Among the latter were “Aviation Week” (later, “Aviation Week & Space Technology”), “Flight”, and “Aeroplane”. Such weeklies only were available by subscription – which was a luxury beyond my means. Luckily, several FBO’s at our three local airports subscribed to AW and when I had the opportunity, I would ask the managers if I could have the “old” issues before they were thrown away. I was rarely refused; the FBO’s were happy to off-load out-of-date magazines.
Books proved to be another challenge. They were exponentially more expensive than magazines and much more difficult to find. Particularly frustrating was simply locating a local bookstore that had any aviation books to sell at all. It took a while for that to happen, but one Odessa bookstore and another in Midland (which was difficult for me to access due to my limited transportation options; read, bicycle) began to notice my sporadic visits and my aviation-centric fixation. As a result, new titles—more than a few of which were authored by William Green—would trickle in one or two at a time. Once in a while my phone would ring and a bookstore proprietor would let me know there was something new on the shelves. I did not pass on these opportunities, though more than a few required a lot of hand-wringing and decision making on the financial home front.
So, my aviation “library” began to grow. At first it filled a small bookshelf, then a couple of bookshelves, then the empty space under the bookshelves, and then the empty spaces under my two beds (much to my mom’s cat’s chagrin). By the time I was in my late teens, I had built a set of floor-to-ceiling shelves and had begun immediately to fill them with aviation books and magazines at a rate throttled solely by my wallet.
One of the several rows of shelves holding the collection’s approximately 10,000 volumes.
To finance my aviation addiction, I accepted any odd job I could find. At 16 I started working for a fracking and acidizing company in the oil fields around Odessa. At a later date, I worked two jobs while also attending Odessa Junior College. Juggling those three balls was a difficult sleep-depriving proposition, but it did finance the acquisition of a rare and complete run of a British magazine called “Air Pictorial”.
By the time I left for the University of Texas at Austin during the fall of 1966, my room at home was filled with aviation books, magazines, and memorabilia (and more than a few model airplanes). Yes, I had tolerant parents. But there finally came a time when I knew I was permanently “out of the nest” and the collection had to be moved to my Austin apartment. Several trips back and forth between the latter and Odessa got everything into my two-bedroom rental, but over the following couple of years and with the arrival of my beautiful and very patient wife Susan (a pilot who was a student in a class I was teaching in aviation history at UTA), I knew it was time to look for larger and more permanent accommodations.
A section of the magazine collection.
Our first home, bought in 1975, was a done deal the moment I saw it had a dedicated library ad-on. The owner was a philosophy professor. He had assembled a world-class collection of philosophy books that was similar in size to my own. His library was well equipped in the shelving department, environmentally controlled, and not an intrusion on the rest of the house’s floorplan. Over the following seven years, it would prove ideally suited to my needs and fully capable of accommodating all the new arrivals.
In late 1983, Susan and I moved from Austin to Ft. Worth with the idea that it would be better if I lived closer to Texas’ aerospace epicenter. The new house’s large, two-car garage was converted into a library and there was an office inside the house where I could pursue my work as an aviation photo-journalist. By this point the collection had gained a modicum of fame and was attracting visitors not only from across the country, but also from across the globe.
In 1992, after some thirty-five years collecting, I had a call out of the blue from the then-still-in-its-infancy Aerospace Education Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Through a somewhat serendipitous chain of events, the team putting the AEC together had learned of my by-then-sizable collection and wanted to inquire into the possibility I might be willing to sell it. Several phone calls later and a single visit by the AEC’s primary patron, and a deal was done to transfer ownership of the collection to the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society (the main entity behind the AEC).
The unexpected sudden sale of the collection proved of considerable importance to Susan and me financially, and it also brought into play the ability to continue expansion of the collection into areas that I had only marginally explored while it was under my umbrella. Aviation philately, for example, was given more emphasis, the number of foreign magazine subscriptions was increased, and the acquisition of the more eclectic aviation book titles published in other parts of the world became do-able.
Around 2005, at the apex point in the history of the “Miller Collection” (as it came to be called by the AEC), it had grown to over 10,000 books and monographs; over 100,000 periodicals; the equivalent of some 80 four-drawer filing cabinets of general reference materials; approximately 1,000,000 photographic images (prints, slides, and negatives), and several tons of miscellaneous artifacts.
The “stored” part of the collection that never made it to the shelves (an estimated 80 four-drawer filing cabinets of miscellaneous aeronautica).
Notable in the book collection was a complete, original, first-edition set of “Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft” (starting with the first, 1909 edition); a copy of “Council In The Moon” (published in 1765 it was the collection’s oldest book); hundreds of signed pieces containing the signatures of most of the most significant aviation personalities in the history of world aviation (a sampling includes Orville and Wilbur Wright, Louis Bleriot, Glenn Curtiss, Yuri Gagarin, Neil Armstrong, Bob Hoover, Jimmy Doolittle, Eddie Rickenbacker, Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post, all seven of the first US astronauts, Gary Powers, Kelly Johnson, Antoine d’ St. Exupéry, Scott Crossfield, Buzz Aldrin, Chuck Yeager, and many, many others).
The oldest book in the collection – “Council in the Moon” by an anonymous author and published in 1765.
An extremely rare signed copy of the first English language history of aeronautics – “Astra Castra” by Hatton Turner published in 1865.
On the artifacts side there were pieces of Charles Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis”, the Bell X-1, the Bell X-2, Gary Powers’ Lockheed U-2, the North American XB-70, the North American X-15, a Norden bomb sight, an encapsulated ejection seat from a Convair B-58, two F-16 canopies (one signed by F-16 chief-of-design Harry Hillaker and F-16 first flight pilot Phil Oestricher), an XLR99 rocket engine exhaust nozzle, numerous propellers (including a 125 lb. blade from a Convair B-36), fabric swatches from famous aircraft, data plates, and many company desk models, etc., etc.
The all-encompassing photography collection included glass plate images pre-dating the Wright era. There were thousands and thousands of original photographs of every conceivable type of flying machine including monoplanes, biplanes, triplanes, multiplanes, discoplanes, gliders, sailplanes, paraplanes, balloons, blimps, dirigibles, helicopters, autogyros, tilt-rotors, lifting bodies, rockets, missiles, spacecraft, satellites, space stations, wing-in-ground-effect machines, and all other forms of air- and space- craft including a limited collection of material describing hovercraft and UFO’s. No stone was left unturned
The first “Air Progress” from 1938; the set included every issue ever published.
Ironically, when the collection was sold to the AEC in Little Rock in 1992, construction of the AEC’s building at the city airport had yet to break ground. As a result, the collection sat in our house (and two 20 ft. storage rentals) for another four years before it was finally moved to Little Rock in 1996.
Over the following fifteen years, the collection continued to grow while being diligently maintained in the AEC’s library, partially catalogued and organized, and used sparingly by researchers and historians. It was the AEC’s pride and joy.
But the bigger picture lay with the slow but inevitable downward spiral of the AEC’s local popularity. Little Rock’s citizens were simply not aviation enthusiasts. Combined with overly optimistic attendance figures, public and government financial support that never came to fruition, and numerous other unexpected shortfalls, the AEC’s mission was slowly undermined to the point of becoming irrelevant.
During early 2011 it was decided by the AEC’s board of directors to close its doors and turn the purpose-built building over to the city airport authority. By 2015 the facility was being razed and the “Miller Collection” was on its way to a new home in the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
As these words are written, the “Miller Collection” has yet to be fully integrated into the SDASM’s library. Understandably, it will take a major effort to make it happen. A lot of time and manpower and money will be required to get it shelved and digitized. As I write, it is difficult to predict the final outcome, but I am optimistic. Some way, somehow, the collection will finally have its day in the sun. Hopefully researchers and historians and enthusiasts will at last be able to use it for what I had always hoped it would become – a world-class history of aviation resource for researchers, historians, and those of us who simply love aviation and all it encompasses.
A rare, first edition, original printing, 1909 “Jane’s All The World’s Airships (Airplanes & Dirigibles)” authored by Fred T. Jane.
I recount all of the above to underscore the point that though I’m not particularly adept at boiling water, I can say with some degree of confidence I am proficient at discussing almost anything related to the aviation community. And in particular I understand and relate to folks who collect aviation books, magazines, photographs, and aeronautical memorabilia of any kind.
If you are a collector and still searching for titles to fill in gaps, let me suggest some sources as follows: ABEBooks.com; eBay; American Aviation Historical Society Newsletter (online); Baumanrarebooks.com; Byrdaviationbooks.com; Stellabooks.com; [email protected].
In light of all the above, I would like to suggest some lessons learned that aeronautica collectors need to know, understand, and contemplate:
- It is inevitable that there will come a day when either you or someone you know will have to make a decision pertaining to the disposition of your collection. And the larger your collection is, the more difficult it is going to be to sell it or to give it away. In light of this, make sure you have a written, signed document that articulates in detail your desires. If there is a specific institution or individual you want your collection to go to in the event of your demise, put it in writing. If specific parts of your collection should go to several different institutions or recipients, specify that as well. Remember that you are almost certainly the only person in the world who knows exactly what your collection contains. Therefore, if there are specific, truly rare items to be disbursed in a particular way, mark them accordingly. Don’t presume that your wife or best friend will know these things.
- The past few decades have brought enormous change to the way books, magazines, photographs, and other miscellaneous aviation memorabilia are perceived and valued. The advent of the digital age has transformed the market place. Collectors are finding their collections have slowly but surely depreciated to the point where selling, even at par value, is a difficult undertaking. Books and magazines have been made redundant by digital technology and the search engines exemplified by Google, Firefox, and Wikipedia. Seemingly countless digital information resources now exist and are available and accessible to the public. Why buy a $25 book about the P-51, for instance, when its contents can be found almost instantaneously on a computer or iPhone – and are free?
- Today, because public institutions (i.e., museums and libraries) have made conscious decisions to become very selective about the donations they accept (some don’t take any donations at all), donors are having more and more trouble finding repositories for their collections. Simply put, if the donation isn’t in a digital format, they don’t want it. Real books, real magazines, real photographs, and real memorabilia take up space – and lots of it. Many libraries and public institutions simply have no place to put new arrivals, even if they are free.
- If you think your collection merits the cost (i.e., has a value in excess of $5,000), hire a professional appraiser (ideally one that has knowledge of the aviation collectibles market) to determine a realistic value. This is particularly important if you or the recipient of your collection aspires to donate it to a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt institution and take advantage of the tax deduction. If the collection (or any part there-of) is accepted, the collection must be formally appraised to keep the IRS happy. And keep in mind the cost of an appraisal has to be borne by the donor. Once the appraisal is finished, the appraiser will provide you with not only a document declaring the monetary value but also a signed Form 8283 (which certifies the donated items are in the possession of the recipient). The latter will have to be signed by the appraiser, by you, and by the recipient entity’s representative. In turn, it will go to your accountant who will then include it with your 1040 when it is delivered to the IRS.
In 1986 during a trip to England to visit with friends Chris and Meng Pocock, I asked Chris – who is a noted aviation historian in his own right – if it might be possible to meet William Green, the man who unknowingly had had such a great influence on my life via his small annual summary of the world’s aircraft.
Chris arranged the meeting, and a few days later, with Susan in tow, we drove to a convenient little restaurant in London where Bill was waiting when we arrived. Much to my surprise, he had brought along another of the great British aviation historians, Gordon Swanborough. The few hours we were together were truly memorable and a great privilege for me.
As it turned out, I had planned for that moment for a very long time. When I removed my dad’s gift of so very long ago from my jacket pocket, Bill could see on my face how much his signature on that small book would mean to me. He reached over, picked it up, and with the greatest of modesty, signed it.
That 1957 “Observer’s Book of Aircraft” is with me to this very day. In fact, it sits next to my desk – as it has for many decades – and I view it as perhaps the most valuable aviation book among the many valuable aviation books I have had the privilege of owning. It not only contains a mentor’s good wishes and signature, but on the front page there is this note, “To my one and only son, from Dad, Larry Miller, with love…”
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If knowledge is power, then books are batteries. They keep knowledge in quite storage until someone wants to reference them. My small library is mostly comprised of vintage aviation technical manuals and aircraft pilot handbooks. While digital formats are easier to search and store (invisibly on our devices), I appreciate the tactile experience of a book. Books do not need special equipment to read (a computer/I-device, etc) and are available regardless of electric power. Can an author or notable person sign your favorite book PDF?
As you mentioned digital online collections are becoming the preferred method of media storage and fortunately for the aviation community there is Air Corps Library. They have become a treasure trove of digitized aviation manuals and drawings. They are preserving hard to find technical information and making it easily available. I have a vast digital library of obscure aircraft data at my fingertips in my Ipad no matter where I go. Yet you will still find me perusing a museum library or old bookstores when I find them.
Good article Jay,
ironically read via digital media.
I agree on all counts, Chris. But I’m an old guy and set in my ways. Like you, I simply love the feel of a good book in my hands and knowing that much hard work, time, and love went into its creation. Sadly, however, I have been made sensitive to the ecological issues that a book represents in terms of natural resources (trees, fossil fuels, etc.). Admittedly computers are no better (possibly worse?). You and I are the last remnants of humanity born in a world without computers. My kids don’t have that perspective. And yes, I see the irony of our mutual responses! Thanks for taking the time to write!
Thanks, Jay, a well done for an issue many of us face. Passed it to the VB Military Aviation Museum (I’m a docent). A summary could be used to explain to folks why the VBMAM doesn’t want your grampa’s books.
Jay, mighty good to see your comments, which of course pertain to so many of us.
Before my wife and I hooked up she did not realize that for a bachelor author, floor space = shelf space.
My primary bookshelf suffered a structural failure a few years ago but the installer was good to his word in rebuilding the afflicted portions. I’ve donated hundreds of volumes plus documents to archives including the Arizona Wing of the CAF and the USS Midway Museum in San Diego–and still have more books than I can easily store. But because I’m still working, it’s helpful to have a variety on hand.
Jay,
Really appreciated your article. There are days that I think I have a large book collection, but nothing like you described. This stuff gets into your blood and to this day, I am still interested in adding to my collection. However, along with that desire comes the knowledge that I am going to have to start off-loading many of the things from all of my hobbies.
Thanks for the ideas you listed regarding books and other written aviation related materials. But like you, I just hate to just of history for the sake of doing so. So much the better if I could just find someone who is interested in the subject and has the desire to learn from it. Again, great article.
Best Regard
Conrad Boginski
What a trove and a story. I became a William Green fan at the same time and was a subscriber to Royal Air Force Flying Review for some twenty years/. tears. Finally disposed of all but two years I kept for memory sake. Thanks for preserving treasures
Steve Mosier
Great article. I really appreciate the advice on planning when I am, “ahem”, no longer here. I wanted to throw out that one of my favorite aviation history pubs is the British publication, The Aviation Historian, in the process of converting from a quarterly to an annual publication. I also have about 15 of the Putnam books, which I am never parting with!