![One of our least favorite surprises in the archives is when we come across unknown nitrate...]()
One of our least favorite surprises in the archives is when we come across unknown nitrate negatives. Nitrate (nitrocellulose) negatives were the first plastic-based film. These negatives are very unstable and deteriorate. Some of the film changes to shades of yellow and amber color. In the final stages of nitrate film decomposition, image loss is total. Negatives deteriorated to this stage become sticky, eventually melting together. We recently found this collection with unknown nitrate negatives. We quickly scanned all of the negatives and have placed them in the freezer in hopes of slowing down the deterioration.
Photo credit: The Museum of Flight Staff
@museumofflight @usnatarchives #museumofflight #archivesofinstagram #archives #nitrate #earlyphotography![It’s time for another #archiveshashtagparty ! This month for #ArchivesSparkle we are showing off...]()
It’s time for another #archiveshashtagparty ! This month for #ArchivesSparkle we are showing off some of our sparkle!
Image 1: Klein Bottle: Klein bottles have been used as models for the possible shape of wormholes and the shape of the universe.
Image 2: Package of chaff: a radar countermeasure. Aircraft would release these to swamp an enemy radar screen.
Image 3: Star Finder map
Photo credit: The Museum of Flight Collection
@museumofflight @usnatarchives #museumofflight #archivesofinstagram #archives #sparkle![Even though it definitely makes us want some hot cocoa and a toasty fire, we love this gorgeous...]()
Even though it definitely makes us want some hot cocoa and a toasty fire, we love this gorgeous shot of an Alaska Coastal Airlines aircraft, likely a Bellanca Pacemaker, afloat at Twin Glacier Lake at Taku Lodge, circa 1940s-1960s. Alaska Coastal Airlines was established in 1939, merged with Ellis Airlines in 1962, and was taken over by Alaska Airlines in 1968.
Photo credit: Robert W. Stevens Early Alaskan Aviation Materials/The Museum of Flight
@museumofflight #museums #archivesofinstagram #archives #earlyaviation #bushpilots #pnwhistory #airlines![Clarence A. “Spike” Borley was an American fighter ace. He joined the United States Navy in 1942...]()
Clarence A. “Spike” Borley was an American fighter ace. He joined the United States Navy in 1942 and was assigned to VF-15 aboard the USS Essex. In October 1944 his F6F Hellcat was shot down and he was forced to ditch into the sea, where he spent five days on a life raft before being picked up by the USS Sawfish. These cartoons, drawn by Frank Rodder, depict that event. Borley retired from military service in April 1968.
Image 1: C.A. Borley, February 1943.
Images 2-4: Cartoon drawings of Borley’s experience of ditching at sea.
Photo credit: Clarence A. Borley U.S. Naval Aviation Collection/The Museum of Flight
@museumofflight #museums #archivesofinstagram #archives #aviationhistory #fighterace #worldwarii #wwii![One other exciting company newsletter from William P. and Moya Olsen Lear Papers is the ‘Lear...]()
One other exciting company newsletter from William P. and Moya Olsen Lear Papers is the ‘Lear FanFare’. Published beginning in 1979 by Lear Avia Corp., the FanFare newsletter documents the work undertaken by Lear to develop the Lear Fan 2100 turborpop aircraft, one of which currently hangs in the Museum’s Great Gallery!
Photo credit: The Museum of Flight Library
@museumofflight #museumofflight #tmofcollections #museums #archivesofinstagram #archives #libraries
