Pioneers of Spaceflight: The Collection of Rob Sumowski
Pioneers of Flight
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. -Leonardo da Vinci
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there I've chased the shouting wind along and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air Up, up the long delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, where never lark, or even eagle, flew; and, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of God. -John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Postal cover signed by Orville Wright
Wing fabric from Curtiss NC-4 biplane, Smithsonian-issued
Wing fabric from Douglas World Cruiser "Chicago," Smithsonian-issued
Letter from Charles Lindbergh to his secretary dated before his departure to view the launch of Apollo 11
Letter from Charles Lindbergh to his secretary dated before his departure to view the launch of Apollo 11
Wing fabric from Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega, Smithsonian-issued
Wing fabric from Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega, Smithsonian-issued
Ken Jernstedt, AVG (American Volunteer Group) "Flying Tigers"
Jimmy Doolittle signed photo, Raid on Tokyo, 18 April 1942
Jimmy Doolittle signed photo
Doolittle Raid, signed by Frank Kappeler, Raid on Tokyo, 18 April 1942
Doolittle Raid, signed by Frank Kappeler, Raid on Tokyo, 18 April 1942
Doolittle Raid, signed by Frank Kappeler, Raid on Tokyo, 18 April 1942
Richard Cole (Doolittle's co-pilot) Doolittle Raid signed print
F4U Corsair poster signed by WWII Corsair pilot John Glenn
Enola Gay print signed by pilot Paul Tibbets and navigator Dutch Van Kirk, First atomic bomb, Hiroshima, 6 August 1945
Sheet of Win the War stamps signed by Paul Tibbets, First atomic bomb, Hiroshima, 6 August 1945
Sheet of Win the War stamps signed by Paul Tibbets, First atomic bomb, Hiroshima, 6 August 1945
Enola Gay model signed by pilot Paul Tibbets, mahogany, First atomic bomb, Hiroshima, 6 August 1945
Enola Gay model signed by pilot Paul Tibbets, mahogany, First atomic bomb, Hiroshima, 6 August 1945
"Little Boy" atomic bomb model signed by pilot Paul Tibbets and Dutch Van Kirk, mahogany, First atomic bomb, Hiroshima, 6 August 1945
Signed by Chuck Yeager, First man to exceed the speed of sound, 14 October 1947
Signed by Chuck Yeager, First man to exceed the speed of sound, 14 October 1947
Bell X-1 signed by Chuck Yeager, mahogany Broke the sound barrier on 14 Oct 1947
Bell X-1 signed by Chuck Yeager, mahogany Broke the sound barrier on 14 Oct 1947
Advertisement signed by 14 Oct 1947 B-29 pilot Bob Cardenas
Advertisement signed by 14 Oct 1947 B-29 pilot Bob Cardenas
Bell X-1 print signed by artist Harley Copic and Chuck Yeager, first man to exceed the speed of sound, 14 October 1947
Bell X-1 print signed by artist Harley Copic and Chuck Yeager, first man to exceed the speed of sound, 14 October 1947
Bell X-1A signed by Chuck Yeager, mahogany
X-3 signed by Chuck Yeager, mahogany
F-86 signed by Marine ace John Glenn
Vought F8U Crusader, Transcontinental world record flight, 16 July 1957 signed by John Glenn
X-15 signed by Scott Crossfield, mahogany
X-24 signed by pilot Bill Dana
X-24 signed by pilot Bill Dana
Pioneers Doolittle, Tibbets, Yeager, Shepard, Glenn, Borman
Annotated working paper of Dr. Werner Von Braun from the collection of Ernst Stuhlinger
David Simons signed Life Magazine, gift from my friend the late Donald Brady