National Air and Space Museum Archives

Matthew Bacon Sellers II Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.1986.0050
Creators:
Sellers, Matthew Bacon, II, 1869-1932
Dates:
1889-1924
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.68 Cubic feet
(2 legal document boxes)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This donation includes the following: eighteen diaries of Sellers, 1899-1903 and 1907-1909; his laboratory daybook in which he wrote many of the details of his aeronautical work; Sellers' personal correspondence, 1899-1917; photographs, including images of Sellers quadruplane hang gliders, wind tunnels, and biplane; photographs by Sellers of the Wright Model A at the 1909 Fort Myer Military Trials; miscellaneous reports; and family papers.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Matthew Bacon Sellers II (1869 - 1932) received a LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1893 and during 1893-94 studied chemistry, physics, and mechanical arts from the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University, and Drexel Institute. From childhood, Sellers exhibited an interest in artificial flight, making his own kites, hot-air and hydrogen balloons, and various kinds of 'mechanical birds.' In 1903 Sellers began to direct his full attention to aeronautical research and invention. From 1903 to 1925, Sellers was involved with building gliders, aircraft and wind tunnels to accurately measure lift and drag of various airfoil curves. Sellers made his first powered hop in 1908 and among the mechanical innovations that he received patents on was an undercarriage design featuring retractable wheels. He was considered a leading authority on aerodynamics and was appointed to several boards, including the Aerodynamic Laboratory Commission, and the Naval Consulting Board as an expert on aviation and related matters. Sellers was also the technical editor of 'Aeronautics' and authored 30 articles on aerodynamics.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
John Clark Sellers and Matthew Bacon Sellers III, Gift, 1986, 1986-0050, NASM

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Use
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

More Information

General

General
NASMrev


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Aerodynamics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wind tunnels Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics, Military Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics, Commercial Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics -- 1903-1916 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sellers 1908 Quadruplane (Sellers No 5) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sellers 1909 Quadruplane (Sellers No 6) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sellers 1924 Multiplane Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wright (Co) Type A Family Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fort Myer (Va.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Reports Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Notes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diaries Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sellers, Matthew Bacon, II, 1869-1932 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
1909 Fort Myer Military Trials Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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