National Air and Space Museum Archives

Hungerford Rocket Car Photograph Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.XXXX.0882
Creators:
Rocket Cars, USA, Hungerford
Dates:
1929-1934
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.05 Cubic feet
1 folder
Repository:
Daniel D. Hungerford and his brother Floyd S. Hungerford designed a rocket-powered automobile that they debuted on November 2, 1929 in their hometown of Elmira, New York. This collection consists of eight black and white photographs, of various sizes, showing the Hungerford Rocket Car, Daniel D. Hungerford, Floyd S. Hungerford, the car's rocket motor and other components, and interior views of the rocket car from the pilot's seat.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of eight black and white photographs, of various sizes, showing the Hungerford Rocket Car, Daniel D. Hungerford, Floyd S. Hungerford, the car's rocket motor and other components, and interior views of the rocket car from the pilot's seat. Extensive caption information is written on the reverse of the photographs.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection is in original order.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Daniel D. Hungerford and his brother Floyd S. Hungerford shared a great interest in rockets. They began by studying lighter than air craft and built an airplane engine in 1909. By 1913, they had bought their own airplane. In addition, the Hungerford brothers worked as glider mechanics, during which time they invented a rocket-powered soldering iron to aid in their work. They had plans for a rocket lawn mover, but this was never completed. The Hungerfords designed a rocket-powered automobile that they debuted on November 2, 1929 in their hometown of Elmira, New York. The Hungerford Rocket Car, named the
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
after Daniel's daughter, was based on a 1921 Chevrolet 490 chassis covered with a framework made of basswood strips, isinglass windows, and plate glass covered with heavy cardboard that had been painted black. The Hungerfords then had a special fuel injection pump and the rocket motors installed at Gould Pump Works in Seneca Falls, New York. The car's design featured four exhaust pipes in the rear, although only one was actually utilized. In 1932, after operating the
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
on public roads for more than two years, the Hungerfords decided to register the car with the state of New York. After much debate, the New York Bureau of Motor Vehicles agreed to register the car provided "rocket" was listed on the form under type.
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
was given New York license plate number 4J74-78 and was registered until 1952. Over time, the car was improved including the addition of new parts and equipment, new paint, and the replacement of the original Chevrolet cooling system with a 1927 Waco airplane radiator. The Hungerford brothers exhibited
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
at fairs and other events throughout New York and Pennsylvania, and a letter about the car written by the Hungerfords was read on the radio program "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" on January 15, 1934. The last exhibition of
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
took place at Colussy's Airport at Coudersport, Pennsylvania on July 29, 1934. The Hungerfords had initially planned on large-scale manufacturing of the Hungerford Rocket Car with the
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
being simply a prototype, but no other rocket cars were ever made. The Hungerfords also discussed building a rocket that could reach the moon, a project that never made it past the planning phase. Floyd S. Hungerford died in December 1963. Daniel Hungerford allowed Ralph Hodge of Cohoes, New York to take possession of the car in the mid-1960s with the understanding that, in the event of Hungerford's death, it would become Hodge's property. Hodge cleaned the vehicle and replaced the rotting cardboard with aluminum, and the
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
took part in a number of parades and civic events in New York. Daniel S. Hungerford died in 1968. For a time,
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
was on display at "Harrah's Automobile Collection" in Las Vegas, Nevada. Upon the death of Ralph Hodge, his attorney, and one time assistant district attorney of Albany county, Daniel Dwyer took ownership of
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
. Before his death in 1992, Dwyer donated
Shirley Lois Moon Girl
to the New York State Museum at Albany.

Administration

Author
Jessamyn Lloyd
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Daniel S. Dwyer, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.0882
Processing Information
Arranged and described in 2008 by Jessamyn Lloyd, encoded in 2020 by Jessamyn Lloyd.

Using the Collection

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
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access.
Preferred Citation
Hungerford Rocket Car Photograph Collection, NASM.XXXX.0882, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Rocket engines Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Automobiles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hungerford, Daniel D Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hungerford, Floyd S. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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