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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Northwest Airlines, Inc.

 Organization

Staff Only

Dates

  • Existence: 1926 - 2010

Historical Note

Northwest Airlines was a major United States airline from 1926 to 2010. Initially established as Northwest Airways, Inc. it became Northwest Airlines in 1933. From 1947 through 1986, the airline was referred to as Northwest Orient Airlines between 1947 and 1986. The word 'Orient' was used after the airlines expanded their route map to include flights to Asia. It was removed from the airline name after the 1986 merger with Republic Airlines. The airline ceased operations when it was acquired and merged into Delta Air Lines.

Found in 29 Collections and/or Records:

Robert W. Radoll Early Aviation Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 1990-10-26
Contents of the Collection The Robert W. Radoll Early Aviation Collection documents the professional and personal life of early aviator and airmail pilot Robert W. Radoll from circa 1920 to 1933. The collection consists of textual material, such as correspondence, clippings, and logbooks, as well as a total of 138 photographs. It is divided into two main series: Professional and Personal.The Professional series has been further divided into subseries: Barnstorming, Northwest...
Dates: 1920-1933
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives

Polly (Peppard) Rohrback Northwest Airlines Flight Attendant photographs

 Collection — Folder 1
Identifier: 2011-02-23-A
Contents of the Collection The Polly (Peppard) Rohrback Northwest Airlines Flight Attendant photographs is small collection consisting of six color photographs that depict Polly (Peppard) Rohrback during her time as a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines (NWA), circa 1968-1978. The photographs range in size from 1x2" to 8x10". One is a graduation group portrait of NWA stewards and stewardesses, most of the rest are more casual group shots. Two images have captions which provide contextual information;...
Dates: 1968-1978
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives

Robert L. Simons Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 1998-05-05-B
Overview

Robert Lewis Simons was a military and commercial pilot in the mid-twentieth century. The Collection is comprised of materials relating to Simons’ career , including log books, military records, photographs, and films.

Dates: 1925-1972; Majority of material found within 1938-1948
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives

Barbara Spraker Sea-Tac Airport Slides

 Collection — Folder 1
Identifier: 2018-07-10
Contents of the Collection The Barbara Spraker Sea-Tac Airport Slides collection is a small collection consisting of 44 photographic slides depicting scenes at at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) in the mid-1970s. The 35mm color slides were taken by Spraker during her work as a tour guide for the Port of Seattle at Sea-Tac airport. A little under half the images depict various U.S.-based airliners at gates and on the tarmac. Airlines represented in the collection includes Alaska Airlines,...
Dates: 1972-1976
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives

James Sterling Commercial Airlines Collection

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 1992-01-21
Contents of the Collection The James Sterling Commercial Airlines Collection is comprised of commercial airline ephemera printed between 1930 and 1990, such as route maps, flight schedules, postcards, flight kits, decals, catalogs, brochures, air sickness bags and calendars. The materials were items provided to customers by various airlines, predominantly ones with international routes, including: Pan American World Airways, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, TWA, Northwest Orient Airlines, Mexicana De Aviacion,...
Dates: circa 1940s to 1980s
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives

Virginia Wagner Commercial Airlines Collection

 Collection — Folder 1
Identifier: 1991-02-20
Contents of the Collection

This small collection is comprised of brochures, boarding passes, promotions, and motion sickness bags collected from Northwest Airlines and United Airlines flights between 1969 and 1991.

Dates: 1969-1991
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives

William S. Zoller Pilot Collection

 Collection — Box Assorted oversize box 12, oversize: folder 1
Identifier: 2025-11-11
Contents of the Collection

The William S. Zoller Pilot Collection is comprised of five Northwest Airlines strike posters. Two posters have 14 pilot signatures, including Zoller's. The posters were used by the pilots, likely during the August 1998 strike against NWA. The posters read: "Northwest pilots on strike" in red text and include the Air Line Pilots Association logo in blue beneath the words. The posters are 15x20-inches and have a white background with blue border.

Dates: circa 1998
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives

Part 2, 2017 June 28

 File
Interview Summary In this two-part oral history, Vietnam War veteran Jerry Coy is interviewed about his 40-year career in military and commercial aviation. In part two, he discusses his final assignments with the United States Air Force and his career as a commercial pilot for Northwest Airlines, circa late 1980s to 2008. He also touches on his post-retirement activities. Topics discussed include his service with the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, his experiences flying the Boeing 727 and 747, flight crew duties...
Dates: 2017 June 28
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives / The Museum of Flight Oral History Collection / Coy, Jerry -- oral history interview

Simpson, Anne -- oral history interview, 2016 January 13

 File
Interview Summary Retired airline captain and Museum of Flight Trustee Anne Simpson is interviewed about her 37-year career in the commercial airline industry. She discusses her experiences as a pilot for Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, where she flew the Boeing 727, Airbus A320, and Boeing 747-400. She also discusses her status as one of the first women pilots to be hired by a major American airline and describes challenges and accomplishments from her career. The interview concludes with an overview...
Dates: 2016 January 13
Found in: The Museum of Flight Archives / The Museum of Flight Oral History Collection

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