Donald H. Irwin Jimmie Allen Flying Club Collection
Contents of the Collection
The Donald H. Irwin Jimmie Allen Flying Club Collection is comprised of Jimmie Allen Flying Club materials, likely collected by Roy Buckley in the 1930s. The collection contains a membership card for Roy Buckley, four (4) photomechanical prints of Jimmie Allen and other characters from the show, including one of Allen's plane; a Monsoon 800, correspondence about the club, five (5) issues of Flight Lesson, a leaflet with flying tips; a mock blueprint with flying instructions, and six (6) issues of Jimmie Allen Club News. Additionally there is an envelope, addressed to Roy Buckley, that was used to send club materials.
These Jimmie Allen Flying Club materials were distributed by Richfield Oil Company, which formerly operated locally out of an office at 901 Harrison Street in Seattle, Washington (now City Hardware).
Dates
- Creation: circa 1930s to 1940s
Creator
- Irwin, Donald (Former owner, Person)
Language of Materials
All materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.
Conditions Governing Use
The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.
Historical Note: "The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen"
The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen was a radio serial program created by writers Bob Burtt and Bill Moore (who both served as pilots in World War I) for WDAF-FM in Kansas City, Missouri. The program aired in 15-minute episodes, and was broadcast from 1933 to 1937. Jimmie Allen was voiced by WDAF producer John Frank (who was 40 years old).
The initial script revolved around Jimmie Allen, a 16 year old telegraph messenger at the Airways Station near Kansas City, Missouri. Allen is asked by a suspicious man to send a coded telegram, and shortly after Allen finds out that a plane carrying a million dollars is on its way to a bank in Kansas City. Allen figures out that the telegram is part of a plan to hijack the plane, so he teams up with his pilot friend "Speed" Robertson to save the money. In the aftermath of this first adventure, Jimmie Allen decides to attend flying school and numerous radio adventures followed.
A Jimmie Allen Flying Club was also created, and children could apply to join at various gas stations around the country (Skelly Oil was the original sponsor of the show, but Richfield Oil Company served as the primary West Coast sponsor). Members received a variety of items, including a set of wings, a membership emblem, a "personal" letter from Jimmie Allen, a "secret service whistle," and a Jimmie Allen album. The club newspaper was sent to an estimated 600,000 listeners a week at its peak and Jimmie Allen Air Races were held in major Midwest cities. Sixteen year old Murray McLean played Jimmie Allen in the public appearances.
A revival of the show was attempted in the wake of World War II, but it only lasted from 1946-1947.
Sources and Further Reading:
"The Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen." http://www.radiolovers.com/pages/airadventuresofjimmyallen.htm.
Dunning, John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Biographical Note: Roy Buckley
Roy Buckley lived in Redmond, Washington and was a member of the Jimmie Allen Flying Club, circa 1930s-1940s.
No further information is known.
Source:
Biography derived from collection materials.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 legal size file folder)
Abstract
Roy Buckley was a member of the Jimmie Allen Flying Club during the 1930s. The collection contains Jimmie Allen Flying Club materials owned by Buckley, including a membership card, photomechanical prints, correspondence, newsletters, and assorted ephemera.
Custodial History
This collection was donated by Donald H. Irwin. The Jimmie Allen Flying Club materials are addressed to Roy Buckley of Redmond, Washington, but it is unknown if there was a connection between Mr. Irwin and Roy Buckley.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Separated Materials
The following material has been separated from the archival component and are kept in Objects storage:
- Two (2) B-29A identification plates
- U.S. Army Air Forces Observer arm band
- World War II-era aircraft identification card
Subject
- Buckley, Roy (Person)
Genre / Form
- correspondence
- identity cards
- newsletters
- photomechanical prints
- postcards
- printed ephemera
- radio programs
Topical
Uniform Title
- Title
- Guide to the Donald H. Irwin Jimmie Allen Flying Club Collection
- Status
- Completed Level 4
- Author
- L. Zaborowski, J.Parent
- Date
- 2014, 2018
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Edition statement
- 3rd Edition
Repository Details
Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org