Roy A. Parsons Aerocar Film
Collection — Box: Film Box 5, Reel: 1
Identifier: 1992-01-11
The Roy A. Parsons Aerocar Film is a small collection consisting of one privately shot 8mm film from 1968 of the Aerocar with inventor Molt Taylor demonstrating features of the aircraft.
The footage, which was shot in Washington State, begins with the Aerocar III (N100D) in its car configuration, towing its folded wing attachment. Taylor and an unidentified man then convert the Aerocar to its plane configuration and take off from an unidentified airfield. The Aerocar is shown in flight, landing, and taking off. Other identified aircraft at the airfield include a Cessna 150B, Cessna 172K Skyhawk, Cessna 140, Piper PA-18-150, Piper PA-18-A, and Cessna 180. The final segment features an unidentified woman posing with the Aerocar as others take photographs, followed by a few shots of flowers and trees.
The footage is in color and is silent. It runs six minutes and 22 seconds.
The footage, which was shot in Washington State, begins with the Aerocar III (N100D) in its car configuration, towing its folded wing attachment. Taylor and an unidentified man then convert the Aerocar to its plane configuration and take off from an unidentified airfield. The Aerocar is shown in flight, landing, and taking off. Other identified aircraft at the airfield include a Cessna 150B, Cessna 172K Skyhawk, Cessna 140, Piper PA-18-150, Piper PA-18-A, and Cessna 180. The final segment features an unidentified woman posing with the Aerocar as others take photographs, followed by a few shots of flowers and trees.
The footage is in color and is silent. It runs six minutes and 22 seconds.
Dates
- circa 1968
Creator
- Parsons, Roy A. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The film in this collection may not be handled, but a digital surrogate is available on our The Museum of Flight Digital Collections. 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.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (One film reel)
Biographical Note: Roy A. Parsons
No information is known.
Biographical Note: Molt Taylor
Moulton B. “Molt” Taylor was an inventor and aviation enthusiast best known for inventing the Aerocar, a widely publicized roadable aircraft. He was born in 1912 in Portland, Oregon. After graduating from the University of Washington, he joined the U.S. Navy in 1936, serving as a pilot during World War II. He was awarded the Legion of Merit medal for his work on the Navy’s Gorgon missile program.
Shortly after the war, Taylor designed the first prototype of the Aerocar. In 1949, he founded Aerocar international in Longview, Washington intending to design and manufacture Aerocars on a larger scale. Only six Aerocars were ever produced. Taylor died in 1995.
Sources:
Shortly after the war, Taylor designed the first prototype of the Aerocar. In 1949, he founded Aerocar international in Longview, Washington intending to design and manufacture Aerocars on a larger scale. Only six Aerocars were ever produced. Taylor died in 1995.
Sources:
- “Molt Taylor.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, June 2, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molt_Taylor.
- "Taylor, Moulton "Molt" (1912-1995)" by Rita Cipala, December 3, 2019. History Link. https://www.historylink.org/file/20929.
Historical Note: Taylor Aerocar
Aerocar International's Aerocar (often called the Taylor Aerocar) was an American roadable aircraft, designed and built by Moulton Taylor in Longview, Washington, in 1949. It was certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in 1956. The Aerocar had a top driving speed of 60 miles per hour and a top airspeed of 110 miles per hour. It sat two and featured wings and tail that folded back against the vehicle.
Taylor planned for large scale manufacture of the Aerocar, believing they would one day be as popular as the automobile, though after multiple manufacturing deals fell through, only six were ever produced.
Taylor planned for large scale manufacture of the Aerocar, believing they would one day be as popular as the automobile, though after multiple manufacturing deals fell through, only six were ever produced.
Existence and Location of Copies
Materials from this collection have been digitized and are available at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections.
Creator
- Parsons, Roy A. (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Roy A. Parsons Aerocar Film
- Status
- Completed - Level 2
- Author
- A. Matthews
- Date
- 2021
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Sponsor
- Processing, cataloging, and digitization of the film in this collection was made possible by a Council on Libraries and Information Resources (CLIR) "Recordings at Risk" grant.
- Edition statement
- 1st edition
Repository Details
Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository
Contact:
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org