Henry C. Runkel Apollo Collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 1987-09-23

The Henry C. Runkel Apollo Collection is a small collection with visual and textual materials documenting the development of the Saturn launch vehicles used in NASA's Apollo program in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The collection consists of items gathered by Runkel who was Boeing's Chief Engineer for the S-1C stage of the Saturn V rocket at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Of most interest is a bound document titled "Apollo Saturn V S-1C Booster Design and Development" which is a paper written and presented by Runkel at the Fourth National Design Conference on Engineering Design and Design Education at Dartmouth Collection in 1967. The document includes about 35 pages of text followed by about 50 pages of images and diagrams. There are also two 3-ring binders which hold 78 photographic prints and 17 transparencies depicting construction of the S-1C stage, the facilities at Michoud, other unidentified projects, and some launch tests. A few diagrams and reproductions of conceptual art of the Saturn V rocket are among the images as well. The prints and transparencies are all 8x10 inches and are a mix of color and black-and-white. Most are not labed or captioned. Many appear to be official Boeing Company images but some might be official NASA images.

The collection also includes photographic collages and posters depicting Saturn rocket launches for Apollo 4 and possibly other missions; a poster titled "Saturn V Apollo Lunar Orbital Rendezvous Mode;" photocopied notes about Apollo 11; an undated brochure titled "Boeing and the moon Rocket;" a paper placemat from 1966 with space facts. There is also an 8x10 inch color photomechanical print of a B-52 (tail # 80182) releasing ALCM along with a memo dated July 1977 regarding ALCM.

Dates

circa 19666-1977

Creator

Runkel, Henry C., 1914-1987 (Person)

Language of Materials

All materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research but has not been fully processed. Access to the collection may be limited or may require additional processing time. 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

0.3 Cubic Feet (letter-sized half-width document box; one oversize folder )

Additional Description

Biographical Note: Henry C. Runkel

Henry C. Runkel was the Boeing Company's Chief Engineer for the S-1C stage of the Saturn V rocket, based at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. After his work with the Apollo program he was the Chief Engineer for the ALCM program at Boeing.

Runkel was born in New Jersey on July 21, 1914 to Herman F. and Rose Runkel. He received an engineering degree from MIT. Census records show that in 1930 he was living with his family in New Jersey, by 1940 he was working as an aeronautical engineer in Ferguson, Missouri, and by 1950 he was back in New Jersey with his own wife and children. He was married to Natalie D. Runkel and they had two children, Barbara and Frederick. He died on March 5, 1987 in Mercer Island, Washington.