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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Glenn Y. and Ronald L. Robinson Aircraft Photograph Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 2022-09-01

Contents of the Collection

The Glenn Y. and Ronald L. Robinson Photograph Collection is largely comprised of a mixture of United States Air Force and Boeing Company photographs, circa 1930s-1980s. The prints were collected by the Robinsons over the course of and in relation to their respective careers with the USAF and Boeing.

Series I: Glenn Y. Robinson USAF photograph collection holds 222 photographs, one negative and one slide that depict various aircraft. The images were collected by Glenn Y. Robinson during his career as the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of photography laboratories for the USAF from 1941-1974. Some prints may have been taken by him. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by type of aircraft and they feature a wide range of manufacturers and models. Fighters are most well-represented with 75 prints and one slide. Aircraft are featured in flight and on the ground.

Series II: Ronald L. Robinson Boeing photograph collection contains 66 photographs and a small amount of diagrams likely collected by Robinson for research purposes during his 39-year career at Boeing from 1979-2018. The images mostly depict Boeing aircraft but a small amount of other manufacturers are present, including Airbus, Beech, Convair, and McDonnell Douglas. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by manufacturer then model. The bulk of the prints focus on various Boeing 700 series models and include many cockpit shots. Of note are ten prints that depict the construction of the first Boeing 737-300, circa 1984; two photographs featuring the Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulation, circa 1960s-1970s; and two prints showing partially obscured views of the Boeing 727 that participated in the General Electric UDF (GE36 engine) low flight test.

The prints are a mix of color and black-and-white shots. Sizes vary although the bulk are 8x10" with some prints attached to larger posterboard. Duplication occurs.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1930s-1990s

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.

Biographical Note: Glenn Y. Robinson

Glenn Y. Robinson (1919-2005) worked as a Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge at photography laboratories for the U.S. Air Force.

Glenn Young Robinson was born on March 6, 1919 to Howard and Addell (Lewis) Robinson in Dillsboro, North Carolina. By 1940, he lived in Darrington, Washington. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941. Initially assigned to be a gunner photographer he eventually became Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge at photography laboratories for the U.S. Air Force. Over the course of his military service, Robinson worked at multiple bases, including Ent, Colorado; Larson and McChord, Washington; and Showa, Japan. He retired from service in 1974 at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9).

In December 1949, he married Irma Thies. The couple had two children. On March 19, 2005, Glenn Y. Robinson died in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Source:

Biography derived from donor information, collection materials, and records on Ancestry.com.

Biographical Note: Ronald L. Robinson

Ronald L. Robinson (1951-) was a flight deck engineer for the Boeing Company from 1979-2018.

Ronald L. Robinson was born in November 1951 to Glenn and Irma (Thies) Robinson in Grant County, Washington. He earned a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado and a Master's in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. Robinson joined the Boeing Company in 1979 and served as a configurator who would brief airlines on the flight deck and avionics systems. He worked on the 747, 757, 767, and 787. As of 2022, he resided in Washington (state).

Source:

Biography derived from donor information, collection materials, and records on Ancestry.com.

Extent

.8 Cubic Feet (1 5-inch letter size document box, 1 2-inch letter size document box, 4 oversize folders (20x24"))

Language

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquistion

The collection was donated by Ronald L. Robinson, son of Glenn Y. Robinson.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Processing Information

Original order as devised by the donor has been maintained. Photographs were removed from non-archival enclosures and placed into protective sleeves. Some items were humidified and flattened prior to being sleeved. Oversize materials were interleaved with acid-free tissue paper and housed in oversize folders.

Related Names

Subject

Subjects

Genre / Form

Topical

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Glenn Y. and Ronald L. Robinson Aircraft Photograph Collection
Status
Completed Level 2
Author
Jenn Parent
Date
2023 March
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Edition statement
2nd edition

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository

http://www.museumofflight.org
Contact:
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874


The Museum of Flight | 9404 E. Marginal Way South | Seattle WA 98108-4097 | 206-764-5874
Contact us with a research request
curator@museumofflight.org