The Wayne Wiesner Helicopter Collection primarily contains materials related to Wiesner's 1960-1990 engineering career with the Boeing Company. It contains textual and visual materials mostly focused on Wiesner's work with helicopters, although a small amount of photographs are representative of his time in Boeing Vertol's wind turbine program. Due to its small size, it has been arranged alphabetically by subject.
The collection includes documents related to Wiesner's membership in the American Helicopter Society, Inc. (AHS), including membership certificate, correspondence, conference poster, papers and program. Related materials include the proposal, award certificate, and typed copy of the acceptance speech given by Wiesner when he was awarded the 1982 Dr. Alexander Klemin award by the AHS. Also included is assorted correspondence, the bulk of which is related to job-seeking; three large lithographs, which depict the NASA Space Shuttle, a Boeing Company chronology, and the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar; a small amount of Boeing Company employee records, including a phone directory, service certificate, and a booklet featuring speeches given at the company's 50th anniversary event in 1966; and personal documents, such as biographical sketches, resumes, notes, and Wiesner's 1940 Oregon State College graduation booklet.
There are also a small amount of visual materials. Nineteen photographs depict various helicopters and autogiros both in flight and on the ground, two of which are photographic reproductions of concept art for U.S. Army transport helicopters. Identified models include the Boeing CH-47 Chinook, Hiller H-23, Kellett XR-10 and Mil Mi-26. There is also one photograph of an unidentified biplane and a poster of NASA NF-81 Space Shuttle, circa 1978. Additionally, there are 4 prints and 2 negatives of windmills and wind turbines. The negatives match prints in the collection. Also included is a 4x4 inch watercolor of a farm with windmill by E. Marshall. Photographs vary in size from 4x5 to 8x10 inches. Some include matboard on the back. Very few have captions with identifying information, although one has a "Hiller Helicopters" stamp. The prints are in both color and black-and-white. Dduplication occurs.
The collection includes documents related to Wiesner's membership in the American Helicopter Society, Inc. (AHS), including membership certificate, correspondence, conference poster, papers and program. Related materials include the proposal, award certificate, and typed copy of the acceptance speech given by Wiesner when he was awarded the 1982 Dr. Alexander Klemin award by the AHS. Also included is assorted correspondence, the bulk of which is related to job-seeking; three large lithographs, which depict the NASA Space Shuttle, a Boeing Company chronology, and the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar; a small amount of Boeing Company employee records, including a phone directory, service certificate, and a booklet featuring speeches given at the company's 50th anniversary event in 1966; and personal documents, such as biographical sketches, resumes, notes, and Wiesner's 1940 Oregon State College graduation booklet.
There are also a small amount of visual materials. Nineteen photographs depict various helicopters and autogiros both in flight and on the ground, two of which are photographic reproductions of concept art for U.S. Army transport helicopters. Identified models include the Boeing CH-47 Chinook, Hiller H-23, Kellett XR-10 and Mil Mi-26. There is also one photograph of an unidentified biplane and a poster of NASA NF-81 Space Shuttle, circa 1978. Additionally, there are 4 prints and 2 negatives of windmills and wind turbines. The negatives match prints in the collection. Also included is a 4x4 inch watercolor of a farm with windmill by E. Marshall. Photographs vary in size from 4x5 to 8x10 inches. Some include matboard on the back. Very few have captions with identifying information, although one has a "Hiller Helicopters" stamp. The prints are in both color and black-and-white. Dduplication occurs.
Dates
- 1940-1991
- Majority of material found within 1980-1985
Creator
- Wiesner, Wayne (Former owner, Person)
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.
Extent
.65 Cubic Feet (1 full-width legal size document box, 1 16x20 inch folder, 1 47x35 inch folder)
Biographical Note: Wayne Wiesner
Wayne Wiesner (1916-2007) was a Boeing Company employee and engineer.
Wayne Wiesner was born on July 5, 1916 in Silverton, Oregon to Archibald B. and Helen (Sawyer) Wiesner. He had three siblings. In 1940, Wiesner graduated from Oregon State College with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. A year later he graduated from New York University with a Master's in Aerospace Engineering. He also took advanced courses at Stanford University in dynamics. From 1941-1946 he worked for Kellett Aircraft Corporation in various research areas. In 1942-1946, Wiesner taught aerodynamics for Pennsylvania State College (now known as Penn State University). In 1946, he joined Hiller Aircraft Corporation in Palo Alto, California as Engineering Manager, where he worked on the H-23 helicopter. In 1952, he became Chief Project Engineer and Staff Engineer for Hiller and contributed on the XROE-1 One-Man Helicopter, the Flying Platform, and the X-18 Tilt Wing Propelloplane. His last five years with Hiller, he also taught special courses at Stanford University.
Wiesner left Hiller in 1960 to join the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington where he was initially the Rotary Wing Staff Engineer. He also contributed to the CH-46 and CH-47 programs. In 1971 he moved to the Vertol Division of Boeing, where he focused on rotors and became the Manager of Civil Helicopter Research and Development. From 1973-1977 he directed the Wind Energy program at Boeing Vertol. He then became the Systems Manager of the Mod-2 wind turbine program. From 1980-1985, he contributed to the Mod-5B wind turbine program. He remained with Boeing until at least 1990, as he was awarded the 30-year service pin. His exact retirement date is unknown.
Wiesner married Janet Ritchens (1919-2008) on August 30, 1941. The couple had three children. Wiesner was a founding member of the American Helicopter Society, Inc. (now known as the Vertical Flight Society) and in 1982 he was awarded the Dr. Alexander Klemin Award by the AHS. He was also an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics as well as a member of the National Guard. Wayne Wiesner died on December 6, 2007 in Kent, Washington.
Source:
Biography derived from collection materials and Ancestry.com
Wayne Wiesner was born on July 5, 1916 in Silverton, Oregon to Archibald B. and Helen (Sawyer) Wiesner. He had three siblings. In 1940, Wiesner graduated from Oregon State College with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. A year later he graduated from New York University with a Master's in Aerospace Engineering. He also took advanced courses at Stanford University in dynamics. From 1941-1946 he worked for Kellett Aircraft Corporation in various research areas. In 1942-1946, Wiesner taught aerodynamics for Pennsylvania State College (now known as Penn State University). In 1946, he joined Hiller Aircraft Corporation in Palo Alto, California as Engineering Manager, where he worked on the H-23 helicopter. In 1952, he became Chief Project Engineer and Staff Engineer for Hiller and contributed on the XROE-1 One-Man Helicopter, the Flying Platform, and the X-18 Tilt Wing Propelloplane. His last five years with Hiller, he also taught special courses at Stanford University.
Wiesner left Hiller in 1960 to join the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington where he was initially the Rotary Wing Staff Engineer. He also contributed to the CH-46 and CH-47 programs. In 1971 he moved to the Vertol Division of Boeing, where he focused on rotors and became the Manager of Civil Helicopter Research and Development. From 1973-1977 he directed the Wind Energy program at Boeing Vertol. He then became the Systems Manager of the Mod-2 wind turbine program. From 1980-1985, he contributed to the Mod-5B wind turbine program. He remained with Boeing until at least 1990, as he was awarded the 30-year service pin. His exact retirement date is unknown.
Wiesner married Janet Ritchens (1919-2008) on August 30, 1941. The couple had three children. Wiesner was a founding member of the American Helicopter Society, Inc. (now known as the Vertical Flight Society) and in 1982 he was awarded the Dr. Alexander Klemin Award by the AHS. He was also an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics as well as a member of the National Guard. Wayne Wiesner died on December 6, 2007 in Kent, Washington.
Source:
Biography derived from collection materials and Ancestry.com
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Separated Materials
The following items were separared from the archival component and are kept in the Library:
The following items were separared from the archival component and are kept in Objects storage:
For more information contact us.
- "Flying the P-12" by Lew Wallick and Peter Bowers
- Boeing News, Volume 41, No. 20, May 20, 1982 and Volume 41, No. 21, May 27, 1982
- Boeing Vertol Company News, multiple issues
- Vertiflite: An American Helicopter Society publication, July/August 1982
The following items were separared from the archival component and are kept in Objects storage:
- Two plaques
- Key ring
- Strain gage
- Ribbon
- Model rocket
- Boeing Company 30-year service pin
For more information contact us.
- American Helicopter Society, Inc. (1943-2018)
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Autogiros
- Boeing
- Boeing Company -- Employees
- Boeing-Vertol
- Boeing-Vertol H-47 Chinook Family
- Dr. Alexander Klemin Award
- Helicopters
- Hiller H-23 Raven Family
- Kellett XR-10 (XH-10)
- Mil Mi-26 Halo Family
- United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Wiesner, Wayne
- awards
- certificates
- correspondence
- negatives (photographs)
- notes (documents)
- photographic prints
- posters
- programs (documents)
- speeches (documents)
Creator
- Wiesner, Wayne (Former owner, Person)
- Title
- Wayne Wiesner Helicopter Collection
- Status
- Completed - Level 2
- Author
- Jenn Parent
- Date
- 2023 June
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- English
- 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