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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Elliott N. Couden Airmail Collection

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 1983-11-18-A

Contents of the Collection

The Elliott N. Couden Airmail Collection is a relatively small collection that pertains to the early days of airmail via Pacific Air Transport (PAT), United Air Lines (UAL), and Varney Air Lines (VAL). It includes textual and photographic materials, dating from 1929-1944.

Textual materials include both original and photocopies of clippings related to airmail pilots of the 1930s-1940s, including some of their crashes and deaths; and airmail service, including news about routes. Also included is a November 9, 1933 accident report for PAT air mail plane (NC13345), PAT speed records, an employee record for VAL pilot Alfred W. Davis, and a partial manual for the pilots about pay, schedules, and routes.

The visual materials in the collection consist of 14 black-and-white photographs, including one panoramic print that depicts pilot Leon D. Cuddeback next to a "Bull" Stearman aircraft parked on tarmac in Boise, Idaho. The photographs depict VAL radio positions on a map, a UAL Boeing 247 in flight, and pilots. Identified individuals include George Buck and Walter Varney. There are two group portraits depicting the "Tracy Aces," which are likely the first graduates of UAL's Civil Patrol Training Program (CPTP), circa 1943-1944. Most of the prints are 8x10-inches and several have captions that provide limited contextual information, such as name, date, or location.

Dates

  • Creation: 1926-1948

Creator

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

0.3 Cubic Feet (1 2-inch letter size document box, 1 oversize folder (20x24"), 1 oversize folder (panoramic) )

Language

English

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Separated Materials

The following items have been separated from the archival component of this collection and are kept in the Library:

  • National Aeronautic magazine, August 1931
  • Varney Lines newsletters, November 6, 1930 and January 20, 1931

Subject

Title
Guide to the Elliott N. Couden Airmail Collection
Status
Completed Level 2
Author
Jenn Parent
Date
2025 May
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
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


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