SECRETARY'S REPORT 99 



productions being constructed ; and their teclinical experts assembling 

 facts about the trial of Gen. William Mitchell used Museum photo- 

 graphs in preparing some of the scenes. Paramount Pictures found 

 in the Museum's three Wright brothers' aircraft, and in the series of 

 scale models showing types developed by the Wright brothers and the 

 AVright Company, the technical data required for the copies of those 

 aircraft now being made for the film about Wilbur and Orville 

 Wright. 



Kadio and television have found in the National Air Museum sub- 

 jects and data for numerous programs. The General Electric Co. 

 based one of its commercial announcements advertising their impor- 

 tant accomplishment during World War II, when they made copies 

 of the English "Wliittle jet engine to power America's first jet airplane, 

 on a visit to the National Air Museum exhibits. Fulton Lewis, Jr., 

 stood beneath the Spirit of St. Louis while he described its importance 

 in stimulating confidence in the reliability of aircraft and thus giving 

 great impetus to the progress of commercial airlines. Arlene Francis, 

 in her Home Show, told her audience about one of the Museum's 

 helicopter exhibits ; and some interesting facts about the development 

 of helicopters were related by the head curator in the "Collectors' 

 Item" radio broadcast. In a series of television programs broadcast 

 over Station WMAL-TV, under the auspices of the Greater Wash- 

 ington Educational Television Association, one prepared by the Na- 

 tional Air Museum on the history of aeronautics received wide 

 acclaim ; and Station WTOP-TV carried two programs which origi- 

 nated at this Museum, one describing the national aeronautical collec- 

 tion and the other telling about the design, construction, and uses of 

 kites. Six television stations located in other cities broadcast pro- 

 grams based on Museiun material and information. 



Numerous requests were received during the year from organiza- 

 tions and groups for conducted tours of the collection, and for lectui'es 

 on various aspects of aeronautics. Wlienever possible these were pro- 

 vided. Sixteen lectures on aeronautics were given by the head curator 

 during the year, most of them in the evening and illustrated by motion 

 pictures and slides. With the exception of the talk on the history of 

 aeronautics to the American Airlines' Gas Model Club at Cleveland 

 January 29, all were in the Washington area. Among these lectures 

 was a description of the purpose and progress of the National Air 

 Museiun given to the Sphinx Club of the Masonic Fraternity, the story 

 of the Wright brothers told to the local chapter of the League of 

 American Penwomen, the history of air mail described to the National 

 Airport Club, and talks on various phases of aeronautical history and 

 development presented to several Reserve Officers associations. 



