SECRETARY'S REPORT 103 



conducting the work and planning of the National Air Museum. Sev- 

 eral months before his death, Mr. Stout had brought to the Museum 

 a group of five early experimental model aircraft devised during the 

 late nineteenth century and including two he had made at that time, 

 evidencing his early interest in aeronautics. He continued active ex- 

 perimenting and designing throughout his life, and the aeronautical 

 world is richer because of his accomplishments. His last letters to 

 the Museum relate to his efforts in obtaining for the Collections an 

 example of the famous Ford-Stout trimotored transport, which was 

 one of the mainstays of the pioneer airlines during the 1930's. In his 

 letters, he included sketches detailing his ideas for hall arrangements 

 and exhibit locations in the proposed National Air Museum building. 

 During the year, the other Presidential appointee, Grover Loening, 

 shared his progressive ideas for improvements and expansion of the 

 National Air Museum with the fifth member of the Board, the Secre- 

 tary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



STEPHENSON BEQUEST 



It will be recalled that Congress authorized the Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution to accept as a gift from the late George H. 

 Stephenson of Philadelphia a statue of Gen. William Mitchell. The 

 development of this project is proceeding very satisfactorily. At the 

 time the previous report was submitted, the sculptor, Bruce Moore, 

 had completed his %-size study and it has been approved by the Fine 

 Arts Commission. This has since been enlarged in plastiline to full 

 size, about 7 feet high. Details of the head, figure, uniform, and 

 other features are being perfected. The Director of the National 

 Collection of Fine Arts, Thomas M. Beggs, and the head curator 

 of the National Air Museum inspected this enlargement on February 

 2, 1956, and approved it in that elementary form. While continuing 

 his refinement of the sculpture, Mr. Moore has studied many photo- 

 graphs and motion pictures of General Mitchell and has had the 

 helpful assistance and constructive criticism of persons who knew the 

 General intimately. The sculpture will soon be ready for final inspec- 

 tion prior to casting. 



SPECIAL EVENTS 



On July 2, 1955, just 20 years after the world endurance record of 

 653% hours continuous refueled flight had been established in a 

 Curtiss Robin airplane by the Key brothers, Algene and Fred, of 

 Meridian, Miss., that same airplane Ole Miss, piloted by Fred Key, 

 completed a flight from Meridian to Washington, D. C, for presenta- 

 tion to the National Air Museum. This accession not only adds an- 

 other event of flying history to the many outstanding accomplishments 



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