Report on the National Air Museum 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report on the activities 

 of the National Air Museum for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1963 : 



Staff studies and planning for the new National Air Museum Build- 

 ing and exhibit continued. The fiscal 1964 budget presented to the 

 Congress included planning funds for the new building. 



Public interest in the historical air and space flight exhibit of the 

 Museum continued to increase. The visitor count in the Air and 

 Space Building for fiscal year 1963 was 2,673,618. For fiscal year 

 1962 it was 1,986,319. The largest single day's count was 38,355 

 (July 15, 1962). 



Many historically significant accessions were received by the Mu- 

 seum during the year. Among them were: memorabilia of Col. 

 Harold B. Willis, member of the Lafayette Escadrille, from Harold 

 B. Willis, Jr. ; original thermometer and barometer used by Dr. John 

 Jeffries, first American to fly in a balloon ascension in England, No- 

 vember 30, 1784, from Dr. James Howard Means; multiple-stage 

 rocket engine cluster for the space probe launch veliicle Juno 11^ from 

 the Jet Propulsion Laboratory ; bronze bust of Wilbur Wright, from 

 Elmo N. Pickerill ; the original Friendship 7, first U.S. orbital manned 

 spacecraft, and flight clothing and gear from the Friendship 7 orbital 

 space flight, from NASA ; American flag carried by astronaut Glenn 

 on the Friendship 7 flight, from John H. Glenn, Jr. ; four engines used 

 on the X-15 aircraft, from the Department of the Air Force; bronze 

 sculpture of pioneer Charles S. (Casey) Jones, from the Academy of 

 Aeronautics ; medals and other memorabilia of Gen. Claire L. Chen- 

 nault, from Mrs. Chennault ; original oil portraits of astronauts Alan 

 B. Shepard, Jr., and Jolin H. Glenn, Jr., by artist Bruce Stevenson, 

 from Mrs. Stevenson and son ; and the original Sperry airplane Gyro 

 Stabilizer and Sperry Gyro Horizon instruments, from the Sperry 

 Gyroscope Co. 



Information service continues as an active function of the Museum. 

 Historical, technical, and biographical information on air and space 

 flight is furnished to authors, researchers, historians, schools. Govern- 

 ment agencies, students, and the public. 



ADVISORY BOARD 



No meetings of the Advisory Board were held during the year. 

 Member Vice Admiral P. D. Stroop, USN, assigned to duties away 



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