SECRETARY'S REPORT 85 



airmen; to the full brigade of U. S. Naval Reservists of the Potomac 

 River Naval Command, February 10 ; the amiual Ruediger Lecture at 

 George AVashington University in Washington, D. C, March 1 ; and 

 before the Royal Air Force Club in Washington, D. C, on April 15. 

 Most of these lectures were illustrated with films and slides and 

 described various aspects of the history of aeronautics, with emphasis 

 on the outstanding accomplishments of Orville and Wilbur Wright. 



Because of the small staff and the pressure of work it is seldom pos- 

 sible to conduct groups on tours of the exhibits, but when this can be 

 done it is mutually helpful. Among the 12 tours conducted were those 

 for about 150 Civil Air Patrol cadets and a nearly equal group of 

 foreign cadets in July ; a group of engineers associated with the Air 

 Transport Association and the Radio Technical Commission in 

 October; and nearly 200 teachers of aeronautics from all over the 

 United States during the special Wright brothers' celebration on 

 December 17. 



The National Air Museum furnished material for many radio and 

 television programs. It is gratifying to know that the special tele- 

 vision series arranged for schools by Mrs. Marjorie Campbell, a W^ash- 

 ington science teacher who received assistance from the I^Iuseum, was 

 given highest place in a nationwide rating. The TV shows based on 

 the national aeronautical collection and conducted by John Daly, Ed 

 Murrow, and Dave Garroway were widely a-?«laimed. 



RESEARCH 



Two of the Museum's special study projects have been materially 

 advanced during the year. These are the origin and history of the 

 guided missile in i\jnerica and the pictorial history of the Wright 

 brothers. Both have been conducted largely by Associate Curator 

 Robert Strobell. 



There were two contemporary American projects for producing 

 guided missiles in World War I, identified respectively by the develop- 

 ments of Elmer A. Sperry and his son Lawrence for the Navy and by 

 Charles F. Kettering for the Army. It is significant to recall that 

 Orville Wright was associated with the latter undertaking. Museum 

 research has progressed to the extent that enough material is available 

 on the Kettering project to prepare drawings for a scale model, pub- 

 lish the findings, and assemble an authentic record in the permanent file 

 of the Museum. Less information has been obtained on the Sperry 

 missile, and research will continue as opportunity permits and co- 

 operation is extended. A number of the interesting facts thus far 

 revealed are embodied in an illustrated article, "America's First Pilot- 

 less Aircraft," published in the July 1954 Aero Digest, co-authored by 

 Rear Adm. Delmar S. Falu-ney, U. S. N. (ret.), and Mr. Strobell. 



Because the national aeronautical collection includes three original 



