National Air and Space Museum Archives
Charles W. Chillson Collection
Chillson, Charles W., 1910-
NASM.XXXX.0008
Archival Resource Key
3.12 Linear feet
3.5 Cubic feet
8 boxes
1950-1956
This collection largely documents Chillson's affiliation with the ARS, particularly his presidency in the early 1950s, and includes correspondence with ARS members, aerospace companies, and organizations such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the British Interplanetary Society, the International Astronautical Federation, and the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences. There is also correspondence with Wernher von Braun and Esther C. Goddard. The collection also includes papers presented to or published by the ARS, some diagrams and photographs highlighting rocket plans or capabilities, and some pamphlets and articles on rockets.
English
.
Charles W. Chillson Collection
Processing Information
Finding aid prepared by Hank Brown, 2000.
Finding aid encoded by Elizabeth Bauerle, December 2011.
Biographical/Historical note
Charles W. Chillson (1910 - ) was an expert in air and rocket propulsion. Chillson received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University in 1931 and went to work in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology from 1931 until 1936. During those years, Chillson worked with C. K. Greene on a mechanical controllable-pitch propeller which progressed through whirl-testing at the Army Air Force Engineering Division at Wright Field, OH. Chillson then moved to Curtiss-Wright's Curtiss Propeller Division as an engineer and project designer (1936-1940) and was later promoted to chief researcher for the years 1940 to 1947. In 1947, Chillson won the Collier Trophy for his propeller work and became chief engineer of the newly formed Rocket Department at Curtiss-Wright. In 1950, he became program chairman of the American Rocket Society (ARS) Board of Directors and was later elected vice president (1951) and president (1952-1955), before being made a fellow of the ARS in 1956.
Scope and Contents
This collection largely contains documents of Chillson's affiliation with the American Rocket Society (ARS), particularly his presidency in the early 1950s. The collection includes ARS organizational documents, correspondence regarding arrangements for National and Regional meetings, copies of technical papers presented at conventions and a few photographs. The collection is arranged as follows:
Arrangement
Series I:
ARS National Meetings
ARS Regional Meetings
Director
Correspondence
Conventions
Meetings
Committees
Series II:
Joint Meetings
Technical Papers
Publications
Each series was listed in chronological order. The ARS Regional Meetings are listed alphabetically by state and then in chronological order.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Charles W. Tillson, Gift, 1971, XXXX-0008
Restictions
No restrictions on access
Photographs
Correspondence
Periodicals
Manuscripts
Drawings
Astronautics
Publications
Jet propulsion
Chillson, Charles W., 1910-
American Rocket Society
Goddard, Esther C.
Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977
Series 1
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
ARS directors meeting
Archival Resource Key
1952-06-23
1
1
Scope and Contents
minutes
ARS directors meeting & correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1952
1
2
ARS correspondence
Archival Resource Key
circa 1950-circa 1954
1
3
ARS correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1951 - 1954
1
4
ARS business correspondence & annual reports
Archival Resource Key
1950 - 1951
1
5
ARS business correspondence & annual reports
Archival Resource Key
1951 - 1952
1
6
ARS business correspondence & annual reports
Archival Resource Key
1953 - 1955
1
7
ARS correspondence regarding Journal of American Rocket Society
Archival Resource Key
1951 - 1953
1
8
ARS corporate members: correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955
1
9
ARS Nov -- Dec convention: correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1950
1
10
ARS Nov -- Dec convention: tentative acceptances, photos
Archival Resource Key
1950
1
11
ARS Nov -- Dec Convention: recommendations & invitations
Archival Resource Key
1950
1
12
ARS Nov -- Dec convention Rocket Propellants
Archival Resource Key
1950
2
1
Scope and Contents
correspondence regarding presentation of technical papers
ARS Nov -- Dec Convention, Rocket Propellants
Archival Resource Key
1950
2
2
Scope and Contents
correspondence regarding presentation of technical papers
ARS Nov -- Dec Convention, Rocket Propellants
Archival Resource Key
1950
2
3
Scope and Contents
correspondence regarding presentation of technical papers
ARS 6th Annual Convention
Archival Resource Key
1951
2
4
Scope and Contents
Copies of Advance Program, papers & correspondence
ARS 6th Annual Convention
Archival Resource Key
1951
2
5
Scope and Contents
correspondence regarding presentation of technical papers
ARS 6th Annual Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
1951-11-28 - 1951-11-30
3
1
Scope and Contents
program, correspondence regarding presentation of technical papers
ARS 6th Annual Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
1951-11-28 - 1951-11-30
3
2
Scope and Contents
technical papers
ARS 6th Annual Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
1951-11-28 - 1951-11-30
3
3
Scope and Contents
photos & correspondence
ARS 6th Annual Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
1951-11-28 - 1951-11-30
3
4
Scope and Contents
correspondence
ARS 6th Annual Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
1951-11-28 - 1951-11-30
3
5
Scope and Contents
Correspondence regarding presentation of technical papers.
ARS Annual Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1950
3
6
ARS Annual Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1952
circa 1951-circa 1952
4
1
ARS Annual Meeting, brochures & correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1952-12-03 - 1952-12-05
4
2
ARS August Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1954
4
3
ARS October Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1954-10-15
circa 1954
4
4
ARS November Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1954-11-30
circa 1954
4
5
ARS December Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1954
4
6
ARS January Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955-01-21
circa 1955
4
7
ARS February Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955-02-18
circa 1955
4
8
ARS March Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955-03-18
circa 1955
4
9
ARS June Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955-06-10
circa 1955
4
10
ARS National Fall Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1955-09-19 - 1955-09-21
4
11
Scope and Contents
program & brochure
ARS Dr. Von Braun Dinner correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1952
4
12
ARS Dinner Meeting, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955-10-21
circa 1955
4
13
ARS Ad Hoc Space Flight Committee, correspondence & reports
Archival Resource Key
1952
4
14
ARS Awards Committee, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1952
4
15
ARS Coordinating Committee, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1951 - 1955
4
16
ARS Financial Committee
Archival Resource Key
1949 - 1952
4
17
ARS Membership Committee, correspondence & directory
Archival Resource Key
1952 - 1954
4
18
ARS Program Committee correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1951 - 1954
4
19
ARS Publicity Committee
Archival Resource Key
1951 - 1953
5
1
ARS Aircraft Trade Show, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955-05-04 - 1955-05-06
5
2
ARS Picatinny Arsenal Trip, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
circa 1955
1955-05-07
5
3
ARS Press Conference, articles & correspondence
Archival Resource Key
circa 1954 - circa 1955
1955-08-16
5
4
ARS questionnaires
Archival Resource Key
1955-01
5
5
ARS publications
Archival Resource Key
1953 - 1956
5
6
ARS Alabama Section, By-Laws
Archival Resource Key
undated
5
7
ARS California Section
Archival Resource Key
1956
5
8
Scope and Contents
(Southern, CA) Ballot Instructions for Amendments to the By-Laws and for Election of Officers.
ARS Florida Section, Cocoa Beach, newsletter
Archival Resource Key
1955-05
5
9
ARS Fort Wayne Section, Indiana, newsletter, Rocketry
Archival Resource Key
1955-12 - 1956-01
5
10
ARS Fairleigh Dickinson College Chapter, Rutherford, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
1950 - 1955
5
11
Scope and Contents
[Fairleigh Dickinson Rocket Society], article & correspondence
ARS New York Section: By-Laws & correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1953 - 1956
5
12
ARS New York Section: President's correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955
5
13
ARS New York Section: correspondence & reports
Archival Resource Key
1955 - 1956
5
14
Series 2
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
ARS New York Section March Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1954
6
1
Scope and Contents
Correspondence.
ARS New York Section April Meeting
Archival Resource Key
circa 1954
1954-04-23
6
2
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & technical papers.
ARS New York Section May Meeting
Archival Resource Key
circa 1954
1954-05-21
6
3
Scope and Contents
Correspondence
ARS New York Section June Meeting
Archival Resource Key
circa 1954
1954-06-25
6
4
Scope and Contents
Correspondence.
ARS New York Section, Princeton University
Archival Resource Key
1955-10-01
circa 1955
6
5
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & meeting notice.
ARS New York Section September Meeting
Archival Resource Key
circa 1954
1954-09-18
6
6
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & 1 photo.
ARS New York Section November Meeting
Archival Resource Key
circa 1955
1955-11-18
6
7
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & meeting notice.
ARS New York Section January Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1956-01-24
6
8
Scope and Contents
Meeting notice.
ARS Northeastern New York Section
Archival Resource Key
1952
6
9
Scope and Contents
Correspondence.
ARS New York Section, Special Student Meetings
Archival Resource Key
1955
6
10
ARS Cleveland-Akron Section, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
1956
1955
6
11
Scope and Contents
Newsletters.
ARS Washington -- Baltimore Section
Archival Resource Key
1952
6
12
Scope and Contents
Articles, By-Laws & correspondence.
ARS Miscellaneous Masters of Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1955
6
13
ARS Miscellaneous Masters of Presentations of Technical papers & correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1950 - 1954
6
14
ARS Flight Testing Conference in Daytona Beach, Florida
Archival Resource Key
1959-03-23 - 1959-03-25
6
15
Scope and Contents
Presentation of technical papers, brochures & personal notes.
ARS & American Institute of Electrical Engineers, Institute of Radio Engineers
Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1955
7
1
Scope and Contents
Articles & correspondence.
ARS & American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Convention
Archival Resource Key
1950
7
2
Scope and Contents
Brochures & correspondence.
ARS & ASME Convention
Archival Resource Key
circa 1951
1950
7
3
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & presentation of technical papers.
ARS & ASME Convention
Archival Resource Key
1950
circa 1951
7
4
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & presentation of technical papers.
ARS & ASME Convention
Archival Resource Key
1950
circa 1951
7
5
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & presentation of technical papers.
ARS & ASME Fall Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1951-09-26 - 1951-09-28
7
6
Scope and Contents
Correspondence & presentation of technical papers.
ARS & ASME Chicago Meeting
Archival Resource Key
1952-09-07 - 1952-09-11
7
7
Scope and Contents
Advance releases & correspondence.
ASME Thermal Barrier Session
Archival Resource Key
1954
7
8
Scope and Contents
Brochures & correspondence.
American Society for Engineering Education
Archival Resource Key
1951-06
7
9
Scope and Contents
List of Colleges/Universities.
Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) negotiations
Archival Resource Key
1950 - 1952
7
10
IAS & ARS National Convention
Archival Resource Key
1952-01-28 - 1952-02-01
circa 1952
7
11
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, photos & presentation of technical papers.
IAS & ARS National Convention
Archival Resource Key
circa 1952
1952-01-28 - 1952-02-01
8
1
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, photos & presentation of technical papers.
International Astronautical Federation
Archival Resource Key
circa 1952 - circa 1955
8
2
Scope and Contents
By-Laws & correspondence.
2nd International Congress of Aeronautics
Archival Resource Key
1951-09-03
1951
8
3
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, minutes & presentation of technical papers.
3rd International Congress of Aeronautics
Archival Resource Key
circa 1951 - circa 1952
1952-09-01 - 1952-09-06
8
4
Scope and Contents
Correspondence.
The Early History of Rocket Research by Joseph W. Siry
Archival Resource Key
1950
8
5
Rocket Newsletter
Archival Resource Key
1956-01
8
6
Some Interaction of Circular Liquid Jets by Dexter Miller, Jr., prepared for presentation at November, ARS Convention
Archival Resource Key
1951
8
7
Rocket & Jet Propulsion
Archival Resource Key
1950 - 1955
8
8
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous publications.
3 Negatives: Correspondence regarding November 1951 ARS Convention
Archival Resource Key
3 Negatives (photographic)
1951-11
8
10
8
9
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
[POOR CONDITION]
Scope and Contents
Figure 7, Hydraulic Pump on Splash Plate negative,
Figure 8, Spray Sheet formed between Adjacent Jets negative &
Negative with no title & no number from folder