Celebrating San Diego Air & Space Museum

by San Diego Air & Space Museum

The Museum is thrilled to announce a new publication: Celebrating San Diego Air & Space Museum. This illustrated guidebook shares not just the history of the institution, but brings to life the stories of its remarkable, one-of-a-kind collections. Organized into six major sections – Dawn of Flight, World War I, Golden Era, World War II, Jet Age, and Space Exploration – each section spotlights the Museum’s collections and their significance, using unique images from the archives to help tell their stories, as well as exploring important San Diego area contributions to the history of aerospace. From Da Vinci’s flying machines to the Apollo 9 Command Module, Celebrating is a guide, a colorful and informative reminder for those who visit the museum, and documentation for those who could not visit.

San Diego International Airport, Lindbergh Field

by Katrina Pescador, Alan Renga & Pamela Gay

Now formally known as San Diego International Airport, Lindbergh Field was named in honor of Charles Lindbergh and has been a center of aeronautic activity since its dedication in 1928. Many famous personalities and events have been associated with the airstrip, which quickly grew to include a Coast Guard Air Station, three airlines, two flying schools, and Ryan Aeronautical. In 1935, Consolidated Aircraft relocated to Lindbergh Field, transforming it into an aviation manufacturing center. Situated just three miles north of downtown San Diego, Lindbergh Field serves more than 50,000 travelers a day, making San Diego International Airport the busiest single-runway commercial airport today in the United States.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum preserved this history, featuring unique photographs from its archives—one of the largest aviation photographic collections in the world. Authored by museum staff members Katrina Pescador, Alan Renga, and Pamela Gay, this publication features many photographs from that collection, some which have never before been published, including rare images taken during construction.

Retails for $21.99.

Just Plane Delicious

by San Diego Air & Space Museum

Enjoy first class fare from the San Diego Air & Space Museum while supporting the Museum's world class Library & Archives. Soar to new heights with hundreds of delectably delicious dishes contributed by the Museum's staff, volunteers, and friends.

From the pioneering days of Glenn Curtis and naval aviation at North Island, the building of Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of Saint Louis by Ryan Airways, the journey to space with Convair's Atlas rocket, to the present-day Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles, San Diego has become known as the "Air Capital of the West."

The San Diego Air & Space Museum has been the keeper of this rich heritage for nearly 50 years. Through preservation of significant artifacts, presentation of dynamic exhibits, and extensive resources of its Library & Archives, the Museum commemorates the men and women who forged aerospace history. This cookbook will help us continue those daring and important achievements. Click here to download a printable order form

Pacific Southwest Airlines (Image of Aviation Series)

by Alan Renga and Mark E. Mentges

The Museum is proud to announce a new book, Pacific Southwest Airlines¸ through Arcadia Publishing. The book features unique photos, many of them never seen before, highlighting the history of this historic airline. With its low fares and friendly service, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA ) was one of the most successful regional airlines in American history. Its distinctive orange, red, and white planes, complete with a beaming smile were immediately recognizable to those living on the West Coast. The airline was also known for employing beautiful and sociable flight attendants. Kenny Friedkin, the founder of PSA , started in 1949 with one leased DC -3 and expanded his fleet to serve millions of passengers each year. Although PSA is no longer in operation, its successful business model of low-priced, efficient service was copied by other airlines and today is considered the norm. In addition, former PSA employees still gather annually to relive the camaraderie they experienced as being a part of one of the most unique airlines of all time.

Wheels to Wings - San Diego's Ford Building

by Katrina Pescador and Karen Garcia Raines

The Museum is pleased to announce the publication of Wheels to Wings: San Diego's Ford Building. This limited edition was released for the 75th anniversary in May 2010. The book narrates the history of the last Ford Exposition building still in existence. Starting with Henry Ford's interest in industrial exhibitions and ending with the building contemporary status as home to the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the book features numerous detailed photos illustrating the building's history from 1935 to the present. Wheels to Wings presents the fascinating history of San Diego's Ford building in a simple, well articulated manner that all can enjoy.

American Combat Planes of the 20th Century

by Ray Wagner

This book is the only complete reference to all the airplanes that created American airpower. It tells the story of the marriage between aircraft and war. Every combat type built in the United States for the Air Force, Navy, or for foreign governments is included, together with foreign aircraft bought for American fighting units. All the planes designed to attack an enemy with guns, bombs, or rockets are described, along with armed reconnaissance aircraft, and those derived from fighter designs, providing a quick reference for each type. Along with famous mass-production types, like the Liberator, Mustang, and Hellcat, with their major modifications, all the little-known experimental projects are included and compared. Ray Wagner's definitive work arranges all those planes by their fighting purpose and appearance in history. Even by simply viewing their photographs page by page, the reader sees the story of combat plane design over the years. Below each picture are the vital facts of each type: the engine's name and power, how big and how heavy that plane is, as well as how fast, how high, and how far it can go. Profusely illustrated with 1700 photographs, American Combat Planes of the 20th Century is 758 pages, hardcover, printed on high quality coated stock, with a section of color photographs showing the history of military airplane color configurations. Retails for $60.

Aviation in San Diego (Images of Aviation Series)

by Katrina Pescador and Alan Renga

For nearly a century, San Diego has been a hub of aviation development, air power, and flying adventure. The city's ideal weather and protected bay allowed San Diego to have an aviation history unrivaled by any local community. From the pioneering days of Glenn Curtiss and naval aviation at North Island to the present cutting-edge aerospace technology, Aviation in San Diego captures it all. With many never-before-published photographs, Aviation in San Diego documents the people and events that made San Diego's aviation heritage unique. From Ryan to Consolidated, Curtiss to Lindbergh, and everything in between, Aviation in San Diego is the preeminent photographic record of flight in "America's Finest City." The book contains 127 pages of rare photographs taken from the San Diego Air & Space Museum's archive collection. Retails for $19.99.

Consolidated Aircraft Corporation (Images of America Series)

by Katrina Pescador and Mark Aldrich

Founded by Reuben H. Fleet in 1923, Consolidated Aircraft Corporation (later Convair) became one of the most significant aircraft manufacturers in American history. For roughly sixty years this prolific company was synonymous with San Diego and, except for the United States Navy, the largest single employer in the County. Whole sections of the city were designed to meet the needs and provide homes for the workers and their families. When shifts at the plant changed the streets were full of the men and women who were responsible for building some of the most significant aircraft in aviation history, including the PBY Catalina, B-24 Liberator, Convair 880 airliner, F-102 Delta Dagger, as well as the reliable Atlas missile, which was vital in launching America into space. To this day, nearly a decade after the company passed from the San Diego scene, tens of thousands of San Diegans can celebrate a seminal connection with Reuben Fleet, his company and his popular slogan, Nothing short of right is right.

Prelude to Pearl Harbor - The Air War in China 1937-1941

by Ray Wagner

The Sino-Japanese war of 1937-1941 pointed to the future of air warfare. Four years before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan had been fighting an air war over China, and this experience gave the Japanese Navy confidence that it could win an air war with America. This 44 page book describes the fighting that developed Japanese naval air power from 1937 to 1941, and the way American military aircraft were also changed by the war in China.

San Diego - Air Capital of the West

by Mary L. Scott

This beautiful pictorial history chronicles the history of aviation in San Diego. Originally published in 1991, this classic is now expanded and updated to bring the history current. Lavishly illustrated with more than 300 vintage and modern photographs, its 212 pages of lively text make this unique story come alive for readers of all ages. San Diego: Air Capital of the West will be a great family heritage piece, a wonderful gift, and a treasured keepsake.

San Diego's North Island 1911-1941 (Images of Aviation Series)

by Katrina Pescador and Mark Aldrich

San Diego's North Island is one of the most significant venues of aviation in the world. Starting in 1911, it was the home to one of the nation's first aviation schools, founded by Glenn Curtiss, who pioneered seaplane flight. He trained the nucleus of America's future air forces there, including Lt. Theodore Ellyson, the first naval aviator. When the United States entered World War I, the government took over the island with plans to build a training center for the nation's armed forces. The new army base was named Rockwell Field, and the navy portion was named Naval Air Station San Diego. By 1937, the army moved out and the navy became the sole tenant. Today NAS North Island is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the navy and is headquarters for the Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The book contains 127 pages of rare photographs taken from the San Diego Air & Space Museum's archive collection.

The Story of the PBY Catalina

by Ray Wagner

The Story of the PBY Catalina chronicles the most widely-used flying boat ever built. The PBY traces its roots back to the Curtiss flying boats of World War I which were twin engine biplanes with open cabins. It was the PBY that replaced this style with its own streamlined monoplane look. This book includes discussion of the PBY Model Differences, U.S. Navy Production & Serial Numbers, Dimensions, and Serial Numbers assigned to U.S. Army Catalina Aircraft. Also included is description of PBY's built on "Non-Navy" Contracts. This 21 page softcover book includes beautiful color three view drawings and many unique photos. The historical and technical data is thoroughly researched. The Story of the PBY Catalina is the perfect addition to the library of the PBY enthusiast. Book was published in 1972 by Flight Classics.

These We Honor - The International Aerospace Hall of Fame

by Linda Spekelmeyer

Only a select few pioneers, leaders, and pilots have been responsible for the key breakthroughs in aviation and space history from the first manned balloons through today's era of space exploration. The most distinguished of these folks have earned a place of honor in the International Aerospace Hall of Fame Gallery in the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The publication These We Honor: The International Aerospace Hall of Fame, contains portraits, biographies of all those honored in the IAHF.