Description: A group of test pilots walking the flight line at North American Aviation, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, ca. 1950-1969. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During th View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL01043
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Group portrait of employees of North American Aviation on the factory floor with an AJ-2 Savage aircraft, Columbus, Ohio, ca. 1952. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During the 1980s, the Columbus plant helped to produce the B-1B strategic bomber. In May of 1988, Rockwell announced that it was discontinuing operations at Columbus. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL01735
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph showing the exterior of North American Aviation's Rockwell plant in Columbus, Ohio, when the plant was still under the operation of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 1941. The Curtiss-Wright Corporation began in 1929 when Curtiss Aeroplane, Wright Aeronautical and other aircraft companies were combined to form one corporation. The Columbus factory was established in 1940 when Curtiss-Wright began expanding their operations to fulfill quotas for military equipment set by the U.S. Government in the National Defense Program. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F14_01
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of an F-86 Sabre Jet on the runway at North American Aviation in Columbus, Ohio. A test pilot is in the cockpit and onlookers watch as the jet prepares for a test flight. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During the 1980s, the Columbus plant helped to produce the B-1B strategic bomber. In May of 1988, Rockwell announced that it was discontinuing operations at Columbus. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F01_02
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph showing an A-3J Vigilante during its first test flight at North American Aviation in Columbus, Ohio, September 1958. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research proj View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F03_01
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of an F-86 Sabre Jet in flight. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During the 1980s, the Columbus plant helped to produce the B-1B strategic bomber. In May of 1988, Rockwell announced that it was discontinuing operations at Columbus. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F01_01
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of an OV-10 Bronco, built by Rockwell International, on the runway at North American Aviation. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During the 1980 View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F05_01
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of employees watching as the B-29 Superfortress comes in for a landing. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During the 1980s, the Columbus plant h View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F07_01
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of two test pilots with Rockwell International's A-3J Vigilante. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During the 1980s, the Columbus plant helped to produce the B-1B strategic bomber. In May of 1988, Rockwell announced that it was discontinuing operations at Columbus. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F11_01
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of Rockwell International Corporation employees posed in front of the B-29 Superfortress aircraft in Columbus, Ohio. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured spare parts for a variety of “non-current” aircraft, such as the F-51 Mustang and the B-25 Mitchell bomber. Eventually, the division expanded into an operation capable of designing, building, and testing its own aircraft and weapons systems, including the F-86 Sabre, the primary jet fighter of the United Nations' forces during the Korean War. The division also participated in various defense research projects. During the 1980s, the Columbus plant helped to produce the B-1B strategic bomber. In May of 1988, Rockwell announced that it was discontinuing operations at Columbus. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F07_02
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph showing employees of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation at work, 1941. The Curtiss-Wright Corporation began in 1929 when Curtiss Aeroplane, Wright Aeronautical and other aircraft companies were combined to form one corporation. The Columbus factory was established in 1940 when Curtiss-Wright began expanding their operations to fulfill quotas for military equipment set by the U.S. Government in the National Defense Program. The Columbus Aircraft Division of Rockwell International began operations in November of 1950, when North American Aviation, the then-parent company of Rockwell International, bought out the facilities and operations of the Curtiss-Wright Plant located near Port Columbus Airport on the city’s east side. The Rockwell plant was operational on December 4, 1950. Initially, the division handled contracts left over from the Curtiss-Wright operation and manufactured View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV32_B01_F14_02
Subjects: Aviation--History; Aircraft; Military Ohio; Manufacturing industries--Ohio; North American Aviation, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio);
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)