MS-486, William Laufer Aviation Collection Collection .

MS-486, William Laufer Aviation CollectionCollection Number: MS-486Title: The William Laufer Aviation CollectionDates: 1919-1998 (Bulk 1940-1980)Creator: Laufer, William L., 1933-2002Summary/Abstract:William Laufer was an aviation mechanic for the Southern Ohio Aviation Company and later, aninstructor for the Miami Valley Career Technology Center teaching in their FAA CertifiedAircraft Mechanic’s program. The collection contains aircraft maintenance training material,general federal aviation maintenance guidance, and a variety of aircraft maintenance manualsincluding manuals for Beechcraft, Cessna, Douglas, and WACO airplanes. The collection alsoincludes parts catalogs and sales brochures for propeller-driven aircraft, including aircraftengines, propellers, and a variety of parts for aircraft including gyroscopes, radios, spark plugs,and generators.Quantity/Physical Description: 17 linear feetLanguage(s): EnglishRepository:Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, OH45435-0001, (937) 775-2092Restrictions on Access:Parts of this collection are stored off-site. Please provide us at least two days advance notice ifyou would like to research this collection. Call (937) 775-2092 or e-mail us atarchive@www.libraries.wright.edu.Restrictions on Use:Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright.Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyrightholder.Preferred Citation:(Box # File #) MS-486, William Laufer Aviation Collection, Special Collections and Archives,University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, OhioAcquisition:The William Laufer Aviation Collection was donated to Special Collections and Archives byGail R. Laufer, William Laufer’s wife, in September 2013.1

Accruals: No further accruals are expected.Separated Material:Books donated with the collection have been cataloged and added to the Special Collections andArchives Reading Room.Film and oversize material donated with the collection is stored off-site.Related Material:MS-305, W. J. Blanchard, Aeroproducts, Inc. CollectionMS-356, Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical Engine Drawing CollectionProcessed by: John L. Armstrong, 2015.Arrangement:The collection is arranged into eight series:Series I:Series II:Series III:Series IV:Series V:Series VI:Series VII:Series VIII:Aircraft Maintenance Training, 1943-1988Federal Guidance and Technical Orders, 1919-1986Aircraft Maintenance Manuals, Parts Catalogs, and Sales Brochures, 1928-1998Aircraft Engine Maintenance Manuals, Parts Catalogs, and Sales Brochures,1932-1992Propeller Maintenance Manuals, Parts Catalogs, and Sales Brochures, 1937-1977General Aircraft Parts Catalogs, Maintenance Manuals, and Sales Brochures,1938-1993General Aviation Information, 1923-1997Audiovisual Material, 1929-1997Biographical/Historical Note:A native of Troy, Ohio, Bill graduated from Troy High School in 1951. He was employed byGeneral Motors Aero Products for fifteen months before going on to Spartan School ofAeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he received FAA Airframe and Power Plant certificates,as well as a Private Pilot’s certificate in 1954.He worked as an aircraft mechanic for Southern Ohio Aviation Company, an AeroCommander/Navion dealership in the Dayton area for seventeen years, the last twelve years asmechanic/crew-chief. He worked on corporate twin engine aircraft for many large companiesand famous people such as: WLW Broadcasting Co., Anchor-Hocking Glass Co. United StatesForestry Service, State of Ohio, State of West Virginia, State of Kentucky, Jack Nicklaus, theKettering family, and was the mechanic for the jet airplane used by the Mercury Astronauts.Bill was always looking for a better, easier way to do things. In 1963, he developed a tool usedto jack-up an aircraft so as not to damage the plane. For this he received special recognitionfrom the FAA and was the recipient the Outstanding Aviation Mechanic’s Award for the State ofOhio. Only one Ohioan is chosen each year to receive this prestigious award.2

After receiving his teaching credentials from University of Cincinnati in 1971, he joined the staffat the newly opened Montgomery County Joint Vocational School (now known as Miami ValleyCareer Technology Center) as an instructor in their FAA Certified Aircraft Mechanic’s program.It was during his tenure there that he gained certification as a Designated Mechanic’s Examiner.After twenty-three years in education, he retired in 1994. He had the privilege of training andmentoring many fine students, five of whom earned first place awards in the State and NationalVICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) Skills Contests receiving scholarships for furthertraining, fully equipped tool boxes and great job offers. He was able to place students in jobs inthe aircraft field. He maintained contact with former students over the years, often being able tohelp them up-grade to better jobs.Scope and ContentThe William Laufer Collection is a collection of aircraft maintenance materials used by Mr.Laufer during his career as an aircraft mechanic and as a teacher at the Miami Valley CareerTechnology Center. The collection consists of training maintenance manuals for aircraft, aircraftengines, and a wide variety of aircraft parts. Also included are parts catalogs and sales brochuresfor aircraft, engines, propellers, and aircraft parts. The collection is divided into eight series.Series I, Aircraft Maintenance Training (1943-1988) contains material used to train aircraftmechanics. A large part of this series are training manuals prepared by the AviationMaintenance Foundation, Inc. during the 1970s. Also included in this series are manuals formilitary training courses developed by both the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. The series endswith a variety of training manuals developed by the aircraft industry or individuals.Series II, Federal Guidance and Technical Orders (1919-1986) is divided into two sections. Thefirst section contains guidance issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or itspredecessor, the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA). Within this section the guidance isgrouped according to the issuing agency. The second section is Technical Orders issued by avariety of agencies for the overhaul or maintenance of aircraft or their parts.Series III, Aircraft Manuals, Parts Catalogs, and Sales Brochures (1928-1998) is the largest ofthe eight series. This series is organized according to manufacturer and then chronologicallywithin each manufacturer. Twenty-one manufacturers are listed in this section with the largestbeing Beechcraft, Cessna, Douglas, Piper, and WACO. Of note for researchers are the ServiceBulletins and Parts Catalogs for the Douglas DC-3/C-47.Series IV, Aircraft Engine Maintenance Manuals, Parts Catalogs, and Sales Brochures (19321992) is organized by manufacturer and then chronologically within each manufacturer.Fourteen manufacturers are listed in this section with the largest being the Continental AircraftEngine Company, Pratt and Whitney Aircraft, and Wright Aeronautical Corporation (CurtissWright Aeronautical Corporation). Along with maintenance and overhaul manuals, there are alarge number of Parts Catalogs for the aircraft engines, particularly Wright AeronauticalEngines.Series V, Propeller Maintenance Manuals, Parts Catalogs, and Sales Brochures (1937-1977) isorganized by manufacturer and then chronologically within each manufacturer. Six propeller3

manufacturers are listed in this series including Aeroproducts, Beech, Curtiss, HamiltonStandard, Hartzell, and McCauley.Series VI, General Aircraft Parts Catalogs, Maintenance Manuals, and Sales Brochures (19381993) is another very large series with forty-four manufacturers listed. The series is organizedby manufacturer and then chronologically with manufacturer. The types of parts included arespark plugs, aircraft hoses and fittings, radios and communication systems, magnetos, fuelinjection systems, generators and electric starters, aircraft tires and breaks, batteries, landinggear, navigation lights, automatic pilots, and gyroscopes. The manufacturer with the largestrepresentation in this series is Bendix Corporation, including Eclipse-Pioneer Electric Startersand Generators and Bendix-Scintilla Magnetos.Series VII, General Aviation Information (1923-1997) is divided into eleven sections. The firstsections includes aeronautical charts for a variety of cities/regions in the United States most ofwhich are dated during the 1960s. The second section is WACO Aircraft General Informationcontains general information about WACO aircraft. Mr. Laufer was a volunteer at the WACOHistorical Society and Museum. The third section is general information on the Wright Brotherswhich contains serval brochures. The fourth section contains Aircraft Mechanic Publicationssuch as Pocket Manuals for aircraft mechanics and similar information. The fifth sectioncontains Aviation Publications produced by a variety of people and organizations. The sixthsection contains newsletters for several different organizations. The seventh section containsinformation on Dayton Air Shows from 1974 to 1979. The eight section contains information onthe Aviation Hall of Fame from 1968 to 1975. Mr. Laufer was a charter member of theorganization. The ninth section contains general information on a variety of topics including theCurtiss OX-5 aircraft engine, magazine articles, and information on several aviators includingJimmy Doolittle and Roscoe Turner. Of particular note is a file on Charles Lindbergh, includinga newspaper article “And Then I Jumped” by Lindbergh. The tenth section contains wall chartsand aviation posters providing information on aviation. The eleventh, and last section, containsother information, such as the “Mechanic’s Creed,” log books, and a 3-ring binder containinggeneral information about commuter aircraft – primarily photographs and typed informationabout different commuter aircraft.Series VIII, Audio and Visual Material (1929-1997) contains VHS tapes, 8 mm film, 16 mmfilm, two photograph albums containing photographs of WACO aircraft and the WACO factory,photograph of aircraft, and aviation artwork. The VHS tapes and film primarily contain footageof WACO Glider Aircraft, WACO aircraft in general, and National Air Races footage. Theaviation artwork includes aviation art produced by Leach Corporation, Thompson Products, Inc.,and Phillips Petroleum. There are also 13 color advertisements for a variety of aviation-relatedproducts by a variety of companies. The last item in the series is a Vehicle Flag produced by G.Q. Security Parachutes, Inc.Subject TermsPersons/FamiliesLaufer, William F., 1933-20024

Organizations/Corporate NamesMiami Valley Career Technology CenterPlacesTroy (Ohio)Subjects (General)AeronauticsAircraft industry – United StatesAirplanesAirplanes – motorsAirplanes – turbine propeller enginesPropellers, AerialAirplanes – maintenance and repairGyroscopeMaterial TypesManualsTechnical ordersSales brochuresPhotographsFilmOccupationsAircraft mechanicCollection InventorySeries I: Aircraft Maintenance Training, viation Maintenance Foundation, Inc.EA-AAC-1, Aircraft Reconditioning (Vapor Cycle)EA-AB-1, Aircraft Batteries (Lead Acid-Nickel Cadmium)EA-ADF-1, Aircraft Fabric CoveringEA-AH-1, Aircraft Hydraulic SystemsEA-AIS, Aircraft Instrument SystemsEA-AOS-1, Aircraft Oxygen SystemsEA-AP-1, Aircraft Painting and FinishingEA-APC, Aircraft Propellers and ControlsEA-ARE, Aircraft Reciprocating EnginesEA-AS, Applied Science for the Aviation TechnicianEA-ATT-2, Aircraft Tires and TubesEA-AWB, Aircraft Wheels, Brakes, and Antiskid SystemsEA-BE-1, Basic 81980197919755