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Description
The collection is 2.5 linear feet in size and contains correspondence, publications, newsclippings, black and white photographs, 16mm film, a scrapbook, and artifacts relating to the professional career of engineer Edward S. Forman. Divided into six series, the collection is organized chronologically within subject file folders. Series I includes biographical information about Forman's early rocket experiments from newspaper and magazine articles, many found in a scrapbook. Of note are the photographs of early launch attempts with John Parsons, and their original rocket test stand motor. Series II contains documents and publications during Forman's time with Cal Tech, the GLACIT Program, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory building JATOs. This series contains several films which show the test firing of various rockets and the take-offs of planes aided by JATOs. Series III has numerous photographs and reports produced by Aerojet Engineering Corporation during their research and development of various rockets for the U.S. military. Of note is a piece of an airplane wing from a fatal JATO experiment. The wing is annotated by Forman, describing the incident: A PIECE OF BELLY CENTER SECTION FROM INTERSTATE AIRPLANE DAMAGED BY 2 AEROJET UNITS 8AS1000 THAT SLIPPED OUT OF THE MOUNTING RACKS. ONE UNIT IMBEDDING ITSELF IN THE GASOLINE TANK, THE OTHER UNIT GOING THRU THE PROPELLER AND FLYING THRU A HANGAR 125 YARDS AWAY. ONE PROPELLER TIP SHATTERED THE RIGHT LEG OF NAVY INSPECTOR KLEIN. NO OTHERS WERE INJURED. THIS WAS THE FIRST ACCIDENT TO OCCUR WHERE AEROJET UNITS WERE INVOLVED. ACCIDENT OCCURRED 6 P.M. NOV. 1, 1943. ED. S. FORMAN P.S. MR. KLEIN DIED AT 4:00 A.M. THE FOLLOWING MORNING. Series IV deals with an explosives company Forman helped found, Vulcan Powder Company. Series V and VI include employee newsletters and photographs from Hughes Aircraft and Lockheed.
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