Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Business Number: 540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu
URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu
Special Collections Staff
Administrative Information
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The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], John V. Becker Papersn, Ms1990-052, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
The John V. Becker Papers were donated to Special Collections prior to 1990.
Processing Information
The initial processing, arrangement, and description of the John V. Becker Papers was completed in 1990. Additional description, re-housing of the collection, and the creation of series was completed in August 2018.
Biographical Note
John V. Becker was born in Albany, New York, in 1913. He graduated from NYU in 1935 with a degree in mechanical engineering and an MS in 1936. He began working at National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory later that year. During his career, he served as . Head of the 16-ft. Wind Tunnel Branch (1943-1947), chief of the Compressibility Research Division (1947-1957), and chief of the Aero-Physics Research Division (1958-1974) at NACA and NASA-Langley. He was a specialist in hypersonic and reentry aerodynamics and a pioneer in the development of hypersonic research aircraft, including the X-15. Becker retired from NASA in 1974. He was elected a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In 1980, he authored The High-Speed Frontier: Case Histories of Four NACA Programs, 1920-1950 (Washington, DC: NASA, 1980).
A longer biography of Becker is availalbe on the NASA website: https://www.nasa.gov/langley/hall-of-honor/john-v-becker .
Scope and Contents
The John V. Becker Papers contain correspondence, notes, memoranda and other materials related to NACA and NASA programs with which Becker was associated, including the X-1, X-15, X-20 (or Dyna-Soar) programs, research files for The High-Speed Frontier and other writings, transcripts of oral history interviews, and copies of publications and lectures by Becker. The majority of materials were created between 1936 and 1980, with the bulk dated between 1946 and 1976. There are also undated materials, but based on their content, they date to the same active time period of Becker's career.
Arrangement
The John V. Becker Papers are in their original order. Since this order grouped like materials together, series were added to help navigate the collection. Series I: Biographical Information and Correspondence, 1936-1976, n.d., contains resumes, interviews with Becker, correspondence, and materials about his retirement. Series II: Writings and Authored Studies, 1970-1980, n.d., includes books, reports, and studies written by Becker and reviews about those works. In addition, this series has writings by colleagues on which Becker commented. Series III: Talks and Presentations, 1946-1976, consists of talks and presentations given by Becker between 1946 and 1976. These include presentations given to the public (at conferences or invited events), as well as presentation given in the context of his job (for the military, NASA, and corporate partners). Series IV: Research and Meeting Files, 1954-1974, n.d., contains research and subject files on various projects from Becker's career including, but not limited to, wind tunnels, hypersonic and supersonic flight, the X-15 (and precursors and successors), Dyna-Soar, and active cooling programs. In additions, this contains series contains notes from meetings with sueprvisors, project partners, committees. This series may also have correspondence not located in Series I.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Aerospace engineers
- Archives of American Aerospace Exploration (AAAE)
- Science and Technology
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the John V. Becker Papersn by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).
Container List
- box-folder 1 folder: 1
Biographical data, resumes, etc.
- box-folder 1 folder: 2
Interviews: May 27, 1973-Walt Bonney; February 10, 1976-Gene Emme
- box-folder 1 folder: 3
List of Publications
- box-folder 1 folder: 4a-4b
Correspondence, Miscellaneous
- box-folder 1 folder: 4c
Correspondence, Appointments to advisory groups, committees, 1936-1974
- box-folder 1 folder: 4d
Correspondence, Banquets & Awards
- box-folder 1 folder: 4e
Retirement, 1975-1990
- box-folder 1 folder: 5a
Roland's NACA History-JVB Comments
- box-folder 1 folder: 5b
Hansen's Langley History
- box-folder 1 folder: 5c
Book Review-Hallion's Dryden History
- box-folder 1 folder: 6a
HRE Hindsight Study-Pre-HRE Scram jet res., aerospace plane
- box-folder 1 folder: 6b
HRE Hindsight Study-Contract, Report correspondence
- box-folder 1 folder: 6c
HRE Hindsight Study-Coord. National Programs
- box-folder 1 folder: 6d
HRE Hindsight Study-Final Report
- box-folder 1 folder: 6e
HRE Hindsight Study-Comments
- box-folder 1 folder: 6f
DuPont Engine Study, 1970-1977
- box-folder 1 folder: 7a
The High-Speed Frontier -Correspondence, proposals, contract
- box-folder 1 folder: 7b
The High-Speed Frontier -Interviews
- box-folder 1 folder: 7c
The High-Speed Frontier -Sample taped interviews
- box-folder 1 folder: 7d
Unused writings for SP445
- box-folder 1 folder: 7e
The High-Speed Frontier (NASA SP445)-2 reviews, 1980
- box-folder 1 folder: 7f
Reviews and comments on The High-Speed Frontier
- box-folder 1 folder: 8
The Development of Winged Reentry Vehicles
- box-folder 1 folder: 9a
Aviation Writers Association talk, 2/7/1946
- box-folder 1 folder: 9b
"Problems in Newer Fields of Fluid Mechanics," December 29, 1949
- box-folder 1 folder: 9c
"States of 2-Dimension Transonic Research," June 1950
- box-folder 1 folder: 9d
Chairman's remarks, October 2-3, 1951
- box-folder 1 folder: 9e
"Scale Effects at Supersonic Speeds," September 1953
- box-folder 1 folder: 9f
"Supersonic Heat Transfer on Flared Bodies," January 19, 1956
- box-folder 1 folder: 9g
"Future Aircraft," March 28, 1956
- box-folder 1 folder: 9h
"Hypersonic Gliders," May 1, 1957; "The Coolant Requirements of Hypersonic Gliders," November 4, 1957
- box-folder 1 folder: 9i
"Winged Configurations for Manned Satellites," March 1958
- box-folder 1 folder: 9j
"Reentry" lecture, November 26, 1958
- box-folder 1 folder: 9k
"Comparisons of X-15, Mercury and Dyna-soar," February 10, 1959
- box-folder 1 folder: 9l
"Comparative Studies of Reentry Vehicles," April 7, 1959
- box-folder 1 folder: 9m
"Manned Hypersonic Vehicles," 1959-1960
- box-folder 1 folder: 9n
"State of the Art 1959 Manned Reentry Vehicles," July 28, 1959
- box-folder 1 folder: 9o
"Reentry" lecture, September 9, 1959
- box-folder 1 folder: 9p
"Supersatellite Reentry," December 2-4, 1959
- box-folder 1 folder: 9q
"Reentry R & D," 1960-1961
- box-folder 1 folder: 9r
"Trajectory Control-Reentry at Escape Speed," June 21, 1961
- box-folder 1 folder: 9s
"Reentry from Lunar Missionsm" August 5, 1961
- box-folder 1 folder: 9t
"Reentry from Lunar Missions," September 8, 1961
- box-folder 2 folder: 1
RESA lecture, October 17, 1961
- box-folder 2 folder: 2
"Facilities for Hypersonic Research," September 14, 1962
- box-folder 2 folder: 3
"Reentry from Deep Space Missions," October 17, 1963
- box-folder 2 folder: 4
OART studies, June 25, 1964
- box-folder 2 folder: 5
"Studies of High L/D Hypersonic Config ICAS IV," August 8, 1964
- box-folder 2 folder: 6
"Research on Hypersonic Aircraft," January 14, 1966
- box-folder 2 folder: 7
"Fluid Mechanics Problems of Hypersonic Aircraft," August 28-31, 1966
- box-folder 2 folder: 8
"The Evolution of Lifting Body R.V.s," December 1967
- box-folder 2 folder: 9
"A Critical Look at the R & D of Hypersonic Aircraft," October 24, 1967
- box-folder 2 folder: 10a
"Research and Development for Long Range Supersonic Aircraft," November 1, 1968
- box-folder 2 folder: 10b
"X-15 in Retrospect," December 4-5, 1968
- box-folder 2 folder: 11
"Research and Project Management," March 13, 1970
- box-folder 2 folder: 12
_Hypersonic Technology_ Briefings for G. Low, June 8, 1970, and D. Nicks, April 23, 1970
- box-folder 2 folder: 13
ICAS VII, September 1970
- box-folder 2 folder: 14
Aeronautical Research Beyond Mach 3, July 15, 1971
- box-folder 2 folder: 15
NASA/OAST Hypersonic Technology Programs, 1973
- box-folder 2 folder: 16
"Actively Cooled Hypersonic Aircraft," May 18, 1972
- box-folder 2 folder: 17
"Transport A/C Opportunities Beyond the M-2.7 SSt," July 27, 1973
- box-folder 2 folder: 18
"Hypersonic Technology", March 19, 1974
- box-folder 2 folder: 19
"Reflections on Hypersonics," December 5, 1976
- box-folder 2 folder: 20a
Langley Wind Tunnel Development
- box-folder 2 folder: 20b
4-ft Supersonic Tunnel
- box-folder 2 folder: 20c
60,000 hp Compressor for 4ft Supersonic Tunnel-Design, manufacture, test photos
- box-folder 2 folder: 20d
Analysis of Ram-Jet-powered wind tunnel
- box-folder 2 folder: 20e
Use of gases other than air in hypersonic tunnels
- box-folder 2 folder: 20f
Alternates to slotted throats for transonic testing in 16 ft tunnel
- box-folder 2 folder: 20g
Isentropic Compressor, 1953
- box-folder 2 folder: 20h
11-inch Hypersonic Wind Tunnel-conception, progress reports, early research, initial design
- box-folder 2 folder: 20i
11-inch Hypersonic Wind Tunnel-photos
- box-folder 2 folder: 20j
11-inch Hypersonic Wind Tunnel-Tests, tech reports, transfer to Virginia Tech
- box-folder 2 folder: 21a
X-1 research airplane (conceptual predecessor to X-15)
- box-folder 2 folder: 21b-c
Langley pre-X-15 study of 1954
- box-folder 2 folder: 21c
Bell aircraft and Douglas visitors, 1964
- box-folder 2 folder: 21d
Project 1226 (X-15), 1955
- box-folder 2 folder: 21e
X-15 Evaluation of contract proposals, 1955
- box-folder 2 folder: 21f
X-15 Design phase (samples)
- box-folder 2 folder: 21g
X-15, Advances in technology
- box-folder 3 folder: 1
X-15 Follow-on program, termination
- box-folder 3 folder: 2
X-15
- box-folder 3 folder: 3
X-15 History, retrospective assessment
- box-folder 3 folder: 4
X-15 Sample correspondence
- box-folder 3 folder: 5a
Hypersonic Research Airplane Study, 1956-1957
- box-folder 3 folder: 5b
Round III meetings, October 16-18, 1957
- box-folder 3 folder: 6
"Minimum Manned Satellite," WADC Briefings, January 30-31, 1958
- box-folder 3 folder: 7a
Dyna-soar, X-20 Concept, 1958-1959
- box-folder 3 folder: 7b
X-20 Controls
- box-folder 3 folder: 7c
Dyna-soar correspondence, 1959-1962
- box-folder 3 folder: 7d
Korycircki Log of Key Dyna-soar Office Activies, 1957-1962
- box-folder 3 folder: 7e
RVX-2, Proposed flight tests to validate Dyna-soar heating and aerodynamics
- box-folder 3 folder: 7f
Dyna-soar related ASAF's Asset Project
- box-folder 3 folder: 7g
Dyna-soar Reviews
- box-folder 3 folder: 7h
Dyna-soar Briefings, 1962
- box-folder 3 folder: 7i
Dyna-soar Final Crises and Demise, 1963
- box-folder 3 folder: 7j
Dyna-soar Problem Areas remaining for R&D
- box-folder 3 folder: 8a
1968 Hypersonic Research Airplane study
- box-folder 3 folder: 8b
1972 Hypersonic Research Airplane reviews
- box-folder 3 folder: 8c
Hypersonic Research Airplane industry field trip, June 1972
- box-folder 3 folder: 8d
"MARV" proposal, 1973
- box-folder 3 folder: 8e
X-24C approach to a hypersonic research airplane, 1974, 1976
- box-folder 3 folder: 8f
NASA/USAF position paper advocating a hypersonic research airplane, 1976
- box-folder 3 folder: 9
Lunar Mission Steering Group
- box-folder 3 folder: 10a
Reentry Research Steering Committee, 1960
- box-folder 3 folder: 10b
Reentry flight tests, January 7, 1961
- box-folder 4 folder: 1
Reentry Flight Program Presentations, November 7, 1960
- box-folder 4 folder: 2
RVX-2 Proposal, April 1, 1960
- box-folder 4 folder: 3
Reentry Flight Tests-supercircular speed, project fire
- box-folder 4 folder: 4
Airbreathing Launch Vehicle Studies
- box-folder 4 folder: 5a
Supersonic Transport R&D; Hypersonic Transport R&D; Crituque of OART Program
- box-folder 4 folder: 5b
OART Management Council Reviews Hypersonic Technology Program, 1971-1973
- box-folder 4 folder: 6a
Joint NASA/USAF Hypersonic Program, November 9, 1962
- box-folder 4 folder: 6b
USAF/NASA Scramjet Programs Reviews, 1965-1967
- box-folder 4 folder: 6c
USAF/NASA Review of AEDC Triplet Facility, 1966
- box-folder 4 folder: 6d
AACB-DOD/NASA Joint Study, Hypersonic Technlogy, September 1972
- box-folder 4 folder: 6e
DOD/NASA Joint Reviews, Supersonic/Hypersonic Programs, 1973-1974
- box-folder 4 folder: 7a
Active Cooling Aircraft Proposal-History and initial publications, 1966-1974
- box-folder 4 folder: 7b
Symposium on Active Cooling Airframes, November 17, 1970
- box-folder 4 folder: 7c
Active Cooling Structures Program, November 21, 1972
- box-folder 4 folder: 7d
Active Cooling Inter-directional Group, 1974
- box-folder 4 folder: 7e
Active Cooling Program and Reviews, 1972-1973
- box-folder 4 folder: 8a
Reorganizations, 1969-1974
- box-folder 4 folder: 8b
Exchanges with director
- box-folder 4 folder: 8c
Airlie House Retreats, 1970-1971
- box-folder 4 folder: 8d
Williamsburg Retreat, 1974
- box-folder 4 folder: 8e
LRC Aircraft Design Steering Committee-Critiques of Aeronautics Program
- box-folder 4 folder: 8f
Director's Reviews Aero-physics Division, 1968; Hypersonic Division, 1972
- box-folder 4 folder: 8g
Committee on Studies & Analogues, 1973
- box-folder 4 folder: 8h
Technical Report Survey, Theorhetical vs. Experimental