[ARC5] Smithsonian

[J Forster]

I've heard tales about items being donated to various museums and the stuff
later being sold off when taste and fashion changes. There were even some
suggestions on a list (maybe here) that items be lent, rather than donated,
to prevent this happening.

In fact, that just happened at a  local  museum for a large corporation,
when a new VP came in from the west coast. She said, and I quote, "We don't
care about the past, only about the future" and tossed out many of the
artifacts in the collection.

My question was more directed at the obscure systems and things that do not
fit into the Smithsonian collections.  Do they, for example, have at least a
representative sample of all the different radio sets used in WW II ?

For example, one could logically conclude that some of their WW II aircraft
might have APN-1s (Radio Altimeters) on board, but would they also collect
the Test Sets for it? Or the manuals for the test sets?

Thanks,
-John



gordon white wrote:

>     As the guy who gave the Smithsonian 4,000 + pieces of ARC-5 and
> associated  equipment in 1983, I can say categorically that they do not
> "dump stuff they own that is not of current interest"   I am now the
> Smithsonian's Auto Racing Advisor, and I was responsible for the trade
> of a cobbled up Mercedes for an American 1928 Miller front drive,
> supercharged Indianapolis racing car.  It took approvals all the way up
> to the Board of Regents (The Chief Justice, the Vice President, etc.) to
> take out the Mercedes which was never going to be exhibited.
>
>     Most responsible museums, especially the Smithsonian, do not "dump
> stuff" even if maybe they should.
>
> There may be things that are not accepted as museum objects that are
> gotten rid of, but not accessioned objects. Display aids, etc.
>
> The Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum uses the ARC-5, ARA/ATA,
> SCR-274-N, etc. equipment to outfit restored aircraft, as individual
> exhibits,for research, etc.  I can say that unequivocally
>
> - Gordon White