Scanning Photographs at the Glenn L. Martin Aviation Musuem

After completing the Martin Star digitization project, I was given the opportunity to work on another digitization project, only this time it dealt with old photographs. A man named Jim Hawkins, who lived in the New York City area, began taking photos of aircraft in the mid-1930s at La Guardia and Idlewild Fields. The head archivist at the Glenn L. Martin Aviation Museum, Stan, also told me that Jim took images at several military bases in the same area and then worked with Grumman aircraft for a brief period of time right after WWII but he resumed taking pictures in the 50’s of airliners at Idlewild and other airports around the country as he was involved in a construction business that worked all over the US.  He continued taking pictures up until his health declined in 2007.  He was in his 90's and lived in Florida at that time where his collection was donated to the Glenn L. Martin Aviation Museum by his son Robert. Many of the older photographs taken have already deteriorated. This can be attributed to the improper handling of these materials over the years and their old age. Some of the photos were not kept in cold enough conditions causing them to bubble at a faster speed. Some of the photos have also been damaged from human contact because they were not protected. Fortunately, some of the pictures from the 1950’s have survived and many from the 1960’s. I have only been able to get through those years so far because there are so many. So far, I have scanned and labeled about 560 photographs. From these pictures, I have learned a lot about how airplanes have changed structurally and aesthetically over time from each manufacturer. Even though this work is repetitive and time consuming, I am really glad I was given this project because I know I am saving so many photographs, some of which are almost in such terrible condition that they would not have been visible for much longer. Jim took so many amazing pictures and it is really unfortunate that those from the 1930’s and 1950’s are no longer able to be scanned. I will continue to work on this project through the summer until I leave for Graduate School. Overall, I would say it has been a really helpful experience. There are not many archive volunteers that work there and I am happy that I get to help them with such important projects. I have been able to meet such lovely people and they have given me great advice about my future.