The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Theodore P. Hall Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10061.O/S
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Theodore Parsons “Ted” Hall Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10061.O/S
Physical Description:
3 Cubic Feet
9 Archival Boxes
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Theodore Parsons “Ted” Hall, was a noted designer of the Consolidated flying automobile. This collection contains information
on his life and flying cars.
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Theodore Parsons “Ted” Hall Personal Papers, San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Theodore Parsons “Ted” Hall, noted designer of the Consolidated flying automobile, was born in Wallingford, Connecticut, December
18, 1898. He was a graduate of Syracuse University, with a degree in electrical engineering, and a graduate of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, with a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering.
He was employed by the Thomas Morse Aircraft Company in Ithaca, New York while attending Syracuse University, and, after graduation,
joined Cunningham-Hall Aircraft Company in Rochester, New York, working at Cunningham-Hall from 1928 until 1931. Cunningham-Hall
had been formed in 1928 by his older brother Randolph F. Hall, in partnership with James Cunningham, Son and Company. Randolph
Hall, a noted aircraft designer and inventor, was later associated with the formation of Bell Aircraft Corporation.
Ted Hall joined Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in Buffalo, New York in 1931 as a structural engineer, quickly advancing
to senior-level project engineering assignments. He came to San Diego when Reuben Fleet relocated Consolidated in 1935. He
was involved in the development of many of the Consolidated, later Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft models, including the PBY
(Catalina), B-24 and C-87 (Liberator), PB2Y-3 (Coronado), the B-32 (Dominator), and also received a patent for what eventually
became the XC-99.
His involvement with Catalina design and development was particularly significant, responsible for the design of such innovative
features as the integral fuel tanks and the retractable wing tip floats. He was also a leader in developing Catalina performance
improvements through use of designs which featured high wing loadings. He was later chief development engineer for the company.
Ted Hall first attracted national attention when he was at Cunningham-Hall, involved in the design of aircraft which minimized
landing speed through the innovative use of high lift devices, a feature more commonplace today. One aircraft design was entered
in the Guggenheim competition, with its performance very close to that of the winning Curtiss Tanager. Mr. Hall held several
early patents for his high-lift wing designs.
It was with this advanced development background that Mr. Hall was able to bring to reality a convertible car-airplane, more
commonly called the flying automobile. Many had tried to perfect the concept, but Mr. Hall was the first to introduce a successful
design. He began his convertible car-airplane program in 1938, and began construction of the prototype the following year,
all accomplished on “his own time,” still a Consolidated employee. The development vehicle was successfully test flown in
1940 at the Linda Vista Airport.
In 1946, Hall sold rights to his flying car program to Southern Aircraft Corporation for further development. Southern Aircraft,
however, after several months, returned all rights to Mr. Hall. He left Consolidated employment to continue development of
his flying car, and was able to secure the company’s development backing in 1946. In 1948, after a considerable expenditure,
Consolidated abandoned the project, transferring all rights of manufacture and the prototype back to Mr. Hall, in accordance
with their agreement.
He formed Airways Motors, Inc., as well as T.P. Hall Engineering Corporation in San Diego, but a lack of funding eventually
doomed continuation of his flying car program. Three vehicles had been developed, and all were successfully flown, the last
in 1948. There were approximately 140 flights during the program. Mr. Hall’s prototype was displayed at San Diego Air & Space
Museum until destroyed by fire in 1978. Hall’s two remaining roadable airplanes were stored at Camp Elliott in the San Diego
area, but were destroyed by vandals.
Theodore P. Hall passed away in San Diego on March 17, 1978. He was survived by his wife, the former Marion Parsons, three
daughters, and eight grandchildren.
9 archival boxes containing documents, photographs, articles, drawings and reports.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
General Dynamics Corporation. Convair Division
Flying Automobiles
Convair Model 116
Consolidated Aircraft (Firm)
Hall, Theodore P.
Box 1 of 9
Series I: Correspondence and Official Papers
1. Correspondence, Hall Convertible Airfoil Design (1927-1928)
2. Correspondence, Flying Truck versus Glider, David G. Fleet and Air Corps (1941)
3. Miscellaneous Correspondence, Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, Airway Motors, Inc., T.P. Hall Engineering Corporation
(1938-1949)
4. Miscellaneous Correspondence, Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, Airway Motors, Inc., T.P. Hall Engineering Corporation
(1949-1959)
5. Convair - Crosley Engine Invoices (1949)
Series II: Technical Reports and Special Studies
6. Experimental Monoplane, B.F. Mahoney Aircraft Corporation (1928)
7. Convertible Airfoil, Theodore P. Hall, MIT, Master’s Thesis - Original (1928)
8. Convertible Airfoil, Theodore P. Hall, MIT, Master’s Thesis - Copy 1 (1928)
9. Convertible Airfoil, Theodore P. Hall, MIT, Master’s Thesis - Copy 2 (1928)
10. High Lift Wing Performance Calculations (1929-1937)
11. Cunningham-Hall Airfoil, ED-13, MIT (1930)
12. Hall Convertible Wing Model and Wind Tunnel Test (1930)
Box 2 of 9
Series II: Technical Reports and Special Studies
1. Wind Tunnel Tests and Lateral Control Investigations, High Lift Wing (1930)
2. High-Lift Wing Miscellaneous Drawings/Analyses (1931-1939)
3. Technical Notes No. 417, Wind Tunnel Tests of a High Lift Wing (1932)
4. Experiments with Wing Passageway, Automatic Flaps, and Lateral Control for Full Span Flaps, R.F. Hall (1930s)
5. Speed, Range and Control with High Lift Wing (c. 1934)
6. Design Factors, Model XCP-1 (1939)
7. Flight Reports, NX-14993 Car-Airplane (1940-1941)
8. The Convertible Car-Airplane, XCP-1, T.P. Hall (1941)
9. XCP-1 CAA Aircraft Operation Record (1941)
10. Hall XCP-1 Airworthiness and Aircraft Registration Certificate (14993)
11. Development and Design of the Consolidated Stressed Skin Wing (c. 1942)
12. Consolidated Vultee, Retractable Surface, Longitudinal and Directional Control (1943)
13. Catalog, Wagner Hydraulic Brake Parts for Aircraft (1943)
14. Model 111, Summary of Calculated Weight and Balance (1945)
15. Oleo Shock Strut Packing Service Tests (1945)
16. Ercoupe Flight Reports (1946)
17. Consolidated Vultee Flying Automobile Four-Place Proposal (1946)
18. Model 116, CAA Airworthiness Certificate (1946)
19. Model 116, Development Program (1946)
20. Model 116, Estimated Flight Characteristics (1946)
21. Model 116, Detail Design Sketches (1946)
22. Model 116, Cal Tech, Wind Tunnel Tests of Quarter Scale Model (1946)
23. Model 116, Wind Tunnel Tests of Quarter Scale Model (1946)
24. Model 116, Shock Strut Design/Analys1s (1946)
25. Model 116, Landing Gear Shock Strut Drop Tests (1946)
26. Model 116, Design Characteristics Report (1946)
Box 3 of 9
Series II: Technical Reports and Special Studies
1. Model 116, Flight Performance Testing, Flight Reports 1-3 (1946)
2. Model 116, Flight Performance Testing, Flight Reports 4-7 (1946)
3. Model 116, Flight Performance Testing, Flight Reports 8-66 (1946)
4. Model 116, ZS-116-001, Fuselage Analysis (1946)
5. Model 116, ZS-116-002, Roadable Airplane Wing Analysis (1946)
6. Model 116, ZS-116-003, Empennage and Boom Analysis (1946)
7. Model 116, ZS-116-004, Landing Gear Analysis (1946)
8. Model 116, Various Weight Statements (1946-1947)
9. Model 116, ZW-116-001, Estimated Weight and Balance Study (1946)
10. Preliminary Weight and Balance Study, Four Place Flying Automobile (1946)
11. Model 116, Deflection Analysis (1946)
12. Model 116, Program Planning (1946-1947)
13. Model 116, Control System (1946)
14. Effect of Airframe Weight on Direct Labor Man Hours, Consolidated (1946-1948)
15. Model 116, Performance Calculations (1947)
16. Model 116, Engine Cooling Test Measurements, Flights 1-60 (1947)
17. Model 116, Summary Report of Engine Cooling, Flights 8-66 (1947)
18. Model 116, Engine Failure Report (1946)
19. Design Sketches/Notes Model 116/118, 1 of 2
20. Design Sketches/Notes Model 116/118, 2 of 2
Box 4 of 9
Series II: Technical Reports and Special Studies
1. Model 116/118, Hall Informal Notes/Analysis/Design, 1 of 3
2. Model 116/118, Hall Informal Notes/Analysis/Design, 2 of 3
3. Model 116/118, Hall Informal Notes/Analysis/Design, 3 of 3
4. Flying Automobile Program (1947)
5. Model 116/Voyager 165 Performance Comparison (1947)
6. Model 118, Artist Illustrations (1947)
7. Consolidated Flying Car Marketing Brochure Sketches
8. Flying Automobiles in 1947, Consolidated-Vultee Study
9. Model 118, Consolidated Vultee, ZP47118001, Convair Flying Car (1947)
10. Flying Automobile Marketing Brochure, Original Art (Undated)
11. Model 118, Design Sketches/Material Information/Manufacture Information
12. Model 118, Roadable Design Performance Characteristics
13. Model 118, Cost Analysis (1946-1947)
14. Model 118, ZW-118-001/ZW-118-002 Estimated Weight and Balance (1947)
15. Model 118, ZA-118-001, Flight Characteristics (1947)
16. Model 118, ZD-118-002, Convair Outline Specification (1947)
17. Model 118, Wheel and Brake Development Tests, 4.50-12 Wheel (1947)
18. Model 118, Wheel and Brake Development Tests, 6.00- 6 Wheel (1947)
19. Model 118, Wheel and Brake Engineering Data (1947)
Box 5 of 9
Series II: Technical Reports and Special Studies
1. Model 118, Weight Analysis, 1 of 2 (1946-1947)
2. Model 118, Weight Analysis, 2 of 2 (1946-1947)
3. Model 118, Aircraft Flight Reports (1947-1948)
4. Model 118, Report of Forced Landing of Flying Automobile (1947 – See Also Photographs Folder – 18 Photographs)
5. Convertible Airplane – Light Armored Car (c. 1947)
6. Model 118, Specification for Army Air Forces Personnel Transport (1947)
7. Outline Specification, Flying Automobile, Army Ground Forces (1947)
8. Flying Auto Military Variants (Jeep/Truck/Litter)
9. Specification for Convertible Car-Airplanes
10. Preliminary Design Data Showing Several Arrangements for Use as a Liaison-Observation Aircraft (1948)
11. Model 118, Flight Test Performance Data (1948)
12. Model 118, ZW-118-003, Weight Summary (1948)
13. Army Air Corps Flying Truck Variant (1948)
14. Model 118, Flight Preparation Sheets
15. Model 118, Shock Strut Design Analysis
Box 6 of 9
Series II: Technical Reports and Special Studies
1. Model 118, 0.22 Scale Model Wind Tunnel Tests, Without Power (1947)
2. Model 118, Strut Drop Test Results
3. Model 118, CAA Airworthiness Certificate (1947)
4. Model 118, Weight Reports/Analysis
5. Model 118, Lacquer/Plastic Sample Panel
6. Ted Hall’s Notes/Calculations/Analyses, 1 of 3
7. Ted Hall’s Notes/Calculations/Analyses, 2 of 3
8. Ted Hall’s Notes/Calculations/Analyses, 3 of 3
9. Model SC100, Design Sketches, Airway Motors Inc., San Diego (1950)
10. XCP-1/VC-3 Technical Information/Characteristics (1953)
11. Model 118, Control Surface Ordinates (1947)
12. Model 118, Maneuvering Tail Load Calculations (1948)
13. Model 118, Aileron, Flap Pulley Design Notes (1948)
14. Model 118, Miscellaneous Documentation
15. Hydraulic Coupling, Twin Disc Clutch Company (1948)
16. Engineering Notes, Airway Motors, Inc. (1947)
17. Model 118, Sale of Salvaged Material (1948-1949)
Box 7 of 9
Series IV: Published Information and Articles
2. Experiments with Automatic Flaps, R.F. Hall (1937)
3. Hall Wing Characteristics, Aero Digest, R.F. Hall (1938)
4. Towards the Venetian Blind – High Lift Wing (1938)
5. Lift Wing Safety Device, Rochester Evening News (1939)
6. Developing Engineering Perspective Drawings (1941)
7. On Wings and Wheels, Automobile Quarterly (1984)
8. The Convair Flying Automobile, SAE Technical Paper 921566 – 1992
9. Miscellaneous Flying Auto Historical Articles
Series VI: Invention Development Records and Patents
Theodore P. Hall Development Records and Patents
14. Listing, Hall Brothers Aircraft Patents (1925-1936)
15. Invention Specification Relating to Convertible Car-Airplanes (c. 1946)
16. Patent 2,562,491 - Flying Automobiles (1951)
17. Patent 2,562,492 - Means for Locking Detachable Loads to Aircraft (1951)
18. Patent 2,619,184 - Automotive Vehicle Adapted to be Airborne (1952)
19. Patent 2,619,301 - Flight Component, Ground Vehicles Adapted to Airborne (1952)
20. Patent 2,621,565 - Bomb Storing Assembly - Original Application (1939)
21. Patent 2,766,660 - Bomb Storing Assembly (1956)
22. Miscellaneous Hall Patent Information
Other Early Aircraft Patents: Patents 1,051,659 (1908) through 1,701,451 (1929)
23. Part 1 of 4: Airplane, Airplane Control, Control Surfaces, Motor Vehicle Construction, Flying Boat, Hydroaeroplane, Variable
Area Wing, Vehicle Chassis, Aircraft Side Car, Air-Land-Water Craft, Sectional Flying Boat, Impeller Aerofoil, and Autoplane
24. Part 2 of 4: Airplane, Vehicle Chassis, Control Surface Mechanism, Aeroplane-Boat, Rotorcraft, Flying Machine, and Controlling
Airplanes
Box 8 of 9
Series VI: Invention Development Records and Patents
1. Part 3 of 4: Airplane, Arrangement of Aeroplane Wings, Airplane Seat, Control Surface Actuator, Vehicle Body Mounting,
Autorotative Winged Aircraft, Airplane Control, Flying Automobile, Body-Chassis Construction, All Wing Airplane, Motor Vehicle
Manufacture, and Autoplane
2. Part 4 of 4: Airplane, Autoplane, Flying Automobile, Axle Construction, Flexible Device, Vehicle Body, Folding Wing, Aerial
and Land Vehicle, Vehicle Suspension Mechanism, Roadable Airplane, Spring Suspension System, Fluid Foil Lifting Surface, and
Combined Aircraft and Automobile
Series VII: Engineering Drawings
3. XCP-1 General Arrangement (1938)
4. Wagner Electric Corporation, Hydraulic Brake Parts (1943-1947)
5. XC-1, General Arrangement Drawing, Southern Aircraft Corporation (1945)
6. Wheel and Brake Assembly – Spicer Manufacturing (1947)
7. Model 118, Fluid Drive Assembly, Toolcraft Manufacturing (1945)
8. Model 118, Fluid Drive Coupling Assembly, Toolcraft Manufacturing (1945)
9. Model 118, Instruments and Instrument Installation (1945-1946)
10. Model 118, SD-46-15002 Flying Automobile, Four Place, Tapered Wing (1946)
11. Model 118, General Arrangement and Controls
12. Model 118, Wing Aileron, Tail Structural Detail
13. Model 118, Simmonds Products, Control Systems Bulletins (1946)
14. Model 118, Salsbury Motors, Clutch, Transmission, Rear Axle Assembly (1946)
15. Model 118, Flying Auto General Arrangement/Systems Drawings (c. 1947)
16. Model 118, Elevator Control Bungee (1947)
Box 9 of 9
Series VII: Engineering Drawings
1. Model 118, Cable Drive Windshield Wiper Installation (1947)
2. Model 118, Engine Assembly, Firebaugh Motors Inc. (1947)
3. Model 118, Stewart-Warner Speedometer System
4. Model 118, Coupling Assembly, Wheel, Thompson Products, Inc. (1947)
5. Model 118, Steering Assembly (1948)
6. Model 118, Steering Control, Wheel Assembly, Scott Aviation (1947)
7. Model 118, Hydraulic Pressure, Scott Aviation Corporation
8. Model 118, Auto Seat Assembly, Weber Aircraft (1947)
9. Model 118, Proposed Seat Cushions and Backs
10. Model 118, Assorted Wheel and Brake Assembly Drawings (1947)
11. Wheel Assembly, Kelsey-Hayes Wheel (1948)
12. U.S. Rubber Company – Wheel and Brake Assembly
Engineering Drawings A/B/C 1003, A/B/C/D 1015, C1017, B/C 1018, A/B/C 1019, B/C 1022, A2003, A, 2009, A2010, A2014, A2019,
A2026, A2030, A2036, A2037, A2042, 4562, 4563, and P5183