William Hough "Bill" Cook Jr. Papers

The William Hough “Bill” Cook, Jr. Papers are comprised of documents, photographs, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia pertaining to the life and work of Bill Cook, Jr. A significant portion of this collection is made up of correspondence, both personal and professional. Major topics include the Boeing high-speed wind tunnel, the B-17, B-29, and B-47 bombers, the development of the YC-14 STOL aircraft, and research on supersonic transport. Some files contain contextual information prepared by Tandy Cook Hennings.

Series 1, Professional Work, 1940-2011, consists of six subseries: correspondence, project files, patents, research files, awards, and photographs and memorabilia. The correspondence subseries contains the office correspondence files maintained by Cook’s secretary from 1953-1974. These files were kept in their original reverse chronological order and each year contains a correspondence tracking log created by his secretary. These files are primarily carbon copies of outgoing communications, but there are also received letters and memos. The bulk of these letters are professional in nature, although some do contain personal information. Included in this subseries are interoffice communications and memos, formal letters with contacts outside Boeing, and telegrams. All the files include additional related materials such as report drafts, drawings, diagrams, articles, newspaper clippings, presentation transparencies, and photographs. Notable correspondents include fellow Boeing employees George S. Schairer and Maynard Pennell, MIT professor Charles Stark Draper, and Brigadier General Guy M. Townsend, then a colonel in the United States Air Force. Common subjects contained in these files include personnel management memos, the Boeing 707, 727, and 737 jet airliners, the YC-14 experimental STOL aircraft, and supersonic transport research.

The project files subseries contains Cook’s work files for some of his biggest projects, which include the Boeing high-speed wind tunnel, the B-17, B-29, and B-47 bombers, and the YC-14. Record formats include correspondence, diagrams, charts, work orders, report drafts, photographs, and presentation transparencies.

The patent files subseries contains records relating to various patents that Cook applied for and received over the course of his career. The records include applications, correspondence, diagrams, photographs, and legal documentation relating to those patents. Some are accompanied by booklets containing the details of the patent.

The research files subseries is comprised of reports, presentations, and product information booklets. George S. Schairer, Charles Stark Draper, and William Hough Cook, Jr. are all listed as authors on these reports, and it is likely they were kept for reference. Topics include the Boeing high-speed wind tunnel, B-47 Stratojet, and Advanced Medium STOL Transport (AMST) aircraft.

Cook’s award files include related correspondence, programs, and newspaper clippings. The awards are represented by certificates, which are located in the oversize box.

The last subseries contains photographs and assorted memorabilia. The photographs are comprised of black-and-white images of aircraft, as well as of Cook and his colleagues. They are primarily formal group portraits, but there are also a few snapshots of Cook and his friends at leisure. Tandy Cook Hennings has identified many of the individuals and events depicted in the photographs. Also included in this subseries are memorabilia such as a Boeing management album, a calendar given to Cook by Glenn E. Odekirk, and a Boeing employee roster. There is also a file of obituaries and funeral programs for some of Cook’s colleagues maintained by Hennings after her father’s death. One item of note in this subseries is Cook’s scrapbook. The scrapbook contains photographs, cards, and postcards, as well as aviation-related newspaper clippings, primarily of crashes and other accidents. A major topic of the scrapbook is the 1939 Boeing 307 Stratoliner crash, which killed all passengers.

Series 2, Personal Papers, 1925-2012, consists of six subseries: correspondence, research files, retirement writings, glider and piloting documents, death, and education. This series contains some materials from Cook’s education prior to joining Boeing, while the bulk of this series is made of research and writings from his retirement. The correspondence subseries includes a 1930 letter from W. Selkirk Owen, as well as correspondence concerning Cook’s retirement. Also included are letters from various colleagues and correspondence regarding his Cook’s retirement writings.

The research subseries is comprised of three major topics grouped and identified by Hennings: wind tunnel research, aviation history research, and assorted topics. Hennings also identified these files as research for Cook’s book Road to the 707. The files include related correspondence, reports, writing drafts, photographs, and drawings.

The retirement writings subseries includes reports and manuscript drafts written by Cook about various aviation topics, in particular the Boeing high-speed wind tunnel. Record formats include reports, manuscript drafts, and newspaper clippings.

The glider and piloting documents subseries consists of the construction manual and blueprints for the Gotha Glider that Cook completed in 1928, as well as his glider, private pilot, and mechanic licenses. In addition, this subseries also includes his private pilot logbooks from 1935-1988.

Also included in this series are records relating to Cook’s death, including related correspondence, his obituary, and text of the eulogies given at his memorial service, which was held at The Museum of Flight. Eulogies were given by Tandy Cook Hennings, F. Wyatt Cook, Richard “Dick” Taylor, and Buzz Nelson. There is also a program from his memorial service and some printed pages from the online guestbook.

The last subseries contains records relating to Cook’s education at Montclair Academy, Rensselaer, and MIT. Records include Cook’s diplomas from each institution, as well as his high school yearbook and portrait. This subseries also contains his membership certificate to the Rensselaer chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society. In addition to his MIT diploma, these files also include a program booklet for the engineering department, some of Cook’s student workbooks, and two reports written by Cook during his time there.

Digitized Materials: A selection of representative materials from throughout the collection have been digitized

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