NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC.: An Inventory of Its Corporate Records at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscript Collections

NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC.:

An Inventory of Its Corporate Records at the Minnesota Historical Society

Access to or use of this collection is currently restricted.
For Details, see the Restriction Statement


OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
	Creator:	Northwest Airlines, inc.
	Title:	Corporate records.
	Date:	1917-1998 (bulk 1930-1994).
	Abstract:	Financial records, photographs, and subject files of a St. Paul-based commerical airline with global operations stretching from the Far East to Western Europe.
	Quantity:	55.5 cu. ft. (59 boxes).
	Location:	See Detailed Description section for shelf locations.

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HISTORY OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC.

Northwest Airlines was incorporated in 1926 as Northwest Airways. The company began service on October 1, 1926, as an air mail carrier between the Twin Cities and Chicago. Passenger service was inaugurated in July 1927. Northwest expanded its service through the Dakotas and Montana to Spokane and Seattle in 1928-1933. The company was reincorporated as Northwest Airlines, Inc. in 1934.

During World War II the company set up and operated a military cargo route to Canada, Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands.

In 1946 Northwest Airlines was awarded a route to Alaska, and the "Great Circle" route to the Far East. Scheduled service to the Far East began July 15, 1947, with stops in Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Manila. The company reached the East Coast in the late 1940s, and began the first transcontinental air coach service in 1949.

Northwest participated in the Korean Airlift from 1950 to 1953 during the Korean War.

In 1979 transatlantic service to Europe was begun. A holding company, NWA Inc., was created in 1984, with Northwest Airlines as its principal operating subsidiary. That same year Northwest entered into a marketing agreement with Mesaba Aviation Inc., a Minnesota-based regional carrier, under which Mesaba operated as Northwest Orient Airlink. NWA Inc. was taken private in 1989 after a leveraged buyout by Alfred A. Checchi, Gary Wilson, and other investors.

For many years the company used the name Northwest Orient Airlines for advertising and marketing purposes.

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SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

Financial records, photographs, subject files, accounting statements and reports, operating statistics, aircraft purchase agreements, slides, advertising materials, video and audio recordings, clippings, manuals, study reports, historical and background information, records of the company's Meteorology and Flight Operations departments, some timetables, and correspondence and memoranda.

There is information about routes and service inaugurations, aircraft purchases, air mail service, pilots, aircraft accidents, strikes, and hijackings. There are newspaper accounts of the 1989 takeover of NWA Inc., and of the company's brush with bankruptcy in the 1990s. There is information about bomber modification plants operated by Northwest during World War II in both Minnesota and Ohio, and there are some records of several other airlines and their predecessors that merged with Northwest. Correspondents include Northwest executives and meteorologists; officials of the Boeing Company and other aircraft manufacturers; aviator Amelia Earhart; and others.

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ORGANIZATION OF THE COLLECTION
	These records are divided into the following sections:

		Accident files.
		Audio and video recordings, movies, and slides.
		Financial records.
		Flight Operations Department records.
		Meteorology Department records.
		Photographs.
		Public Relations Department records.
		Subject files.

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RELATED MATERIALS
	The original Amelia Earhart correspondence is filed as Res. 18.
	Annual reports, collective labor agreements, and corporate newsletters and magazines are in the Minnesota Historical Society book and serials collections.
	Some photographs are in the Minnesota Historical Society sound and visual collections.
	Records of Republic Airlines, which merged into Northwest Airlines, are also in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections.
	North Central Airlines annual reports are in the Minnesota Historical Society serials collection.

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INDEX TERMS
	This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
	Topics:
		Advertising.
		Aeronautics, Commercial--United States.
		Air mail service.
		Air travel.
		Aircraft accidents.
		Airlines -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.
		Airplane factories -- Photographs.
		Airplanes -- Maintenance and repair -- Photographs.
		Airplanes, Military--Modification.
		Airports -- Photographs.
		Bombers.
		Business enterprises -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
		Cargo handling -- Equipment -- Photographs.
		Consolidation and merger of corporations.
		Employees -- Training of.
		Flight attendants -- Photographs.
		Hijacking of aircraft.
		Leveraged buyouts.
		Strikes and lockouts -- Airlines.
		World War, 1939-1945.
	Persons:
		Brennan, Frederick E.
		Checchi, Alfred A., 1948-.
		Dasburg, John, 1943-.
		Earhart, Amelia, 1897-1937.
		Holman, Charles Willis, 1898-1931.
		Hunter, Croil, 1893-1970.
		Nyrop, Donald William, 1912-.
		Rothmeier, Steven G., 1946-.
		Sowa, Daniel F.
		Wilson, Gary.
		Wren, William.
	Organizations:
		Boeing Company.
		Hughes Airwest.
		Mesaba Aviation Inc.
		North Central Airlines.
		Northwest Airways, inc.
		Republic Airlines.
		Southern Airways, Inc.
		West Coast Airlines.
	Types of Documentation:
		Financial records.
		Photographs.
		Schedules.
		Video recordings.
		Manuals.
		Slides.
	Occupations:
		Aviation mechanics (Persons) -- Minnesota -- Photographs.
		Flight crews.

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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
	Restrictions:
		Access to records less than 25 years old requires written permission.
	Preferred Citation:
		[Indicate the cited item and/or series here.] Northwest Airlines, Inc. Corporate Records. Minnesota Historical Society.
		See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
	Accession Information:
		Accession numbers: 7,932; 12,974; 13,484; 13,695; 13,969; 14,231; 14,324; 14,611; 14,790; 15,277; 15,529; 15;679
	Processing Information:
		Processed by: David B. Peterson, October 1993, April 1998, January 2000; photographs reprocessed by Lynn Leitte, June 1998.
		PALS ID number: 09-00037562

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below.

Accident files

Location

Box

148.K.17.6F

Accident Photos, 1948-1952.

Accidents: General information, 1929-1974.

Chicago: O'Hare Field, Sept. 17, 1961.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Jan. 26, 1962.

Graham Island, B.C., June 3, 1963.

Martin 2-0-2 Aircraft, 1950-1951.

McChord Field, Washington, Sept. 6, 1953.

Miami, Feb. 12, 1963.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, Aug. 28, 1958.

Missoula, Mont., Oct. 28, 1960.

Pacific Ditching, July 11, 1960.

Puget Sound (near Seattle), April 2, 1956.

Sandspit, B.C., Jan. 18, 1952.

Sitka, Alaska (ditching near), Oct. 22, 1962.

Tell City, Ind., March 17, 1960.

Location

Box

144.E.8.3B

Detroit (Northwest flight 255), Aug. 16, 1987:

[General files], 1987-1989. 6 folders.

Includes correspondence and memoranda, newspaper clippings, television and radio news report transcripts, news releases, and legal briefs.

Chichan, Cecelia (sole survivor), 1988.

DC-9 grounding, 1987.

Federal Aviation Administration, 1988.

National Transportation Safety Board conclusions, 1988.

Newspaper clippings, 1987-1988. 3 folders.

One year later, 1988-1989.

Location

Box

142.G.9.1B-1

Photograph of floral memorial at Flight 255 crash site, [1987].

Mounted 8 x 10 color photograph with 2 x 5 metal plate with the inscription "August 16, 1987, NORTHWEST FLIGHT 255, from All of Us to All of You."

Location

Box

144.E.8.3B

Photographs of lost crew members, et al., [ca.1987].

Pratt & Whitney, 1988.

Radio and television news report transcripts (Twin Cities media), 1987. 3 folders.

Location

Box

144.E.8.4F

Detroit, Dec. 3, 1990. 2 folders.

Runway collision of Northwest flights 1482 (DC-9) and 299 (727) at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

Miami, Feb. 12, 1963:

Crash of Flight 705 (N724US) 13 minutes after departure from Miami International Airport.

Location

Box

144.E.8.5B

Artifacts:

Audio tapes, 1963.

Two 7-inch reels and one audiocassette, all unidentified.

Flight data tapes, 1963.

Two 5-inch metal spools. One says "Last Flt. 700 1-3-63, 724" and the other says "Tape from Ship 730 Flt. 704 April 30, 1963, `Kirkpatrick Incident.'"

Miscellaneous log pages and in-flight reports recovered from wreckage, 1963.

Miscellaneous material samples and notes, 1963.

Includes brush material, duct matter, and plastic subjected to flame for testing purposes in connection with the investigation of the accident.

Location

Box

144.E.8.4F

Boeing accident information presented at Renton, Washington, 1963.

Boeing Company report on elevator balance bay icing, 1963.

Boeing flight test program report, 1963.

Civil Aeronautics Board exhibits:

1A-1C: Notice and order of C.A.B. hearing, 1963.

2A-2Z15: Operations Committee report, 1963.

3A-3G: Flight Recorder Committee, 1963.

3C (obsolete): Analysis of flight recorder data, 1963.

4A and 4B: Witness Committee report, 1963.

5A-5V: Weather Committee report, 1963.

6A-6Q: Structures Committee report, 1963.

7A-7D: Power Plant Committee report, 1963.

Location

Box

144.E.8.6F

8A and 8B: Systems Committee report, 1963.

9A-9D: Human Factors Committee report, 1963.

10A-10L: Maintenance Records Committee report, 1963.

11A-11B: NASA wind tunnel tests, 1963.

Civil Aeronautics Board: Structures Committee report, 1963.

Maintenance and Engineering Department: Permanent document register, 1965.

Master file (F.C. Judd), 1963-1966. 2 folders.

Newspaper clippings, 1963.

NWA's theory as to probable cause of the accident, 1964.

Parts and wreckage releases, 1964-1965.

Photographs of reassembled wreckage, 1963.

Ship 724: Field notes, 1963.

Simulator studies, 1963.

Stabilizer trim electrical limits revision, 1962-1964.

Stewardess flight log book and flight packet, 1963.

Weather Committee report, 1963.

Witness Committee report, 1963.

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Audio and Video Recordings, Movies, and Slides

Produced by and/or related to Northwest, Republic, and North Central Airlines, Hughes Airwest, and Southern Airways. Most of the material consists of television and radio commercials. There are also employee training presentations, interviews with and speeches by company executives, television news clips, company history presentations, and a political action committee presentation. There are also some slide carousels in the Flight Operations Department Records.

Materials are organized by format (video, motion pictures, audiocassettes, and slide carousels). Videocassettes are organized by carrier (Northwest, Republic, Hughes Airwest, North Central, and Southern), and thereunder are grouped by format (U-matic, Betacam, VHS).

Location

Box

144.E.8.7B

Northwest Airlines U-Matic format videocassettes:

Beijing Aerospace Show (32-5-86), [1986?].

Customer on Line 3, undated. 2 videocassettes.

"Northwest Orient Open" and "Northwest Orient Close" (A-30), 1982.

Grey Advertising.

Rothmeier, Steven G. (NWA Chairman and CEO):

SGR #3: Lead-in (85-11-14 .05), Oct. 30, 1985.

SGR #1: Brent Baskfield, May 1987.

SGR #2: Brent Baskfield, May 1987.

SGR #3: Executive management team, May 8, 1987.

SGR #4, May 8, 1987.

SGR #1: Republic (86-01-02 .01), 1986.

For NWA employees; executives talking about NWA/Republic Airlines merger.

SGR #2: Republic (Part 2) (86-01-02 .02), [1986?].

Television spots (commercials):

2nd spot (general); 4th spot (frequent fliers) (J-28), undated.

"Free Travel" (J-18), Jan. 24, 1986.

Grey Advertising.

"Independence Bowl Hangar/REV" (J-27), Jan. 8, 1986.

Grey Advertising.

Travel Fair (travel agent version) (70), 1982.

Twins Win; Twins Lose; Twin Cities Tales (011 or 110), undated.

Northwest Airlines U-Matic broadcast format videocassettes:

Location

Box

144.E.8.8F

"Celebration of Growth," "We're Northwest Airlines," "The Spirit is Gonna Get You" (005), undated.

VPR Creative Group. See also Public Relations Department Records, Box 20.

Historical reel (Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising), 1987.

"Mini NF to More," Look/Mini NF to More," "Bloomingdales," "Restrictions," "Shades," "Phone Bill," "How Far," "Hong Kong," "Rickshaw," and "Can Do."

"Ride on Time" (024), undated.

Rothmeier, Steven G. (NWA Chairman and CEO):

SGR #3 (85-11-14 .02), [1985?]. 3 videocassettes.

Television spots (commercials):

"Factory Tour," "Spirit," "More Destinations," "People" (J-06), 1986.

Manhattan Transfer/Edit.

"Follow the Red Tail" (J-05), 1986.

Manhattan Transfer/Edit.

"Image," "Employees," "More Places," "Look to Us," "Bemidji" (J-12), 1987.

Manhattan Transfer/Edit.

"Silver Tray" (J-26), 1986.

mgs agency.

"Wide Cabin/rev Peter Lawford" (J-09), June 19, 1980.

Campbell-Mithun.

Transitions to Leadership (003), Oct. 1, 1991.

Wilson, John: Strategy presentation, Oct. 22, 1991.

Northwest Airlines Betacam format videocassettes:

Location

Box

144.E.8.9B

Checchi, Al:

Interview (89-07-25 .01), July 5, 1989.

Presentation (048), Feb. 17, 1992.

Clouser, Chris:

Chris Clouser on ad campaign (#5) (92-05-33 .05), [1992?].

Interview, Feb. 2, 1995. 3 videocassettes.

Commercials regarding maintenance bases in northeastern Minnesota ("Not for Broadcast") (017/018/019), undated.

Dasburg, John:

Green Bay address (Tape 1), Jan. 11, 1996.

Mission statement speech (020), Oct. 26, 1991.

Sales address, March 3, 1993.

Who is John Dasburg?, Sept. 23, 1993. 3 videocassettes.

DCA Meeting, Dec. 9, 1991. 6 videocassettes.

Executives/employees meeting in Washington, D.C.

Directors meeting, Jan. 9, 1992; "All about Al;" "Iowa;" (030), undated.

"Future is in Your Hands" (040), undated.

VPR Creative Group.

KLM Inaugural (MSP) (91-04-18 .01 and .02), April 2, 1991. 2 videocassettes.

Managers and directors meeting, May 5, 1992. 4 videocassettes.

"Northwest AicCares/Share Our Strength," Dec. 21, 1993.

TeleEdit.

NWA Service '96: Q & A with Dasburg/Adler, Jan. 30, 1996. 2 videocassettes.

One Team, One Goal (SYD #18), July 28, 1991.

Laurie Kumerow.

Quality awareness (045), undated.

Quality awareness (92-03-14) (sub-master), undated.

"Some People Know How to Fly" (023), undated.

Special report video (92-05-33 .01 and .02), May 13, 1992. 2 videocassettes.

Includes Herb Ihle, John Wilson, Steve Phillis, Dan Handlin.

TCAS - Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System; Training Scenarios; (88-09-16 .07), [1988?].

Uniform fashion show (91-06-44 .01 and .02), June 19, 1991. 2 videocassettes.

Wilson, John: Gloomy outlook presentation (92-04-28), April 6, 1992.

Location

Box

144.E.8.10F

Doan, Chris: Mission/vision statement to mechanics (002), 1991.

Highlight commercials (91-11-99 .01 and .02), 1991. 2 videocassettes.

TFI.

In-flight shows:

#20-12B: West/South, December 1993.

#21-1A: East/North, January 1994.

#24-4C: International, April 1994.

#27-7A: East/North, July 1994.

#30-10B: West/South, October 1994.

#29-9C: International, September 1994.

CH1: English; CH2: Japanese.

Location

Box

144.E.9.1B

Northwest Airlines VHS format videocassettes:

Advertising, 1992.

"BB History," April 13, 1995.

Includes Austin, San Antonio, Tulsa, Birmingham, and Oklahoma City.

Crash & Sue's Film & Video Post.

"Best of the Best," undated.

Commercial using historical footage.

Checchi interview: State of the airline, March 12, 1991.

WCCO-TV news Dimension report.

Checklist for the Future, undated.

"Come on Up - World Business Class," Feb. 9, 1993.

Juntunen Video, Inc.

Competitive review - Pacific region, Jan.-April 1991.

Corporate Communications/Advertising, 1992.

Dasburg, John:

"Dasburg Strategy," Dec. 23, 1994.

Mission speech, undated.

Twenty-fifth Anniversary speech, undated.

"Who is John Dasburg?," undated.

Domestic 60 Minutes: 255 One Year later, Aug. 15, 1988.

WDIV Ch. 4, Detroit.

Drunk pilots television reports, March 16-17, 1990. 2 videocassettes.

Twin Cities (Minn.) television stations.

"Fighter Meet," 1986.

Ground services recruitment, September 1990.

J. Walter Thompson, May 7, 1992.

Includes "Anthem Spud," "Anthem Ballerinas," and "Anthem."

Djm Films, Inc.

Kirby [Puckett]: "Home Run," undated.

Puckett was a player for the Minnesota Twins baseball club.

MEM-AMS, undated.

New Ways Campaign, undated.

Northwest Airlines Deal, Dec. 16, 1991.

Apparently news clips from Twin Cities (Minn.) television stations.

Northwest Airlines history:

Aircraft parking (A-29), undated.

History/Overview (Slattery), undated.

Military operations (A-20), Sept. 18, 1986.

The EM COM Group, Inc.

NWA history: Vince Doyle, undated.

NWA history narrative (A-19), undated.

Filmed in Vancouver, B.C.

"Restricted Articles" (A-26), undated.

Vince Doyle Collection: Film footage of Northwest Airways to Airlines, undated.

Northwest Experience/Atlanta roll-out, Aug. 11, 1989.

Landor Associates/VCA Teletronics Inc.

Northwest News Magazine:

January 1989.

Box says "March 1989."

September 1989.

Box says "April 1989."

NTNNews

December 1988.

Jan., March 1990. 2 videocassettes.

Location

Box

144.E.9.2F

June, Sept.-Oct., Dec. 1990. 4 videocassettes.

Jan., March-Sept., Nov.-Dec., 1991. 11 videocassettes.

May, 1992.

Special report apparently having to do with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Northwest Video Magazine, Sept. and Nov. 1989. 2 videocassettes.

Northwest World Update, undated. 4 videocassettes.

April Show - 4B; April Show - C; December - 12A; December - 12B.

Officers and directors meeting (92-05-36), May 5, 1992.

"Rose," "Pelts," "Hilliard," "Smith," "Hammontree," Feb. 10, 1994.

Rothmeier, Steven G.: Two Speeches, Q & A session (87-12-23), 1987.

Saatchi & Saatchi Agency, undated.

Compilation of S & S commercials for Northwest Airlines.

Special report video: New financial agreements, undated.

"Spirit," "Twins Win," "Twins Lose," undated.

TCAS news coverage, Sept. 21, 1988.

Television advertising: Southern Airways, North Central Airlines, Hughes Airwest, Republic Airlines, Northwest Airlines, undated.

Television spots (commercials): "Arena," "Score--FFP/FRAN" (J-17), 1986.

Travel Fair (C-16), 1984.

Travel Fair (C-18), 1985-1986.

"Training, Sales & PR Stuff," undated.

Dave Coleman.

"Twin City Tales," undated.

World Business Class; Advertising (broadcast, radio); Product video; Internal video; undated.

World plane clips, March 14, 1997.

Location

Box

144.9.3B

Republic Airlines U-Matic format videocassettes:

Republic Airlines history:

T-22. Historical, undated.

T-23. Historical: Commercials, new look, employee orientation, Feb. 15, 1985.

T-29. Historical footage: A Lady Remembered, May 1, 1986.

"Republic Reflections," undated.

Television spots (commercials):

0-18. "Winter Vacation," Dec. 21, 1982.

0-19. "Royal Treatment," "Ryan," "Postcards," Celebrity Service/Channing/Berle Non-Stop," March 5, 1984.

0-22. Meyers new service; Ft. Meyers generic, undated.

0-23. "Jumpstart," "Bad Day," April 18, 1984.

0-30. "New Service/Atlanta/Hou," "New Service/Memphis/DFW," "New Service/Minneapolis/STL," "New Service/St. Louis/MSP," "New Service/Omaha/PHX," Oct. 25, 1983.

0-32. "Tulsa Teaser," Tulsa Intro.," Feb. 9, 1984.

0-33. Lyric Corp, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Pair Fare, Letters, Celebrity Service, etc., Sept. 15, 1982.

0-39. "Letters/More Cities," "Winter Vacation," "Pair Fare," "Simple as A-B-C," "Letters," etc., March 21, 1983.

0-42. "Spokane/Destinations," Nov. 11, 1982.

Republic Airlines U-Matic master broadcast format videocassettes:

Republic Airlines history:

T-19. Coming Together - Republic and Northwest Orient, Feb. 10, 1986.

T-20. "Rally 'Round Republic," March 20, 1984.

T-24. News of Merger of North Central and [Southern?], [1979?].

T-25. NEWS

Filmed in Minneapolis and Memphis; includes interview with Bernard Sweet, president of Republic.

Location

Box

144.E.9.4F

Television spots (commercials):

0-17. Dancer Fitzgerald Sample: Perks/Business First, Nov. 21, 1984.

0-21. Press Forum (Master), undated.

0-25. "Sunshine" [Los Angeles and Las Vegas], Jan. 18, 1982.

0-34. Buffalo/Rochester/Hartford-Springfield/South Bend/Fort Wayne/Oklahoma City/Tulsa/Kansas City/Birmingham/Baton Rouge/Wichita/Lansing/Milwaukee/Knoxville, undated.

O-35. Tulsa/Atlanta/Memphis/Milwaukee/Orlando/etc., Jan. 13, 1984.

O-36. Dancer Fitzgerald Sample: "Ultimate Super Saver," Jan. 24, 1985.

0-38. Atlanta roll-out, Nov. 29, 1984.

O-40. Fall 1984, Dec. 17, 1984.

O-41. Perks commercials, Sept. 20, 1985.

Travel fairs:

R-06. Republic Airlines consumer, undated.

R-07. Corporate travel manager version, undated.

Location

Box

144.E.8.10F

Republic Airlines open-reel format video:

Republic Airlines history:

T-28. [untitled], undated.

8-inch reel.

Travel fairs:

R-01. Travel agent version, Oct. 29, 1985.

8-inch reel.

R-03. Corporate travel managers version, Nov. 8, 1985.

8-inch reel.

R-05. Consumer version, Nov. 8, 1985.

8-inch reel.

Location

Box

144.E.9.5B

Hughes Airwest videocassettes:

Television spots (commercials):

O-07. Orange County/Las Vegas and Tucson/Denver to Burbank, Orange County/Los Angeles area to Arizona/Burbank, Orange County to Denver/Seattle to Oakland-San Jose/Oakland-San Jose to Seattle/San Francisco area to Arizona, March 1, 1979.

U-Matic master broadcast format.

O-08. Price and Service versions: Flights between Denver, Burbank, Houston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Seattle, etc., April 8, 1980.

U-Matic master broadcast format.

O-09. "Business Coach," undated.

U-Matic master broadcast format.

O-10. "Top Banana," undated.

U-Matic format.

O-11. "Isn't Hawaii," undated.

U-Matic format.

O-15. Flights between Los Angeles, Houston, Denver/Las Vegas, Southern California, Tucson, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City, undated.

U-Matic master broadcast format.

North Central Airlines U-Matic format videocassettes:

Television spots (commercials):

O-13. "Good People" spots, undated.

O-14. Lift-off Breakfast; Lift-off/Wine basket; Diane/Steak dinner; Door/Continental breakfast; New York/Dinner; New jet/Drinks, Oct. 1975.

O-15. Bored passengers; Plastic food; Direct service; etc., 1978.

O-06. In-flight commercials (food and dinner on various flights), Nov. 19, 1976.

Southern Airways videocassettes:

Television spots (commercials):

O-00. [untitled], undated.

U-Matic master broadcast format.

O-01. Orgy; Party; Bum; undated.

U-Matic format.

O-02. [untitled], undated.

U-matic master broadcast format.

Location

Box

142.G.8.8F-1

Northwest Airlines motion pictures:

Airventure U.S.A.: A Northwest Orient Airlines travel feature (Film No. 15), undated.

"Northwest to Alaska"

Grain of Sand, undated.

Television spots (commercials), undated.

Half the World; Globe; Florida Nightcoach; Florida Dollars; #1 to Miami; Hawaii Booklet; Hawaii Dollars; HNL "Big Mamma"; Hong Kong; Orient/Quick Cut; Orient/Wedding; Hong Kong Tram. Campbell-Mithun, Inc., advertising agency.

The Square World Air Cargo Marketing Forum, undated.

NWA Cargo Sales Division.

They're Playing Our Song, undated.

Republic Airlines

Travel fairs:

1977-1978 (Shari Lewis) (C-9).

1980 (John Byner - London Version).

Location

Box

142.G.8.8F-2

1981 (Arte Johnson) (C-13).

1984 (Travel agent version) (C-17).

1985-1986 (C-18). 2 movies.

Location

Box

144.E.9.6F

Air Cargo (G-11), 1982-1983.

Minneapolis-St. Paul crash, Aug. 28, 1958.

KSTP, Inc. newsreel?

Travel fairs:

1978-1979 (National Geographic travel agent film) (C-10).

1982 (commercial version) (C-14).

1982 (travel agent version) (C-14).

1984 (corporate version).

Wings that Serve (#203), undated.

Location

Box

144.E.9.7B

Audiocassettes: Northwest Airlines radio spots (commercials):

Undated. 8 audiocassettes.

1986. 3 audiocassettes.

1987. 2 audiocassettes.

1990.

1991.

1992. 5 audiocassettes.

1994.

1995. 11 audiocassettes.

Open reel audio tapes:

Hughes Airwest: Radio spots (commercials), undated.

North Central Airlines: Radio spot (commercial), undated.

Northwest Airlines:

Nyrop (Donald W.) speech: Service from the Orient to Washington, D.C. (X-09), Oct. 2, 1965.

Radio spots, 1992.

"Kids: 1. Free is Good; 2. Day One Kids."

Location

Box

144.E.9.8F

Slide carousels:

Hughes Airwest:

Travel agent presentation, 1979.

Includes script.

Republic Airlines:

Corporate public relations slide show, 1980.

Includes audiocassette.

Courtesy, undated.

Includes audiocassette.

Courtesy is the Key, undated.

Location

Box

144.E.9.9B

Friendly persuasion, Show 1: The company, 1984.

Includes audiocassette.

Manuals and audiocassettes are located in Subject Files under "Republic Airlines."

High-jacking of Flight 275, 1985 (P-02), 1985.

Includes audiocassette.

Minnesota: Something for You (Tray A), undated.

North Central Airlines. Includes audiocassette.

Northwest Airlines Flight Operations Department slide presentations.

See Flight Operations Department Records, Boxes 25-28.

Political Action Committee presentation, 1985.

Includes script.

Location

Box

144.E.9.10F

Republic Reflections (company history), 1979-1980.

Includes audiocassette.

Sales development corporate slide presentation, 1980.

Includes audiocassette.

Station visit presentation, [ca.1984?].

Includes script.

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Financial Records

Miscellaneous financial and accounting records retained by the public relations/corporate communications department.

Location

Box

147.G.12.9B

Financial reports and operating statistics:

Audit reports, 1927-1954. 4 folders.

Missing 1929, 1930, 1932-1935, 1937.

Audited financial statements, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1955-1975. 4 folders.

Annual reports to Post Office Department, 1930, 1931, 1934-1937. 2 folders.

Monthly air mail operating statements, 1931.

Location

Box

147.G.12.10F

Operating statistics and financial reports, 1931-1939. Includes 13 folders.

Location

Box

147.G.13.1B

Operating statistics and financial reports, 1940-1947. 5 volumes and 3 folders.

Location

Box

147.G.13.2F

Operating statistics and financial reports, 1948-1951. 2 volumes and 5 folders.

Location

Box

147.G.13.3B

Operating statistics and financial reports:

1952-1953.

1965-1966.

Northwest Airways, Inc.:

"Report" (financial and operating statements), 1929.

Third annual report (unpublished), 1929. (unpublished)

Mileage statistics, 1929.

Location

Box

147.G.13.4F

Operating statistics and financial reports, 1967-1969. 3 volumes.

Location

Box

147.G.13.5B

Operating statistics and financial reports, 1969-1971. 3 volumes.

"F. W. Whittemore." 1 volume.

Employee and equipment performance statistics, with list of staff and assignments, 1932-1933.

Equipment register, 1928-1931. 1 volume.

Location

Box

147.G.13.6F

Operating statistics and financial reports, 1972-1974. 3 volumes.

Location

Box

147.G.13.7B

Accounting volumes:

Account book, 1929-1931.

General ledger, 1928-1930.

Location

Box

142.C.19.4

Journal, 1929-1931.

Location

Box

147.G.13.7B

Journal vouchers, 1932-1934.

Traffic accounts receivable (airlines), 1939-1946.

Trial balance ledger, 1929-1932.

Location

Box

144.E.10.1B

General ledger, May 24, 1934-June 30, 1937.

Journal vouchers, April 16, 1934-June 1941.

Ledger, 1929-1931.

Location

Box

147.G.13.9B

Miscellaneous financial records:

Purchase agreements, credit agreements, quarterly reports:

Purchase agreements with Boeing Company, 1961-1968. 12 folders.

Location

Box

147.G.13.10F

Purchase agreements with Boeing Company, Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, 1950s-1960s. Includes 11 volumes.

Miscellaneous NWA quarterly reports.

NWA credit agreements, 1947-1956.

Location

Box

144.E.10.2F

Credit agreements:

1958-1964.

1967-1972.

Financial statement, 1950.

Forms 10-K:

1959-1975. 3 folders.

1986-1987.

Insurance agreement (1958-1973).

Operating statements and financial reports, 1985-1989. 7 folders.

"Grey Book." Called "Financial and Statistical Report" beginning March 1988.

Prospectus and reference stock information, 1958.

Prospectuses, 1964, 1969.

Quarterly reports, 1980.

SEC registration statement, 1969. (Form S-7)

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Flight Operations Department Records

Include several boxes of training material (including slide presentations) and manuals used in the training of flight crews. There are ten slide carousels with accompanying audiocassettes, for training on everything from cold weather operations to crew communications to wind shear; pilot handbooks for some of the most common jet and turbo-prop aircraft; and initial hire pilot instructional manuals. There are also domestic menu manuals, a sales department manual, and three employee manuals for Mesaba Aviation Inc. There are pilot handbooks and aircraft operating manuals that were selected from dozens of such items to reflect major aircraft types, and to focus on manuals developed largely by Northwest itself, rather than borrowed from the FAA or from aircraft manufacturers.

Location

Box

148.F.9.3B

Flight crew manuals:

Boeing 727:

Aircraft operating manual, 1964-1988. 2 volumes.

Quick reference handbook, 1983-1985.

Location

Box

148.I.12.5B

Operations manual--training manual (Vol. A), 1948-1960. 3 volumes.

Slide carousels with tapes (some include scripts):

Basic indoctrination: NWA advertising campaign, 1982.

Location

Box

148.I.12.6F

General:

Digital radar, 1978.

Wind shear and sensory illusions, 1977. 2 carousels.

Location

Box

148.I.12.7B

Meteorology: Mountain wave and turbulence plot, 1989.

Includes script.

OPS briefs:

#57: Hijacking communications, May 1980.

#71: Low level wind shear escape techniques, May 1983.

Includes script.

Location

Box

148.I.12.8F

#77: Cold weather operations (revised), Nov. 1983.

Special OPS brief: Crew communications, March 1, 1980. 2 carousels.

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Meteorology Department Records

Location

Box

149.H.6.8F

Flight standards bulletins, 1964-1986.

Fog dispersal:

Los Angeles, 1970.

Seoul, South Korea, undated and 1970.

Spokane Airways fog seeding operations, 1988-1990. 2 folders.

Spokane, Wash. Airport?

Manager's memoranda and reports, 1984-1990. 3 folders.

Frederick E. Brennan.

Manuals:

Aeronautical meteorology, 1948-1959.

General refresher, 1987.

Unidentified, undated and 1968-1978. 2 folders.

"727 Ship Manual."

Missoula (Mont.): Visibility data, 1950-1970.

Ozone contamination in aircraft cabins, 1963-1982. 2 folders.

Study reports:

Forecasting Marginal Weather Conditions, undated.

Saul Singer.

Proposed Landing System for Duluth Airport, 1964.

F.A.A.

Proposed Landing System for Twin Cities Airport, 1964.

F.A.A.

Supersonic Aircraft, undated and 1963-1969. 2 folders.

Trop/Wind Forecasts for the New Northwest, [ca.1987?].

Turbulence plot program:

Undated and 1965-1990.

Storm detection weather radar code, undated and 1976-1983.

Wind shear:

Crash of Canadian Pacific airplane at Tokyo (March 4, 1966), undated and 1966-1976.

Location

Box

148.K.17.6F

Low-level wind shear, undated and 1963-1987. 2 folders.

Miscellaneous correspondence and papers, undated and 1982-1986.

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Photographs

Primarily 8 x 10 black-and-white prints documenting the history of Northwest Airlines and commercial aviation in general. Includes photos of various aircraft used by Northwest. There are images depicting air mail and express mail service; maintenance and construction of aircraft; modification of planes into WWII bombers; airports around the United States; christenings of planes and inaugural flights for service routes; company executives; employees; uniforms; cargo and passenger spaces in planes; live cargo; and cargo loading equipment.

Location

Box

147.G.14.1B

720B courtesy flights, [ca. 1950].

Location

Box

142.G.9.1B-1

Accidents: Photograph of floral memorial at Flight 255 crash site, [1987].

Additional information about the crash of Flight 255 is found in Accident Files, Box 30.

Advertising agency photo albums:

[1980s?].

12 x 16 color photographs of Northwest Airlines airplanes in the air over Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, Minneapolis, and what appears to be the Grand Canyon, and at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Includes some loose photos. Davis, Gibson Advertising Ltd., London, England.

[ca.1981?]. 2 volumes.

8 x 10 color aerial views of Minneapolis and St. Paul, photographs of maintenance and other personnel at work, and photos of Northwest airplanes landing, taking off, and on the ground at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Includes 747s and DC-10s. Davis, Gibson Advertising.

[1980s or 1990s].

"Photo reference prints" and "757." 5 x 5 color photographs of Northwest Airlines airplanes in the air, probably over the western United States. Also interior shots. Davis, Gibson Advertising.

Location

Box

147.G.14.1B

[1980s?].

Color photographs of Northwest Airlines airplanes in the air. Image in Industry Ltd., London, England.

[ca.1980]-1983.

Primarily 8 x 10 color photos of Northwest Airlines airplanes over major American cities. Image in Industry Ltd. Includes several additional loose photographs.

Airplane interiors (passenger), [1930, 1970-1976].

Airplanes, undated and 1959-1961.

Airports, undated and [1931-1975].

Includes identified and unidentified airports.

Airports and installations:

Images of buildings, runways, waiting areas, ticket counters, and travel agent offices.

Alaska, undated and 1952-1956.

Anchorage and Fairbanks.

District of Columbia, June 1956.

Florida, 1959-1960.

Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Georgia, 1959-1962.

Hawaii, 1955.

Illinois, undated and 1955-1959.

Michigan, undated.

Minnesota:

Undated and 1955-1957.

Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester.

Minneapolis (Wold-Chamberlain Field), undated.

St. Paul (Holman Field), 1933.

St. Paul Modification Center, undated and 1944.

Montana, undated and 1956-1959.

Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell.

New York, [ca. 1954].

North Dakota, undated and 1933, 1952-1958.

Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown.

Ohio:

Cleveland ticket office, [1960s?].

Vandalia Modification Center, undated and 1943.

Oregon, undated and 1944.

Pennsylvania, undated and 1966.

Virginia, [1960].

Washington, undated and 1944.

Seattle, Spokane, Yakima.

Wisconsin, 1951-1960.

Madison, Milwaukee.

Canada, undated and 1955.

Japan, 1953-1955.

Korea, 1950-1953.

Philippines, undated and 1962.

Taiwan (Taipei), undated.

Annual report photographs, 1976.

Annual report photographs and negatives, 1974.

Annual report slides, 1986.

Cargo:

Air Express Story, undated.

Includes narrative.

Interior of planes (cargo), undated.

Live cargo, undated and [1940]-1957.

Includes perishables, pets, domestic animals, and exotic animals and birds.

Loading, [1940-1975].

Loading hoists used for cargo lifting, [1940-1975].

[Newsworthy], [1940-1975].

Cargo that generated an announcement or press release or was otherwise considered unusual. Original file title was "Cargo: Misc."

Century 21 Exposition (Seattle, Washington.), 1962.

Computerization, [1960-1975].

Computerization of ticket, reservation, and customer service activities, etc.

Control towers, undated.

Conversion of the City of Bismarck, North Dakota, undated.

Credit union board of directors, Jan. 1956.