This collection contains material relating to the career of Captain B. Benjamin Lipsner and his involvement in the development of the first permanent air mail service. Much of the collection came to the Museum on a set of exhibition panels that Lipsner had created and displayed at various commemorative air mail functions and conferences.
Most of the material relates to the period between May and December 1918 -- the period of Lipsner's official involvement with the Air Mail service. The collection includes letters, covers, telegrams, schedules, photographs and documents. Additional material relates to Lipsner's activities later in life which also document his period of service. The bulk of the material has been grouped by the following subjects:
- Lipsner's service in the Army Signal/Air Corps from 8 December 1917 to 15 July 1918
- Lipsner's service as superintendent of the civilian Air Mail Service, 15 July 1918 to 6 December 1918
- The New York to Chicago path-finding flights, 5-10 September 1918
- The pilots that flew under Lipsner's command
- Lipsner's life after his 6 December 1918 resignation
