All American Engineering Company was an aeronautical engineering and research firm which was incorporated on October 31, 1952. The company was originally a division of All American Aviation, Inc. This collection consists primarily of films. There is a small amount of photographs which corresponds directly to the film material. The collection is organized into two series: Films and Photographs, both series are arranged alphabetically. Dating from 1937 to 1984, the Films series documents the company’s innovations in the aviation industry, including pickup and recovery systems, catapults and arresting gear. The photographs document different design projects and tests; most of this research was related to the aviation industry. There are photographs of the facilities at the DuPont Airport on Centre Road near Greenville, Delaware, and the Georgetown, Delaware, test plant. Richard du Pont and other personnel appear in some of the images.

The Engineering Dept. reports document the work of the department, primarily in the applications of analog computers. Important projects include: automatic pilots, computerized flight systems, instrument controls for nuclear submarines, space satellite technology, and internal guidance systems for long-range and medium-range missiles, including the Nike-Zeus.

The Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company records include technical and sales correspondence, engineering drawings, and reports that document the development of the aerial torpedo, automatic pilot, airplane stabilizer, and other aeronautical instruments. Correspondence with the Navy's Air Service Department describes the company's research, development and testing programs. There are also a number of reports on test flights. Patents and financial records document the relationship between the Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company and the Sperry Gyroscope Company, as well as the agreements of both with the Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Corporation. The Perry-Curtiss joint venture culminated with the invention of the flying bomb (1917-1918), which placed Sperry controls on a Curtiss-designed plane.

Paul J. Ganahl (1916-2002) was an electrical engineer who served in the United States Air Force. This item is a manuscript diary kept by Ganahal between January 2, 1953, and December 31, 1953, while working as an electrical engineer performing aerial photography tests for the United States Air Force in California and New Mexico. The daily entries are bullet lists of film rolls develped, problems found, people met with or spoken to, flight test details, and places traveled. The diary provides technical information about the develpment of reconnaissance photography, engineering challenges, and project team communication.