Research Guides: Aviation Technology Sources: Aviation History

Historical Databases

Academic Search Complete
> Ebsco makes available several databases that cover academic topics and history. The databases can be combined.
> Here is a list of databases that have been combined to help with historical searches: Academic Search Premier, America: History & Life with Full-Text, Historical Abstracts with Full Text, Applied Science and Technology Abstracts with Full-Text (1917-). You may also change the Databases.
> Sample search: Curtiss AND (aircraft or airplane* or aeroplane* or aeronautics)
> You may sort the results or download to Endnote.
Engineering Village (Compendex & INSPEC Combined)
> This subscription database (Compendex and INSPEC) covers many disciplines of Engineering and contains a significant collection of journal articles and conference papers back to the 1890s.
> You may sort the results and download to Endnote.

Jane's All the World's Aircraft

Information about aircraft is typically provided about the time of the aircraft’s first production. Entries are arranged by country and company. Indexes are supplied many newer print volumes. Information may also be updated in later volumes and the more up-to-date online version which typically starts in 2000.

For example: F-16 was first produced by General Dynamics and described in print Jane’s 1980-1981. More current information is available in the online Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft. The Update History in the online version shows information that was available in earlier years.

Purdue Libraries - Aviation Technology - Print (Reference) 629.505 AL5 (1909 - 2011/2012)

Example: Lockheed Martin F-16 in online Jane's

Jane's All the World's Aircraft: Development & Production
Purdue Subscription to the online