Photos

The interactive photos below depict some of the more noteworthy events in the history of Ryan Aeronautical Company. Please click on the photos to enlarge.

1910s - 1920s
Army Airplanes at Rockwell Field 1912 (San Diego Aerospace Museum). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. The vacant land in this photograph is the original 25 acres of reclaimed tidelands Planes at Lindbergh Field circa 1928 – 1930. (San Diego Historical Society). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. March 1929 dredging operations to reclaim tidelands on the west side of the airport. (San Diego Aerospace Museum). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. The Ryan Flying School at Dutch Flats. (San Diego Historical Society). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April.
1930s - 1940s
Western Air Express biplane in front of the Airtech Hangar, November 1930 (San Diego Historical Society). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. Reclamation work doubled the size of the airport by December 1931. Van Wormer, Stephen and Mary Robbins-Wade. 2006. Historic Architectural Survey: SDIA Master Plan Update. Prepared by Affinis and Walter Enterprises. Prepared for San Diego County Regional SDCRAA, P.O. Box 82776, San Diego, CA. On File with the San Diego County Regional SDCRAA. A Ryan monoplane sits in front of the new administration and terminal building, 1932. Ryan’s new hangar can be seen in the background (San Diego Aerospace Museum). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. Historic photograph of the Ryan Aeronautical Hangar at its former location in 1932. The hangar is now the west wing of Building 180. Van Wormer, Stephen and Mary Robbins-Wade. 2006. Historic Architectural Survey: SDIA Master Plan Update. Prepared by Affinis and Walter Enterprises. Prepared for San Diego County Regional SDCRAA, P.O. Box 82776, San Diego, CA. On File with the San Diego County Regional SDCRAA. Historic photograph of the Ryan Aeronautical Hangar at its former location in 1933. Van Wormer, Stephen and Mary Robbins-Wade. 2006. Historic Architectural Survey: SDIA Master Plan Update. Prepared by Affinis and Walter Enterprises. Prepared for San Diego County Regional SDCRAA, P.O. Box 82776, San Diego, CA. On File with the San Diego County Regional SDCRAA. 1933 - New Airport Terminal with the Ryan Aeronautical Hangar in the background (San Diego Aerospace Museum). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April.
A Ryan Monoplane (San Diego Historical Society). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. Aerial view of the four main airport buildings circa 1934 - 1935. Ryan’s Hangar is in the foreground, next is the Airport Terminal, followed by the Airtech Hangar and then the United Airlines Hangar (San Diego Aerospace Museum). From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. Historic photograph of the Ryan Aeronautical Hangar at its former location c. 1936. From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. Historic photograph of the Ryan Aeronautical Hangar at its former location c. 1936. From URS Corporation. 2009. Appendix B. Cultural Resources Assessment Report. 2701 North Harbor Drive Demolition Project Draft EIR (UPD #83356-EIR-713). April. During the WW2 war effort, a Ryan Aeronautical Company building is emblazoned with the quote, “We can’t get them too soon! We can’t get too many!” by Admiral Marc Mitscher. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1945. Ryan Navion planes were produced for both the commercial airplane market and for military services. Lined up beside the large final assembly building, these planes were for Army field forces and the National Guard. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1948.
Aerial view of Ryan Aeronautical Company factory site at Lindbergh Field, San Diego. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1949. An Aerobee sounding rocket being built for the Aerojet Engineering Corp. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1949. The fuselage section and exhaust ports of this Boeing C-97 were built by Ryan Aeronautical Company. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1949. Ryan Navion planes rolling off the final assembly line. They were then flight tested before being delivered. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1949.
1950s - 1960s
Ryan Aeronautical Company designed and manufactured some of the largest external fuel tanks ever made. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1950. Huge fuselage sections were produced by Ryan Aeronautical Company and shipped to Boeing’s Seattle factory for use in C-97 Stratofreighter transports. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1950. Point Loma: 1953 (culture and drainage revised 1950). USGS 7.5 Minute Series Topographic Map Point Loma Quadrangle. Ryan Aeronautical Company developed an experimental VTOL Vertiplane that was capable vertical take-offs and landings. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1958. A Ryan Q-2C target missle being launched from a ground station with rocket assist. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1960. Ryan Aeronautical Company used its explosive forming technique to manufacture many uniquely shaped components. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1960.
A Ryan Aeronautical Company flex wing test vehicle. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1961. Quantity production of the widely used free flying target, the Q-2C Firebee, underway for the Air Force and Navy. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1961. Cessna’s T-37 twin jet military trainer aircraft was powered by two Ryan Aeronautical Company CAE J69-T-25 turbojet engines. Ryan Aeronautical Company Annual Report. 1968.