NOTE: a number of documents remain to be added as links to this page - due to time constraints they are not available yet. Please come back soon, more are added every week. The links that do appear should all be in working order.

The correspondence presented here, between the Burnelli Company and the Smithsonian Institution is particularly interesting because it shows several bureaucratic tactics for misleading and sidestepping embarassing problems. What problems?

How the Smithsonian Distorts History:

a) By omission
No mention is made of Mr. Burnelli or any of his airplanes in the "Smithonian Book of Flight" which is supposed to be a comprehensive study of America's aeronautical heritage. Click here to download relevant 'Smithsonian Book of Flight' index page.

b) By presenting such a limited story that the reader is led to make erroneous conclusions
When one of Mr. Burnelli's airplanes IS mentioned (as a photo and a caption on a Smithsonian calendar) the caption is so misleading that the reader has no choice but to conclude that Burnelli airplanes were inefficient.

Confronted with its distortions, Smithsonian responds:

1) By sidestepping the most embarrassing questions
For example, Dr. Von Meiss, former Technical Director for Swissair wrote Mr. Larson, Editor of the Smithsonian Air & Space magazine with several questions, Mr. Larson had Mr. Haggedorn "Reference Team Leader" respond and his response omitted all the questions but one and that one was really not answered.

2) By ignoring facts
See omission in "Smithsonian Book of Flight" as well as the numerous letters which are but further evidence of the bad faith of the Smithsonian.

3) By responding to mail with letters which don't address any of the issues presented.
Any of Mr. Larson's letters are excellent examples of intellectual dishonnesty and wild avoidance of the questions and the issue at hand (he must be very fearful to lose his job).

4) By having others respond to mail
causes confusion and gives the person responding an alibi for their voluntary "ignorance" of the facts.

Other factors:

A) The policy of brainwashing / conversion at the Smithsonian is best exemplified by Mr. George C. Larson.
Before working for the Smithsonian, George C. Larson had an article published in Business and Commercial Aviation (March 1985, pg. 35) in which he wrote: "The first to touch on the concept was Vincent Burnelli, who really aimed at the span-loader idea with a "lifting body" fuselage shaped like an airfoil intended to contribute to lift." After being employed by the Smithsonian, Larson decided that Burnelli really hadn't invented anything as is made clear in his letter of March 1, 1991 to Mr. Richard Johnson, a retired Vought Aircraft Company design engineer. Mr. Johnson promptly (March 6, 1991) shot Mr. Larson down in flames in his illuminating response which is also very entertaining.

B) The symbiotic relationship between the Smithsonian and the Boeing Company.
After years of being ignored by the Smithsonian with regard to Mr. Burnelli's exclusion from the Smithsonian Book of Flight, the Larson behavior (see above) caused Mr. Goodlin to appeal (November 22, 1994) to a member of the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, Mr. Frank Shrontz, Chairman of the Boeing Company. Instead of receiving an answer from the Smithsonian Regent, Mr. Frank Shrontz, Mr. Goodlin was surprised to receive the response, from Boeing's Vice President of Technology and Engineering, Robert A. Davis dated December 21, 1994. Mr. Davis's letter was a masterpiece of distortion which had no relevance to the Smithsonian's obligation to uphold America's aeronautical heritage and Mr. Burnelli's rightful place in it. The Davis letter was refuted by Mr. Goodlin January 12, 1995. But there can be no doubt that the Davis letter showed a symbiotic relationship between Boeing (industry) and the Smithsonian (Government), a serious detriment to America's aeronautical heritage.

C) The Smithsonian Exports Lies and Deception.
The Smithsonian doesn't limit its deceitful practices to the United States, it gladly furthers lies and deception abroad as is made clear by the correspondence with Dr. Von Meiss.