A collection of 10 postcards and 21 letters from Captain Walter H. Flint documenting rocket launches between 1958 and 1963. All items fine with tears from opening. A collection of 10 postcards and 21 letters from Major Walter H. Flint documenting rocket launches between 1958 and 1963. All items fine with tears from opening. An archive of 31 letters and postcards, each postmarked from Port (Cape) Canaveral or nearby Patrick Air Force Base, with notations on which specific rocket, satellite, or flight was attempted that day. These first day covers were personally and individually created, then mailed to himself or Frances Fenner, then editor of the *Astrophile*. Flint was the Chief of the Schedule Control Board which set all rocket firings on the Atlantic missile range, whether Air Force, Army, Navy, or NASA. The postcards feature image of the rockets with Flint's notes on the verso. The first postcard is dated August 18, 1958 and features "The First Attempt Lunar Probe" with a "Thor-Able rocket that broke up 77 seconds after launch." Another envelope reads, "Navy Vanguard 10:35 AM 26 Sept 58 Successful 3 stages but failed to go into orbit." He also details Pioneer, Explorer, and Vanguard launches, as well as the presidents visit to Cape Canaveral in 1960. A letter dated February 20, 1962 reads "Lt. Col. John Glenn launched on Mercury Atlas MA-6, 3 Orbits in Freedom 7.Flight 4 hrs 56 min." According to Frances Fenner's son, "Flint flew more than 1400 hours in the years 1958 to 1963, in conjunction with his range scheduling responsibilities." He continues, "Associated duties included the flying of C131 and C54 aircraft in support of telemetry and recovery efforts out of Bermuda, Grand Turk, Antiqua and Ascension. This to observe missile launchings at 18,000 feet, and in some instances he was the last person to observe satellite rockets as they headed for orbit." A note included with one postcard reads, "I had an unusual opportunity to be a pilot on a C-131 over the Cape at T-O. It was really an awesome experience." An interesting collection of letters documenting the early years of the space race sent to a female editor of an air and space magazine.
