"Of Firebirds and Moonmen"
Reviews and
Commentary Below "Of Firebirds and Moonmen"
Reviews and Commentary Below
About the Author – Norman J. James
About the Book – Of Firebirds and Moonmen Order and Available at Index "Of Firebirds and Moonmen" Albert,
Calvin - Pratt Inst. instructor, 43, 44
Aldrighetti, Al - GM Styling engineer, 92, 93;100 (photo) Amateur
Telescope Making - an avocation introduced in a series of articles in Scientific
American, 194 Andon,
Jake and Nan - GM Styling and GMDRL associates, 215 (photo) Arbib,
Richard - Pratt Inst. instructor, 59, 69, 74 Armi, C.
Edson - author referenced - the Art of American Car Design, 123 Arnold,
Dagmar - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling associate, 156, 210 Art
Center - automobile design school (reference to), 31, 82, 85, 92, 214 AutoLine
- a GM film project for expressway "auto trains," 161-162 Bekker,
Greg - DSD/GMDRL off-road mobility expert, 144, 154, 186-188, 215 and front
cover (photo) Bendix
(Aerospace) - GM competitor for lunar roving vehicle contracts, 179, 186-190 Bianco,
Fedell - GM Styling studio head, 92, 100 (photo) Bidwell,
Joseph - Research Staff, head of Engineering Mechanics, 124, 128 (photo)
Bogarelli (family) - GM Styling plaster shop, 123, see also 122 (photo)
Boudreou, James "Dean" - Pratt Inst. dean of the art school, 39, 46 Brown,
Lloyd - DSD leader on Lunar Sample Return proposal, 148; a note on, 166 Burger,
William - Pratt Inst. instructor, 58
Calandro, John - GMDRL associate, 166, 187, 210 Campos,
Joe - Pratt Inst. lab. tech., 40 Canzani,
Victor - Pratt Inst. instructor, 77 Case
Tech & Western Reserve (incidental ref.) Pete James as student, 160; Herb James
as fencing coach, 208 Cataldo,
Roy - Research Staff lead engineer - joystick controller for Firebird III, 125
Christiansen, Tom - GM Styling administrator, 77, 95-96 Club de
Mer - 1956 Motorama show car (reference to), 103-106, 113
Conklin, Emmett - GM Research Staff test engineer, 130, 131, 137 (photo) Connor,
Donald - Susan's father, retired former president of Micromatic, 144, 146, 165 Connor,
Lucile - Susan's mother, 165 Connor,
Susan - girl friend, 144, 157 (see also James, Susan Connor) Connor,
Thomas - Susan's brother, 144, 157, 165 Correy
(Mr.) - Edmund Scientific, head of New Products group, 201
Cumberford, Robert - GM Styling associate, 82 Deesen,
Paul - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling associate, 83, 106 Defense
Systems Division (DSD) - GM Division created to enter defense research market,
subsequently restructured as GM Defense Research Laboratories, 144,146, 147
DeLorean, John - footnote re Bob McLean, 95 Dennis,
Bill - GM Styling associate, 99,112, 115 Design -
elements of: Firebird III layout, 109-110; "backward blisters," 118; committee,
"remove tail fins," – Earl, "put them back on," 119-120; footnote re best
appearance, 121; devoid of chrome, 123; headlight, 137 (photo); Alexander
Kostellow "important stuff," 214 Design -
Epilogue: Harley Earl's "Vision," 212 Design
Committee - "take the fins off," 119-120; “This is not a car. This is a
caricature!” 141 Dohner,
Don - A. Kostellow's attribution to, as one of the co-founders of Industrial
Design (as a profession), 52 Domkey,
Ray - GM Styling, woodworker, 113 Double
bubble car concept - automobile design class rendering (pre Firebird III), 81
(photo) Drawing
techniques - orthographic drafting (coordinating views), 54; proportions, 57;
old masters techniques, 59-63 Dunham,
David - astronomy: grazing occultation 191-193, 192 (graphic); meeting with 196 Earl,
Harley - GM VP: Styling Staff; (see) author's note; 11; stories about, 91; first
encounter, 92; Firebird II - minimal "hands on," 94; with Firebird II (photo);
Firebird III kick-off meeting, 103; first view of mockup, "buy-off" and "go to
clay" 113-115; review and suggestions, 117; with three Firebirds, 138 (photo);
near retirement, 139; in reflection, 212 Early
Years (author’s) - family structure, 13-14, 35 (photo); routines, 15-18; polio,
18-21; astronomy/telescope making, 22-27, 28-29, 36 (photo); rocketry, 36
(photo) and board games, 28, 101 (photo); graduation and college, 31-32 Edmund
Scientific: in reference, 27; letter of inquiry, 197 (footnote); visit 200-201 Empathic
Sketching, drawing technique taught by A. Kostellow, 63-66 Evans,
Maurice - contracted to manage Firebird III Motorama film and stage production:
meeting with at GM Styling, 124 Ewing,
James - GM Styling associate, 115, 117 (un-named in photo - foreground/right) F-100 -
North American Aviation - inspiration for Firebird III (nose), 106 F-104 -
Lockheed Starfighter - inspiration for Firebird III (lightness), 108 (photo) Faloon,
Larry - GM Design Center (formerly GM Styling) - Epilogue, 211 Firebird (I) - first GM gas turbine show car -
Motorama of 1953 (author’s first viewing), 88; in Arizona for film, 138 (photo,
H. Earl, left of 3 Firebirds) Firebird
II: four passenger gas turbine show car, 100 (photo with H. Earl), side profile
101 (photo); in Arizona for film, 138 (photo,
H. Earl, with (center of) 3 Firebirds Firebird
III Clay model, 115-121, 117 (photos) Firebird
III Features: Skydrol hydraulic fluid, 126; urethane paint, 126; gas turbine
engine, 134 (photo); elastomeric urethane bumper, 137 joystick controller, 125 Firebird
III Mockup (space sketch), 112-114, H, Earl’s “buy-off” for Firebird III design,
114 (photo with author); engineering mockup, 117 (photo, author near center) Firebird
III Motorama - planning of (with M. Evans), 124-125 Firebird
III - the car: mechanical assembly, first drive, 128 (photo); at GM Desert
Proving Grounds for Motorama filming, 133-138 (photos) Fisher
Building (Albert Kahn-Arch.) - referenced Art Deco building in GM Detroit
complex, 83 Foucalt,
Jean - referenced inventor of pendulum & optical test, 26 French,
Ralph - Pratt Inst., roommate, 96, 97, 99
Friedman, Don - DSD head of Land Operations; Detroit, 144; Santa Barbara,
147,158; replaced by Sam Romano 190; Epilogue - Detroit, 202 Frieze
Drawing Method - a drawing technique to construct accurate perspective drawings
from orthographic drawings, 56 (diagram), 75, 187 Genest,
Ken - Pratt Inst. student teacher - automobile design, 59, 69, 74 (later- GM
Styling associate) GM
Proving Grounds - Milford, MI, 85-86 GM Tech
Center - moving into, 97, 98-99 GMDRL -
GM Defense Research Laboratories - in Santa Barbara, CA, 165 …Chapter 7,
extensive Goodrich
Aerostructures (formerly Rohr Industries) - Epilogue: post GM employer, 207 Grazing
Occultations - amateur astronomy expiditions, 191-194, 192 (graphic), with D.
Dunham, 196
Habsburg, Jerri (Stefan's wife), 140
Habsburg, Stefan - MIT and GM Styling, (associate/design partner), 93; associate
also of Karl Ludvigsen (at MIT), 97; closed door meeting with R. McLean and N.
James, 102; adding three tail fins to Firebird III, 108; at Styling auditorium
review with H. Earl, 120; planning and filming in Arizona, 129-133, 133 (photo),
138 (photo); Jerri (wife), encephalitis, 140; Epilogue: SAE paper with R McLean
207
…Habsburg-Lothringen, Stefan Archduke of Austria (name and title), 93 (footnote) Hafstad,
Lawrence - GM VP of Research Staff (present at Motorama filming), 131 Haji,
Larry - Pratt Inst. roommate, 68, 80 (photo) Hamilton
Standards - manufacturer of life support systems for space suits, 184 Harding,
Mr. – high school shop teacher, 30 Harper,
Charlie - GMDRL, engineer, 148,149, 151 Hartwig,
Edwin P. - NY State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation - high school
counselor, re Pratt Inst., 31; letter re Styling, 87 (incidental) Hayashi,
John - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling associate, 83 Henelt,
Joseph - GM Styling clay modeler (Firebird II), 93, 99, 100 (photo) House,
Mrs.- Detroit, landlady, 143 Houston,
Walter Scott - S&T, writer; Stellafane judge, 199 Hrabak,
Joseph - GM Styling engineer, 100 (photo) Hula,
Otto - Pratt Inst. furniture design instructor, 53-58 (teachings) Jaguar
Type E - GM Styling incident (in reference to), 141 James,
Basil – author’s father, 14, 35 (photos), 160 (photos), 172 James,
Costandina "Kocha" – author’s mother, 14, 35 photo), 160 (photo), 172, 197 James,
Ginna - author's wife ('71-): Epilogue, 205, 210, LRV 25th anniversary reunion,
215 (photo) James,
Herbert – author’s brother, (see) dedication, 14; 17, 27, 28, 29, 35 (photo),
49, 197, 208, 217 (photo of three brothers) James,
Mary - wife of Herb James, 32, 78 James,
Norm - author; photos> early years & family, 35-36; at Pratt Inst., 80; Body
Studio #3 (team), 100; PR photo, 101; "string drawing," 107; in Firebird III
mockup, 114; in Research Studio, 117 (photo–foreground-left); with Firebird III,
138; in XP721 mockup, 163; at Stellafane, 198; at Lunar Rover 25th reunion, 215;
with telescopes, 216; of three brothers, 217 James,
Peter - brother, 14, 17, 27, 35 & 36 (photos), with family, 160 (photo); 208,
217 (photo of three brothers) James,
Robert - brother, deceased at age 1, 14 James,
Susan Connor (author’s wife '62-'71), 201, 203, 205 Jordan, Charles "Chuck" - GM Styling, 84 (later- GM
VP of Styling} Kadar,
Menyard - Case Tech & Western Reserve (fencing coach, re Herb James), 208 Kane,
Mrs. - landlady, Brooklyn, NY; 33-34, 39 Karsh,
Herb - GM Allison; Surveyor soft lander proposal team leader, 141-142
Kavanaugh, Gere - GM Styling associate, 156 Kenny,
Sister (method) - polio treatment, 19
Kidasako, Eddie - GM Styling associate, 99 Kolli,
Robert - Pratt Inst. 2D instructor, 39, 41-43; Dept. Chairman, agreement with,
96
Kolonkia, Sevil - friend of Susan Connor - in Detroit, 160, 164; in Santa
Barbara, 165
Kostellow, Alexander - Pratt Inst. ID Dept. Chairman and mentor, 37; interview
with, 38; color class, 44-46; ID overview, 51-53; drawing techniques, 59-63;
empathic sketching, 63-65, 64 (sketch); abstraction, 66; class-side manner,
66-67, 73-74; at N. James interview with W. Mitchell, T. Christiansen of GM, 77;
in Detroit, 82; meeting with N. James, 87; death of, 87; author's recollection
of, 214 L-1011
Tri-Star (design of, at Lockheed) – Epilogue: Sundberg-Ferar job offer, 203 LaSalle
II (sedan) - Motorama show car; author's first GM assignment, 88 LaSalle
II (roadster) - Epilogue; revisted (in restoration), 212 Lathers,
Mike - GM Styling associate; lead AutoLine film project, 161-162 Los
Angeles Astronomical Society (LAAS) - Mt Pinos Star Party, 195; Spheremount -
first public showing, 196 (photo) LSSM -
Pre-Apollo lunar rover studies, 184-190 (drawings and photo)
Ludvigsen, Karl - MIT, Pratt Inst. and GM Styling, 97,140 Lunar
exploration vehicles (early) - conceptual design studies, 155-156
(illustrations) Lunar
Roving Vehicle (LRV) – Apollo: 25th anniversary reunion, 210; with G. Bekker, F.
Pavlics and S. Romano, 215 (photo), see also front cover (photo of same) Lunar
Sample Return - Detroit, 145; Santa Barbara, 149-151 (illustrations); footnote,
158 Lunar
surface /understanding of - theories discussed in Harold Urey and Tom Gold
letters; "gold dust," 148; SLRV – design for, 170-171; lessons learned - Ranger,
173-175 (photos and graphic representation), 175; lessons learned - Surveyor,
175-176 Lunar
vehicle concept - Pratt Inst. (pre GM) study for Pratt design class, 81
(illustration) Lunar
Wheel and Drive test, 188-190 (photo and illustration)
Mackintosh, Allan - amateur astronomy, author and editor, Stellafane judge, 199 Madler,
Niel - GM Photographic (photographer of photo on page 114) - NOTE: N. Madler was
erroneously identified as the photographer in the May 2007 and Oct 2007 releases
of “Of Firebirds & Moonmen.” Corrections made in Apr 2009 release, (see Chuck
Ternes) Mathews,
Eddie - GM Styling clay services, "fly on the wall," 94 Mc Lean,
Robert F. - GM Styling, 11, 100 (photo); Firebird (I), 93: Firebird II, 94, 96;
DeLorean, 95 (footnote); Firebird III, "Kick-off," 102; briefing to H. Earl,
103-104; OK for second mockup, 109; presentation to H. Earl, Buy-off and "go to
clay," 113-115; conflict with design committee, 119; presentation to H. Earl -
"put it back to the way it was," 120; meeting with Maurice Evans, 124; Motorama
filming - Arizona, 138 (photo with H. Earl); under W. Mitchell, 139, meeting
with G. Bekker, F. Pavlics and N. James, 144; in XP721 mockup 163 (photo); N.
James request for transfer and with Gladys McLean (wife) going-away party, 164;
reference to SAE paper presented with S. Habsburg, 207
McNamara, Mary - GMDRL secretary to Sam Romano, 203 McNeil,
Russ - amateur astronomer, 192
McPherson, Vince - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling, associate and Detroit roommate,
96, 161 Miller,
George – author’s uncle, 14
Mitchell, William "Bill" - GM Styling - H. Earl's "right hand man," recruiting
at Pratt Inst., 77; with H. Earl, 92 (humor); with design committee on Firebird
III, 119; as GM VP of Styling, 139; lengthens Stingray hood, 141
Mitzelfeld, Thomas - Engineering Staff (responsible for Firebird III APU), 124 Mockup -
full scale wood representation: Firebird III, 112-114, 114 (photo with author);
XP721 line drawings and mockup, 163; Epilogue - reflection on the Firebird III
mockup, 212
Moholy-Nage and Mies van der Rohe of the Bauhaus School of Design - A.
Kostellow's brief history of Industrial Design, 52 MOLAB -
Boeing/GMDRL design for lunar mobile laboratory, 176-179 (drawings and photos)
"Moonmen" - Bill Mitchell's negative reference to Research B Studio team and
"theme" adapted for this book's title, 141 Moore,
Hal - Director of Firebird III Motorama film; Detroit, 126-127; Arizona, 129,
133 (photo) Motorama
- a GM promotional venue of the 1950s; overview, 88-89; H. Earl's description
of, 103-104
Motorama Filming - Detroit, 126-127; Arizona, 129-130, 133-138 (photos) Mott,
Stan - GM Styling associate, 82, 85 MTA -
MOLAB Test Article, 178-179 (incl. photos) Nakata,
Alan "Al" - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling associate, 83, 142 Negative
space - a design and sculptural concept, 72-73; as applied in Firebird III,
110-113 Nike
surface to air missile - inspiration for Firebird III (quad fins), 105-106 Norton,
Eric - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling, roommate (Brooklyn and Detroit), 39, 80
(photos); ...and throughout Chapters 2 and 3 Ohman,
Ms. - Jamestown; nurse - applied Sister Kenny polio treatments, 19 Olsen,
Carl - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling, roommate (Detroit) and with Sonia Olson
(wife), 142; Epilogue, dinner with Porters, 210; at Eyes-on-design benefit, 211;
post GM - Professor Emeritus CCS, re Firebird III, back cover
Panzarella, Mr. - Jamestown, influential high school teacher, 30 Patents
- Firebird III (Design), 132; telescope mounting, 201; lunar rover wheel, 210 Pavlics,
Ferenc - GMDRL LRV designer, 144, 148, 178 (photo), 186, 210, 215 and front
cover (photo with G. Bekker and S. Romano)
Peterson, Robert "Bob" - GMDRL associate, 188-190, 210, 215 (photo, including
Clair Peterson (wife) and Chris Peterson (son)) Pirkl,
Jim - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling associate, 99, 124 (footnote), 142 Plaster
- model making (Pratt Inst.), 53, 65-66; Firebird III tooling, 122 (photo); for
telescope making, 182-183 (illustration)
Polhemus, Marlan - Pratt Inst. and Harley Earl Assoc., roommate (Detroit), 99,
142
Polio - 18-22, 31, Epilogue 208-209;
Porter,
William "Bill" - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling associate, 209; and Pat Porter
(wife), 210; "milk truck analogy," 213-214 PPS—Post
Polio Syndrome - affecting polio survivors, 208 Ranger -
JPL hard lander program, 173-175 Reed,
Rowena (Kostellow) - Pratt Inst., sculpture instructor and mentor, 59 Regner,
Peter "Pete" - Pratt Inst. and GM Styling; Detroit roommate, 83 Rigby,
Ivan - Pratt Inst. 3D instructor, 39-41 Rocketry
(match head) - early years recreation, 27-28, 36 Rohr
Industries - Epilogue reference, 204; future employer, 205-207 (later becoming
Goodrich Aerostructures) Roland
and Molly (Bay) - uncle and aunt, 32, 33; 35 (photographer); visit, 200; Rolando
and Louise - stage names, 33 Romano,
Sam - GM DSD (Detroit), 144; GMDRL, 177 (SAE paper), 191, 204; Epilogue – 25th
anniversary reunion, 210; LRV project manager, 215 and front cover (LRV photo
with F. Pavlics and G. Bekker) Rose,
Mauri - GM Engineering Staff, 131; 132 RTMC -
Riverside Telescope Makers Conference, 205
Russinoff, Elia - Pratt Inst., 59, 69; GM Styling associate, 77-79
Saarinen, Eero - Architect, in reference, 98 Schlack,
Don - GM Styling wood worker, 113
Sculpture - 3D, 69-73 Semo,
Spiro and Sanda - uncle and aunt, 14; 16 Semo,
Peter and Paul - sons, 14 Shaka,
Van - Jamestown (brother) Herb's friend, 22 Shinoda,
Larry - GM Styling associate, 99; Stingray "long hood," 141 Siebert,
John - DSD associate, 153-154, 157, 158; GMDRL , 166 Simi,
Larry - GM Styling clay modeler (Firebirds II & III), 100 (photo), 115; 117
(photo - near), 119, 120
Sketching (author's message), 214 Sky and
Telescope magazine (S&T) - references to, 22, 23, 194, 199, 201 Solar
eclipse, partial - event, 158 Space
sketch - "Rowena Reed style," 69-70, 112, 121
Spheremount - telescope mounting invention; inspiration for invention, 145-146
(illustration); concept defined, 164; prototype initiated, named and tested,
180-182 (illustration and photo); turntable set-up for 24" diameter plaster
sphere, 182 (illustration); telescope design, 194 (cut-away drawing) to196, 198
(photo); at Stellafane, 198 (photo) and text to 200; Edmund Scientific visit,
201; Epilogue – patent reference, 201; Summary, 205
Stellafane - Springfield, VT; amateur astronomy venue, 23, 191, 198 (photo at),
201, 205
Straubach, Fred - amateur astronomer, 194 String
Drawing technique, 106-109, 107 (photo)
Sundberg, Carl - main partner of Sundberg-Ferar, Industrial Designers, 203-204
Sundberg-Ferar - Industrial Design firm, 84, 161, 203-204; Epilogue, 205 Surveyor
- JPL soft lander program, 175-176 Surveyor
Lunar Roving Vehicle (SLRV) proposal, 167-172 Swanson,
Ronnie – high school classmate, 29
Takeuchi, Wayne - GM Styling associate, 92, 93, 100 (photo)
Telescope making avocation, 23-27, 28-29, 180-184 (photo and illustrations), 216
(photos) Ternes,
Chuck - GM Photographic, 129, 131, 133 and 138 (photos) Thiele,
Walter - GMDRL design engineer, 190 Torner,
Charles "Chuck" - GM Styling associate, 163 (photo) Turunen,
William "Bill" - Research Staff, head of turbine lab, 124, 134 (photo) Voight,
Byron - GM Styling engineer associate, 93 Waldorf
Astoria - in reference to, 97, 103, 124 Wheel
and Drive test, 189 (drawing), 190 (photo) Willard,
Bert - amateur astronomer, 194, 198 Wolfe,
Harry - Motorama film cinematographer, 126,129, 133 (photo) Wozena,
Pete - GM Styling studio head, 88, 89 X-33
Program - Lockheed-Martin; Epilogue: with Rohr as a team member for the Thermal
Protection System (TPS), 206-207 XP500 -
made using a spare Firebird II body shell, 95 (footnote) XP721 -
Research Studio study, 162 (sketch), 163 (line drawings and mockup photo) XP-73 -
see Firebird III
Zeisel, Eva, - Pratt Inst. ceramics instructor, 53
About the Author – Norman J. James
About the Book – Of Firebirds and Moonmen
If you know of a disabled child or teenager interested in art, design or
astronomy, get "Of Firebirds & Moonmen". It was written by the designer of
America's most futuristic car, the gas turbine powered General Motors Firebird
III. The author-designer-astronomer, a first generation American whose 'Ellis
Island' parents emigrated from Albania during the early 1900s, was stricken with
polio as a young teenager in upstate New York. In pursuit of his American dream,
he describes in very personal terms his experiences as a teenager and young
adult to overcome both his physical disability and shyness. His personal odyssey
takes him from Jamestown, New York as a child to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn to
General Motors in Detroit to the shores of California's bustling aerospace
industry (and everything in between). Reviewed and Recommended by Zayra
This is the inside story on
the design of the General Motors gas turbine Firebird III written by its
designer">
This is the inside story on the design of the General
Motors gas turbine Firebird III written by its designer, Norman J. James.
The heart of the book takes the
reader behind the closed doors of GM Styling and covers the personalities,
politics, and events on how the once secret Firebird III became a reality. It
tells a lot about American creativity and ingenuity during the 1950s.
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Review
and Commentary
This is the
inside story on the design of the General Motors gas turbine Firebird III
written by its designer, Norman J. James.
The heart of the book takes the
reader behind the closed doors of GM Styling and covers the personalities,
politics, and events on how the once secret Firebird III became a reality.
https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/author.aspx?authorid=23881
https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.aspx?bookid=37096
The heart of the book takes the reader behind the closed doors of GM Styling
during its "Golden Years" and covers the personalities, politics, and inside
story on how the once secret Firebird III became a reality. This very inspiring
and educational book is ‘must reading’ for creative independent thinkers,
American and foreign designers, students who have yet to be spoiled by our
education system, automobile buffs, aerospace engineers, space program
enthusiasts, astronomers, and any disabled teenager who dares to dream but is
currently unsure of his or her own potential.
It should be placed in every school library in the United States and read by
every designer in America and abroad who has allowed today's computer technology
and education system to trump the basics and fundamentals of creative "natural"
design as taught by the "Old School."
