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Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1900-1915 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
10 cm of textual records
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Series consists of material relating to speedboats. Having been born into a shipbuilding family, Hickman extended his family’s tradition of shipbuilding by studying marine engineering at Harvard. In 1906, W.A. began experimenting with speed motor boats and later developed the surface propeller. In November 1914, he offered to the British Admiralty a plan for using the 50-foot, high speed sea sled to carry and discharge torpedoes. It was adopted later in the war. In the meantime the U.S. Navy began using the design for airplane tenders. His “Viper Company Limited” is listed as having its base in Pictou, Nova Scotia in the early 1900s. In 1920, he formed the International Motor Boat Company, in 1922, the Sea Sled Company Limited.
Series consists of bills and receipts, correspondence, and patents issued to W.A. Hickman. Publications concerning speedboats included here include "Powerboat News", "The Motor Boat", "The Ferro", and "The Motor Ship and Motor Boat". The series also contains handwritten and types information by Hickman concerning his Viper Sea Sled, as well as pamphlets produced by Hickman to advertise his designs and companies.