Collection of Papers and Records of the Radiation Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Scope and Contents
The collection comprises materials related to the Radiation Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The collection spans the years of 1941 to 1991 and include administrative records, publications, and memorabilia.
Dates
- 1941 - 1991
Creator
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Radiation Laboratory (Organization)
Access note
This collection is open.
Conditions Governing Use
Access to collections in the Department of Distinctive Collections is not authorization to publish. Please see the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy for permission information. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection or MIT.
Historical note
Radiation Laboratory Organization
- Division 1
- Business
- Division 2
- Buildings and Maintenance
- Division 3
- Personnel and Shops
- Division 4
- Research
- Division 5
- Transmitter Components
- Division 6
- Receiver Components
- Division 7
- Beacons
- Division 8
- Fire Control and Army Ground Forces
- Division 9
- Airborne Systems
- Division 10
- Ground and Ship
- Division 11
- Navigation
- Division 12
- Field Service
Historical note
Radar, an acronym for radio detection and ranging, was patented by British scientist Sir Robert Watson Watt for meteorological applications in 1935. Since practical applications for airborne microwave radar had not been developed before World War II, the government of Great Britain requested assistance from the United States to develop this capability. Britain's secret Tizard mission was dispatched to Washington, DC, in September 1940 to introduce the 10 centimeter cavity magnetron. Beginning in late 1940 and continuing through World War II, large-scale research at the Radiation Laboratory, which operated as part of Division 14, Radar, of the National Defense Research Committee (NDRC) and was sited at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was devoted to the rapid development of microwave radar.
The "Rad Lab" designed almost half of the radar deployed in World War II, created over 100 different radar systems, and constructed radar systems on several continents. Physicist Lee DuBridge directed the Radiation Laboratory. From a staff of 30 physicists the lab grew to comprise almost 3,900 research and support staff by late 1945. The Radiation Laboratory was officially terminated on December 31, 1945, but the NDRC set aside funds for a Basic Research Division to continue from January 1 to June 30, 1946, under the direction of MIT professor Julius A. Stratton, and it was known as the NDRC Research Laboratory of Electronics. Beginning July 1, 1946, the laboratory continued operations as the MIT Research Laboratory of Electronics.
Extent
23.6 Cubic Feet (1 record carton, 75 manuscript boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Location
Materials are stored off-site. Advance notice is required for use.
Bibliography
- Burchard, John E. Q.E.D.: M.I.T. in World War II. New York: J. Wiley, 1948. MIT Libraries: D810.E45.M3.B947
- Five years at the Radiation Laboratory. Cambridge: MIT, originally published 1946, reprinted 1991. MIT Libraries: QC475.F565 1991
- Guerlac, Henry E. Radar in World War II. New York: American Institute of Physics, 1987. MIT Libraries: D810.R33.G84 1987
- Oral histories documenting World War II activities at the MIT Radiation Laboratory, IEEE History Center: http://www.ieeeghn.org/wikitest/index.php/MIT_Radiation_Laboratory_Oral_History_Project
- Radiation Laboratory Series, 28 volumes prepared by the Radiation Laboratory Office of Publication, edited by Louis Ridenour. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1947 and 1948. Publication sponsored by the United States Office of Scientific Research and Development, under contract with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Contains results of five years of intensive technical research on radar carried out at the Radiation Laboratory during World War II, summarizing latest information on microwave radar and modern electronics. MIT Libraries: TK6573.M41
- Trump, John G. A War Diary. 1973. MIT Libraries: D810.S2.T78
- Radiation Laboratory research reports and memos (#1-#1083) 1941-1945. MIT Libraries: TK6573.M41.A4
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Radiation Laboratory
- Radar -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Radar -- Research. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development. National Defense Research Committee
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Radar. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Creator
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Radiation Laboratory (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to a Collection of Papers and Records of the Radiation Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2020 December 17: Added additional publications.
- 2021 August 4: Edited by Lana Mason for compliance with DACS single-level optimum requirements.
Repository Details
Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
Building 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307 US
distinctive-collections@mit.edu