Bill, Ken, et al,

I have heard several times that collectors with large collections were interviewed by the Smithsonian regarding their collections. The handbook of model rocketry suggests a number of artifacts from the early years of model rocketry were donated to the Smithsonian.

Yet if one queries the Air & Space collection artifact database there are very few model rocketry items listed, and none of any significant import. Searching the collections database for "Estes" or "Centuri" yields no hits at all. Searching on "Stine" yields a couple of kits he donatated, none of which are in any way significant.

Within the museum itself, he only model rockets I saw during a recent visit were a small number of unimpressive kits in a case at the Udvar Hazy.

I'm curious what anybody knows about the Smithsonian's collection, and why so little of it is accessible to the public.