#102) Madcaps, Millionaires, and "Mose"

I recently acquired an interesting book about our local aviation history. The book will be of special interest to readers that were at Librascope during the late 1950's and early 1960's, when Librascope occupied the nearby Glendale airport terminal.

The book, Madcaps, Millionaires, and "Mose" : The Chronicle of an Exciting Era When the Airways Led to Glendale, a pictorial history by John Underwood, is about an airport long gone and largely forgotten. More importantly, it is the story of a unique collection of individuals who created it and made it function. They were the pioneers of new industry which had its roots in the City of Glendale. In its heyday the airport was called Grand Central Air Terminal. It was the first official terminal for Los Angeles and home port to a dozen different air carriers.

The 144 page book has numerous rare photographs from the early 1900's through the late 1950's, when the airport's aircraft operations were forever closed.

Shortly after the airport's closing, the headline article in the August, 1959 Librazette reported that:

"Librascope Leases Four Airport Buildings - Provides Space for Engineering Units…. Librascope, ever in need of more space to cope with continuing growth, is taking over the former headquarters of the Ford Motor Company's Aeronutronics Systems, Inc., in the Grand Central Industrial Centre." 

Librascope occupied the airport buildings well into the 1960's. Today, the entire facility is owned and occupied by Disney.

The 1984 paperback book is currently available from third-party sellers on Amazon for about $15, plus S&H.

#7) Libravet Writes a Computer Book

The following e-Mail was recently received from Wes Stupar:

Hi Carl,

The new blog site looks great! It occurred to me that it might be good to tell about my book there. I recently wrote a book that tells about the origins of computers as experienced by me. There is a lot of history of Librascope in it.

Here is a description of the book:

This 50 page book will give you the origins of computers in the age of modern technology. It was written by one who grew up with computers.

What is a Computer? was written with two purposes in mind: first, to expose computers for what they are in order to remove myths that intimidate those who would use them, and second, to give to the world a history of computers from personal observation.

The reader will also find history of technology based upon personal observations of the author who is old enough to have been there.

If you want to order the book for just $10.00, please email Computer Applications at
compaps@roadrunner.com,
and we will tell you how.

I will offer the book to Libravets at the special discount price of $8. I do not have a shopping cart on my website (www.compaps.com), but if they email me, I’ll send the book, and they can send me a check.

Wes Stupar