I was idly looking at Flying magazine, which is available on Google Books, when it occurred to me to look for articles on the aeronautical laboratory where Heinlein, de Camp, Asimov, and Virginia Gerstenfeld worked during World War II.

When Heinlein joined in spring 1942, if I recall correctly, the organization was known as the Naval Aircraft Factory. During the war it reorganized and became the Naval Air Material Center. Sometimes you'll read that he worked at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. Nope, NAF/NAMC was adjacent to the Navy Yard but it was a distinct institution.

Indeed, Flying did run a couple of articles in that era. You won't learn anything about the work the Heinleins were doing, but you'll get the flavor of the place if you're interested. Quite a few pictures, including a bomber nose-down in a crash test.

by Captain E. M. Pace Jr. Jan 1942 p. 128

by John LaCerda Nov 1945

Very cool; thank you! I've been a subscriber to Flying since 1972, but it never occurred to me to search the archives for Heinleiniana.

This was interesting. Thanks. What I knew about Heinlein's work there came from Patterson's biography and from Paul Malmont's The Astounding, the Amazing and the Unknown. It's nice to have more perspective.