The Descriptive Finding Guide for the Helen S. Shropshire Personal Papers SDASM.SC.10132
Alan Renga
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
12/05/2014
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego 92101
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Helen S. Shropshire Personal Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10132
Physical Description:
0.3 Cubic Feet
One Box
Date (inclusive): 1956-1979
Abstract: Helen Shropshire obtained her private pilot's license from Artie Clay in Monterey, California in 1956. She would become a
member of the 99s and compete in the Powder Puff Derby.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Conditions Governing Use
Some copyright may be reserved. Consult with the library director for more information.
Preferred Citation
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this Collection were donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Biographical / Historical
Helen Shropshire obtained her private pilot's license from Artie Clay in Monterey, California in 1956. Jack Jella was her
instructor for her multi-engine instrument, commercial, and instrument ratings in l957, 1958 and 1959. Helen was inspired
to get her pilot license from one of her customers. During the time Helen and her husband Frank owned the Camera Exchange
in Pacific Grove, one of their customers was a very enthusiastic pilot by the name of Dell Hinn. Dell would always talk her
exciting adventures in flying and was the catalyst that propelled both Helen and Frank into obtaining their private pilot
licenses.
In 1965, Helen and Zoe Dell Nutter organized the formation of the Monterey Bay Chapter of The 99s, sponsored by the Santa
Clara Valley and Sacramento Valley Chapter. The installation of the Monterey Bay Chapter was held at Asilomar Conference Center
with the Governor of the Southwest Section presiding over the event. Helen was the first chairman of the Monterey Bay Chapter
of the 99s.
Helen enjoyed the competition of air racing and entered several of the Powder Puff Derby/All Women Transcontinental Air Races.
She and her partner placed 2nd in 1972. Helen also received much recognition for chairing a Monterey County Air Tour for government
officials. Helen was 1967 pilot of the year for the Monterey Chapter.
One of her most memorable flights occurred while producing a movie for the Guatemalan Tourist Bureau. While in their country,
she had the opportunity to photograph the inside of a volcano from a bomber with the bomb bay doors open and not strapped
in. The bomber had been purchased from the United States by Guatemala for$ I and was co• piloted by her husband, Frank. Helen
filmed the inside of the volcano while lying on her stomach. Her fascination for the inside of volcanoes brought her into
the Crater of the Sun (Haleakala) in Hawaii for aerial photographs.
Helen died December 17, 200 l in Monterey, California
Scope and Contents
One box of archival material including: Powder Puff Derby subject files, event programs for conferences, photographs and
newspaper clippings.
Related Materials
Related SDASM Collections
• Helen Richey Personal Papers
• Women of Flight Collection
Related Research Institutions
• Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA
• Evergreen Museum, OR
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Wash D.C.
• National Museum of Naval Aviation, FL
• Oregon Air and Space Museum, OR
Subjects and Indexing Terms
All-Woman Transcontinental Air Race (ATWAR)
Women in aeronautics
Ninety-Nines (Organization)
Women Airforce Service Pilots
Powder Puff Derby
Shropshire, Helen S.
Series I: Powder Puff Derby Subject Fales, 1956-197 4
Physical Description: l. l0th Annual All Women Transcontinental Air Race July 7-10, 1956
2. 11th Annual All Woman Transcontinental Air Race July 6-10, 1957 (2)
3. Powder Puff Derby, The Industrial Development Report of San Mateo County, Sept. 1957
4. All Woman Transcontinental Air Race, 1964 (2)
5. Twenty Transcontinental Sky Trails, Powder Puff Derby, 1966
6. Dolls Who Fly, Air West, West Coast Airlines, 1966
7. 22nd Annual Powder Puff Derby Race Start and international convention, 1968
8. 23rd Annual Powder Puff Derby, July 4-7 1969
9. Angel Derby, Mar 24-27, 1969
10. 24th Annual Powder Puff Derby, 1970
11. Powder Puff Derby, Propwash, 1970
12. 25th Annual Powder Puff Derby, July 5-8, 1971
13. Powder Puff Derby, Sports Illustrated, 19 July 1971
14. Md's Wife: California's Airborne Mercy Mission, 1971
15. 26th Annual Powder Puff Derby, July 7-10, 1972
16. Death Deals Derby Double Blow, Propwash, May-Jun 1974
Series II: Event Programs/conferences
Physical Description: 17. Ninety Nines Annual Southwest Section 1965-1972
18. Ninety Nines Annual Mt. Diablo Chapter 1967
19. Ninety Nines, Phoenix Chapter, I 967
20. Ninety Nines, San Joaquin Valley Chapter, 1967
21. California Aerospace Education Association, 1967
22. Pacific Grove Rotary Club Butterfly, 1969
23. Zota Clubs, Monterey and Salinas, I 975
Series III: Photographs
Physical Description: Powder Puff Derby 1957
1. Four 8xl0 B&W photos of Breakfast at Casino, Belmont - prior to take off July 7, 1956
2. Six 8x10 B&W photos of start of PP Derby- San Carlos Airport- July 7, 1956
3. 1st place winner, Alice Roberts and Iris Critchell
4. 2nd place winner, Doris Eacret and Jean Parker Rose
5. 3rd place winner, Barbara Kiernan and Esther Gardiner
6. 4th place winner, Ila M Pinlot
7. 5th place winner, Betty Miller and Helen Dodson
8. Betty Lambert
9. Lawanda Lane and Joy Tyler
10. Lawanda Lane and Joy Tyler
11. Randa Sutherland
12. Frances Bera and Edna Bower
13. AWT Air Race sponsored by Heart, two women next to plane
14. Girl Scouts of Ft. Wayne and Allen County plane, two women next to plane l S. Mooney Aircraft; man shaking woman's hand
16. Sky Service Inc. plane: man placing flower leis on two women
17. Man greeting three women at plane
18. Two 8xl0 B&W of PP Derby contestants at department store beauty counter
19. Two 8xl0 B&W of PP Derby contestants pinning on paper wings
20. Board of Supervisors Award bowl
(Photographs taken by John Rundlett, official photographer of Powder Puff Derby, 575 Warrington Avenue, Redwood City.)
Powder Puff Derby 1970:
1. Eleven B&W photos of PPD start
2. Two B&W group photos of PPD start
3. Ham operator for 1970 PPD start - Mrs. G. Warren
Series IV: Newspaper Clippings
Physical Description:
Powder Puff Derby l970
1. "Peninsula Pilots in Derby," Monterey Peninsula Herald, 11 June 1969
2. "49 Powder Puff Planes are In," Monterey Peninsula Herald, 6 June 1970
3. "Wives Roam the Sky," n.d.
4. "Powder Puff Derby Takeoff July 3," The Pacific Grove Tribune, 5 March 1970
5. "Race Helps to Publicize City," Cupertino Courier, 5 August 1970
Newspaper clippings on Powder Puff Derby
l. PPD, 1955
2. PPD, 1956
3. PPD, 1957
4. PPD, 1967
5. PPD, 1968
6. PPD, 1969
7. PPD, 1970
8. PPD, 1971
9. PPD, 1972
10. PPD, 1975
11. PPD, 1979