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.

 

Box 01, 37 folders

 

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