ELIZABETH LIPPINCOTT MCQUEEN 1878-1958 AKA Mrs. Ulysses Grant McQueen

 

Mrs. Elizabeth McQueen The founder of the Women's International Association of Aeronautics, Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Flight Test Center-Headquarters, July 3, 1932 From HARGRAVE, the PIONEERS.

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for "Elizabeth McQueen" +aviation, using the Google search engine, (2-23-06), you will find about 85 links. Only a few of these are relevant.

 

Mrs. Ulysses Grant McQueen Prologue "Flygirls is the story of the first Women's Air Derby, a race from Santa Monica to Cleveland, flown in August of 1929. Nineteen pilots participated in this historic event, the first solo, cross-country race for women. Their slogan? A Woman's Place is in the Sky!" Flygirls recreates the adventures of these women aviators as they fly a grueling cross-country race. Brilliant, daring, and talented, they were the rock stars of their generation, inspiring movies, fashion trends, popular songs, and the adoration of millions. Amelia Earhart was the most famous, but others were equally accomplished, including cross-dressing heiress Pancho Barnes ; Ruth Nichols, the Flying Debutante; Alaska bush pilot Marvel Crosson ; gorgeous actress Ruth Elder ; petite and catty May Haizlip ; androgynous Bobbi Trout (who encouraged Marlene Dietrich to wear slacks); German pilot--and suspected Nazi spy--Thea Rasche; motherly test pilot Claire Fahy ; barn-storming, wing-walking Phoebe Omlie ; Edith Foltz , who went on to serve her country in the Women's Air Corps; tiny Texan Vera Dawn Walker ; and the Australian Chubbie Miller, to whom some of the world's most passionate love letters were written.      This is the introduction to a very fine website, Flygirls, which was suggested to me by Laura Dove. Included among stories of the participants, is one devoted to Mrs. Ulysses Grant McQueen, one of the sponsors of the race. You will find references to many of her exploits over the years which help to define her character. You can access her story by clicking on the title above.      If time permits, I heartily recommend that you visit the homepage of the site by clicking on "Flygirls" and enjoy the many other features which are available.

Florence Leontine Lowe "Pancho" Barnes      This page which features the story of Pancho Barnes, offers the only photograph of Elizabeth I have been able to find, so far. It is the source of the portrait which you find at the top of this page. It is a group picture which includes many notable female aviators of the period including Pancho Barnes, Mrs. Elizabeth McQueen, Amelia Earhart, Elizabeth Kelly Inwood, Clema Granger, Gladys O'Donnel, Janet Roberts, Mildred Morgan and Valentine Sprague. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

 

 

Women's International Association of Aeronautics Pin Contributed by Blaise Doerr, 9-17-10

 

REQUEST FOR HELP via email from Stephen Smith, 2-23-06      I am a family member - distant and by marriage - of Elizabeth McQueen. I am researching her life for a family history and am wondering if you have any information about these women who were friends of hers: Mrs. Elsie Smith, Inglewood, CA Miss Marijane Brown, Los Angeles, CA Miss Clementina DeForrest Griffin, Los Angeles, CA Mrs. Winifred Willmore, Los Angeles, CA      I do not know how they related to Elizabeth McQueen - they were apparently close friends and worked with her in the WIAA, Women's International Association of Aeronautics. Sincerely, Stephen Smith Editor's Note: Laura Dove has responded to Stephen's request for more information with a very concise and detailed biography of Clementina. You can access her story by clicking on her name above.

 

Elizabeth McQueen was one of Los Angeles's first women pilots. Founder and President of the Women's International Aeronautical Association. Her life's objective was "Peace by Air". Text and Photo from THE PORTAL OF THE FOLDED WINGS SHRINE TO AVIATION AND MUSEUM Pierce Brothers Valhalla Cemetery 10621 Victory Boulevard North Hollywood, California 91606 (818) 763-9121 (located at Cahuenga and Victory

 

Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this Early Flier, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper   Back