LILLIAN (TUCKER) PORTER

Lillian Porter, Ca. 1933 (Source: Woodling)

 

Lillian Porter landed at least seven times at the Grand Central Air Terminal (GCAT). She probably landed another dozen or so times, but there is uncertainty, because for those landings the name "Porter" was all that was used to identify the pilot. The airplane was the same, however, giving justification to the guess that "Porter" was Lillian. Each time she visited she flew the Fleet she identified as NC786V. Her passengers, when she carried them, were not identified by name. Portrait, left, from the Oakland Tribune, April 28, 1933.

Lillian Porter was born in Centralia, MO on May 21, 1894 (some sources give other dates, but this one was documented on a 1932 immigration form cited below).

The 1900 U.S. Census placed her at age 6 living with her family in Centralia. Besides her parents, she lived with two older brothers. Her father’s occupation was coded as “Bank Cashier.” In 1910, the Census cited her living with her parents at age 15 in Excelsior Springs, MO. One brother had left home. Her father continued as a bank cashier.

The 1920 U.S. Census cites Lillian living with her husband, Robert Porter, in Detroit, MI. Robert was a 1910 immigrant from England who married Lillian when she was 18 years old, on May 16, 1912. His occupation is listed as "Manager" in the "Steel Products" industry. Lillian was not employed in 1920. Robert was a Register pilot who landed once at Clover Field, Santa Monica, CA, once at Parks Field, East St. Louis, IL and five times at the Davis-Monthan Airfield, Tucson, AZ (please direct your browser to his link, above, for biographical information and descriptions of other landings).

Women's Air Reserve, The New York Times, April 26, 1931 (Source: NYT)

 

In 1929, Porter became a charter member of the women's pilots organization that would become the Ninety-Nines. A 3-page draft of a news article (or press release that announced the Ninety-Nines) is downloadable at the link (PDF 238kB).

This publication is of historical interest, because it includes mention of the evolution of the organization's name. The Ninety-Nines organization was first named the 86s, because initially there were 86 of the 126 registered female pilots who responded to the mailing soliciting their participation in the organization. Soon there were 97, and, as of the date of the document downloadable above (dated December 29, 1929), the organization was to be called the 97's. Finally, two other pilots joined and the 99s organization was born. All the original charter members are listed in this article, including Lillian Porter.

A letter I received from Bobbi Trout described the primary idea for the organization. It was suggested under the grand stand at the 1929 National Air Races at Cleveland, OH. That was in September. The initial meeting of the group was held in November on Long Island, and the document at the link, above, was written in December. It didn't take long for the organization to take shape. It didn't take long, as well, for the female pilot population to increase almost three-fold.

A publication entitled Women in Aviation published by the "Women's Department" at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation in New York, on August 17, 1930 stated there were 285 total licensed female pilots. Of the total, 222 were private, 25 transport, 2 industrial, and 36 limited commercial.

Then, according to a 1934 Ninety-Nines publication, the total number of female pilots was 364 that year; Transport, 68; Limited Commercial, 34. Private, 192; Amateur, 21 and Solo certificates 49. There are no living charter members of the 99s as of the upload date of this page.

Oakland Tribune, April 28, 1933 (Source: Woodling)

 

The 1930 U.S. Census cites Lillian (age 35) living with Robert (41) at 3745 Invermere Drive in La Crescenta, CA in greater Los Angeles. They rented their home for $150/month. Robert was a "Consultant" in the "Business" industry. Lillian was listed as unemployed.

In April, 1931, Porter was involved in the formation of another women pilot's organization. The west coast chapter of Women's Air Reserve. The activities of the organization were described in The New York Times of April 26, 1931, right. She is mentioned as a founding member in the last paragraph. This article reads like a who's who of female Register pilots. See, besides Porter and Bobbi Trout, Peggy Gilliland, Melba Gorby, Opal Kunz, Pancho Barnes, Mildred Morgan and Gladys O'Donnell.

She traveled on February 28, 1932 with Robert from Ensenada, Mexico aboard the S.S. Ruth Alexander inbound to Los Angeles. Routings for the ship during 1932 included Seattle, Victoria, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Ensenada.

Oakland Tribune, October 29, 1933 (Source: Woodling)

 

The article at left from the Oakland Tribune of April 28, 1933 tells us several things. First, Lillian Porter learned to fly during the summer of 1926. Her husband learned to fly at the same time. Second, as of April, she was identified in the article an excutive of the W.B. Kinner Airplane & Engine Company. Consider the rare position she held as a female leader of a major aircraft and engine company in 1933. Third, the airplane she flew to Oakland was a folding wing model designed by her husband.

Another article, at right, from the Oakland Tribune of October 29, 1933 documents another trip to Oakland. It appears that folding-wing models went out of fashion a short six months after the April article.

In the April, 1936 Ninty-Nines Newsletter, she is cited on page 5 as "Lillian Metcalf." I do not know if she was divorced and remarried, or changed her name in some other way.

Porter also landed twice at Clover Field. She flew NC786V on one occasion, and another Fleet, NC618M, on another.

I could find nothing else about Porter's social or professional life, activities during WWII, or during her later life with Robert, if in fact they remained together. I do not know if they had children. As far as I can determine (from social security index), Lillian Porter died April 9, 1959. However, this REFERENCE, page 7, published in 1996, cites her as a living charter member of 99s that year. If you can provide information about her later life, or clarify her date of passing, please let me KNOW. She flew with Transport pilot certificate number T4229.

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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 11/27/15 REVISED: 08/27/16