Ruth Elder: American Girl

Ruth was the middle child of seven siblings born to pipe shop owner, Oscar Elder and wife Sarah. Noted as an outgoing child and adventurous, Ruth earned the nickname of "Boots." In 1920, while the suffrage movement achieved the right to vote, sixteen year old Boots had difficulty focusing in school. Her daydreams revolved around fantasies of becoming a model or movie star and leaving behind her hometown of Anniston, Alabama.

Married and divorced before age 20, Ruth kept looking for the next adventure. Her second husband, Lyle Womack, seemed to be her match as he was an explorer and entrepreneur. He frequently flew to Panama for his work, so he moved Ruth to Florida to be closer to him.

In 1926, she set up a home in Lakeland and found employment as a dental assistant. Ruth joined several local women's clubs and became the song leader for the Pionettes (forerunner to the Business and Professional Women's Club). Still seeking adventure, Ruth began to enter beauty pageants where her pretty looks and charming personality came through to win a few.

Some of the contests came with a money prize. When asked what she would do with her earnings after winning the 'Mrs. Sudsy Soap' contest held at Lakeland's Crystal Lake pavilion Ruth replied, "I want to be the first female to fly across the Atlantic!"

One of Lakeland's most qualified instructors and local aviation pioneer was George Haldeman. Born in Kansas, he came to live in Lakeland when his father J.J. Haldeman bought 10 acres of Lake near Lake Gibson.

The mechanically inclined George, a 1917 graduate of Lakeland High School, rode his motorcycle to Tampa two weeks after finishing high school, to begin flight training there. He honed his skills during World War I, where after a stint of service in the Signal Corps, he completed the U.S. Army School of Aeronautics program.

Following the war, George continued flying, setting several aviation records. He started an air delivery service called the Intercity Airline Corporation, gave aerobatic demonstrations, took resident's for airplane rides and offered flying lessons to anyone willing to share his passion for flight.  

Haldeman had long dreamed of making a transatlantic flight – which at the time had yet to be conquered. In 1925 a sponsor that helped him organize an attempt pulled out due to collapse of real estate market. This loss of financial backing, meant the loss of a record he was sore to loose. 

With Ruth stating her intention of a trans-Atlantic flight, Haldeman saw a chance to realize his own dream. As a novice pilot Ruth lacked the skills and experience to carry out this dangerous journey successfully on her own. He also recognized her passion and personality were certain to lead to new sponsors to fund the expedition. George proposed a co-piloted trans-Atlantic flight in which Ruth would be the first female to make the attempt.

Ruth agreed and insisted that this be a true experience with her piloting the adventure and not just as a passenger. She was 100% involved from start to finish with planning and preparation.

Step one in planning involved securing a sponsor to fund the flight. Based on Ruth’s pluck and George’s aviation skills, a group of banking investors from Wheeling, West Virginia soon came forward. 

The duo's timing came on the heels of the successful Charles Lindberg's solo flight across the Atlantic (May 1927). Ruth and George's sponsors saw this co-pilot attempt as a great financial investment and business advertisement as the newspaper press was hungry for more aviation records to report.

The yellow, single engine monoplane Stinson Detroiter, with a high-wing, featured scrolling lettering naming it, American Girl. The press went wild and started dubbing Ruth as the “Flapper Flier” and “Flamboyant Beauty” and the ”All American Girl” which lead to naming of the plane.

Safety-conscious George, somewhat anxious of having the responsibility of Ruth, planned the route with several factors to consider in flying from New York to Paris. Armed with knowledge of the Lindberg's recent flight he thought the best path lay to the south. With most of the flight over water there would be no landmarks to guide them. They would rely solely on the planes instrument panel. They would also have no radio communication until they reached land.

Choosing the southerly route following shipping lines, would add miles to the journey as well as hours, but offered options in case of emergency. In preparation for this scenario Ruth Elder's name was painted on the side of the gas cans that carried extra fuel for the long trip. When jettisoned they would create a visible path in the ocean leading to where they may need to be rescued. 

Once land could be sighted on the coast of Spain, the co-pilots could use landmarks to navigate northward to their final destination of Paris.

Another part of their preparation for the flight involved practicing in the waters of Lake Hollingsworth where Ruth and George donned water-proof buoyancy “float-suits” that would help keep them afloat should they have to ditch in the water. This practice training was held over several weeks.

The two pilots also logged hours in the American Girl plane which contained specifically modified instruments for this long distance journey. Most of the fuselage would contain the extra gas in containers leaving little room for anything else.

Meanwhile, Ruth still had to satisfy parts of her pilot certification in order to co-pilot the airplane. 

The press, hot off the success of Lindy’s flight, vigorously followed the very photogenic Ruth. To keep everyone's interest high about the upcoming flight newspapers ran articles about some of their other preparations.

Knowing that she would deplane in Paris, the city of fashion, Ruth shopped at a Lakeland dress store for a garment to wear. She also claimed that she would be purchasing a Parisian dress to wear on the ocean liner trip back to the United States.

Since there was not much room for food and beverages while on the estimated 40 plus hour flight, the two planned on eating a hearty breakfast before take-off. The rest of the meals were packed in a small basket brought aboard the plane.

Another, smaller item Ruth carried on the plane with her was a check for French War Orphans from the Wheeling, Virginia chapter of the officers reserve. Once in France she would hand it over to the National Fund.

Finally, the big day arrived when Elder and Haldeman would begin their journey. Leaving Lakeland a few days earlier, the two set-off for a quick stop to sponsors in Wheeling, West Virginia. From there they flew the American Girl to Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York. The plane, heavy with fuel, required the use of a special ramp to take flight. 

The weather had delayed the flight more than once, but on October 11, 1927, they were given the "all clear" to "hop-off." By that evening the flight hit its first problem, a very large storm requiring George to take the pilot seat while Ruth positioned herself in the rear of the plane acting as ballast to keep the aircraft level. Eight hours later they were finally clear.

The transatlantic flight continued through the next day when a leaking oil line began to fail. Ruth, after nine hours piloting the plane, turned the controls over to George so she could communicate with a tanker ship below. Hand written notes inquiring, "how much further to the Azores?" weighted down by spare spark plugs, were dropped to the ships deck. Getting a response that they were 300 miles short, George made the decision to land the plane in the water. The two aviators were rescued by a Dutch oil tanker, the Barendrecht. The unsalvageable American Girl sank into the ocean water.

The two downed pilots, disappointed in not completing their journey as intended continued on to Paris as planned. Upon their arrival, they were met with wide celebration to the new record holder for the longest flight over water by a female - Ruth Elder.

Ruth and George took an ocean liner back to the United States where the two continued to be greeted with celebrations and accolades. Highlights included an invitation to a special "Aviators" dinner at the White House (Ruth was the only female), a ticker-tape parade in New York City, a camel born at the Central Park Zoo was gifted the name of Ruth and the song "Flaming Ruth" soon hit radio stations across the country.

Lakeland greeted the returning pilots with a special celebration in Munn Park. The flight, covered by the local newspaper, generated great interest by locals. It was noted that six calls a minute were inquires about the flight.

Lakeland also named the local airport in their honor - the Haldeman-Elder Airport.