RUTH LAW OLIVER 1887-1970

Ruth Law

Ruth Law's Headless Curtiss Photo: Dave Cadorette from Holcomb's Aerodrome By permission from Kevin Holcomb

 

Comments By Kevin Holcomb, 2-20-05      The significance of the photo to me is that it clearly shows a Curtiss with the Wright brothers control interface, (2 levers as opposed to a wheel and the leaning seat). During that time, Curtiss was going out of his way to show that his design was different then the Wrights. The Wright controls were clearly not something that the Curtiss factory would have wanted to install so either the customer was very insistant or it was done after delivery, I do not know which. Ruth Law was trained by the Wrights, so seeing their controls on her aircraft is not surprising.

 

CURTISS MODEL D-III Holcomb's Aerodrome      You can find the original photo seen above, along with four others of Ruth Law's Curtiss, by visiting Kevin Holcomb's website, "Holcomb's Aerodrome." In addition, Kevin has assembled links to several other sources of information on this plane, including an extensive collection of detailed photographs of The 1914 Ingram/Foster Biplane which is on display in the main lobby of the Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ). You can visit the page by following these directions: 1. Access the Homepage by clicking on the title above . 2.On the left hand side of the page, click on "Pioneer Aircraft." 3. Click on "Curtiss Model D III.      You will find five photographs of Ruth Law at the top of the page. If you will scroll down, you can enjoy the many other features.

 

EB Meeting at Fowler's 1958

Kitty Hawk Celebration December 3, 1965

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for "Ruth Law Oliver", using the Google search engine, (3-10-04), you will find about 16 links. Perhaps the most helpful are the following. However, if you are sufficiently interested, you will be rewarded by following all of the links.

 

the PIONEERS Celebrating the Bi-Centennial of Aviation : 1804-2004      This page on Russell Naughton's fine website offers a very complete revue of Ruth Law's career. It is illustrated with many important photographs and offers links to other important websites. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

RUTH LAW: RECORD SETTER      This page on the Women in Aviation Resource Center website, offers a very nice revue of Ruth's life and career. It features an excerpt from "Ladybirds - The Untold Story of Women Pilots in America" by Henry M. Holden with Capt. Lori Griffith. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

 

An Early Bird Plaque with the date of the person's flight was awarded to each member. This one belonged to Ruth Law, one of the most famous Pioneer pilots. Gift of Paul E. Garber Displayed at Steven Udvar-Hazy Center Photo courtesy of Ross Levin, Owner of the Aviation Art Hangar.

 

Ruth Law Oliver, the first woman to loop the loop in an airplane, the first to make a night flight and the one- time holder of the Chicago to New York aerial speed record, died Tuesday, December 1, 1970 in San Francisco at the age of 83.      Ruth Law bought her first airplane in 1912 from Orville Wright when she was 21 years old. From that time she proceeded to pile up new records in flying and was the outstanding woman barnstormer of her era.      In 1917, Miss Law was the first woman authorized to wear a military uniform, but she was denied permission to fly in combat. She was told that she could do a lot of good just by teaching others to fly.      After the war, there came the Ruth Law Flying Circus, a three plane troupe that left throngs at state and county fairs astonished. She flew her old Curtiss plane, with Wright controls, and the two male pilots flew Jennys in close formation with her. Finally her husband and manager of the flying circus, Charles Oliver confided that he was becoming more and more distressed watching his wife flying 25 feet above racing cars on county tracks. So, in 1922, Miss Law announced that she was retiring. The Olivers lived in Beverly Hills from 1922 to 1946, when they moved to San Francisco. Charles Oliver died the following year.      Funeral services were held Saturday, December 5, 1970, with officers of the San Francisco Chapter of the Eastern Star officiating. Burial was in Lynn, Massachusetts, where Miss Law was born, March 21, 1887 From The Early Birds of Aviation CHIRP, January, 1971, Number 77

 

RUTH LAW BACK TO EARTH

CHICAGO, March 15---"It's my husband's turn now, I've been on the limelight long enough, I'm going to let him run things hereafter and me, too."      The speaker was Ruth law Oliver, daring woman aviatrix, who for 10 years has been courting death and defying it as a stunt flier both in America and Europe.      She has quit aviation. Retired forever.      "Why?"      "Because I'm a normal woman and want a home, a baby, and everything else that goes with married life," she says.      "Why, I've been married for almost 10 years to Charlie Oliver, the man who has managed my exhibitions, and scarcely anyone knew who he was.      "And the poor boy was so worried about me all that time that every time I went up he lost a pound."      "He was a matter of choosing between love and profession. Of course, I'm just crazy about flying, but one's husband is more important. Clipping from the Lester Bishop collection Courtesy of David Balanky

 

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