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Walter Hammond Righter (1905 - 1982)

An Illustrated Biography by his daughter, Frances Jean Righter Tucker © 2005


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Chapter 1. Home, Home on the Ranch
Chapter 2. Like Minds
Chapter 3. From Dennymites to Drones
Chapter 4. The First Contract
Chapter 5. Test Cars
Chapter 6. A Career in a Nutshell

Chapter 7. Acknowlegments


These pages are being extensively revised October_November, 2005

Walter Hammond Righter, Dec. 1949
Photo: Righter Family Archives
Download a high resolution A4 photo at 300dpi


About the Author

Frances Jean (Righter) Tucker Frances Jean Righter Tucker was born in 1932 and at the tender age of 4yrs, with small and nimble fingers, became her father's first 'employee' helping him assemble the first "Dennymite" model engines in his home workshop in Glendale CA.

If this seems a bit far-fetched, one should note that 'Fran' was driving the family car at age 12, flying at 14 and topped her class in the engineering section of a school wide aptitude test in her graduation year, 1950.

When seriously ill in her late pre-teen years she began to draw during the many months of post op. recouperation. This was greatly enhanced by having a friend help her. This friend, an associate of the father of one of her school friends was none other than Walt Disney!

At 21 and now married to a young Geologist, Del Tucker, Fran helped him with his geological drafting while also working as her father's secretary at 'L.A. Pneumatic'. This included book-keeping and payroll management and keeping track of her father's ever inventful activities.

After her father retired, Fran continued this close relationship working with him on a variety of projects that have continued long after his death with Fran meticulously archiving his blueprints, notes and photographs, the core of this website's content.

In her 'other lives' Fran is an artist, an illustrator, ceramicist, seamstress, a former public lecturer, licensed foster parent and church based family counselor. In her 'spare time', Fran owned and ran a clothing business "The Greater Gaitor Company" making and selling 'winter woolies' for adults and children alike.

Most recently and as part of this project, Fran's drafting skills again came into use as she restored, line by line, her father's surviving engine blueprints.


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Created and maintained by russell.naughton@eng.monash.edu.au
Last updated October 13, 2005