Take Flight!

Recent Acquisition - Postcard Collection

Soar through the History of Women in Aviation

You have probably marveled at the accomplishments and pondered the fate of Amelia Earhart, but have you heard of these high-flying female aviators?

Chinese immigrant Katherine Cheung (top center) was the first Asian American woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1932, from Los Angeles Public Library via California Digital Library

Ruth Bancroft Law completed a record-setting flight from Chicago to New York in 1916, gliding the final two miles of the trip after her plane ran out of gas! Image from the University of Texas at Dallas via The Portal to Texas History.

Born to a sharecropping family in Texas, Bessie Coleman became the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license, specializing in daredevil stunt flying during her career. Image from The New York Public Library.

British Aviator Amy Johnson was the first woman to fly solo to Australia. This photo from the National Air and Space Museum via Smithsonian shows her after landing in Darwin, Australia.

Fiji Airways 737-800 approaching Christchurch

Throwback Thursday: World War II Jayhawk Edition

Cabin of the only Douglas DC-1 built, 1933

I was incredibly privileged today to meet Joy Lofthouse, 94, who flew Spitfires in World War 2 as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary, one of the vaunted ‘Spitfire Ladies’ and a hero and inspiration to all ladies everywhere, especially budding pilots. She’s a patron of the charity I support and volunteer for, and came as part of our Veteran’s Day today, to visit with us, drink tea and admire the beautiful Spitfire that did a flyby and landed for us all to have a gander at (the Spitfire itself flew 143 sorties during the war, including D-Day).

I was lucky enough to have 20 minutes or so sat with Joy on the flightline, watching the Spit refuel before it came over to us. Her memory was astounding; we spoke in detail about her wartime experiences as if it had all happened yesterday. 

“Dayton-Wright Airplane Co. Plant, Dayton, Ohio. First D.H.-4 assembled and flown May 17, 1917. ″

Airplanes - Types - Airplanes for government use. Dayton-Wright Airplane Co. Plant, Dayton, Ohio. First D.H.-4 assembled and flown May 17, 1917. File Unit: Airplanes - Types, 1917 - 1918. Series: American Unofficial Collection of World War I Photographs, 1917 - 1918. Record Group 165: Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, 1860 - 1952

You can only imagine these two aircrafts side by side today! ✨✈️

the Douglas XB-19 on it’s maiden flight in June, 1941, taking off from Clover Field in Santa Monica. At the time, it was the largest aircraft ever built.

Source: http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/americas-real-wwii-flying-fortress-was-the-massive-doug-1632864365