Apr 26
Pat Douthwaite (British, 1934-2002), Final Instructions before Take-Off, 1976. Oil on canvas, 152.3 x 152.3 cm. City Art Centre, Edinburgh
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Pat Douthwaite (British, 1934-2002), Final Instructions before Take-Off, 1976. Oil on canvas, 152.3 x 152.3 cm. City Art Centre, Edinburgh
Amy Johnson (1903-1941)
British Aviator
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson, Kronosielec, Poland 1931
Amy Johnson - British aviatrix who flew from the UK to Australia in 19 days in 1930
*clears throat* so we hear y’all like cats and cool women in history?
Meet Jean Batten: record setting New Zealand aviatrix, international pilot extraordinaire...
... And Buddy, her kitten and newfound mascot.
Buddy was a gift received in 1934 courtesy of the Diggers (aka Australian soldiers) at the Prince of Wales military hospital in Sydney.
Described as being “as much a centre of attraction as the wonder girl herself”, Buddy the cat flew with Jean many times throughout the years, though he reportedly didn’t enjoy the experience very much.
Jean broke the record for fastest solo flight from England to Australia in 1934, unseating the previous women’s record held by esteemed pilot Amy Johnson by a little over four days. The success of her long-distance journey catapulted her to celebrity status, and she enjoyed a four week tour of Australia where she was greeted by large crowds of well-wishers.
She continued to fly for many years after setting her record, continuing on to become the first person to hold both records for fastest solo flights between England and Australia simultaneously.
Image 1: LINK
Image 2: LINK
1929 De Havilland DH60GM Gipsy Moth
One of the most famous models of aviation’s cradle era, the De Havilland Gipsy Moth occupies the same space in its category as the Model T Ford in automobiles—a dependably engineered, reliable vehicle, that brought its mode of transportation to more people than any other before it.
Hundreds of examples were built and were flown by several significant aviators of the era, including the noted British aviatrix Amy Johnson, who in 1930 became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia in her Gipsy Moth, “Jason.”
Then-owner Cliff Lovell supplied this aircraft in early 1985 for the filming of Out of Africa, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in the epic love story of the Danish countess Karen Blixen and British aviator Denys Finch-Hatton.
Courtesy: RM Sotheby's
Offered to benefit the creation of a new rhinoceros sanctuary in Central Kenya