*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
