Louise Thaden sitting in her Travel Air Wright Engine at the first Women’s Air Derby, which took place from August 18 to August 26, 1929. The nineteen women who participated flew from Santa Monica, California to Cleveland. Louise Thaden won with a…
In 1944 at Mather Field women gather for B-25 Transition Training. In the top row are Winifred Wood, Ana Morgan, Alaire Bennett, Katherine Joy Merratt, Pat Seares, Carolyn Clayton, Captain "Wimpy" Wimberly, Ellie Bryant, Kaddy Laudry, Aleta Grill,…
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were a group of female aviators that formed in September 1942. This pioneer group of women were employed to fly military aircraft during World War II under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces.…
Wilhelmina Teerling poses for her class photo. She started her Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) training as a member of the class of 43-W-5 and graduated in the class of 43-W-7.
Russian born Major Alexander P. de Seversky came to America, and he enjoyed a successful career as a pilot, inventor, aeronautical engineer, and author. Evelyn Olliphant de Seversky was a New Orleans socialite and pilot. The Major founded Seversky…
Early aviatrix Katherine Stinson puts her hand on her plane shortly after receiving her pilot's license, the fourth woman in the United States to do so. After receiving her certificate, she began exhibition flying where she was known as the "Flying…
Neta Snook Southern was an early American aviatrix. A pioneer in the field of female aviation, Southern was the first woman in Iowa to receive her pilot's license, first student accepted at the Curtiss Flying School in Virginia, and the first woman…
Contestants stopped in the middle of the first Women's Air Derby, what was once called the Powder Puff Derby, in Paul Cox Airfield in Terre Haute, Indiana. Nineteen women participated in the race which began in Santa Monica, California and ended in…
Ruth Elder and Vera Dawn Walker’s planes at Paul Cox Airfield in Terre Haute, Indiana on August 25th during the 1929 Women's Air Derby. The foreground plane, No. 66, Swallow J-5, was flown by Ruth Elder. The other, No. 113, Curtiss Robin Challenger,…
Ruth Elder standing on Paul Cox Air Field during the 1929 Women's Air Derby. Caption on the back of the photograph reads "Three cheers for Ruth!!! Always smiling."
Thea Rasche (left) and Ruth Elder (right) standing at the Paul Cox Airfield in Terre Haute, Indiana on August 25, 1929. They are standing in front of Rasche’s Gypsy Moth #61. The first Women's Air Derby, also called the Powder Puff Derby, took place…
Women's Air Derby contestant's planes sit at the Paul Cox Airport in Terre Haute, Indiana on August 25, 1929. A year before entering the contest, famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart was credited as the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Earhart worked…