Famous women pilots preparing to take part in the 1934 Memorial Day air races at Dycer Airport. In front row kneeling is Gladys O’Donnell, who last year entered seven races and won six. Seated is Ruth Elder, famous flying beauty. Standing left to right: Kay Van Doozer, Myrtle D. Mims and Clema Granger.
(via sol-se)
Source: coolchicksfromhistory
(viabrainguts)queernonymoose:timelessalice:goddamnitreddas:gatheringbones:wrathofprawn
:lostsplendor:stalins-princess:Night Witches were Russian lady bombers who bombed the shit out of German lines in WW2. Thing is though, they had the oldest, noisiest, crappest planes in the entire world. The engines used to conk out halfway through their missions, so they had to climb out on the wings mid flight to restart the props. the planes were also so noisy that to stop Germans from hearing them combing and starting up their anti aircraft guns, they’d climb up to a certain height, coast down to German positions, drop their bombs, restart their engines in midair, and get the fuck out of dodge.
Their leader flew over 200 missions and was never captured.
(via tendrilz)
Source: sovietico
Chinese Aviatrix Receives Gift Of New Plane From Colonel Roscoe Turner, Washington, D.C., 1939
Here’s what you need to know: Hilda Yen was awesome. Born into a highly influential Chinese family, she earned degrees from both Smith College AND Yale. Yen was spoken of in the same breath with the likes of her contemporary, Amelia Earhart. She took her flying skill to China to instruct others on how to fly. In the picture above, she accepts a gift of an airplane, on behalf of the “Friends Of New China,” from American military officer, Colonel Roscoe Turner.
A month later the plane nearly killed her when she crashed into a field, but she bounced back, advocating for China the rest of her life.
(via karenhealey)
Source: vintagesmith
