First, the arty Mountain Stream photos because it's so pretty.
Hendon
I thought to share some photos that I took when I went to Hendon earlier this year. Hendon is home to the RAF museum and has 3 hangars full of planes. It's a great place to take adventurous young children, especially energetic boys (hear that Sarah?). There is ample parking and admission is free. Several of the planes were even rigged out so that children can climb aboard and experience it all first hand.
In the newly done up hangar, there's a presentation dedicated to major achievements in aviation. A wall with news clipping and photos all enlarged. It was fascinating. The de Havilland Gypsy Moth was designed for training and touring but was remarkable in it's dependency and afforability, literally enabling some pretty phenomial record breaking between the 2 wars.
International Women's Day
OK, and in case you didn't know March 8th is International Women's Day
Amy Johnson was one of these remarkable pioneering aviators. She was the first qualified British-trained woman ground engineer. At 27, she was the first woman to fly solo to Australia. (She set off in a single engine Gypsy Moth from Croydon on May 5, 1930, and landed in Darwin on May 24, an epic flight of 11,000 miles.) She went on to set records in flights from England to Japan, England to Capetown. She crashed in the Thames estuary and died in 1941 while ferrying aircrafts during the war.
Jean Batten was a New Zealander, who astounded the world just before the war, smashing record after record. She did the Australia - England rout in 17 days 15 hours and was the first woman to make return flight. She held the record for England - Brazil: 5000 miles in 61 hours 15 minutes. First direct flight from England to Auckland. She was the concurrent record holder for both the England-Australia and Australia-England titles.
This Gypsy Moth was so versatile. It played a great part in the 'Pink War'.
We so often take flying for granted. It really wasn't that long ago that man took to the air... and well, I thought it nice to share a bit about this plane and 2 very impressive lady aviators on this day.
P.S. I have a lot more photos... be afraid, be very afraid!
Posted by atu at March 8, 2006 08:45 PM | TrackBacklooking for pattern for pollys scarf and her shawl tht looks like the rowan birch
Posted by: darnise at March 15, 2006 12:32 PMThank you Polly - I shall add that to my list for the Easter holidays which are not far away!
The scarf looks beautiful in the photos.
Sarah x
Posted by: Sarah at March 10, 2006 11:31 AMlove love love the first picture, what a beautiful scarf!
Happy women's day!
Beautiful mountain stream scarf. You just want to reach out and touch it.
Posted by: Kathleen at March 9, 2006 06:08 PMNoticed the "ss" and the missing "b" a little too late to cancel!! Really, I can spell - I can, I can! Just can't type very well after a couple of glasses of wine with dinner!
Posted by: Lesley at March 9, 2006 09:43 AMWe Kiwis are a very verssatile lot!! Proably comes from living on a small island(s) a long way from anywhere else of much importance!
Lovely scarf Polly! So delicate yet cuddly looking!
Posted by: Debi at March 9, 2006 07:26 AMYes, I take flying for granted. I think flying between Australia and England on a commercial jet is taxing on the system and that's even when I have flight attendants looking after my every need or desire... can't imagine doing it by myself in a Gypsy Moth! (over 14 days...)
Posted by: Meg at March 9, 2006 04:00 AMbeautiful lacy scarf!
Posted by: eyeleen at March 9, 2006 02:25 AMYour scarf looks beautiful. The yarn was a great choice!
Posted by: Kristi at March 9, 2006 02:23 AMDon't I know it! Just got in from an International Women's day event (and we started the day at work with card, champagne, chocs and a bunch of flowers).
Dawn
Posted by: dawn at March 8, 2006 11:18 PMI can't believe I forgot International Women's Day. Shame on me! Thanks for the reminder, the photos, and the interesting aeronautical trivia (though it's hardly trivial, is it?)
Posted by: Beth S. at March 8, 2006 09:43 PMMountain Stream is so beautiful. I can't wait to get mine started. Thank you for the IWD write up of aviators. We don't always realize that women were on the forefront, too.
Posted by: margene at March 8, 2006 09:15 PMThe lace scarf thingy is simply divine!
And many thanks for the International Women's Day reminder.