The Powder Puff Derby of 1929: The True Story of the First Women’s Cross-Country Air Race
This aviation history recounts the 1929 air race in which 19 female flyers such as Amelia Earhart and “Pancho” Barnes spent 9 days crossing the country in propeller-driven aircraft. Jessen covers the aircraft, equipment, and the physical and mental challenges as well as the popular reception of their exploits.
Description from Sourcebooks.com
The unforgettable true story of the 1929 air race that legitimized female pilots.
In 1929, nineteen women set out from Santa Monica, California, in flimsy, propeller driven planes, with a mission—to be the first to cover the 2,759 mile course to Cleveland, Ohio. Dubbed "The Powder Puff Derby" by humorist Will Rogers, who covered the race, the competition was aggressive and dangerous.
A thrilling narrative, The Powder Puff Derby of 1929 tells the story of the first major female airplane race, whose contestants included Amelia Earhart, the most famous female pilot of her time. Many of the women flew in open cockpits, with no air controllers to help them and often only primitive airports to land on. Yet by facing the hazards with skill and determination, the racers thrilled the nation and pioneered a new future and respect for female aviators.
The Powder Puff Derby of 1929 tells the stories of these first female pilots, gutsy and colorful adventurers who flew in air circuses, set altitude and speed records and fought for the right to become part of the male-dominated world of aviation. The book also includes various artifacts of the groundbreaking race, including priceless, never-before-published black and white photos, as well as Air Force maps of the terrain over which the women flew.
An inspiring story of confidence and persistence, The Powder Puff Derby of 1929 captures a defining moment in the history of aviation and women’s rights.
For an article about the 1929 air race by Gene Nora, go to http://www.ninety-nines.org/index.cfm/the_1929_air_race.htm.
Published by Sourcebooks, 320 pages, 9 by 6 inches, signed by the author, softcover
Another book by Gene Nora:
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