Amy Johnson's historic Australia flight to be celebrated on 95th anniversary
A flypast of a biplane similar to the one used by Miss Johnson is planned for Sunday.
Croydon airport is now a museum (Alamy/PA)
Throughout this weekend, the airport will host guided tours of the control tower and an Amy Johnson exhibition, while discussions and workshops will take place at the adjacent Croydon Aerodrome Hotel.
Miss Johnson had only 100 hours of flying experience when she took off from Croydon in her second-hand Gipsy Moth plane, named Jason.
The 27-year-old had no radio link to the ground, no reliable weather information and only basic maps to guide her over uncharted land and some of the world's most inhospitable terrain.
She braved sandstorms, forced landings and the amorous attentions of Arab sheikhs to reach Darwin in northern Australia 19 days later.
On her return to Croydon, she was greeted by an estimated 200,000 people who lined the route to the airport.
Micha Nestor, visitor centre manager at Croydon airport – which is now a museum – told the PA news agency: 'What we want to do is inspire future aviation enthusiasts, and also highlight women in aviation
'Amy was one of the major celebrities of the 1930s.
'We really want to amplify her story, because Amy was a big deal.'
She added: 'There's one term that she used to use, and that's air mindedness.
'At almost each stop (to Australia) she had to deal with a different problem, and use all those different skills she'd gathered, whether it's engineering, maths, all different bits and pieces, to figure it out.
'That's what we want to promote: thinking on the ball.'
Amy Johnson preparing to set off for Australia (LNA/PA)
Papers released by The National Archives in 2005 revealed that a senior UK diplomat wrote before the flight that there should be restrictions on Miss Johnson's plans given her 'sex, youth and comparative inexperience'.
She was an 'adventuress' who needed protecting from herself, the official communique suggested.
Miss Johnson died aged 37 when a plane she was flying crashed into the sea off Herne Bay, Kent in January 1941.
At the time, she was serving as a pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary, which delivered aircraft for the RAF.
Her body was never found.
Croydon airport opened in 1920, featuring the world's first air traffic control tower.
Mike Thorn, a trustee of Historic Croydon Airport Trust, described it as the UK's 'first major international airport' and 'the equivalent of Heathrow before the Second World War'.
He said: 'We get people travelling long distances to visit. He recently had some people from Hong Kong.'
The airport was closed in 1959 and converted into a museum in 2000.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
DIY jobs Brits hate the most revealed including leaky taps and cleaning behind the fridge
Scroll down to see the full list DIY DITHER DIY jobs Brits hate the most revealed including leaky taps and cleaning behind the fridge Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE most-postponed home maintenance jobs in British homes include servicing boilers, clearing gutters, and cleaning behind the fridge. A poll of 2,000 homeowners revealed the top 20 overlooked tasks around the home, with replacing shower heads, draught-proofing doors and windows, and cleaning vents and fans also featuring on the list. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The DIY jobs Brits hate the most have been revealed Credit: Alamy It emerged more than one in 10 (12 per cent) think about these jobs on a daily basis – even if they rarely get around to actually doing them. And 20 per cent admitted they care more about how their house looks than the maintenance below the surface. Nearly a third (31 per cent) prioritise aesthetic tasks like painting walls or hanging pictures over functional ones like bleeding radiators or servicing boilers. Jessica Rawstron, engineer at British Gas, which commissioned the research, said: 'Keeping on top of the little things around the house might not seem urgent, but it can save homeowners a lot of time, money, and stress in the long run. Read more money DAD-ICATED LOVE The top 10 ways dads show love from doing DIY to sending an iconic emoji 'Summer can be a good time to catch up on home maintenance tasks that have been forgotten or delayed, with boiler servicing a prime example – especially before colder weather returns. 'Think of it as an MOT for your boiler – it helps identify and resolve any potential problems early, and by booking one in the summer you can have peace of mind that your heating is in full working order before you need it during the colder months.' According to the research, two thirds of respondents would only take action on a home maintenance task if the problem became visible. And 38 per cent of people who have had something go wrong around the home had been putting off fixing it for ages, only for it to then break completely – with 31 per cent of people who have put off a job admitting this left them with a bigger, costlier problem down the line. The top reasons people put off these little jobs are lack of skills (27 per cent), the cost (26 per cent), and a lack of time (25 per cent). But 21 per cent of those polled via OnePoll worry about making the issue worse, while 15 per cent have looked at the weather forecast and decided to wait for a different day. British Gas has created a home maintenance checklist to give homeowners handy reminders for when tasks need doing throughout the year – whether that's the best time to bleed radiators or a date in the diary to sense check the thermostat settings and consider a smart tech upgrade. Spokesperson Jessica added: 'A dripping tap or a patch of damp may seem minor now but left unchecked they can quickly turn into much bigger, and more expensive, problems. 'Regular maintenance not only protects your property but also helps preserve its value. 'Whether you own or rent, staying on top of small fixes is one of the simplest ways to avoid nasty surprises and keep your home running reliably and efficiently. 'With seasonal offers available, summer is a sensible time to make sure everything's in good working order before colder weather returns.'
Cambrian News
2 days ago
- Cambrian News
Eisteddfod Chair from WWI refugee stars in Aberystwyth exhibition
Andrea Hammel, Professor of German and Director of the Centre for the Movement of People, said: 'This exhibition aims to highlight the long history of displacement caused by war. While last month's commemorations of the end of the Second World War in Europe focused mainly on combatants and local communities, we want to show the experience of those who had to leave their homes. By 1945 there were 60 million displaced people in Europe alone, and Wales provided sanctuary to many.'
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Scotsman
10 photos of Edinburgh's finest art deco buildings you can find in the capital
2 . Capital Building Stood on the south west corner of St Andrew Square where it meets George Street is the Capital Building. Completed in 1939 the six-storey masterpiece also ranks as one of the city's last attempts at art deco before the outbreak of the Second World War. It is said that the Capital Building attracted a lot of criticism when it was first built as it was deemed as being unsympathetic to the existing architectural fabric of Edinburgh's Georgian New Town | Google Maps Photo: Google Maps
