We all know about L. Bleriot's first solo flight across the English Channel in 1909, but I'll bet that there are very few of you who could name the first woman to achieve this feat or give the date when she achieved it. Come to that nor could I until today!
It just happens that today is an auspicious day for me, but I had not realised that 40 years prior to the first of those auspicious days was the day on which a certain Miss Quimby became the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel. She was an American who had assumed the name of Miss Craig for the occasion as she did not want others who knew that she was a pilot trying to prevent her from making the attempt. She flew in a Bleriot XI monoplane - the same type that L. Bleriot had used in his first crossing, the difference being that Miss Craig's (Quimby's) aircraft was powered by a 50hp Gnome engine. She took off near Dover castle and landed approximately 30 minutes later at Hardelot near Bologne having travelled at about 1500 feet. A contemporary newspaper report stated that the aircraft had a flotation bag in the fuselage (as had L. Bleriot's aeroplane in 1909), and that the "wings were waterproofed." Typical of most pilots of the time Miss Craig (Quimby) intended only to wear a blue satin dress, but was persuaded to wear "an ordinary full length coat" to help protect her against the cold. The date was April 17th, 1912.
Miss Quimby was not the first woman to fly across the English Channel - that distinction went to a Miss Trehawke Davies who rode as a passenger to Gustav Hamel in a two seat monoplane (I have not been able to find out the manufacturer of this particular aircraft).
In aviation history we tend to remember the achievements of men but we rarely celebrate the achievements of women. I hope that this helps to redress the balance - it is certainly a day that i will remember.
