Page 28 - August 2015 Volume 9, Number 8

and would be flown from Santa Monica, California, to the site of the races in Cleveland, Ohio.
It was the first competition of its kind in the United States, and the press soon dubbed it the “Powder Puff Derby.” The race would begin on August 19 and end one week later in Ohio, 2,800 miles away from California. The winner would take home the tidy sum of $2,500. Louise was among 18 pilots that qualified for the event, along with the likes of Amelia Earhart, Mary von Mach, Gladys O’Donnell, the flamboyant “Pancho” Barnes, Ruth Elder and the highly respected German aviatrix, Thea Rasche. Thaden knew that each of these women had the ability to win, and they would be flying airplanes fully capable of making the long, arduous journey.
In August 1929, Louise achieved one of her greatest victories when she won the first Transcontinental Air Derby flying a Travel Air Type D4000 equipped with speed wings. The event thrust Louise onto the national stage and firmly established her as one of America’s foremost female aviators. The photograph shows Thaden waving to a cheering crowd of thousands after landing in Cleveland, Ohio, site of the 1929 National Air Races. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION)
Meanwhile, back in Wichita, Walter Beech finally relented and despite an already overburdened order book for other customers, agreed to build not only one Travel Air for the race, but five. All would be fitted with speed wings and powered by Wright Aeronautical static, air-cooled radial engines ranging from 225-300 horsepower. In addition to Louise, Marvel Crosson, “Pancho” Barnes, Blanche Noyes and Mary von Mach received new ships ready for the race. The Derby got off to a good start, but the press was quick to malign the race and the women who were flying with all their skill and grit to win it. One newspaper exclaimed, “Women have conclusively proven they cannot fly,” while another paper proclaimed that women “have been dependent on man for guidance for so long that when they are put on their own resources, they are handicapped.” Despite the malicious and unfounded accusations hurled by irresponsible editors and reporters, the women flew on, even after the death of Marvel Crosson whose Travel Air crashed in the desert near Phoenix, Arizona.
As one day led to the next, the strain on all of the contestants was beginning to take its toll. That was the hardest aspect of the race – to keep going despite
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one obstacle after another that had to be overcome, including bad weather, inaccurate road maps, high, gusty winds, bad fuel, blowing sand, and fatigue. The Travel Air team was no exception and experienced more than their share of troubles. “Pancho” Barnes “cracked up” her Travel Air when it struck a stray Chevrolet that had wandered onto the active runway in Pecos, Texas, and Blanche Noyes was out of the running after she received serious burns when her ship caught fire in flight and was damaged in a forced landing.
It was anybody’s guess as to who would cross the finish line first at Cleveland, but Louise managed to keep her Travel Air from serious harm and captured the $2,500 reward for her efforts. Thaden summed up her hard-earned victory this way: “The indisputable fact that I was first into Cleveland, winner of the Derby, could not penetrate. Before the ship rolled to a stop, a crowd swarmed around us. Alarmed, I cut the [magneto] switches. Sunburned mechanics grinned...picking the Travel Air and me up bodily, they carried us over in front of the grandstands.” Louise had barely left the cockpit when she was thrust into the public spotlight and asked to address the throngs of spectators in the bleachers. Speechless, she just stood there silently. Suddenly an impatient official poked her in the side and told her to say something. Struggling to find the words, she finally blurted out, “I’m glad to be here. All the girls flew a splendid race, much better than I. Each one deserves first place because each one is a winner!” 7
For Louise, the glory and notoriety of the Women’s Air Derby quickly faded away. All the women resumed
Walter Beech and Louise posed for the camera following her victory at Cleveland. In addition to Thaden’s triumph, Travel Air’s sleek Type “R” monoplane annihilated all of its competitors, including the best the United States military could offer, in the free-for-all race averaging a stunning 196 mph. Walter was delighted with Thaden’s performance, and she would make him proud once again in 1936. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION)
AUGUST 2015