“Amy, Wonderful Amy”

Amy Johnson achieved worldwide recognition when, in 1930, she became the first woman pilot, or in the language of the time, “aviatrix”, to fly solo from England to Australia. Flying G-AAAH, a Gipsy Moth which was the first of her aircraft named “Jason”, she left Croydon, south of London, on 5 May of that year and landed in Darwin, on 24 May after flying 11,000 miles (18,000 km).

Photo Central Press/Getty Images (1930)