Breaking Through The Clouds: The First Women's National Air Derby

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE GREATEST FLIERS IN THE HISTORY OF AVIATION...

THE WOMEN FLIERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE CONTESTANTS IN THE GREAT NATIONAL WOMEN'S AIR DERBY FROM CLOVER FIELD TO CLEVELAND.

BLUE SKIES SMILIN' AT ME NOTHIN' BUT BLUE SKIES...

THIS GROUP OF WOMEN THAT FLEW THIS AIR RACE IN 1929 ARE THE MOST UNDER RECOGNIZED AND UNDERAPPRECIATED WOMEN IN THE HISTORY OF AVIATION.

NOTHIN' BUT BLUEBIRDS ALL DAY LONG NEVER SAW THE SUN... ALL THE WOMEN PAVED THE WAY FOR THE WOMEN TODAY.

WOMEN WERE SOME OF THE EARLIEST AVIATORS, AND THERE WERE OTHERS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T READ ABOUT OR HEAR ABOUT AS MUCH.

Announcer: ATTA GIRL...

WAVE YOUR HAND, RUTH.

IT'S JUST AMAZING.

AND DOING THIS AIR RACING CLEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IN THE '20s!

THAT'S JUST-- THAT'S 80 YEARS AGO.

THAT'S AMAZING.

NOTHIN' BUT BLUE SKIES FROM NOW ON Narrator: THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF FLYING THROUGH THE CLOUDS, TOUCHING THE BREATH OF HEAVEN AND LISTENING TO THE WIND SHARE ITS SECRETS.

NONE EMBODIED THIS DREAM MORE THAN THE THAN THE 20 WOMEN PILOTS WHO RACED ACROSS THE SKY FROM SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, TO CLEVELAND, OHIO, COMPETING IN THE FIRST WOMEN'S NATIONAL AIR DERBY.

THE YEAR IS 1929.

WALL STREET WILL CRASH SOON, BUT FOR NOW THE ROARING '20s ARE IN FULL SWING.

IT IS A TIME OF PROSPERITY AND POSSIBILITY.

AVIATION TECHNOLOGY IS DEVELOPING AT A RAPID PACE.

PILOTS ARE PUSHING THEMSELVES AND THEIR PLANES HIGHER AND FASTER.

THE PUBLIC'S FASCINATION WITH AVIATION IS ALSO GROWING AT A RAPID PACE.

AVIATION WAS SOMETHING PEOPLE WERE VERY INTERESTED IN, AND WOULD OFTEN GO TO THE AIRPORTS, JUST TO WATCH THE PLANES TAKE OFF AND LAND.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT DURING THE TIME OF THIS EVENT, THE GRAF ZEPPELIN WAS ABOUT READY TO SET OFF ON ITS WORLD TOUR.

SO AVIATION WAS VERY MUCH PART OF THE CULTURE BEING TALKED ABOUT.

THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS INTEREST IN IT.

Narrator: PILOTS WERE BECOMING MORE EXPERIENCED AND NEEDED A NEW OUTLET TO TEST THEIR SKILLS AND THE POTENTIAL OF THE PLANES.

AIR RACING BECAME THAT OUTLET.

IT FED THE PUBLIC'S APPETITE FOR FLYING AND CHALLENGED THE PILOTS TO TEST THE PLANES AS WELL AS THEIR FLYING SKILLS.

IT WAS OUT OF THIS FASCINATION WITH AVIATION THAT THE NATIONAL AIR RACES DEVELOPED.

BY 1929, THE EVENT PROMISED TO ATTRACT THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS TO CLEVELAND, OHIO, WHERE THAT YEAR'S RACES WERE TO BE HELD.

AIR RACING WAS STILL VERY MUCH A MAN'S GAME.

WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO BE A PART OF THIS FRATERNITY.

THERE WAS A VERY GREAT RELUCTANCE ON THE PART OF MEN TO HAVE WOMEN ENTER THE FIELD OF RACING, I MEAN, IT WAS CONSIDERED, MORE DANGEROUS.

D'Elias: WOMEN DIDN'T RACE PLANES, SO IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL TO HAVE AN AIR RACE WITH WOMEN IN IT.

BUT THAT'S WHERE ALL THE FUN WAS.

Narrator: AVIATION ENTHUSIAST AND PHILANTHROPIST ELIZABETH McQUEEN WAS SO ENAMORED WITH WOMEN'S POTENTIAL IN AVIATION THAT SHE FOUNDED THE WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AERONAUTICS.

RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING WOMEN PILOTS, McQUEEN MET WITH CLIFF HENDERSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL AIR RACES IN MAY 1929, ABOUT HAVING A WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY AIR DERBY DURING THE TIME OF THE NATIONAL AIR RACES.

ALWAYS THE PROMOTER, HENDERSON SEIZED UPON THE IDEA.

FROM THIS MEETING, THE FIRST WOMEN'S NATIONAL AIR DERBY WAS BORN.

CLIFF HENDERSON, WHO WAS THE ORGANIZER OF THE NATIONAL AIR RACES, HE DECIDED, AND VERY SMARTLY SO, THAT TO GET PUBLICITY FOR THE NATIONAL AIR RACES THAT IF HE HAD A WOMAN'S RACE ALONG WITH THE MEN'S RACES THAT WERE ALREADY SCHEDULED, THAT THAT PROBABLY WAS GOING TO GET A LOT OF PUBLIC ATTENTION.

HE WAS A PROMOTER.

AND HE JUST FIGURED IT WAS THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY TO GET CROWDS AT THE AIR RACES.

Webb: EVERY NEWSPAPER HAD BIG HEADLINES ABOUT THE WOMEN'S RACE AND THE PROGRESS OF IT AND THE LITTLE EXCERPTS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE TWO MEN'S RACES WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK PAGES.

Narrator: WHILE A BUZZ AND EXCITEMENT WAS BEING GENERATED ABOUT THE RACE, THERE WERE SOME WHO WERE NOT AS ENTHUSIASTIC.

IT TOOK EXTRA SELF- MOTIVATION FOR SOMEBODY TO WANT TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE OBSTACLES THAT SOME OF THE WOMEN HAD TO OVERCOME, JUST THE GENERAL FEELING THAT MEN WERE MORE SUITED AS PILOTS, AND THAT THE WOMEN'S PLACE IN SOCIETY WAS IN THE KITCHEN KIND OF THING.

SO CERTAINLY, THE WOMEN PILOTS STOOD OUT FROM THEIR CROWD MORE SO THAN THE MALE RACE PILOTS, EVEN AT THE TIME, DID.

THERE CERTAINLY WAS AN EXTRA FACTOR TO BECOMING A WOMAN PILOT IN 1929 THAN TO JUST BECOMING A PILOT.

THESE WERE TIMES WHEN IT WAS ALMOST UNHEARD OF FOR A FEMALE TO BE A PILOT.

THERE WERE ONLY 75 LICENSED FEMALE PILOTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

WOMEN HAD ONLY BEEN VOTING FOR A FEW YEARS.

AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WOMEN PILOTS WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN ACTIVE COMPETITION TO COMPETE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.

Blair: THERE WAS THIS DOVETAILING OF AVIATION AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND WOMEN COULD DO ANYTHING.

IT WAS A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR WOMEN IN AVIATION.

THEY KNEW THEY COULD DO IT.

THEY KNEW THE AIRPLANE DIDN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY DID IT.

AND THEY WERE VERY CAPABLE.

Narrator: ELIZABETH McQUEEN GATHERED TROPHIES FOR THE RACE.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, SHE WAS IN CHARGE OF FINDING WOMEN PILOTS TO COMPETE.

Webb: SHE WENT AROUND RECRUITING ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR WOMEN CONTESTANTS FOR THAT DERBY.

IN 1929 THERE WEREN'T MANY CERTIFIED WOMEN PILOTS.

CERTIFICATION HAD REALLY JUST STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS EARLIER.

Narrator: ONE OF THESE CERTIFIED PILOTS WAS A YOUNG PHOEBE OMLIE IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

PHOEBE OMLIE WAS AN INTENSELY CREATIVE, AMBITIOUS YOUNG WOMAN WHO DECIDED THAT SHE WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO WING WALK AND DO STUNTS FOR THE MOVIES, WHILE SHE WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HIRED A VETERAN, VERNON OMLIE, TO FLY FOR HER AND STARTED TO DO WING WALKING AND PARACHUTE JUMPING, AND HANGING BY HER TEETH BELOW THE PLANE.

PHOEBE OMLIE WAS THE FIRST A&P MECHANIC IN THE UNITED STATES.

SHE DID HAVE A PILOT'S LICENSE IN PROBABLY AROUND 1925, BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL 1927 IN JUNE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ACTUALLY BEGINS A FORMAL LICENSING OF PILOTS AND MECHANICS.

AND AT THAT POINT, THEN SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO GET A TRANSPORT PILOT'S LICENSE AND A MECHANIC'S LICENSE.

IN THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU FLEW, YOU HAD TO BE A MECHANIC.

THERE WAS CONSTANT BREAKDOWNS.

YOU HAD TO UNDERSTAND HOW A PLANE WORKED AND YOU WEREN'T ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY WITH YOU TO FIX IT.

AND SHE DEFINITELY AVOIDED HAVING A MECHANIC FLY WITH HER WHEN SHE WAS COMPETING BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GET ALL THE CREDIT.

SHE WAS THE ONLY WOMAN TO COMPETE IN THE 1928 FORD RELIABILITY AIR TOUR.

AND DURING THAT TOUR, SHE TOOK HER LITTLE PLANE ACROSS SOME OF THEIR ROUGHEST TERRAIN IN THE COUNTRY... OVER 6,000 MILES, TRAVELING ALL BY HERSELF.

SO SHE BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO TAKE A LIGHT PLANE OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ACROSS THE DESERTS, AND REALLY TEST WHAT SHE AND THAT PLANE WERE CAPABLE OF.

PHOEBE WAS INTENSELY COMPETITIVE, AND I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HER TO DO WELL AT WHATEVER SHE DID, WHETHER IT WAS WING WALKING OR PARACHUTE JUMPING OR AIR RACING.

SHE WAS ALWAYS OUT FRONT, ALWAYS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE.

THIS RACE WAS A REAL COMPETITION, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WAS DRIVING HER.

Announcer: HE MADE IT!

CHARLES A. LINDBERGH, "LUCKY LINDY," AS THEY CALL HIM, LANDED AT LE BOURGET AIRPORT PARIS AT 5:24 THIS AFTERNOON.

Narrator: MAY 1927 PROVIDED A MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE WORLD OF AVIATION WHEN CHARLES LINDBERGH MADE THE FIRST SOLO FLIGHT ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

I THINK IT JUST INFLUENCED THAT PEOPLE KNEW THAT THE WORLD OF AIR TRAVEL WAS NOW GOING TO EXPAND.

I MEAN, HE JUST CROSSED THE ATLANTIC IN A SINGLE-ENGINE SOLO ENDEAVOR.

Narrator: MANY WOMEN WERE INSPIRED TO REPEAT LINDBERGH'S FLIGHT AND JOCKEYED FOR POSITION TO EARN THE TITLE OF "LADY LINDY."

Announcer: RUTH ELDER BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO FLY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

Narrator: JUST FIVE MONTHS AFTER LINDBERGH'S FLIGHT, A YOUNG STARLET FROM BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, RUTH ELDER, ATTEMPTED TO BE THE FIRST WOMAN ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

RUTHIE ELDER, BETTER KNOWN AS THE FIRST WOMAN WHO TRIED TO JUMP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC AND LANDED IN THE OCEAN AND MOTION PICTURE FAME.

SHE BEGAN A TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT WITH GEORGE HALDEMAN, AND ENDED UP LANDING IN THE OCEAN BUT WAS SAVED BY A PASSING SHIP.

Smith: SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, THIS WOMAN.

YOU'VE NEVER SEEN-- I THINK THEY MADE MOVIES OF HER LATER.

SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Blair: RUTH WAS REALLY THE GLAMOUR GIRL OF THE RACE.

SHE REALLY WANTED TO PROVE THAT SHE WAS A FLYER, TOO, IN HER OWN RITE, SHE WASN'T JUST A PRETTY FACE.

Narrator: THE PUBLIC'S RECEPTION TO ELDER WAS NOT DAUNTED IN ANY WAY.

SHE WAS CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND THE U.S. FOR HER ATTEMPT.

LESS THAN ONE YEAR LATER, IN 1928, AMELIA EARHART BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO SUCCESSFULLY CROSS THE ATLANTIC.

SHE INSTANTLY BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME AND THE TITLE OF "LADY LINDY" WAS HERS.

[applause] MISS AMELIA EARHART, WHO JUMPED... WHO WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO JUMP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

AT PRESENT, SHE IS ASSISTANT GENERAL TRAFFIC MANAGER OF THE GREAT TRANSCONTINENTAL AIR TRANSPORT.

MISS EARHART...

IF YOU WERE IN THE SKY AND YOU COULD FLY YOU WERE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE HEAVENS, SO THEY AWARDED PILOTS AS MUCH AN ETHEREAL STATUS AS THEY AWARDED MOVIE STARS A HERO STATUS.

I PRESENT YOU WITH THIS RARELY-CONFERRED MEDAL.

ALL OF AMERICA IS PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR PERFORMANCE.

Narrator: WHILE EARHART WAS MAKING NEWS ALL OVER THE ATLANTIC, McQUEEN FOUND OTHER WOMEN WHO WERE MAKING AND BREAKING RECORDS AS PILOTS.

A 17-YEAR-OLD ELINOR SMITH MADE HEADLINES WHEN IN 1928 SHE FLEW UNDER FOUR NEW YORK CITY BRIDGES IN A ROW.

Smith: I REMEMBER ZOOMING OUT OVER THE EDGE OF THE HARBOR AND GOING RIGHT AROUND THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.

I RECALL THAT DISTINCTLY.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH ELINOR DID NOT COMPETE IN THE WOMEN'S 1929 AIR DERBY, SHE DID ATTEND THE NATIONAL AIR RACES IN CLEVELAND.

SHE SUPPORTED ALL THE WOMEN IN THE RACE.

SHE KNEW THEM...

THEY WERE ALL COLLEAGUES, AND ALTHOUGH THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY MEET ON ANY FREQUENT BASIS, THEY WERE ALL IN SIMILAR EVENTS AND WOULD RUN ACROSS EACH OTHER AT AIRPORTS AND SO FORTH.

SO I THINK IT WAS A PRETTY SOLID COMMUNITY.

Narrator: ANOTHER WOMAN WHO WAS MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF IN THE SKY WAS LOUISE THADEN.

VERY GOOD PILOT, VERY GOOD PILOT.

AND A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.

MRS. LOUISE M. THADEN OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA... ONE OF THE FINEST FLIERS FROM THE ATLANTIC COAST.

[applause] MOM SAID WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 7 YEARS OLD, SHE JUMPED OFF THE BARN WITH AN OVERSIZED UMBRELLA.

AND SHE THOUGHT FROM THAT TIME ON SHE JUST HAD TO FLY.

Narrator: BY THE TIME OF THE WOMEN'S AIR DERBY, LOUISE HAD ESTABLISHED HERSELF AS A SERIOUS CONTENDER IN THE AIR.

PRIOR TO THE 1929 DERBY, MOM HAD ALREADY SET THE ALTITUDE, SPEED, AND ENDURANCE RECORDS.

SHE WAS THE ONLY WOMAN ACTUALLY THAT EVER SIMULTANEOUSLY HELD ALL THREE.

Narrator: LOUISE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE BREAKING RECORDS AND GRABBING THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION.

BOBBI TROUT, A HOLDER OF THE FIRST IMPORTANT ENDURANCE RECORD FOR WOMEN AND SOON TO MAKE ANOTHER TRY.

EVERY TIME BOBBI WOULD SET A NEW RECORD, ELINOR WOULD BEAT THAT RECORD, AND THAT WENT BACK ON AND ON FOR A WHILE.

SHE WAS COMPETITIVE WITH ALL OF THE BETTER WOMEN PILOTS.

BOBBI TROUT, CERTAINLY, LOUISE THADEN...

WHEN ONE OF THEM WOULD SET A RECORD, THEN THE OTHER ONE WOULD TRY TO BEAT IT.

AND THEN THE FIRST ONE WOULD TRY TO BEAT THE SECOND ONE.

BUT INTERESTINGLY, IT WASN'T DONE WITH BAD SPIRIT.

MARVEL CROSSON, AT PRESENT, HOLDER OF THE WORLD'S ALTITUDE RECORD FOR WOMEN, 23,996 FEET, MADE LAST JUNE.

IT WAS A TIME WHEN THE ENVELOPE WAS BEING PUSHED.

MOM WOULD SET A RECORD, BOBBI WOULD BREAK IT.

MOM WOULD SET A RECORD... ALL THE WOMEN DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE JUST PEOPLE BREAKING RECORDS FROM ONE WEEK TO THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, REALLY.

SO YOU NEVER HELD A RECORD VERY LONG BEFORE SOMEBODY ELSE WAS GOING TO BREAK IT.

Narrator: "FLIGHT IS ABIDING PEACE, ABSOLUTE SERENITY.

"IT IS FAITH AND COMPASSION, PUREST JOY.

"IT IS A SPIRIT TOTALLY FREE.

"FLIGHT IS YESTERDAY'S YEARNINGS, "THE FULFILLMENT OF TODAY'S DREAMS, TOMORROW'S PROMISES."

– Louise Thaden Narrator: THERE WAS GREAT EXCITEMENT AS NEWS SPREAD OF THE RACE.

MOM AND THE REST OF THE WOMEN THAT WERE SERIOUS WOMEN PILOTS WERE THRILLED TO DEATH BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN ASKING TO DO SUCH A THING FOR A LONG TIME.

Baker: SHE WAS APPROACHED... "BOBBI, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN THIS?"

AND, "WOULD I, WOULD I?"

THAT WAS HER REPLY.

Schultz: ELIZABETH McQUEEN, AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS ASKING THE LOCAL LADIES, THE AVIATRIXES, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, AND OF COURSE, THIS WAS PANCHO'S BIG CHANCE TO SET A RECORD.

Narrator: FLORENCE LOWE BARNES OF SAN MARINO, CALIFORNIA, BETTER KNOWN AS PANCHO, WAS QUICKLY MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF IN HOLLYWOOD AVIATION CIRCLES.

SHE FOUNDED ONE OF THE FIRST UNIONS IN HOLLYWOOD, THE MOTION PICTURE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, WHERE SHE ORGANIZED ALL THE STUNT PILOTS SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE BENEFITS AND BETTER PAY.

Narrator: WITH ENTHUSIASM AND A DETERMINATION TO WIN, PANCHO TOOK EXTRAORDINARY STEPS PREPARING FOR THE RACE.

D'Elias: PANCHO BARNES HAD FLOWN THE COURSE TWICE BEFORE THE ACTUAL RACE JUST SO THAT SHE WOULD KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

Narrator: OTHER PILOTS TOOK EQUALLY BOLD STEPS TO BE A PART OF THIS HISTORY-MAKING EVENT.

ALTITUDE RECORD HOLDER MARVEL CROSSON OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, UPON HEARING OF THE DERBY, FLEW DIRECTLY TO THE RACING HEADQUARTERS IN CLEVELAND, OHIO, TO SIGN UP IN PERSON.

THE AIRPLANES WERE NUMBERED ACCORDING TO THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY RECEIVED THE APPLICATION FOR THE WOMEN TO ENTER THE RACE, AND MARVEL CROSSON WAS THE FIRST ONE TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION, AND SHE GOT NUMBER 1 ON HER PLANE.

Narrator: 20 BRAVE YOUNG WOMEN ANSWERED McQUEEN'S CALL TO COMPETE IN THE FIRST WOMEN'S NATIONAL AIR DERBY.

IT WAS ALMOST UNHEARD OF FOR THESE WOMEN TO FLY THESE AIRPLANES, FOR THESE WOMEN TO COMPETE.

IT WAS UNLADY-LIKE, IT WAS NOT DONE.

THERE WAS A ROLE THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO PLAY... AND THE ROLE THAT THESE WOMEN WERE PLAYING IN 1929 WAS NOT THE ROLE THEY WERE EXPECTED TO PLAY.

THEY WERE VERY DARING.

Narrator: THESE PIONEERING WOMEN WERE FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS WITH VARYING LEVELS OF FLYING EXPERIENCE.

WHAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER WAS THEIR LOVE OF FLYING.

D'Elias: THE WOMEN IN THIS RACE WERE WOMEN OF GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT BEFORE THE RACE.

THESE WERE ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO REALLY HAD OVERCOME A LOT OF CHALLENGES JUST TO PRESENT AS CONTESTANTS FOR THE RACE.

Narrator: THE WOMEN COMPETING IN THE RACE INCLUDED THE DARING PHOEBE OMLIE, THE GLAMOROUS RUTH ELDER, THE WORLD-FAMOUS AMELIA EARHART, RECORD BREAKERS LOUISE THADEN, BOBBI TROUT, AND MARVEL CROSSON, AND THE VERY CHARISMATIC PANCHO BARNES.

WITH RACE DAY FAST APPROACHING, CHAOS ENSUED AS THE WOMEN SCRAMBLED TO FIND AIRPLANES.

A FEW WOMEN WERE LUCKY...

THEY COULD AFFORD THEIR OWN.

Announcer: MARY E. VON MACH OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MISS VON MACH IS PLAYING AN INDEPENDENT GAME USING HER OWN MONEY, BACKING HERSELF, AND DOING THIS TO AWAKEN AVIATION INTEREST IN HER HOMETOWN.

SHE DESERVES A WORLD OF CREDIT FOR THIS EFFORT.

Narrator: OTHERS WERE NOT SO LUCKY.

[applause] AND THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE BROKEN HEART, PATTY WILLIS, WHO FAILED TO MAKE A SHIP AND WILL NOT FLY THIS YEAR BUT WILL WIN NEXT, SO SHE SAYS.

A LOT OF WOMEN AT THAT TIME DIDN'T HAVE MONEY.

PANCHO BARNES HAD MONEY...

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THESE WERE YOUNG WOMEN.

AND EVEN TODAY, WHAT YOUNG LADY IN HER MID-20s COULD GO OUT AND BUY A STATE-OF-THE-ART AIRPLANE TO FLY IN A RACE?

OR ANYBODY FOR THAT MATTER.

THEY HAD TO HAVE THE SPONSORSHIP.

Narrator: THE NATIONAL RACING COMMITTEE INITIALLY WANTED TO RESTRICT THE SIZE OF THE PLANES.

Blair: THEY WANTED LIGHTWEIGHT PLANES.

THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS MORE SUITABLE FOR WOMEN, BUT WOMEN LIKE AMELIA EARHART WERE REALLY UPSET ABOUT THAT.

THEY WANTED THE BIGGEST, FASTEST, BEST FLYING MACHINES THAT THEY COULD FLY, SO THEY WOUND UP WITH A SORT OF COMPROMISE THAT, OK, WE'LL HAVE LIGHTWEIGHT AND HEAVYWEIGHT AIRPLANES, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT COMPETITIONS, IN A SENSE, BECAUSE THE BIGGER ONES DID FLY FASTER.

Narrator: FOR SOME, GETTING TO THE RACE PROVED TO BE AN ADVENTURE IN ITSELF.

PHOEBE WAS LITTLE LATE GETTING TO THE BEGINNING OF THE RACE AT SANTA MONICA AND SHE GOT CONFUSED OR MAYBE SHE HAD A FUEL PROBLEM BUT SHE WAS FORCED TO SET DOWN IN A FARMER'S FIELD OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.

AND SHE NO SOONER HAD GOTTEN ON THE GROUND WHEN SHE WAS MET BY SOMEBODY FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WONDERING WHAT SHE WAS UP TO AND SHE WAS DETAINED FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE THEY COULD CHECK OUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE WAS RUNNING DRUGS INTO LA COUNTY.

Narrator: RACE ENTRANT RUTH NICHOLS RECEIVED A LOT OF PUBLICITY OVER HER TROUBLES ON THE WAY TO SANTA MONICA.

I HAD TWO FORCED LANDINGS.

THIS LAST ONE OUT IN THE DESERT HAS MADE THIS HOP PRETTY HARD IN ORDER TO GET HERE ON TIME.

BUT THANKS TO THE CURTIS COMPANY, I HAD A TRIMOTOR FORD GO OVER THE DESERT AND WE HAD A REPAIR SHOP THERE.

WORKED ALL DAY YESTERDAY.

WORKED THIS MORNING FROM 3: 30 A.M. AND FINALLY ARRIVED.

FROM ALL APPEARANCES, I THINK THIS RACE IS GOING TO BE A GREAT SUCCESS, AND I CERTAINLY HOPE SO.

Narrator: IN THREE MONTHS' TIME, McQUEEN'S IDEA OF THE DERBY WAS ABOUT TO BECOME REALITY.

ALL RIGHT...

HERE WE GO FOLKS.

ALL RIGHT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE GREATEST FLIERS IN THE HISTORY OF AVIATION, THE WOMEN FLIERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE CONTESTANTS IN THE GREAT NATIONAL WOMEN'S AIR DERBY FROM CLOVER FIELD TO CLEVELAND.

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME INTRODUCE THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, FRANK T. COPELAND, WHO WILL SAY A VERY FEW WORDS.

[applause] I'M MIGHTY GLAD TO BE HERE, FOLKS, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE PRETTY SHORT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO DO AND TODAY IS A VERY BUSY DAY, AND I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

BOBBI WAS TOTALLY AMAZED WITH THE OPENING DAY AND LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

MOM SAID IT WAS JUST AN ABSOLUTE MADHOUSE WITH THE PHONES RINGING, NEWSPAPER REPORTERS, RACE OFFICIALS, CONTESTANTS.

IT WAS JUST AN ABSOLUTE MADHOUSE.

THE PRESS WAS EVERYWHERE.

BOBBI SAID THERE WERE CAMERAS IN THE GRANDSTAND, ALL OVER THE FIELD, TRYING TO GET EVERY POSSIBLE ANGLE.

D'Elias: THERE WERE CELEBRITIES THERE.

HOWARD HUGHES WAS THERE.

RAMON NAVARRO WAS THERE... OTHER MAJOR MALE PILOTS WERE THERE SUCH AS ROSCOE TURNER, AND EVERYBODY WAS IN SUPPORT OF THESE WOMEN DOING THIS.

Narrator: COMEDIAN WILL ROGERS ATTENDED OPENING DAY TO SHOW HIS SUPPORT FOR THE WOMEN AVIATORS.

WILL ROGERS WAS THERE AND HE WAS ACTUALLY COVERING THE EVENT FOR THE NEWSPAPER.

HE SAW SOME OF THE WOMEN PREPARING FOR THEIR PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES.

THEY WERE ALL OUT THERE WITH THEIR POWDER PUFFS, AND HE SAID, "WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE A POWDER PUFF DERBY TO ME."

Sherman: THERE WAS LOTS OF TALK ABOUT THE FLYING FLAPPERS AND THE PETTICOAT PILOTS.

Blair: THIS ONE MALE REPORTER WAS HEARD TO SAY TO HIS COLLEAGUES, "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU GUYS REPORT "ABOUT HOW BRAVE THEY ARE, HOW COMPETENT AT FLYING... "I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW THESE WOMEN SURE DON'T LOOK GOOD IN PANTS."

Narrator: COMMENTARY ON THE WOMEN WAS SOMETIMES BAFFLING.

[applause] VERA DAWN WALKER, THE MIDGET OF THE FLYERS.

MISS VERA DAWN WALKER.

[applause] Narrator: WHETHER IN PANTS OR A SKIRT, THE GOAL OF THE WOMEN WAS TO FLY FROM SANTA MONICA TO CLEVELAND SAFELY AND IN THE FASTEST TIME.

Webb: THIS RACE WAS HISTORY MAKING BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST WOMEN'S RACE THAT HAD EVER BEEN HELD IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

BUT IT WAS ALSO ONE OF A KIND BECAUSE IT WAS AN ALL-OUT SPEED RACE.

Narrator: ALL THE WOMEN ARRIVED AT CLOVER FIELD IN SANTA MONICA BY NOON...

EXCEPT MARY HAIZLIP.

D'Elias: MARY HAIZLIP, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL 20 ENTRANTS, HER PLANE HADN'T ARRIVED IN TIME.

SO THERE WAS A PETITION THAT WENT AROUND TO ALLOW HER TO JOIN LATE.

Dusenbery: THEY CALLED HER THE LONELIEST FLYER IN THE ENTIRE RACE.

SHE WAS BY HERSELF AT EVERY STOP.

SHE MISSED EVERY EVENT.

Baker: THE FACT THAT THEY ALL SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO ALLOW HER TO COME INTO THE RACE... THAT SHOWS A REAL CAMARADERIE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF ALL THE WOMEN FLYING.

Announcer: Bobbi, WHAT ABOUT YOU... HOW DO YOU LIKE THE BIG ONE?

WELL, I DON'T KNOW...

I LIKE THEM ALL.

Announcer: AND LOUISE THADEN, THAT WON'T LOOK WELL IN PITTSBURGH AT ALL.

IT'S TOO DARK.

COME ON OUT HERE, LOUISE.

D'Elias: IT WAS A VERY CLOSE-KNIT GROUP.

AND PANCHO BARNES, OF COURSE, HAD A GOOD FRIEND IN BOBBI TROUT, BUT SHE WAS ALSO CLOSE FRIENDS WITH MARVEL CROSSON.

MARVEL AND PANCHO BONDED BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH VERY OUTGOING, WARM INDIVIDUALS WHO LOVED LIFE AND LOVED PEOPLE.

WELL, MARVEL, I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO TRY TO WIN THIS RACE, BUT IF I DON'T, I HOPE YOU DO.

WELL, THANKS, PANCHO.

MAY YOUR LANDINGS ALL BE SLOW AND LOW.

Baker: THE WOMEN IN THE RACE RECOGNIZED EARLY ON THAT THERE WAS A BOND BEING CREATED BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR EVENT OF THIS KIND.

Narrator: WHILE THE FANFARE WAS ENTERTAINING, ALL THE WOMEN WANTED TO DO WAS FLY.

THAT MOMENT HAD FINALLY ARRIVED.

I WILL NOW GIVE YOU YOUR FINAL INSTRUCTIONS.

YOU WILL TAKE OFF ACCORDING TO THE WAY YOU HAVE REGISTERED, ONE LEAVING THE GROUND EACH MINUTE, AND THE FIRST STOP WILL BE AT SAN BERNARDINO.

GOODIE, LET'S GO... SAY SOMETHING TO THEM, RUTH, OUT LOUD, GO ON... THREE CHEERS... [chatter and laughter] ALL RIGHT, A LITTLE BIT OF ACTING, GIRLS.

WAVE GOODBYE.

GOODBYE, EVERYONE!

Narrator: LAST-MINUTE WELL-WISHES WERE MADE.

WELL, RUTHIE, THE BOYS HERE AT CLOVER FIELD, DOGGONE IT, EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM, ARE JUST DEPENDING ON YOU.

YOU KNOW YOUR OLD GANG.

NOW HOW 'BOUT IT... ALL FIXED, READY TO GO?

MISS ELDER, YOUR SHIP IS ON THE LINE AND ALL READY.

ALL READY TO GO!

BE RIGHT OUT.

ALL RIGHT, RUTHIE.

GOOD LUCK, GOOD LUCK TO YOU, OLD KID.

WE'RE ALL WATCHING YA.

OH, MISS RASCHE.

I WISH YOU LOTS AND LOTS OF GOOD LUCK.

I THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

IN GERMANY WE WISH TO BREAK LEGS AND FEET.

I'LL SEE YOU IN CLEVELAND... BYE.

BYE-BYE.

WELL, WIN THE RACE OR BUST, GLADYS.

I'LL DO MY BEST- SEE YOU IN CLEVELAND.

CONTACT!

[engine starts] Narrator: BY 2 P.M., ALL THE PLANES WERE LINED UP AND READY TO GO.

Schultz: FOR 19 AIRPLANES TO ALL HAVE STARTED UP SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHIN THAT 5- OR 15-MINUTE INTERVAL FOR THEM TO TAKE OFF, MUST HAVE BEEN NOT ONLY JUST EXCITING FOR THE SPECTATORS, BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE FOR THE GIRLS IN THEIR AIRPLANES?

AND HERE WAS THEIR FIRST BIG RACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

MY GOODNESS!

Blair: THE OFFICIALS IN CLEVELAND WERE BASICALLY RUNNING THE RACE, AND ONE OF THEIR MEN ACTUALLY FIRED THE OPENING SHOT, AND THEN IT WAS RELAYED BY RADIO TO THE WOMEN WHO WERE ALL THE WAY IN SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA.

D'Elias: OFF THEY WENT, AND FIRST OFF THE GROUND WERE ALL THE LIGHTWEIGHT PLANES.

Sherman: PHOEBE WAS THE FIRST ONE OUT.

SHE WAS IN PLANE NUMBER 8, AND SHE WAS THE FIRST TO TAKE OFF AND SHE HARDLY LOOKED BACK.

PHOEBE WAS SPONSORED BY THE MONOCOUPE COMPANY, AGAIN, PROVIDING HER PLANES AND THE SUPPORT THAT SHE NEEDED IN ORDER TO ENTER THE 1929 WOMEN'S AIR RACE.

Announcer: NUMBER 100, BOBBI TROUT.

ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY WAVE TO HER.

[crowding cheering and whistling] Narrator: BOBBI TROUT WAS FIFTH TO LEAVE AS SHE SOARED IN HER GOLDEN EAGLE CHIEF.

SHE SAID, "I WANT TO FLY THAT EAGLE, AND SHOW THE COUNTRY WHAT IT CAN DO."

Narrator: ALL SIX OF THE LIGHT-CLASS PLANES WERE IN THE AIR BY 2:15.

IT WAS NOW TIME FOR THE HEAVY-CLASS PLANES TO TAKE OFF, AND MARVEL CROSSON WAS FIRST TO GO.

Webb: ALL THE RACERS REALLY WERE CONVINCED IT WAS GOING TO BE MARVEL CROSSON WHO WON THE RACE.

MARVEL COULD'VE DONE ABOUT 168 MILES AN HOUR.

WHEREAS, MOM AND THE OTHER WOMEN THAT FLEW THE TRAVEL AIRS, IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 10 TO 12 MILES SLOWER.

Announcer: THE SECOND OF THE BIG SHIPS TO LEAVE IS A TRAVEL AIR PILOTED BY FLORENCE LOWE BARNES OF SAN MARINO, CALIFORNIA.

SHE IS BEST KNOWN TO THE FLYING FRATERNITY AS PANCHO, ONE OF THE BEST FLYERS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.

D'Elias: PANCHO BARNES ACTUALLY COMES FROM AVIATION ROYALTY.

HER GRANDFATHER WAS THADDEUS LOWE WHO WAS ONE OF THE EARLY AERONAUTS.

HE FLEW HOT AIR BALLOONS.

AND WHEN PANCHO WAS BARELY 9 YEARS OLD, HE TOOK HER TO THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL AVIATION MEET, WHICH WAS IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AND AT THAT MEET, HER GRANDFATHER, SHOWING HER THE PLANE, SAID, "SOMEDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO FLY A PLANE."

Narrator: TEN OF THE 19 WOMEN PILOTS TAKING OFF THAT DAY WERE IN THE SKY AND ON THEIR WAY.

IT WAS NOW TIME FOR LOUISE THADEN TO JOIN THE RACE.

Webb: MOM SAID SHE THOUGHT THAT THE STARTER WOULD NEVER GET TO HER.

SHE SAT THERE, SHE SAID, WITH A DRY MOUTH, TRYING TO LICK IT WITH A DRY TONGUE.

SHE SAID, HANDS SWEATING PROFUSELY AND WIPING THEM ON HER NICE CLEAN JODHPURS.

AND SHE SAID, CHECKING AND RECHECKING ALL THE INSTRUMENTS AND EVERYTHING ABOUT TEN TIMES OVER.

YOU HAD THE ENGINE FULL POWER.

YOU HAD YOUR FEET ON THE BRAKES.

AND AS SOON AS THAT WHITE FLAG DROPPED, THEN FEET CAME OFF BRAKES, THROTTLE FULL FORWARD, AND YOU WERE OFF.

Narrator: IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THADEN WAS AMELIA EARHART IN A LOCKHEED VEGA.

Announcer: IN SHIP #6 IS THE WORLD-FAMOUS AMELIA EARHART, FIRST WOMAN TO FLY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

SHE IS FLYING A LOCKHEED VEGA WITH A WRIGHT WHIRLWIND J5.

IF YOU WERE TO PICK AN AIRPLANE TO WIN A RACE LIKE THAT IN 1929, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOCKHEED VEGA BECAUSE THE LOCKHEED VEGA SET MANY RECORDS BACK THEN.

IT WAS KIND OF THE LEARJET OF ITS DAY, AND SO, THAT WAS A VERY HOT AIRPLANE.

Announcer: THE NEXT TO GO IS RUTH NICHOLS, THE FAMOUS PILOT WHO ON HER WAY TO CALIFORNIA DROPPED DOWN IN THE ARIZONA DESERT, CAME ON THROUGH BY TRAIN, PUT A NEW ENGINE INTO HER MACHINE, ARRIVED ON TIME, AND IS HERE TO PUT UP A GAME FIGHT.

Narrator: AFTER RUTH NICHOLS TOOK OFF, AMELIA EARHART'S PLANE WAS SEEN CIRCLING THE AIRPORT AND COMING BACK IN FOR A LANDING.

Announcer: AMELIA EARHART LANDING, #6.

WE'LL TRY TO GET THE INFORMATION FOR YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Blair: AND THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENED, RIGHT AFTER THE START OF THE RACE, SHE WAS FLYING OUT, AND SHE SAW THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRIC SHORT, IN HER CONTROLS, AND THOUGHT, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RACE.

"MAYBE I SHOULD JUST TURN AROUND AND GO BACK, AND HAVE A MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT."

Narrator: THE PLANE WAS QUICKLY FIXED SHE LOST 14 MINUTES FROM HER OFFICIAL TIME.

AND SHE WAS BACK IN THE AIR BY 2: 35.

Announcer: THE LAST TO GO IS VERA DAWN WALKER, THE FLYING MIDGET.

LESS THAN 100 POUNDS OF FIT AND DETERMINATION.

20 HOURS AGO, VERA DIDN'T HAVE A SHIP, BUT SHE STUCK TO IT, HER AND SHIP, AND THERE SHE GOES!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU, VERA, TOO!

Narrator: ALL 19 PLANES WERE OFFICIALLY IN THE AIR AND ON THEIR WAY TO CLEVELAND.

ONE OF THE GREATEST AIR RACES IN AMERICA'S HISTORY WAS UNDER WAY!

Wagstaff: THESE RACES WERE GRUELING FOR THESE WOMEN.

I MEAN, PLUS THEY WERE FLYING-- THE PLANES WEREN'T ANYTHING LIKE THEY ARE TODAY.

I MEAN, THEY HAD A LOT MORE MAINTENANCE ISSUES, A LOT OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

SOME OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES THAT THEY HAD, OF COURSE, WAS JUST THE TERRAIN ITSELF AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT.

SINCE FLIGHT WAS STILL, REALLY, IN ITS-- IT WASN'T IN ITS INFANCY, BUT CERTAINLY IT WAS STILL A TODDLER.

D'Elias: THESE PLANES WERE, BY TODAY'S STANDARDS, NOTHING.

IT WAS RAW.

IT WAS BASICALLY AN ENGINE STRAPPED TO SOME WINGS.

THE FATIGUE FACTOR IS VERY, VERY HEAVY.

IT WAS HOT.

IT'S LOUD.

I MEAN, RIDING IN OPEN COCKPIT HAS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO RIDING A MOTORCYCLE.

Wagstaff: MOST AIRPLANES ARE NOT BUILT FOR WOMEN.

THEY'RE BUILT FOR AN AVERAGE-SIZED GUY.

AND THEY TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE-- YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS IN SOME OF THESE AIR RACES.

WELL, PLANES WEREN'T AS RELIABLE.

PEOPLE WERE EXHAUSTED.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

Carbonell: THE LADIES BACK THEN WERE ALL TEST PILOTS.

Announcer: AND HERE WE HAVE BOBBI TROUT AND RUTH NICHOLS NECK AND NECK IN THE WOMEN'S NATIONAL AIR RACE FROM CLOVER FIELD, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, TO CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Baker: SHE LOVED FLYING.

IT WAS HER LIFE.

IT WAS HER IDENTITY.

I WOULD REFER TO BOBBI AS BEING MORE OF A WOMAN OF THE '90s IN THE '20s.

SHE WAS AHEAD OF HER TIME.

BOBBI WAS A PERSON THAT ANYONE THAT KNEW HER FLYING UP WOULD ADMIRE AND LOVE HER.

BOBBI TOLD ME THE FIRST TIME THAT SHE SAW AN AIRPLANE WAS WHEN SHE WAS PLAYING OUTSIDE AND SAW A PLANE FLY OVER AND FOUND HERSELF CHASING IT.

Bobbi Trout: THAT WAS DURING WWI, AND I SAW THIS PLANE IN THE AIR, AND I JUST ABSOLUTELY KNEW THAT I HAD TO LEARN TO FLY.

I WAS THRILLED BEYOND EXPRESSION, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAW THAT PLANE.

BOBBI SOLD ONE OF HER GAS STATIONS.

SHE TOOK OVER ONE THAT HER FATHER HAD BEEN RUNNING AND SHE GOT IT INTO THE BLACK.

SHE HAD MONEY IN HER POCKET, AND THAT MONEY WAS DEDICATED FOR FLYING LESSONS.

SO SHE WENT OUT TO THE AIRPORT AND TALKED WITH POP BURDETT AND ASKED HIM "HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?"

AND SO HE SAID "$250."

AND SHE WROTE A CHECK RIGHT THEN AND THERE AND STARTED FLYING THE NEXT MORNING.

Hazel Trout: IT WAS HER LIFE.

OH, WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO FLY.

WHY, SHE WAS BORN A BIRD.

IT WAS POSITIVELY HER PASSION.

Narrator: BY 1929, BOBBI TROUT HAD ALREADY SET MANY WORLD RECORDS, INCLUDING THE FIRST WOMAN'S SOLO ENDURANCE FLIGHT AND THE FIRST WOMAN TO TAKE OFF AT NIGHT.

Baker: BOBBI WAS FLYING THE GOLDEN EAGLE FOR R.O.

BONE AT THE TIME.

RIGHT AFTER SHE GOT HER LICENSE, HE APPROACHED HER ON THE FIELD AND ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO FLY THE GOLDEN EAGLE FOR HIM.

HE HAD BUILT AN AIRCRAFT, AND HE NEEDED A PILOT, AND SHE WAS IT.

AND SHE WENT OVER TO R.O.

BONE, SHE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, THE GALS ARE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A RACE.

I WANT TO RACE CROSS COUNTRY."

AND HE SAID, "WHAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU?

"YOU'RE SUCH A PROMOTIONAL PERSON FOR THE GOLDEN EAGLE.

WE DEPEND ON YOU."

AFTER MUCH CONVERSATION, HE RELENTED.

HE WAS SO ENCOURAGED WITH BOBBI'S TENACITY AND HER ENTHUSIASM FOR THE DERBY, THAT HE TOOK HER SHIP AND CHANGED FROM A 90-HORSE LE BLOND TO A 100-HORSEPOWER LE BLOND.

Hazel Trout: OH, SHE LOVED COMPETITION.

MY GOODNESS!

BOBBI COULDN'T HAVE LIVED WITHOUT COMPETITION.

IT MADE HER GO.

Narrator: NOW THAT EVERYONE WAS AIRBORNE, THE FOCUS WAS TO ARRIVE QUICKLY AND SAFELY TO THE FIRST OF 17 STOPS OVER THE NEXT NINE DAYS BEFORE ARRIVING IN CLEVELAND.

AND THEY FLEW A TOTAL OF 68 MILES TO THE FIRST STOP, SAN BERNARDINO.

Narrator: OVER 5,000 SPECTATORS WERE THERE TO MEET THE WOMEN WHEN THEY ARRIVED.

THERE WAS TREMENDOUS ANTICIPATION FOR THIS EVENT.

I MEAN, IT HAD BEEN WELL PUBLICIZED, AND THERE WAS ALL THIS EXCITEMENT BUILDING.

THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAS INVOLVED.

Cochrane: A LOT OF PEOPLE FOLLOWED THEM COMPLETELY ACROSS COUNTRY, AND PEOPLE WERE JUST EAGER TO SEE THESE PIONEERING WOMEN FLYING THEMSELVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

Narrator: THE CROWD CHEERED AS PHOEBE OMLIE'S PLANE CAME INTO VIEW.

ONE BY ONE, MORE SPECKS IN THE DISTANCE APPEARED.

PANCHO WON IN HER CLASS.

SHE WAS FIRST IN THE HEAVY CLASS, AND PHOEBE OMLIE WAS FIRST IN THE LIGHTWEIGHT CLASS.

Narrator: THE WOMEN WERE PARADED DOWN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE FIELD AS THE CROWDS CHEERED.

HOT, DIRTY AND TIRED, ALL THE WOMEN WANTED TO DO WAS CHECK OIL AND GAS LEVELS ON THEIR PLANES AND GO TO BED.

Webb: THE LANDING STRIP WAS ANKLE-DEEP IN DUST.

AND SO WHEN THEY LANDED THERE THEY WERE ALL REALLY MOST CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER DUST HAD GOTTEN INTO THEIR ENGINES, AND THEY REALLY WANTED TO STAY WITH THEIR AIRPLANES TO CHECK ALL THAT OUT.

THEY COULDN'T, BECAUSE AS USUAL, THEY HAD A BANQUET THAT THEY HAD TO GO TO.

Narrator: THE WOMEN WENT TO THE HOTEL TO CLEAN UP FOR THE FIRST OF MANY BANQUET DINNERS HELD IN THEIR HONOR.

THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS BANQUET THAT NIGHT, WITH CELEBRATION, AND THAT NIGHT, THEY ALSO SHOWED A FILM CALLED "THE FLYING FOOL" THAT PANCHO WAS THE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ON.

Narrator: LONG DAYS BECAME LONG NIGHTS, AND A PATTERN BEGINS... AUTOGRAPHS, BANQUETS, PLOT NEW COURSE CHANGES, AND LOOK AFTER THE PLANES.

THAT EVENING, THE COHESION OF THE GROUP WAS TESTED ONCE AGAIN WHEN THE RACING COMMITTEE PRESSED THE WOMEN TO STOP IN CALEXICO, ARIZONA.

Blair: PANCHO BARNES, WHO WAS A VERY EXPERIENCED FLYER, SHE HAD BEEN A STUNT PILOT IN THE MOVIES, AND SHE HAD A BIG SHIP, AND SHE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY WASN'T SAFE TO FLY INTO CALEXICO, THAT THE STRIP WAS JUST NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BIGGER AIRPLANES, AND SHE SAID IT WOULD BE MUCH SAFER FOR THEM TO LAND IN YUMA.

D'Elias: THE PILOTS STARTED LOBBYING TO LAND IN YUMA, WHICH WAS VERY CLOSE BY, AND TO DO AWAY WITH CALEXICO.

SO THERE WAS A PETITION THAT WENT AROUND THAT PANCHO WAS THE INSTIGATOR OF.

Blair: THAT NIGHT SHE STARTED ORGANIZING, AND MAKING A PETITION, AND SAYING, "COME ON GIRLS, "LET'S SAY THAT WE WILL NOT FLY INTO CALEXICO - "WE WILL FLY INTO YUMA, "AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS RACE UNLESS YOU CHANGE THE ROUTE."

Narrator: THE WOMEN TOOK A VOTE AND BY MIDNIGHT UNANIMOUSLY DECIDED THEY WOULD NOT LAND IN CALEXICO.

Blair: THE POOR GUY IN SAN BERNARDINO, HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, AND HE WAS TRYING TO CONTACT THE BIG RACE OFFICIAL BACK IN CLEVELAND.

COULDN'T GET HOLD OF HIM.

IT TURNED OUT THAT THE OFFICIAL IN CLEVELAND HAD JUST TAKEN HIS PHONE OFF THE HOOK AND GONE TO BED BECAUSE IT WAS LATE BY THEN, AND SO FINALLY THEY CONTACTED SOMEBODY IN CLEVELAND, WHO GOT IN HIS CAR, WENT OVER TO THE RACE OFFICIAL'S HOUSE, AND SAID, "WAKE UP, COME ON, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, "THESE WOMAN ARE SAYING, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FLY "UNLESS YOU CHANGE IT TO GOING INTO YUMA INSTEAD TO CALEXICO."

HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, "BUT THEY HAVE TO AT LEAST DO A FLYOVER OVER CALEXICO AND WAVE DOWN AT THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE."

Webb: SO THEY ALL HAD TO GO BACK TO THEIR ROOMS, REPLOT COURSES FOR THE NEXT DAY, AND FINALLY FELL INTO BED.

AND THEN ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER, ALL THEIR PHONES STARTED RINGING WITH SOMEBODY TELLING THEM TO COME BACK TO THE FIELD IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD POURED OIL INTO TWO OF THE GAS TANKS IN TWO OF THE AIRPLANES.

D'Elias: SO WHAT THEY STARTED DOING AFTER THAT FIRST DAY IS THEY WOULD PARK ALL THE PLANES IN A CIRCLE FACING INWARDS, AND IT WOULD BE EASIER TO KEEP TRACK OF SECURITY.

Webb: THAT NIGHT THEY GOT ABOUT TWO HOURS SLEEP, INSTEAD OF WHAT WAS USUAL OF ABOUT FOUR TO SIX HOURS SLEEP, IF THEY WERE LUCKY.

Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING, MOTORS SANG OUT IN A SYMPHONY OF ANTICIPATION AS THE WOMEN LINED UP THE PLANES.

AFTER A BRIEF FLYOVER OVER CALEXICO, WITH MARVEL CROSSON IN THE LEAD, THE WOMEN HEADED TO YUMA, WHERE EXTREME HEAT AND CIRCULATING SAND CREATED HAZARDOUS LANDING CONDITIONS... AS AMELIA EARHART SOON FOUND OUT.

Blair: SHE WAS COMING IN REALLY FAST, COULDN'T QUITE SEE WHAT SHE WAS DOING.

THERE WAS A LOT OF SAND FROM THE DESERT, AND SHE JUST LANDED RIGHT ON THE NOSE OF HER AIRPLANE.

IT WAS LIKE PUTTING ON THE BRAKES, AND IT TIPPED IT ON ITS NOSE.

AMELIA REALLY PROBABLY WASN'T A NATURAL PILOT.

SHE HAD ACCIDENTS WITH ALMOST EVERY AIRPLANE SHE OWNED, BUT SHE TOOK SOME BIG RISKS TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS.

Blair: SO SHE HAD TO HAVE A NEW PROPELLER PUT ON, AND THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME, AND THE WOMEN HAD A VOTE AND DECIDED, "OK, WE'LL GIVE HER A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.

WE WON'T PENALIZE HER ABOUT THAT."

AND THE REASON FOR THAT WAS BECAUSE AT THAT TIME AMELIA EARHART WAS BY FAR THE MOST WELL-KNOWN AND FAMOUS PILOT IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THESE WOMEN FLYERS FELT THAT AMELIA EARHART IN THE RACE WOULD BRING MORE PUBLICITY TO THEM AND MORE PUBLICITY TO WOMEN FLYING.

Blair: SHE HAD BEEN THE FIRST WOMAN ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

HOWEVER, SHE WAS JUST A PASSENGER BACK IN 1928.

THIS DERBY WAS JUST THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF TASKS THAT SHE SET FOR HERSELF IN ORDER TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC SOLO.

King: SHE HAD A PASSION ABOUT ADVANCING AVIATION AND ADVANCING THE CAUSE OF WOMEN PILOTS AND THINGS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE POINTS OF THE AIR DERBY, WAS ADVANCING AVIATION, AND ADVANCING THE CAUSE OF THE WOMAN PILOTS, AND SHOWING THAT THEY COULD DO EVERYTHING THAT THE MALE PILOTS COULD DO.

Webb: THEY BROKE ALL KIND OF RULES, ALL DURING THE RACE, IN ORDER TO DO THINGS LIKE THEY WERE DOING FOR AMELIA.

BUT THAT MEANT HAVING TO SIT AND WAIT IN THAT HORRIBLE ARIZONA SUN IN AUGUST AND NOT TAKE OFF UNTIL NOON.

MOM SAID THEY WOULD CRAWL UNDER THE WINGS OF THEIR AIRPLANE TO TRY AND KEEP THEIR BRAINS FROM FRYING, IT WAS SO HOT.

Narrator: WHILE AMELIA WAS GETTING A NEW PROPELLER, WORD STARTED COMING IN ABOUT PROBLEMS SOME OF THE OTHERS PILOTS WERE HAVING.

THEA RASCHE HAD A FORCED LANDING SOUTH OF CALEXICO IN HOLTVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

Blair: THEA RASCHE WAS GERMAN.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE FEW INTERNATIONAL PILOTS IN THIS RACE, AND SHE WAS PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT SABOTAGE.

RELATIONS WITH GERMANY WERE NOT SO GREAT.

THIS WAS JUST BETWEEN WORLD WAR I AND BETWEEN WORLD WAR II.

SO SHE WAS PARTICULARLY WORRIED.

Narrator: ON STARTING DAY IN SANTA MONICA, THEA RECEIVED A DISTURBING TELEGRAM.

THEA RASCHE CAME UP TO MOM AND SHOWED HER A TELEGRAM, AND IT SAID "BEWARE OF SABOTAGE."

Narrator: THE CAUSE OF HER FORCED LANDING SEEMED SUSPICIOUS.

Blair: SHE FOUND THAT THERE WAS ACTUAL GARBAGE IN HER CARBURETOR, AND SO SHE LANDED AND CLEANED IT OUT, AND SHE ACTUALLY PUBLICALLY STATED: "I'M CONTINUING WITH THE RACE, BUT I'M NOT IN IT TO WIN," AND I THINK SHE FELT LIKE THAT WOULD SORT OF PROTECT HER AGAINST SABOTAGE.

Narrator: ANOTHER PILOT, CLAIRE FAHY, ALSO LANDED UNDER POSSIBLE SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES NEAR CALEXICO.

CLAIRE FAHEY WAS AN EXPERIENCED FLYER, AND HER HUSBAND WAS A MECHANIC AS WELL AS A PILOT, AND HE WAS FOLLOWING HER CLOSELY DURING THE RACE.

SHE WAS IN AN OPEN-COCKPIT AIRPLANE, AND SHE COULD ACTUALLY HEAR THE KIND OF "PING" OF THE STRINGS BREAKING, THE WIRES BREAKING BETWEEN HER UPPER AND LOWER WINGS, AND SO SHE FORCE LANDED.

AND HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS FOLLOWING BEHIND HER, CAME UP AND SAID, "THIS IS NOT A NATURAL KIND OF BREAK."

IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEBODY HAD ACTUALLY POURED ACID.

AND SHE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE, AND HELD UP THE WIRES, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLICITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, "IS SABOTAGE GOING ON?"

JUST LIKE WITH THEA RASCHE, AT THIS POINT SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING TO WIN THIS RACE," THOUGH IN HER CASE, HER HUSBAND INSISTED, "YOU ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RACE - YOU ARE OUT."

Narrator: WHILE CLAIRE FAHY WAS OUT OF THE RACE AND THEA RASCHE WAS STRUGGLING, BOBBI TROUT WAS MAKING GREAT TIME.

Bobbi: I FOUND OUT THAT I HAD GAINED 8 MINUTES FLYING TIME OVER PHOEBE OMLIE.

SO YOU CAN SEE I DID HAVE THE FASTEST PLANE IN THE LITTLE CLASS AND SHOULD HAVE WON.

Narrator: THIS GOOD LUCK DID NOT LAST FOR LONG.

JUST SIX MILES FROM THE YUMA AIRPORT, NEAR THE MEXICO BORDER, TROUBLES BEGAN FOR BOBBI.

Baker: BOBBI SAID, "WELL, I'M FLYING ALONG, LOW AND FAST TO GET THE BEST AIR."

SHE SAYS, "ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE ENGINE STARTED SPITTING, AND I KNEW I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION."

Bobbi: AND OVER TO MY RIGHT WAS A LARGE FIELD, AND IT LOOKED LIKE A HARROWED FIELD, SO I THOUGHT, "WELL, I'LL LAND-- "MUST BE DIRT AROUND IN THE CARBURETOR OR SOMETHING, I'LL LAND AND FIX IT AND THEN BE ON MY WAY."

BUT, WHEN I GOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE GROUND WELL, HERE WERE DEEP PLOWED FURROWS RUNNING CROSSWISE TO MY LANDING PATTERN, SO I PROCEEDED TO STALL AS MUCH AS I COULD, BUT WITH LITTLE WHEELS AND THOSE DEEP FURROWS, OF COURSE, ON OVER MY TAIL WENT AND ON MY BACK I STOPPED.

SHE REALLY DAMAGED THE WHOLE BOTTOM OF HER AIRPLANE, AND SHE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED FROM MEXICO TO...

I THINK YUMA WAS PROBABLY THE NEAREST PLACE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED.

Narrator: DESPITE A FULL TANK OF FUEL IN SAN BERNARDINO, BOBBI'S ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE THE PLANE HAD RUN OUT OF GAS.

I HAD ASKED HER LATER, "HOW COULD YOU RUN OUT OF FUEL?

"SOMEONE THAT HAD MANAGED FUEL LIKE YOU "TO STAY ALOFT FOR SO MANY HOURS TO GAIN A WORLD RECORD, "HOW COULD YOU MISMANAGE YOUR FUEL IN A SHORT LEG OF A FLIGHT?"

AND SHE GOT A CHUCKLE OUT OF THAT AND SHE GOES, "YEAH, I ALWAYS KIND OF WONDERED THAT MYSELF."

Narrator: IT WOULD BE THREE DAYS BEFORE THE PLANE WAS COMPLETELY FIXED, EFFECTIVELY ELIMINATING BOBBI FROM THE COMPETITION.

THE WOMEN WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO MANY OF THEM THAT DAY AND WHETHER SABOTAGE WAS A FACTOR.

BOBBI HAD A STRONG INKLING THAT THERE WAS A DEGREE OF SABOTAGE GOING ON.

IN FACT, I THINK SHE SHARED THAT WITH MANY OF US.

BUT THIS WAS 70 YEARS LATER.

SABOTAGE WAS A GREAT CONCERN, AND, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS NOT SOME PARANOID FANTASY.

IT WAS REALITY.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THAT ALTHOUGH THE STOCK MARKET WAS SOARING HIGH AT THE TIME OF THIS AIR RACE, MEN WERE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING JOBS, D WOMEN WERE GETTING MORE D MORE PUBLICITY IN AVIATION AND THEY WERE GETTING JOBS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS WERE HIRING WOMEN TO FLY THEIR PLANES BECAUSE, OF COURSE, IF A WOMAN CAN FLY A PLANE, THEN IT MUST BE SAFE.

Blair: THERE WAS SOME FEELING FROM PEOPLE LIKE PANCHO THAT PEOPLE WERE BETTING ON THIS RACE, AND THAT, THEREFORE, PEOPLE WHO WERE THE HOT CONTENDERS, IF IT WASN'T THEIR PERSON THEY HAD BET ON, THEY WOULD BE MORE SUBJECT TO SABOTAGE THAN PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST IN IT FOR FUN.

Narrator: THE WOMEN WERE LEERY OF MENTIONING ANY SUSPICION OF SABOTAGE.

Webb: I THINK MAYBE SHE POOH-POOHED THE IDEA OF SABOTAGE DURING THE COURSE OF THE RACE BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO INTERFERE WITH THE RACE BEING COMPLETED.

Baker: BOBBI DID TALK ABOUT SABOTAGE, BUT BOBBI ALSO KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THEY COULD PROVE IT.

Webb: IF THE CONTESTANTS STARTED MAKING A BIG THING OF THIS, THEY WERE LIABLE TO HAVE STOPPED THE RACE.

Narrator: AN INVESTIGATION INTO ALL THE EVENTS WAS ORDERED BY THE RACING COMMITTEE.

Blair: AND THERE WAS AN INQUIRY RIGHT WHILE THE RACE WAS GOING ON, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO REALLY TESTIFIED WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE SERVICING THE AIRPLANES.

SOME REASON, CLAIRE FAHY AND HER HUSBAND DID NOT TESTIFY AT THAT INVESTIGATION.

SO THEY JUST DROPPED THE INVESTIGATION AND SAID, "WELL, WE HAVE NO PROOF THAT ANYTHING BAD IS GOING ON," BUT THEY REALLY BEEFED UP THE GUARDS AFTER THAT, AT LEAST FOR A FEW DAYS.

Narrator: FOR THE WOMEN WHO HAD ARRIVED SAFELY IN YUMA, IT WAS TIME TO TAKE OFF FOR PHOENIX.

HEAT AND WIND WERE PARTICULAR ISSUES FOR THOSE IN OPEN COCKPITS.

Dusenbery: THE TYPICAL TEMPERATURE IN THAT TRAVEL AIR WAS BETWEEN 120 AND 130 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

IT WAS UNBELIEVABLY HOT INSIDE THAT COCKPIT.

Webb: MOM WOULD HAVE TO HANG HER HEAD OUT A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE OF HER POSITION.

SHE SAID THAT WITH THESE BIG UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFTS, THAT IT, THE WIND, PRACTICALLY SHREDDED THE SHIRT RIGHT OFF OF HER, WHICH IT WOULD HAVE IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE TIGHT PARACHUTE STRAPS SHE HAD CINCHED.

Narrator: BY DUSK, ALL THE PILOTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR...

EXCEPT ONE.

AT THE PHOENIX STOP, EVERYBODY GOT IN EXCEPT MARVEL CROSSON, AND THERE WERE RUMORS AT THE BANQUET THAT NIGHT IN PHOENIX AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

THEY WERE HEARING THAT SHE HAD LANDED SOMEWHERE BECAUSE OF MECHANICAL, SHE WAS FINE.

THEY HEARD THAT SHE WAS LOST BUT HAD LANDED.

THEY HAD HEARD THAT SHE HAD CRASHED.

THEY HEARD EVERY RUMOR.

EVERYONE LOVED MARVEL CROSSON.

SHE HAD A VERY WARM PERSONALITY, GENUINE, AND SHE WAS VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT HER GROUP OF FELLOW PILOTS WERE DOING.

SHE WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED FLYERS IN THIS RACE.

SHE HAD BEEN FLYING IN ALASKA WITH HER BROTHER JOE, AND IF YOU COULD FLY IN ALASKA, YOU COULD FLY ANYWHERE.

Narrator: AS CHILDREN, MARVEL AND HER BROTHER JOE CROSSON FELL IN LOVE WITH AVIATION FROM THE MOMENT THEY SAW THEIR FIRST PLANE.

WITH THEIR COMBINED SAVINGS, MARVEL INSISTED JOE TAKE FLYING LESSONS FIRST... THEN TEACH HER EVERYTHING HE KNEW.

MARVEL HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE FLYING BY THE TIME SHE ENTERED THE RACE.

MARVEL CROSSON, AT PRESENT, HOLDER OF THE WORLD'S ALTITUDE RECORD FOR WOMEN, 23,996 FEET, MADE LAST JUNE.

MISS CROSSON.

[applause] Dusenbery: THERE WERE SEVERAL OF THE TRAVEL AIRS IN THE RACE, SEVERAL FULL SIZE, BUT MARVEL CROSSON HAD A SMALLER AIRPLANE OF THIS VERY SAME DESIGN, AND HERS WAS A MUCH FASTER SHIP.

SHE HAD THE FASTEST AIRPLANE IN THE WHOLE GROUP.

AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY FORECAST TO WIN THE RACE.

THIS PLANE WAS FRESH FROM THE FACTORY.

HER BROTHER JOE HAD TEST FLOWN IT AND REALLY SHOWN IT WAS THE FASTEST PLANE IN THE RACE.

SO SHE REALLY HAD A DECENT CHANCE.

SHE WAS AN EXPERIENCED FLYER, HAD A REALLY GOOD AIRPLANE, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE.

Narrator: MARVEL'S PLANE HAD NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY THROUGHOUT THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THE RACE.

SEVERAL OF THE PILOTS TRIED TO PERSUADE MARVEL, UNSUCCESSFULLY, TO WAIT IN YUMA FOR A NEW ENGINE.

Blair: SHE DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD HERSELF UP, THOUGH, AND DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD UP THE RACE, SO SHE SAID, "SEND THE ENGINE ON TO PHOENIX, AND I'LL PICK IT UP THEN," THOUGH, SOME OF THESE OTHER WOMEN FLYERS WERE SAYING, "MARVEL, JUST WAIT FOR THE ENGINE," BUT, NO, SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.

Narrator: AN UNEASY ANXIETY ABOUT MARVEL'S FATE WAS ON EVERYONE'S MIND.

Sherman: DESPITE THE FACT THAT THESE WOMEN WERE COMPETING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, THERE WAS A REAL FEELING OF CAMARADERIE, OF SISTERHOOD, IF YOU WILL.

THEY LOOKED OUT FOR EACH OTHER.

THEY WORRIED ABOUT ONE ANOTHER WHEN SOMEBODY WAS LATE TO A STOP.

IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM TO BE FRIENDS AS WELL AS COMPETITORS.

Narrator: HOT, TIRED, DUSTY, AND WORRIED ABOUT MARVEL, THE WOMEN STILL HAD TO ATTEND TO THEIR SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS.

THEY MADE A STOP EACH NIGHT - THEY DID NOT FLY IN THE EVENING HOURS IN THE DARK - AND EVERY PLACE THAT THEY STOPPED, THEY HAD TO ENDURE WHAT THEY CALLED THE "RUBBER CHICKEN CIRCUIT."

Sherman: ALMOST EVERY INTERVIEW THAT ANY OF THE WOMEN DID ALONG THE ROUTE, THEY WOULD MENTION THAT AND HOPE THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE CHICKEN AT THE NEXT STOP, BUT THEY ALMOST ALWAYS DID.

Cochrane: BY THE TIME THEY REACHED THESE CITIES AND TOWNS, THEY WERE PRETTY EXHAUSTED EACH DAY, YET THEY WERE REQUIRED GO TO A DINNER EVERY NIGHT, AND IT WAS PART OF THE SOCIAL SELLING OF THEM BEING ABLE TO FLY AIRPLANES AS WELL.

YOU'D STOP AND THERE'D BE A BIG DINNER, AND THEN YOU'D GO, YOU KNOW-- YOU'D BE EXHAUSTED AND GET TO THE HOTEL AND TAKE OFF FOR THE NEXT LAP.

Webb: AND SO BETWEEN HAVING TO DO AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AND TALK TO THE CROWDS AND EVERYTHING, THEN GO TO THIS BANQUET, THEY HAD SO LITTLE TIME TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PLANES THE WAY THEY WANTED TO AND TO GET SOME REST.

AND AT SOME STOPS, IT WAS PARTICULARLY BAD.

Narrator: ON THE THIRD MORNING OF THE RACE, TENSIONS WERE HIGH AND SLEEP WONTING AS THE WOMEN LEFT PHOENIX.

WITH THE PROMISE OF INCREASED SECURITY FOR THE PLANES, THE WOMEN WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO A SOLID NIGHT'S REST AT THEIR NEXT STOP.

UPON ARRIVING IN DOUGLAS, ARIZONA, THE WOMEN RECEIVED DEVASTATING NEWS.

THEIR WORST NIGHTMARES REALIZED.

MARVEL CROSSON'S PLANE WAS SEEN GOING DOWN IN A MESQUITE JUNGLE IN THE GILA RIVER VALLEY OUTSIDE WELLTON, ARIZONA.

AFTER AN ALL-NIGHT SEARCH, MARVEL'S PLANE HAD BEEN FOUND.

SHE DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH.

Dusenbery: UNFORTUNATELY SHE WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT IN GILA BEND, ARIZONA.

Blair: THERE WAS A THEORY AT ONE POINT THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY LEANING OVER AND STARTED TO FALL OUT OF THE PLANE, OR THAT SHE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT WHEN THEY DID FIND HER BODY, THEY FOUND THAT THE PARACHUTE WAS HALF OPEN, SO THEY DO THINK SHE WAS CONSCIOUS, AND THAT SHE WAS DELIBERATELY TRYING TO OPEN THE PARACHUTE TO SAVE HER LIFE, BUT SHE WAS NOT HIGH UP ENOUGH TO GET IT TO COMPLETELY OPEN.

Smith: NOBODY WAS EVER REALLY SURE.

SHE WENT DOWN IN THE DESERT, AND THEY STILL THINK THAT IT WAS A MOTOR FAILURE.

BUT NOBODY-- YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND, SO NOBODY COULD BE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT SHE DEFINITELY CRACKED UP.

Narrator: WITH THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH UNKNOWN, EDUCATED GUESSES WERE ALL ANYONE HAD TO RELY ON.

AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE NO AUTOPSIES DONE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

BUT APPARENTLY SHE SUFFERED CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.

SHE SAID "THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF, THAT'S MAYBE WHAT HAPPENED."

BUT... WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

D'Elias: THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT ENDING THE RACE, AND SHE AND OTHER FLYERS FELT, "NO WAY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THIS.

MARVEL CROSSON WOULD WANT US TO GO ON."

Narrator: WALTER BEECH PAID TRIBUTE TO CROSSON WITH THE FOLLOWING WORDS: (Voice Actor): "HER RACE ENDED SUDDENLY "ON THE LONELY REACHES OF AN ARIZONA DESERT... "A TRAGIC ACCIDENT.

"NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW JUST HOW IT OCCURRED "FOR THE SKY, LIKE THE SEA, FOREVER HOLDS ITS MYSTERIES.

"SHE TYPIFIED THE SPLENDID NEW SPIRIT OF AMERICAN WOMANHOOD, "THIS BRAVE YOUNG GIRL WHO WAS SO TRUE TO HER IDEAS.

"WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HER FOR HER GAY SMILE, "HER WINSOME BEAUTY, "AND FOR HER RARE COURAGE.

"SO TO MARVEL CROSSON AND TO HER GLORIOUS SISTERHOOD, WE PAY THE VERY HIGH TRIBUTE AT OUR COMMAND."

Narrator: ON THE FOURTH DAY, AMELIA EARHART LANDED FIRST IN EL PASO BEATING THE HEAVY RAINS WHICH GROUNDED THE PILOTS, DELAYING THE RACE.

THE FIRST REALLY BAD WEATHER THEY HIT WAS AS THEY WERE COMING ACROSS TEXAS.

THEY HAD A FEW SCHEDULED STOPS OVERNIGHT, BUT EL PASO WAS NOT ONE OF THEM.

Dusenbery: THEY WERE WEATHERED IN IN EL PASO.

SO THEY WENT TO MEXICO.

THEY JUST DECIDED TO GO DOWN INTO JUAREZ.

OF COURSE, JUAREZ AND EL PASO SHARE A COMMON BORDER, SO THEY JUST HOPPED IN THEIR AUTOMOBILES AND TOURED THE CANTINAS.

Clark: WEATHER CAN KILL YOU FASTER THAN YOU CAN BLINK YOUR EYE.

AND HERE WERE THE GALS FLYING IN THESE OPEN SKIES WITH NO NAVIGATION, JUST PILOTAGE ALL THE WAY, AND WITH MACHINES THAT WERE NOT RELIABLE.

Narrator: A STORM OF ANOTHER SORT WAS ALSO BREWING IN EL PASO.

Webb: THERE WAS A HUGE HEADLINE THAT SAID, "HALLIBURTON SAYS RACE MUST BE STOPPED"... THAT WOMEN HAD BEEN RELYING ON MEN FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, THEY'RE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON THEM, AND THEY CANNOT BE FLYING THIS RACE.

AFTER MARVEL WAS KILLED IN THAT CRASH, THERE WAS A BIG HUE AND CRY FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT THE RACE SHOULD BE STOPPED.

OF COURSE, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE REACTION OF THE WOMEN RACERS TO THIS.

SO, AN ARTICLE WAS PUT OUT IN REBUTTAL TO MR. HALLIBURTON BY THE RACE OFFICIALS SAYING... "WE WISH TO OFFICIALLY THUMB OUR NOSE AT MR.

HALLIBURTON."

Narrator: ON THE FIFTH DAY, THE WOMEN HEADED OUT OVER CLEAR SKIES ACROSS TEXAS.

FOR BLANCHE NOYES, HOWEVER, A TERRIFYING SITUATION WAS ABOUT TO UNFOLD.

Noyes: ABOUT 150, 200 MILES OUT OF EL PASO, I BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE, AND IT GOT WORSE AND WORSE ALL AROUND ME, AND I REALIZED THAT THE WORST HAD HAPPENED, THAT I HAD A FIRE.

King: OF COURSE, FIRE IS MOST PILOTS' BIGGEST FEAR.

SHE HAD A FIRE IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT, I BELIEVE, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE WIND BLOWS THE FLAMES STRAIGHT BACK.

THE BEST THING TO DO IF YOU HAVE A FIRE IN AN AIRPLANE, IS TO FLY CROOKED, BASICALLY, AND THEY CALL IT SIDESLIPPING.

TO SIDESLIP, YOU PUT THE STICK TO THE RIGHT AND PUSH THE LEFT RUDDER AND IT MAKES THE AIRPLANE FLY CROOKED, AND IT'LL ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE SKY.

WELL, THEN THE FLAMES AND THE SMOKE AND STUFF IS GOING AWAY FROM THE FUSELAGE AND AWAY FROM THE COCKPIT.

Narrator: BLANCHE LANDED SAFELY AND DISCOVERED THE CAUSE OF HER FIRE... Noyes: THERE WAS A CIGARETTE DROPPED OUT.

IT WAS ALMOST ALL GONE.

BUT IT WASN'T MY CIGARETTE BECAUSE I DIDN'T AND STILL DON'T SMOKE.

SO I TOOK SAND AND PUT THE FIRE OUT.

Narrator: STRANDED IN A MESQUITE FIELD ALONE, BLANCHE WAS DETERMINED TO GET HER PLANE BACK IN THE AIR.

Dusenbery: THERE WAS BLANCHE BY HERSELF, SO SHE HAD TO PROP HER AIRPLANE.

Noyes: SO I GOT OUT, AND I HAD NEVER CRANKED AN AIRPLANE.

Dusenbery: THE DANGER OF BLANCHE PROPPING HER AIRPLANE BY HERSELF - IT'S NOT A DIFFICULT THING TO DO - WOULD BE THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO ONE IN THE COCKPIT TO MONITOR THE POWER.

SO, SHE WOULD HAVE TO BE SURE IT WAS AT IDLE.

SHE WOULD HAVE TO BE SURE THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULDN'T MOVE WHEN SHE PROPPED IT AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND RUN OVER HER.

Noyes: SO I GOT OUT AND CRANKED THE AIRPLANE.

I GOT THE MOTOR GOING.

Narrator: TAKING OFF WAS ONLY PART OF THE CHALLENGE.

BLANCHE WOULD HAVE TO LAND IN PECOS WITH A SEVERELY DAMAGED LANDING GEAR.

Noyes: I CIRCLED THE FIELD THINKING WHAT TO DO NEXT.

I THOUGHT, "WELL, LINDBERGH LANDED ON ONE WHEEL LAST WEEK.

"IF HE CAN LAND ON ONE WHEEL, I CAN LAND ON A HALF A LANDING GEAR."

Narrator: WITH DETERMINATION AND SKILL, BLANCHE LANDED SAFELY, FIXED HER PLANE AND CONTINUED ON IN THE RACE.

LANDING IN PECOS WOULD PROVE PROBLEMATIC FOR ANOTHER PILOT - PANCHO BARNES.

THE SECOND IS FLORENCE LOWE BARNES, BEST KNOWN TO THE FLYING FRATERNITY AS PANCHO, ONE OF THE GREATEST FLYERS THAT EVER WORE PANTS.

[applause] D'Elias: PANCHO BARNES WAS AN INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL - UNDERLINE "INDIVIDUAL."

SHE HAD QUITE AN EXTENSIVE VOCABULARY INCLUDING AN OFF-COLOR ONE.

WE KNOW SHE COULD SWEAR LIKE A SAILOR AND NOT REPEAT HERSELF FOR AN HOUR.

WITH THE CUSSING, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THAT THAT WENT ON THAT PANCHO DID, MOM SAID, "SHE JUST DID THAT FOR SHOCK VALUE."

SHE JUST LIKED TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND PEOPLE ENJOYED BEING AROUND PANCHO BECAUSE SHE WAS FUN.

Smith: PANCHO WAS A LOT OF FUN.

YOU KNOW, I ONLY MET PANCHO AT RACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT IT WAS ALWAYS WITH A CIGAR... D'Elias: YES, SHE SMOKED BLACK CIGARS AT A TIME WHEN IT WAS SCANDALOUS FOR A WOMAN TO SMOKE CIGARETTES.

HER PARENTS, AT A VERY EARLY AGE, ARRANGED A MARRIAGE FOR HER TO THE MOST ELIGIBLE MAN IN TOWN WHO HAPPENED TO BE THE HEAD OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SOUTH PASADENA.

AND HE WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO ATTENTIVE TO SOME OF HIS WOMEN PARISHIONERS.

IN FACT, HE WOULD MAKE HER SIT IN THE CAR AT NIGHT WHILE HE WENT IN AND MINISTERED TO THE WOMEN.

AFTER SHE GOT HER PILOT'S LICENSE, SHE WOULD OFTEN WAIT TO THE TIME WHEN HE WOULD BE GIVING HIS SERVICE AND BUZZ THE CHURCH.

[engine roar of low-flying aircraft] Schultz: SHE WAS JUST BORED WITH EXISTENCE, AND SHE REALLY NEEDED AN EXCITING CHALLENGE.

AND AS AN ACCOMPLISHED HORSEWOMAN, FLYING IS, I THINK, A VERY NATURAL OUTLET FOR HER.

SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT FROM THE MINUTE SHE TOOK OFF THAT FIRST TIME, AND THE EXHILARATION AND THE FEELING OF FREEDOM THAT YOU GET WHEN YOU TAKE OFF AND... YOU'RE NOT EARTHBOUND ANYMORE, AND YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE TO ANYBODY EXCEPT YOURSELF.

SHE REALLY FOUND HER FAMILY IN FLYING.

SHE WAS ACCEPTED.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE BEST PILOTS REGARDLESS OF GENDER.

PEOPLE RESPECTED HER FOR HER KNOWLEDGE, HER SKILLS, AND HER ACCOMPLISHMENT... MEN AND WOMEN.

WHEN I MADE SOME REMARK TO MY MOTHER ONE TIME, AND I SAID, "MOM, YOU AND PANCHO BARNES ARE SO ABSOLUTE OPPOSITES," I SAID, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IN THE WORLD YOU COULD'VE BEEN SUCH FRIENDS WITH PANCHO."

AND MOM JUST LOOKED AT ME AND SHE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER ONE THING."

SHE SAID, "PANCHO BARNES HAD A HEART OF GOLD."

SHE SAID, "SHE HELPED MORE PEOPLE "THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT, BOTH IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY AND EVERY WALK OF LIFE."

AND SHE SAID, "SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL PERSON."

PANCHO, HER PLANE, SHE HAD A TRAVEL AIR SPEEDWING, AND WHEN YOU'RE IN THE COCKPIT, YOU'RE FLYING LEVEL, OF COURSE, WHEN THE PLANE'S IN THE AIR, BUT AS YOU LAND, THE TAIL DIPS DOWN AND YOU CANNOT SEE AHEAD OF YOU.

AND SO, AS SHE CAME IN ON APPROACH, THE FIELD WAS CLEAR, BUT SOME IDIOT DROVE ONTO THE FIELD, AND SHE ENDED UP CLIPPING THE CAR.

SO, CAN YOU IMAGINE, PANCHO, HERE SHE IS IN AN AIR RACE AND SHE ENDS UP IN A CAR ACCIDENT.

Blair: BOTH THE CAR AND THE PLANE WERE TOTALED, BUT BOTH PEOPLE WALKED AWAY FINE, SO NOBODY WAS INJURED, BUT THAT WAS THE END OF PANCHO BARNES' ATTEMPT TO WIN THE RACE, AND IT'S TOO BAD, BECAUSE SHE WAS DOING REALLY WELL, ACTUALLY.

SHE WAS OUT FRONT WITH LOUISE THADEN.

Narrator: BY ABILENE, TEXAS, MARGARET PERRY WAS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE OTHER WOMEN IN THE RACE.

Blair: SHE DIDN'T FEEL THAT WELL, AND SHE KEPT TRYING TO IGNORE IT, BUT SHE WAS FEELING SICKER AND SICKER, AND REALLY GETTING FEVERISH, AND SO AT SOME POINT IN TEXAS, THEY, YOU KNOW, REALIZED THAT SHE WAS BURNING UP WITH A FEVER, AND THEY HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE HER TO A HOSPITAL, AND IT TURNED OUT SHE HAD TYPHOID FEVER.

SHE HAD FORCE LANDED IN MEXICO LIKE A MONTH OR TWO PRIOR TO THE RACE, AND THEY THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE SHE CONTRACTED THIS.

SO THAT SHE WAS OUT OF THE RACE THEN.

Narrator: THE REMAINING 15 PILOTS WERE ALL OPTIMISTIC THAT THEY WOULD BE THE ONE TO WIN THE RACE.

THE WOMEN HAD FLOWN 600 MILES OVER RUGGED TERRAIN FROM EL PASO TO FT. WORTH.

LOUISE THADEN WAS IN THE LEAD OF THE HEAVY-CLASS PLANES, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY AMELIA EARHART.

PHOEBE OMLIE MAINTAINED HER LEAD IN THE LIGHT CLASS.

Narrator: ON DAY 6 THE WOMEN FLEW THROUGH OKLAHOMA.

WILL ROGERS WAS WRITING A DAILY NATIONAL SYNDICATED COLUMN AT THE TIME, AND SO HE WAS FOLLOWING ALONG WITH THE RACE, AND ONE OF THE ARTICLES THAT HE WROTE SAID THAT CLAREMORE, OKLAHOMA, WHICH IS WHERE HE WAS FROM, HAS NOW HAD ANOTHER GREAT DISTINCTION THAT IT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY TOWN THAT THOSE RACE OFFICIALS HAVEN'T MADE THOSE POOR GIRLS STOP AT.

Narrator: RUTH ELDER HAD A PECULIAR PREDICAMENT IN BRAGGS, OKLAHOMA.

Blair: RUTH HAD AT LEAST WHATEVER KIND OF ROAD MAP SHE HAD, AND A STRONG WIND CAME ALONG - REMEMBER, THESE WERE, A LOT OF THEM, OPEN-COCKPIT AIRPLANES - AND THE MAPS JUST BLEW RIGHT OUT OF THE PLANE, AND SO SHE CAME DOWN IN WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS A REGULAR OLD PASTURE AND SHE SAW ALL THESE COWS... AND SHE SAID, "PLEASE, GOD, LET THERE BE NO BULLS."

BECAUSE SHE HAD A BRIGHT-RED, SPORTY-LOOKING LITTLE PLANE.

AND SHE LANDED, AND ALL THESE COWS STARTED CIRCLING, GOT VERY, VERY CURIOUS, AND SHE JUST JUMPED BACK INTO HER PLANE AND SAID, "TOO BAD I CAN'T ASK THEM DIRECTIONS," AND WENT OFF AGAIN.

IT BECAME ONE OF THE FAVORITE STORIES OF THE RACE... IS RUTH ELDER SAYING, "PLEASE, GOD, LET THERE BE NO BULLS."

Dusenbery: IF THERE WAS ANYTHING DIFFICULT ABOUT THE FLYING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE NAVIGATION WITH THE ROADMAPS.

Webb: IF YOU DIDN'T NAVIGATE WELL, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS BECAUSE YOU LOST YOUR TIME.

ONCE AGAIN...

SPEED, SPEED, TIME, TIME, TIME.

THERE WAS NO RADIO, THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATING WITH ANYONE DURING YOUR FLIGHT.

THIS WAS WAY BEFORE GPS.

NAVIGATION- THERE WAS NO NAVIGATION.

SO, THE WAY YOU FLEW WAS YOU LOOKED DOWN AND YOU FOLLOWED A RAILROAD OR YOU FOLLOWED A ROAD.

THEY USED TO CALL IT IFR...

I FLY RAILROADS.

TYPICALLY THESE WOMEN WOULD FLY THESE TRIPS 100, 200 FEET.

VERY CLOSE TO THE GROUND.

MAYBE 500 FEET OR 1,000 FEET.

BUT, BASICALLY, AT THOSE LOW ALTITUDES, THEY COULD SEE VERY LITTLE, AND THEY HAD POOR MAPS, VERY LITTLE FLIGHT TIME.

IT'S JUST AMAZING THAT MORE DIDN'T GET LOST.

Narrator: THE LAST STOP OF THE DAY, WICHITA, KANSAS, HELD A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF MANY OF THE PILOTS.

Webb: WHEN MOM WAS ON THE LEG THAT WAS GOING INTO WICHITA, THAT WAS THAT THE ONE SHE WANTED TO BE FIRST SO BAD, BECAUSE OF THAT'S WHERE THE TRAVEL AIR FACTORY WAS AND THAT'S WHERE ALL HER BUDDIES WERE THAT HAD BUILT THIS AIRPLANE AND WHERE WALTER BEECH WAS.

THESE LADIES WERE EDUCATED, THEY WERE THOUGHTFUL, THEY WERE SMART.

I THINK LOUISE THADEN PERSONIFIES THAT MORE THAN ANY OF THESE WOMEN.

Cochrane: LOUISE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST UNSUNG HEROINES OF THE ERA BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT AMELIA EARHART, BUT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW LOUISE THADEN, WHO MADE A VERY STRONG, LONG CAREER IN AVIATION.

Narrator: AFTER COLLEGE, LOUISE WAS WORKING FOR THE J.H.

TURNER COAL COMPANY IN WICHITA, KANSAS, WHEN HER LIFE SOON TOOK A NEW DIRECTION.

ONE DAY MR. TURNER CAUGHT HER OUT AT THE AIRPORT WATCHING THE AIRPLANES INSTEAD OF SELLING COAL, AND HE TOLD HER TO COME INTO HIS OFFICE THE NEXT DAY.

SO, MOM WENT INTO THE OFFICE, ASSUMING THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE FIRED FOR NOT DOING HER JOB RIGHT.

Narrator: TURNER WAS FRIENDS WITH WALTER BEECH, FOUNDER OF THE TRAVEL AIR COMPANY.

AND HE TOLD WALTER BEECH THAT THERE WAS THIS YOUNG LADY WHO SEEMED TO THINK THAT FLYING WAS JUST THE MOST WONDERFUL THING EVER.

King: WALTER BEECH WAS PROBABLY EASILY ONE OF THE KEY TWO OR THREE FIGURES IN AMERICAN AVIATION IN THE 1920s, JUST BECAUSE OF BEING SUCH A BIG PART OF TRAVEL AIR, AND BASICALLY HAVING THE VISION TO FOUND THE COMPANY THAT BUILT THOSE AIRPLANES.

SO SHE WENT IN TO TALK TO WALTER BEECH, AND HE OFFERED HER A JOB, AND IN TURN FOR DOING SECRETARIAL DUTIES, AND HAWKING TICKETS AND RIDES AND EVERYTHING, THEY'D TEACH HER TO FLY.

AND, SO SHE SAID IT WAS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE.

IT TOOK HER A WHILE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS REALLY WAS HAPPENING.

IN ONE OF THE PICTURES THAT WAS TAKEN OF MOM AND THE TRAVEL AIR, SHE COMMENTS THAT THE TRAVEL AIR MAKES HER DROOL.

AND ANYTHING THAT SHE EVER WROTE OR ANYTHING THAT SHE EVER TALKED ABOUT WITH HER FLYING IN THE TRAVEL AIR, SHE ALWAYS SAYS "WE."

FLYING WAS HER LIFE.

SHE GOT PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING FROM FLIGHT.

IT WAS HER GREATEST JOY.

SHE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE VERY BEST PILOT THAT SHE COULD BE.

AND SHE WAS DETERMINED THAT SHE AND THE OTHER WOMEN WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AVIATION.

Narrator: THE NEXT TWO DAYS OF THE RACE WERE WITHOUT ANY MAJOR INCIDENTS AS THE WOMEN FLEW THROUGH EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS, TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, CINCINNATI, OHIO, AND EVENTUALLY TO COLUMBUS, OHIO - THE FINAL NIGHT'S STOP BEFORE ARRIVING IN CLEVELAND.

Narrator: ON THE LAST MORNING OF THE RACE, AND 15 CONTESTANTS REMAINING, RUTH NICHOLS TOOK HER PLANE UP FOR A TEST SPIN.

Webb: UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A STEAMROLLER THAT WAS PARKED RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE USABLE PART OF THE LANDING STRIP.

AND, I GUESS RUTH DIDN'T SEE IT AND SO SHE WENT RIGHT SMACK INTO IT.

[ crashing sound ] AND, OF COURSE, HER PLANE WAS JUST DEMOLISHED.

IT WENT UPSIDE DOWN, IT WAS DEMOLISHED.

AND MOM AND DAD HAPPENED TO HAVE BEEN STANDING UP IN THE CONTROL TOWER AND THEY SAW THIS HAPPENING.

AND MOM STARTED YELLING, "CALL AN AMBULANCE," BUT THEN SHE SAW RUTH, WHO CRAWLED OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE AIRPLANE, AND JUST STOOD THERE WITH HER HANDS ON HER HIPS... [laughs] ...WAITING FOR THE CRASH TRUCK TO COME.

AND SO MOM SAID SHE KNEW RUTH WAS OKAY.

BUT THAT WAS SO DEVASTATING, TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN, BECAUSE THEY WERE SO CLOSE TO THE END OF THE RACE.

Narrator: NOW, WITH 14 PILOTS LEFT IN THE RACE, THE WOMEN TOOK OFF FOR CLEVELAND.

[rumble of aircraft engines] THERE WAS EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION AS THE WOMEN PREPARED TO LAND AT THE NATIONAL AIR RACES.

RUTH ELDER WAS PARTICULARLY EXCITED AS SHE CAME OVER WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS CLEVELAND.

Blair: RUTH ELDER, WHO WAS ALWAYS HAVING THOSE PROBLEMS WITH GETTING LOST, EVEN ON THAT LAST LEG OF THE RACE SHE WAS HAVING A LITTLE PROBLEM, AND SHE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS COMING IN OVER CLEVELAND, BUT SHE MUST'VE NOTICED THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE TO GREET HER, AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS SHE WAS COMING IN OVER A PRISON FARM, BASICALLY, AND SHE LANDED THERE, AND THEY'RE LIKE, "NO, YOU'RE IN AKRON, OHIO.

"YOU ARE NOT IN CLEVELAND.

AND THIS IS A PRISON FARM THAT YOU'RE IN."

AND SHE GOES LIKE, "WELL, PEOPLE SAID "I'D ALWAYS WIND UP IN PRISON.

WHY NOT?"

AND SHE GOT BACK IN HER PLANE AND SAID, "POINT ME TOWARDS CLEVELAND."

Narrator: LOUISE THADEN WAS ON PINS AND NEEDLES AS SHE LED THE GROUP TO THE FINISH LINE.

Webb: ON THE FINAL LEG INTO CLEVELAND, WHICH WAS REALLY QUITE A SHORT LAP, AND MOM WAS WELL AHEAD BY THEN, BUT SHE SAID ALL SHE COULD THINK OF WAS, "SUPPOSE SOMETHING HAPPENS WHERE I DO SOMETHING TO MESS UP THE NAVIGATION."

SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS SO NERVOUS, HOPING AND PRAYING THAT NOTHING WENT WRONG.

AND SHE SAID WHEN SHE WAS STILL QUITE FAR OUT EVERY TWO SECONDS, SHE WAS LOOKING FOR THE AIRPORT.

YOU KNOW, "WHERE'S THE AIRPORT?"

"WHERE'S THE FINISH LINE?"

KNOWING THAT IT COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE IN SIGHT YET, PRAYING THAT SHE WAS GOING TO FIND THE AIRPORT AND NOT HAVE TROUBLE WITH NAVIGATION.

IT WAS PROBABLY VERY OVERWHELMING, THE ENTIRE RACE, OF EXCITEMENT MIXED IN WITH BEING TIRED, WITH WONDERING WHAT YOUR POSITION WAS IN THE RACE... AND COMING IN OVER THE FIELD WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THE VICINITY THAT WERE SITTING UP ON THEIR ROOFS WATCHING THE AIRPLANES COME IN.

THAT HAD TO BE JUST SO EXCITING.

WHEN MOM GOT TO CLEVELAND, SHE SENT A TELEGRAM TO HER PARENTS, AND IT SAID, "LANDED OK CLEVELAND FIRST LOVE LOUISE."

WELL, FOLKS, THE SUNBURN DERBY'S OVER.

I HAPPEN TO COME IN FIRST NOT BECAUSE I'M A BETTER PILOT THAN ANY OF THE REST OF THE GIRLS, BUT BECAUSE I HAD A FAST AIRPLANE AND I HAD GOOD BREAKS.

THEY'RE ALL...

THEY'RE ALL GOOD WOMEN AND EVERYONE WHO FLEW IN THE RACE SHOULD HAVE FIRST PLACE.

Narrator: LOUISE ARRIVED IN CLEVELAND IN 20 HOURS, 19 MINUTES AND 4 SECONDS.

Webb: WHEN SHE LANDED AND SHE KNEW THAT SHE HAD WON, SHE SAID IT WAS WITH MIXED EMOTIONS, THAT SHE WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE WON THE RACE, BUT SHE WAS SO SAD THAT IT MEANT THAT IT WAS OVER.

THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE THAT SHE AND THE OTHER WOMEN HAD HAD WAS DONE.

Narrator: PHOEBE COMPLETED A NEAR-PERFECT RACE TO CLAIM FIRST PLACE IN THE LIGHT-CLASS DIVISION.

SHE ARRIVED IN 25 HOURS, 12 MINUTES AND 47.5 SECONDS.

SHE GOT OFF ON TIME AT EVERY LEG OF THE RACE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER RACERS DID, AND SO, FOR HER, IT WAS AN EASY RACE, AND I THINK THAT WAS PARTLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT SHE HAD RUN THAT 1928 FORD RELIABILITY AIR TOUR.

Bobbi: NO ONE THAT TALKS ABOUT IT TALKS ABOUT THE TWO DIFFERENT CLASS RACES.

THERE WAS THE LARGE CLASS AND THERE WAS THE SMALL CLASS.

NOW, PHOEBE WON THE LITTLE RACE, BUT THEY NEVER MENTION PHOEBE, AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL BADLY 'CAUSE SHE WON THE LITTLE RACE AND THAT WAS A DARN GOOD JOB.

Sherman: SHE WAS NOT THE KIND OF PERSON TO PUSH HERSELF IN FRONT OF A MICROPHONE.

IN FACT, SHE WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.

SHE TENDED TO PULL BACK AND BE BY HERSELF AND WAS NOT A SELF-PROMOTER.

SO TO HAVE PHOEBE AND LOUISE WIN BOTH, LOUISE WINNING THE HEAVY CLASS AND PHOEBE WINNING THE LIGHT CLASS, IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY BETTER FOR BOBBI.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HAPPY I AM TO BE HERE.

EVERYBODY'S BEEN LOVELY, AND I HOPE THEY'RE JUST AS NICE TO THE REST OF THEM.

THEY ALL DESERVE IT.

[applause] Webb: WHEN THEY GOT TO THE GRANDSTAND, THERE WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL BIG SHAWL OF ROSES THAT THEY HUNG AROUND MOM'S SHOULDER.

AND SHE SAID THAT IT WAS REALLY QUITE LOVELY, BUT THEY HAD DONE ONE THING WRONG - THEY HADN'T DE-THORNED THEM.

[laughs] AND SHE SAID SHE HAD ALL THESE ROSE STICKERS STICKING IN HER.

AND SO, SHE ASKED THEM VERY POLITELY, WOULD THEY DO HER A FAVOR... WOULD THEY PUT THEM AROUND THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH IS WHERE THEY DESERVED TO BE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Narrator: LESS THAN TWO HOURS AFTER LOUISE HAD LANDED, AMELIA EARHART CROSSED THE FINISH LINE IN THIRD PLACE.

THERE'S ONE THING ABOUT THIS RACE THAT STANDS OUT, AND THAT IS THAT ALL THE CONTESTANTS ARE GOOD SPORTS.

Reporter: MISS EARHART, OULD YOU REPEAT THAT FOR ME?

WELL, THIS MAN SAYS... WELL, THAT'S ALL RIGHT, JUST SPEAK UP...

THERE'S ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT IN THIS RACE, AND THAT IS THAT ALL THE GIRLS ARE GOOD SPORTS.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE IN IT TO MEET THE OTHER GIRLS.

Photographer: NOW LOOK OVER WAY, MISS EARHART, AND SMILE.

I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.

Reporter: JUST A FEW WORDS ABOUT [inaudible] WELL, THE RACE-- THE RACE HAS BEEN HARD, BUT WE'VE ENJOYED IT IN MANY WAYS.

NEXT YEAR I HOPE THERE'LL BE A WOMAN ON THE COMMITTEE.

THAT'S VERY GOOD.

[laughter] Narrator: ONE BY ONE, THE OTHER WOMEN LANDED IN CLEVELAND AND WERE SWAMPED BY THE PRESS.

...LAST NIGHT WHEN I LANDED AMONGST A LOT OF PIGS AND COWS AND HORSES.

DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN?

Reporter: ALL OVER AGAIN.

ARE YOU ALL SET?

ALL RIGHT.

I'M AWFULLY HAPPY TO BE HERE.

IT WAS A CHOPPY FLIGHT TODAY AND I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT.

BUT LAST NIGHT WASN'T SO HOT.

IT WAS JUST BAD LUCK THAT I BROKE A VALVE AND HAD TO SET DOWN IN A BIG FIELD IN AMONGST A LOT OF COWS AND PIGS AND HORSES, BUT THIS MORNING WE HAD TO SHOO ALL THE PIGS INTO A CORNER OF THE FIELD AND I THINK ALL THE INHABITANTS OF XENIA CAME OUT AND, ANYHOW, IT WAS GREAT TO GET AWAY, AND I'M AWFULLY HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I'VE LOVED THE AIR RACE.

[applause] Blair: WELL, WHEN BLANCHE LANDED, AND HER HUSBAND WAS VERY PROUD OF HER, AND HE COME SAUNTERING OVER LIGHTING UP HIS BIG CIGAR AND BLANCHE SAID, "PUT THAT OUT!

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF CARELESS MEN AND THEIR SMOKING."

BECAUSE SHE THINKS THAT FIRE WAS STARTED BY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GUYS WHO WAS TOWING HER LUGGAGE, PUTTING IT IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT, AND, YOU KNOW, SMOKING A CIGARETTE, AND JUST CARELESSLY DROPPING HIS SMOLDERING BUTT IN THE LUGGAGE RACK.

SO, SHE SAID, "ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING NEAR MY AIRPLANE."

WE'RE ALL HAPPY TO BE IN CLEVELAND AND SAFELY IN CLEVELAND.

THE GIRLS HAD A WONDERFUL TIME, AND I'VE GOT GREAT EXPERIENCES IN THIS FLIGHT.

WE ARE ALL GOOD COMRADES, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE EXCHANGE CLUB FOR THIS WONDERFUL FLIGHT AND FOR ITS HELP.

THANK YOU.

Schultz: MOST OF THE LADIES HAD MADE IT IN THIS PARTICULAR 1929 RACE.

AND THIS WASN'T AN ANTICLIMAX - THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE NATIONAL AIR RACES AND THEY HAD ARRIVED TO WATCH THIS GREAT, GREAT INSTITUTION, WHICH IT WAS...

I'M SURE IT WAS JUST EXHILARATING FOR THE LADIES TO SHOW UP THERE.

AND PLUS, EXHAUSTING BECAUSE THAT WAS A LONG RACE.

D'Elias: AND PANCHO BARNES USED TO TELL PEOPLE, "YOU KNOW, DON'T EVEN TRY TO BE LIKE ANYBODY ELSE "BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IT ALREADY.

BE YOURSELF."

AND THESE WOMAN EMBODIED THAT SPIRIT.

THIS RACE PROMOTED IT.

WOMEN THEN WERE JUST GUTSY.

THEY JUST GUTTED IT OUT.

AND THEY JUST DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO BECAUSE IT WAS THEIR TURN TO DO IT.

AND THEY STEPPED UP THE PLATE.

DIDN'T MATTER WHAT IT WAS.

IT WAS THEIR TURN.

THEY JUST MADE IT HAPPEN.

THEIR TRUE LOVE, THEIR PASSION, AND THEY SAID, "THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO."

AND YOU JUST RESPECT THEM SO MUCH FOR THAT.

AND WHAT'S AMAZING IS HOW WELL THEY RACED AND HOW WELL THEY DID.

Wagstaff: IT'S ALWAYS A STEPPING STONE.

SOMEBODY'S GOT TO START IT FIRST.

I MEAN, I ALWAYS LOOK TO PEOPLE LIKE THE AIR RACERS AND THE BARNSTORMERS FOR MY CAREER... JACKIE COCHRAN AND LOUISE THADEN FOR WHAT THEY DID AND HOW THEY DIDN'T LET ANYTHING STAND IN THE WAY, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO COMPETE EQUALLY WITH THE MEN AND DO THE SAME THINGS THEY COULD.

ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A DEATH AND SHENANIGANS ALONG THE WAY WITH THE SABOTAGE OF THE WOMEN'S PLANES, THE EVENT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE IT SHOWED THAT WOMEN COULD FLY AND BE SUCCESSFUL AND, INDEED, THE WOMEN'S AIR DERBY CONTINUED ON IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS.

Carbonell: WHEN SOMEBODY FEELS THAT THEY HAVE A TRUE CALLING TO SOMETHING, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OBSTACLES THEY HAVE TO FACE.

THEY FEEL THE CALLING IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY KNOW IN THEIR SOUL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.

WHEN YOU SEE OTHER PEOPLE FOLLOW THEIR CALLING, AT ALL COSTS, AND WHEN YOU FEEL THAT TUG AT YOUR HEART THAT YOU HAVE TO PURSUE A PARTICULAR DIRECTION, AND YOU SEE THAT OTHERS BEFORE YOU HAVE DONE IT, YOU'VE GOT TO GO.

YOU JUST HAVE GOT TO GO.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "BREAKING THROUGH THE CLOUDS - THE FIRST WOMEN'S NATIONAL AIR DERBY".

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