The Flying Sweethearts

Amy Johnson, 29, pioneer (English) female aviator, lands in Cape Town on November 18 1932 and sets a record of 4 days, 6 hours, 54 minutes for a solo flight from London. Piloting a de Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth named “Desert Cloud”, she breaks the record set by her husband Jim Mollison in March by 10 hours and 24 minutes. The feat earns her the Segrave Trophy of the Royal Automobile Club, for “the most outstanding demonstration of transport on land, sea or air”. Johnson achieved worldwide recognition in 1930 as the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. Mollison, a Scottish pioneer in the rapid development of aviation in the 1930s, was flying commercially for Australian National Airways. He met Johnson during one of these flights and proposed to her within eight hours, while still in the air. Johnson accepted and they were married on July 29 1932. “The Flying Sweethearts” set numerous records, solo and as a team. Johnson returns to Cape Town on May 7 1936 for her last record-setting flight, regaining her London-toCape Town record in 3 days, 6 hours, 29 minutes