Blue plaque honours pioneering pilot Amy Johnson

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 10 Oct, 06:08 · Archive

A blue plaque has been unveiled on the former north London home of Amy Johnson, the pioneering aviator who became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. The plaque marks her residence at Vernon Court on Hendon Way, which she moved into in 1930, the same year as her historic flight.

Johnson was born in Kingston upon Hull in 1903. After gaining a degree in economics from the University of Sheffield, she moved to London to work as a secretary to a solicitor, where she was introduced to flying as a hobby. In 1928, she joined the London Aeroplane Club at Stag Lane, Edgware, and by the end of 1929 had qualified as a ground engineer and received her pilot's licence.

She purchased her first aircraft, a second-hand Gypsy Moth she named Jason, with money from her father. On 5 May 1930, she took off from Croydon Airport as an unknown pilot with just 100 hours of flying experience. She landed in Darwin 19 days later, having flown 11,000 miles, and became a global celebrity overnight.

For this achievement, Johnson was awarded the Harmon Trophy and a CBE in King George V's birthday honours. She went on to undertake a series of daring long-distance flights during the 1930s. Roads, schools and buildings are named after her in both Australia and England.

Johnson, dubbed 'the Queen of the Air', remains one of the UK's most famous female pilots some 85 years after her death, though the mystery surrounding her final flight has perhaps overshadowed her remarkable achievements in aviation history.

Blue plaque honours pioneering pilot Amy Johnson — Image: This Is Local London

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Blue plaque to daring pilot 'Queen of the Air' whose final flight ended in tragedyAmy Johnson, the pioneering aviator who became the first woman to fly solo to Australia from England, is remembered with a blue plaque on her former north London home.This Is Local London · 10 Oct, 05:00
Blue plaque to daring pilot 'Queen of the Air' whose final flight ended in tragedyAmy Johnson, the pioneering aviator who became the first woman to fly solo to Australia from England, is remembered with a blue plaque on her former north London home.Croydon Guardian · 10 Oct, 05:00
Blue plaque to daring pilot 'Queen of the Air' whose final flight ended in tragedyAmy Johnson, the pioneering aviator who became the first woman to fly solo to Australia from England, is remembered with a blue plaque on her former north London home.News Shopper · 10 Oct, 05:00
Blue plaque to daring pilot 'Queen of the Air' whose final flight ended in tragedyAmy Johnson, the pioneering aviator who became the first woman to fly solo to Australia from England, is remembered with a blue plaque on her former north London home.Wandsworth Guardian · 10 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Amy Johnson · Kingston upon Hull · University of Sheffield · London Aeroplane Club · Croydon Airport · Darwin · Hendon Way · King George V

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