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Organizations, Honors and Races
All Aviation and Space
Women Pilots
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In this site I share the stories of women pilots from the very beginning of flight through today, told through postcards, stamps, envelopes, and first day covers issued to honor their achievements.
The quality of such offerings vary. Some, particularly those in the early years, are bare bones, and some are very well designed and even gorgeous.
Below are a few examples of covers and first day covers which illustrate this.
First 99s/Powder Puff Derby cover
To publicize the second All Woman Air Show of the World (sponsored by the Ninety-Nines), held in Miami Florida on June 5-6, 1948, a stamp-like sticker was designed, with an illustration of Amelia Earhart (appropriate since the Air Show took place at Amelia Earhart Field.)
This is signed by Claire McMillan (Walters).
Here's the full text:
Calif. Fla.
Trans Race
Claire McMillan
Santa Anna, Calif
This is therefore a Powder Puff Derby cover/All Woman Transcontinental Air Race cover, as well as a 99s and Air Show cover.
(For complete details, see the All Woman Transcontinental Air Race and/or Ninety-Nines pages.) |
This cover is "bare bones" but full of history.
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Harriet Quimby: An example with gold leaf
This First Day Cover or cachet from Empress is a limited edition.
It features an illustration of Harriet Quimby. The scan doesn't do it justice. The name running down the left hand side, and the box enclosing the illustration, are in gold foil.
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Unfortunately, the designer used an anachronistic airplane in the illustration. The designer/artist was obviously unfamiliar with aircraft of the early 1900s, even though the type of plane Quimby flew is displayed in the stamp.
In addition, Quimby's signature flying outfit, which she had designed herself, is clearly purple on the stamp. Why then did the artist ink it in dark brown on the illustration?
(Although, to be fair it originally may have been painted in purple, but subjected to sunlight by its original owner which made it turn brown?)
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Nice presentation, errors in the illustration.
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Jacqueline Cochran: Complete cover illustration in watercolor
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Jacqueline Cochran was a contemporary of Amelia Earhart.
In this cover, the illustration covers the entire envelope.
According to the insert: "Thank you for choosing a Geerlings cachet. This beautiful FDC was hand drawn using our original artwork and then each cover was individually hand painted using a variety of art medium.
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Producer of this cover: FLG Cachets.
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