Harriet Quimby 20 x 16 inches Acrylic 2019
Harriet Quimby (1875-1912) was an aviation pioneer and the first American woman to become a licensed airplane pilot. She was born in a small town in Michigan at a time when the sole form of aviation was the hot-air balloon. After the failure of the family farm, the Quimbys, nevertheless well-to-do, moved to San Francisco area. As a child, Harriet was a strong-willed tomboy. An adult Harriet, independent and intent on supporting herself, worked as a stage actress and then secured positions on several San Francisco newspapers as a journalist. In 1903 she moved to New York City and got a job as a writer and photographer for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. In a few years she became its theater critic.
In 1906 Harriet, who had a taste for adventure, took the opportunity to ride in a race car and, loving it, purchased her own automobile — still very much a novelty. Aviation, though, would become her passion. In October 1910 Harriet Quimby attended an aviation competition held at Belmont, New York, and became fascinated by this new and still experimental form of transportation. (The first flight of a heavier-than air ship had been made by Wilbur and Orville Wright on December 17, 1903). There, Harriet made the acquaintance of pilot who had competed in the events, John Moisant. Moisant, born in Illinois in 1868 of French Canadian descent, had acquired some wealth from sugarcane plantations in Central America. By 1909 he had taken up aviation as a hobby and learned to fly in France. While still a novice, he had flown across the English Channel on August 17, 1910, the first to do so with a passenger — accompanied as well by his pet, a small cat named Mademoiselle Fifi.
Full of enthusiasm for airplanes, Harriet decided to take flying lessons along with Moisant’s sister Matilde at an aviation school John and his brother Alfred were operating on Long Island, New York. Unfortunately, on December 31, 1910, John Moisant, while competing at an aviation event in Louisiana, was thrown from his plane by a gust of wind while attempting a landing. He died, falling 25 feet and breaking his neck. The two women were nevertheless undeterred and decided to go ahead with their plans to be fliers. (Harriet got her newspaper to pay for her lessons!) On August 1, 1911 Miss Quimby passed her test and was awarded an aviator’s certificate of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale via the Aero Club of America. (Based on the Aero Club of France, it was founded in 1905, if not earlier, to promote aviation and to award pilot licenses, which were necessary for participation in most aviation demonstrations and sporting events). Harriet became the 37th licensed American airplane pilot, but the very first woman. Matilde became the second American woman to receive a pilot’s license. (In March 1910, Frenchwoman Elise Raymonde de Laroche became the first female pilot internationally).
After getting her license Harriet Quimby joined Moisant International Aviators, which employed a team of pilots to perform in air exhibitions all over the country. Flying was still a dangerous enterprise, but very profitable, for the public were obsessed with airplanes and flight. For her debut, Miss Quimby flew over Staten Island at night for 7 minutes with 15,000 (or 20,000) spectators watching. Her efforts netted her a cool $1500 (this, at a time when a working man would be lucky to make $400 a year).
Harriet naturally attracted attention and press coverage because of her gender. Not lacking in feminine appeal, she had flare and pizzazz and knew how to present herself. Although petite, Harriet cut a fetching, if not dashing figure in a flight suit of her own design, a bright plum-colored satin, wool-lined jump suit — blouse, hood, and knickerbocker pants tucked into high laced boots, set off by some antique jewelry and, of course, aviation goggles. Her fair, flawless complexion earned her the nickname of the “China Doll” and the “Dresden China Aviatrix.”
While flying, Harriet continued to write articles for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly, many of them, not surprisingly, about aviation and woman’s place in it. She also authored several screenplays for short films produced at Biograph Studios in New York in 1911. The films featured major actors such as Blanche Sweet and were all directed by the legendary D. W. Griffith. Griffith’s wife, Linda Arvidson, had been a friend from Harriet’s time as an actress on the stage in San Francisco. In 1909 Harriet had a small part in one of Griffith’s shorts, which starred Linda Arvidson and also featured Mary Pickford in a bit role.
While flying in Mexico in ceremonies honoring the inauguration of President Francisco Madero in November 1911, Harriet Quimby got the idea of flying across the English Channel. Frenchman Louis Blériot had flown the Channel in July 1909, but no woman had thus far done it. By spring she was ready to make the flight. On April 16, 1912 Harriet took off from Dover, England with the intention of landing in Calais on the other side of English Channel. She had never flown over water before and had never relied upon a compass. It was a dangerous passage even for an experienced pilot. Harriet, though, was all but fearless. The flight was not without difficulty. Running into a cloud bank she lost her way, but an hour later she able to land 25 miles from Calais on a beach in Herdelot, France. The natives, realizing her accomplishment, bore her in triumph on their shoulders. However, the feat was barely recorded — bad timing. Only two days before, the RMS Titanic had sunk, struck by an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The enormity of the disaster, the loss of 1500 passengers, was only just realized and preoccupied the press, otherwise very interested in accomplishments in the field of aviation.
In September of 1911 pilot Cal Rodgers had made the first cross country flight in a biplane called the Vin Fiz Flyer. The Armour Meat Company was now marketing a new grape soda they dubbed Vin Fiz and they used Rodgers and his image to market it. When Rodgers was killed in a crash in April 1912 after flying into a flock of birds, the company searched for another endorser. They decided upon Harriet Quimby. Her flight-suited image would adorn Vin Fiz advertisements and enhance her status as a celebrity.
On July 1, 1912 Harriet Quimby participated in the Boston Aviation Meet at Squantum, Massachusetts. She was flying a new plane, a two-seater Bléliot monoplane. The organizer of the meet, William Willard, was her passenger. She flew her plane to the Boston light in the harbor and returned to circle the airfield. At the altitude of 1000 feet the plane, for some reason, pitched forward with the result that Willard was ejected, falling to his death in the sea. Harriet righted the plane, but only for a moment. It pitched forward again and, despite having some sort of seat restraint, she was tipped out of the plane as well and fell to her death. The plane crashed surprisingly intact on the muddy beach. Spectators found Harriet’s lifeless body on the beach as well. Although much debated, it has never been determined what caused the tragic accident.
Harriet Quimby was only 37 when she died. She had been a pilot for less than a year, yet she made a huge mark on the history of aviation. She was an inspiration to those who came after and is still remembered as a heroine and female role model.
Her friend Matilde Moisant broke what was then the altitude record (1200 feet) during an airshow on September 1911. However, she crashed her plane on April 14, 1912, two days before Harriet was to make her historic flight across the English channel. Matilde recovered from her injuries, but never flew again. She lived to the age of 85, dying in 1964 in California.
In 1906 Harriet, who had a taste for adventure, took the opportunity to ride in a race car and, loving it, purchased her own automobile — still very much a novelty. Aviation, though, would become her passion. In October 1910 Harriet Quimby attended an aviation competition held at Belmont, New York, and became fascinated by this new and still experimental form of transportation. (The first flight of a heavier-than air ship had been made by Wilbur and Orville Wright on December 17, 1903). There, Harriet made the acquaintance of pilot who had competed in the events, John Moisant. Moisant, born in Illinois in 1868 of French Canadian descent, had acquired some wealth from sugarcane plantations in Central America. By 1909 he had taken up aviation as a hobby and learned to fly in France. While still a novice, he had flown across the English Channel on August 17, 1910, the first to do so with a passenger — accompanied as well by his pet, a small cat named Mademoiselle Fifi.
Full of enthusiasm for airplanes, Harriet decided to take flying lessons along with Moisant’s sister Matilde at an aviation school John and his brother Alfred were operating on Long Island, New York. Unfortunately, on December 31, 1910, John Moisant, while competing at an aviation event in Louisiana, was thrown from his plane by a gust of wind while attempting a landing. He died, falling 25 feet and breaking his neck. The two women were nevertheless undeterred and decided to go ahead with their plans to be fliers. (Harriet got her newspaper to pay for her lessons!) On August 1, 1911 Miss Quimby passed her test and was awarded an aviator’s certificate of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale via the Aero Club of America. (Based on the Aero Club of France, it was founded in 1905, if not earlier, to promote aviation and to award pilot licenses, which were necessary for participation in most aviation demonstrations and sporting events). Harriet became the 37th licensed American airplane pilot, but the very first woman. Matilde became the second American woman to receive a pilot’s license. (In March 1910, Frenchwoman Elise Raymonde de Laroche became the first female pilot internationally).
After getting her license Harriet Quimby joined Moisant International Aviators, which employed a team of pilots to perform in air exhibitions all over the country. Flying was still a dangerous enterprise, but very profitable, for the public were obsessed with airplanes and flight. For her debut, Miss Quimby flew over Staten Island at night for 7 minutes with 15,000 (or 20,000) spectators watching. Her efforts netted her a cool $1500 (this, at a time when a working man would be lucky to make $400 a year).
Harriet naturally attracted attention and press coverage because of her gender. Not lacking in feminine appeal, she had flare and pizzazz and knew how to present herself. Although petite, Harriet cut a fetching, if not dashing figure in a flight suit of her own design, a bright plum-colored satin, wool-lined jump suit — blouse, hood, and knickerbocker pants tucked into high laced boots, set off by some antique jewelry and, of course, aviation goggles. Her fair, flawless complexion earned her the nickname of the “China Doll” and the “Dresden China Aviatrix.”
While flying, Harriet continued to write articles for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly, many of them, not surprisingly, about aviation and woman’s place in it. She also authored several screenplays for short films produced at Biograph Studios in New York in 1911. The films featured major actors such as Blanche Sweet and were all directed by the legendary D. W. Griffith. Griffith’s wife, Linda Arvidson, had been a friend from Harriet’s time as an actress on the stage in San Francisco. In 1909 Harriet had a small part in one of Griffith’s shorts, which starred Linda Arvidson and also featured Mary Pickford in a bit role.
While flying in Mexico in ceremonies honoring the inauguration of President Francisco Madero in November 1911, Harriet Quimby got the idea of flying across the English Channel. Frenchman Louis Blériot had flown the Channel in July 1909, but no woman had thus far done it. By spring she was ready to make the flight. On April 16, 1912 Harriet took off from Dover, England with the intention of landing in Calais on the other side of English Channel. She had never flown over water before and had never relied upon a compass. It was a dangerous passage even for an experienced pilot. Harriet, though, was all but fearless. The flight was not without difficulty. Running into a cloud bank she lost her way, but an hour later she able to land 25 miles from Calais on a beach in Herdelot, France. The natives, realizing her accomplishment, bore her in triumph on their shoulders. However, the feat was barely recorded — bad timing. Only two days before, the RMS Titanic had sunk, struck by an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The enormity of the disaster, the loss of 1500 passengers, was only just realized and preoccupied the press, otherwise very interested in accomplishments in the field of aviation.
In September of 1911 pilot Cal Rodgers had made the first cross country flight in a biplane called the Vin Fiz Flyer. The Armour Meat Company was now marketing a new grape soda they dubbed Vin Fiz and they used Rodgers and his image to market it. When Rodgers was killed in a crash in April 1912 after flying into a flock of birds, the company searched for another endorser. They decided upon Harriet Quimby. Her flight-suited image would adorn Vin Fiz advertisements and enhance her status as a celebrity.
On July 1, 1912 Harriet Quimby participated in the Boston Aviation Meet at Squantum, Massachusetts. She was flying a new plane, a two-seater Bléliot monoplane. The organizer of the meet, William Willard, was her passenger. She flew her plane to the Boston light in the harbor and returned to circle the airfield. At the altitude of 1000 feet the plane, for some reason, pitched forward with the result that Willard was ejected, falling to his death in the sea. Harriet righted the plane, but only for a moment. It pitched forward again and, despite having some sort of seat restraint, she was tipped out of the plane as well and fell to her death. The plane crashed surprisingly intact on the muddy beach. Spectators found Harriet’s lifeless body on the beach as well. Although much debated, it has never been determined what caused the tragic accident.
Harriet Quimby was only 37 when she died. She had been a pilot for less than a year, yet she made a huge mark on the history of aviation. She was an inspiration to those who came after and is still remembered as a heroine and female role model.
Her friend Matilde Moisant broke what was then the altitude record (1200 feet) during an airshow on September 1911. However, she crashed her plane on April 14, 1912, two days before Harriet was to make her historic flight across the English channel. Matilde recovered from her injuries, but never flew again. She lived to the age of 85, dying in 1964 in California.
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