Powder Puff Derby of 1929: The True Story of the First Women's Cross–Country Air Race [Paperback]

Gene Jessen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2002 | ISBN-10: 1570717699 | ISBN-13: 978-1570717697

The unforgettable true story of the 1929 air race that legitimized female pilots.

In 1929, nineteen women set out from Santa Monica, California, in flimsy, propeller driven planes, with a mission-to be the first to cover the 2,759 mile course to Cleveland, Ohio. Dubbed "The Powder Puff Derby" by humorist Will Rogers, who covered the race, the competition was aggressive and dangerous.

A thrilling narrative, The Powder Puff Derby of 1929 tells the story of the first major female airplane race, whose contestants included Amelia Earhart, the most famous female pilot of her time. Many of the women flew in open cockpits, with no air controllers to help them and often only primitive airports to land on. Yet by facing the hazards with skill and determination, the racers thrilled the nation and pioneered a new future and respect for female aviators.

The Powder Puff Derby of 1929 tells the stories of these first female pilots, gutsy and colorful adventurers who flew in air circuses, set altitude and speed records and fought for the right to become part of the male-dominated world of aviation. The book also includes various artifacts of the groundbreaking race, including priceless, never-before-published black and white photos, as well as Air Force maps of the terrain over which the women flew.

An inspiring story of confidence and persistence, The Powder Puff Derby of 1929 captures a defining moment in the history of aviation and women's rights.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Flight is abiding peace.... It is a spirit totally free," wrote Derby winner Louise Thaden, setting the tone for this fascinating history of the first women's transcontinental air race from Santa Monica, Calif., to Cleveland, Ohio. Nicknamed the "Powder Puff Derby" by Will Rogers, a strong supporter of female aviators (despite the belittling nickname) who volunteered to fly along the route carrying extra luggage, the contest covered 2,759 miles. Jessen, an aviator and former president of the Ninety-Nines (an international women pilots' association), describes each day of the nine-day event and provides captivating short bios of the 19 flyers, including colorful "Pancho" Barnes, glamorous Ruth Elder and Amelia Earhart. Although some of the aircraft were considered "heavy" and a smaller number "light," all were flimsy propeller planes and only two had closed cockpits. The contestants dealt with myriad equipment problems, illness, exhaustion and possible sabotage (Clare Fahy's wing wires were eaten through with acid). Fatigued after the day's flight, the pilots had to attend lengthy banquets hosted by excited locals wherever they stopped. On the third day of the race, the experienced pilot Marvel Crosson, overcome with carbon monoxide poisoning from the exhaust fumes of her Travelair craft, crash-landed and died. According to Jessen, the women's "triumph did not convert all the world to esteem pilots of the `weaker' sex," and public figures like Charles Lindbergh, for instance, were all but scornful of their endeavor. Although Jessen includes too much fictionalized dialogue, this otherwise well-wrought bit of Americana will appeal to aviation and women's history buffs. Photos.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In a combination of early aviation history and women's history, this book tells the story of the first major cross-country air race for women, the Powder Puff Derby, as it was dubbed by Will Rogers. Jessen, a historian of the race who was an aviator herself and former president of the Ninety-Nines, the international women pilot's association, brings an authentic aviator's perspective to the story. Although several general histories of women pilots are available, Jessen is the first to publish a book about this specific race, which was quite a sensation in 1929. The race went from Santa Monica, CA, to Cleveland, OH, and included many well-known women pilots of the time, including Amelia Earhart. One pilot was killed in a crash. The text covers the race itself but also documents the careers of women pilots and aviation standards at that time. This amply illustrated book will be popular in many public libraries and won't be out of place in academic libraries either. Charlie Cowling, SUNY at Brockport Lib.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570717699
• ISBN-13: 978-1570717697
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 8.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,040,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

While working her way through The University of Oklahoma on the faculty teaching flying, Gene Nora (pronounced Janora) participated in a female astronaut research program in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the summer of 1961. Though Gene Nora was among the thirteen women pilots (tagged the "Mercury 13") who passed the astronaut physical exams, further testing was canceled though five books were subsequently published about that little footnote in history.

Gene Nora served as President of The Ninety-Nines, Inc., an international organization of licensed women pilots, and involvement in the group's museum led to exhaustive research of the history of early women pilots. Her book "The Powder Puff Derby of 1929" was published in 2001, and whetted her appetite for her own transcontinental air racing.

In 1962 she flew as a sales demonstration pilot for the Beech Aircraft factory in Wichita, Kansas. Initially, she flew one of the Three Musketeers, flying formation across forty-eight states in ninety days as a promotional event to introduce the new Beech Musketeer. The job evolved into additional ratings and flying the entire Beech line and also her true adventure story "The Fabulous Flight of the Three Musketeers" published in 2009.

Gene Nora and her husband Bob live in Boise, Idaho where they owned and operated a fixed base operation on the Boise Airport for many years. They have two children and three grandchildren. Of course she continues to fly.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Aviation personalities, adventure, travel, and history, April 14, 2002

By 

David Stack (Milwaukee, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Powder Puff Derby of 1929: The True Story of the First Women's Cross–Country Air Race (Paperback)

The highlights of The Powder Puff Derby of 1929 were the portrayals of many great personalities, those who flew and those who didn't, both women and men. The author also combines aviation adventure, travel, history and technical details in the context of a great story.

Almost a third of the book is devoted to what the racers did after the 1929 race, and to what other women have done in aviation up to the present day.

The book intermixes numerous photos of the pilots and their airplanes to coincide nicely with the writing.

A few descriptions appear redundantly in more than one chapter and I wonder if some of the conversations actually happened exactly as they are quoted (specific references are not given). However, these are minor quibbles for an inspiring book.

After finishing The Powder Puff Derby, I read Chuck Yeager's autobiography, and it was fascinating to see him portray some of these same women racers as he knew them many years later. Given everything they accomplished, why aren't they more famous today?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for aviation buffs, March 11, 2002

By 

Marion Young (Boise, Idaho USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Powder Puff Derby of 1929: The True Story of the First Women's Cross–Country Air Race (Paperback)

This one is a keeper, and a must for aviation buffs, especially us girls!

Gene Nora has written a facination account of the race. It's well written and packed with interesting facts...these ladies were true pioneers in every sense. A wonderful tribute to those who blazed the trail for those of us who have followed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, concise history, December 24, 2008

By 

A. Wald - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Powder Puff Derby of 1929: The True Story of the First Women's Cross–Country Air Race (Paperback)

Gene Nora Jessen's, "The Powder Puff Derby of 1929" is a book well worth anyone's time. In a concise, fast paced package, Ms. Jessen provides aviation history, women's history and a fine adventure in a well written format. I obtained the book for some background research and was prepared for a typical, soulless small history, filled with facts but little color. Gene Nora disabused me of this idea by providing a gutsy, yet readable, history of the 1929 air race. Then, Ms. Jessen added, at no extra charge, a fine mini lesson in women's aviation, with not only the American highlights, but including women's aviation history worldwide. This was a throughly delightful book and should be required reading for all young women who have even the slightest interest in adventure or aviation.