Amelia Earhart was a promising young pilot in 1932, but it was her solo transatlantic flight that brought her from a rising star to a figure of legend. Earhart was the first woman and only second pilot ever to cross the Atlantic alone, following Charles Lindbergh five years before. After a dangerous crossing filled with storms, instrument trouble, and an engine fire, Earhart touched down near Derry, Northern Ireland, instantly becoming an aviation legend.
This specimen is a piece of fabric material from Earhart’s “Little Red Bus,” the Vega 5B that she used to cross the Atlantic. With her landing in Derry, Earhart became the second person and first woman to cross the ocean flying solo.