When I was in the second grade, my teacher read us a story about Amelia Earhart. I was instantly hooked. In my mind, no person was as cool as Amelia, and I tried my best to get other people on board with the idea. One of my parents worked at a small airport at the time, so I probably made a nuisance of myself asking the pilots questions or rattling off Earhart facts in the break room. My first time in a plane, I was utterly distraught that no one thought to bring a leather cap and goggles for me to wear. In the third grade, we had to do a biographical presentation about a famous person. I chose Amelia Earhart. In the fourth grade, my entry for the Young Writers contest was a fictional short story about Amelia and her navigator on an island in the South Pacific. Even by the time I was in high school, when I had to write a paper about a famous figure, I went back to my girl. So it's no surprise that I am attracted to the general idea of the aviatrix. I just love chicks with planes--what can I say? (*Side note: I also love dudes with planes, and collect vintage flight-related books for boys.)
So, when I read today's headline that someone has footage of Amelia just before her final flight, I admit that I was thrilled. And I figured that today is the perfect day to pay tribute to girls with planes in a variety of collectible formats: pinup, photography, and advertising.Enjoy!
