The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce - Around The World Flight 1930

Around The World Flight 1930

In June 1930, on a whim, she purchased a Blackburn Bluebird IV via a London showroom. After delivery of the aircraft (G-ABDS) in late July 1930, she took her first flying lessons with Norman Blackburn at Brough aerodrome, went solo within a week, and soon built up 40 flying hours. On 25 September 1930, she named the aircraft "Bluebird" and took off on a round the world solo flight from Heston Aerodrome. She flew to Rangoon and then on to Shanghai and across the Yellow Sea to Seoul, Korea. On 24 November 1930, having covered 10,330 miles (16,625 km) in 25 flying days, she reached Tokyo. She travelled by ship to Vancouver, where the Bluebird was re-assembled. She flew via Medford (Oregon), Tucson, San Diego and Baltimore to New York, where she embarked on a ship bound for Le Havre. On 19 February 1931, she flew to Lympne Airport, having flown about 19,000 miles (30,577 km). She was the first person to fly from England to Japan, the first to fly across the Yellow Sea, and the first woman to fly around the world alone (crossing the oceans by ship). The five-month journey had been marked by forced landings beside the Persian Gulf, also at San Diego and Baltimore, a near-abduction by brigands, and a forced landing in a southeast Asian jungle during the monsoon. On 20 February 1931, she was given an aerial escort by Amy Johnson, Winifred Spooner and others to Croydon Airport, where a reception of press and celebrities awaited her.