Breaking Through The Clouds - The Story
The Inspiring Story of Twenty Women Who Raced Across America in 1929
PICTURE: Being in an open cockpit plane, 1,000 feet in the air, with the sun blazing down on you. You're racing against 19 other pilots as you try to
open a road map to calculate your route when all of the sudden, you hit turbulence. The map flies out of your hands and into the vast sky, falling to the earth below.
IMAGINE: Finding out days before this race that your brand new airplane has a faulty exhaust system which is blowing carbon monoxide directly into
your face. The solution is the installation of a pipe along the leading edge of the airplane, bringing fresh air into the cockpit. The only catch is that you
must keep your nose stuck to the pipe the entire time you fly in order to breathe.
VISUALIZE: Making an emergency landing in a field where all you can see are cows. As you descend in your bright red plane, you pray there are no bulls.
These are just a few of the challenges that happened over a nine day period in 1929 during the first Women's Transcontinental Air Race, officially known as
the National Women's Air Derby. Participants included headline aviatrixes Amelia Earhart, Pancho Barnes, Bobbi Trout and Louise Thaden. In all, there were twenty
qualified pilots who entered this ground breaking race which was dubbed the Powder Puff Derby by columnist Will Rogers.
During the race, there were emergency landings, damaged planes, rumors of sabotage and plenty of public scrutiny to contend with on a daily basis.
There was even a case of Typhoid Fever, a wayward trip or two into Mexico and ultimately, a tragic death. However, the women also had strong support from many,
including some of the best known pilots and celebrities of the day. There was also glamour, humor and a strong camaraderie between the women that balanced out
some of the challenges.
This race became one of the most pivotal and significant events ever to take place in women's aviation. It was, after all, more than just a race; it was
a chance to show the world that women can be independent, competitive, self-sufficient, intelligent, competent, graceful and really good pilots.
BREAKING THROUGH THE CLOUDS: The First Women's National Air Derby is a documentary that showcases ACTUAL FOOTAGE of the 1929 air race.
In addition, there are AERIAL RECREATIONS in the film using planes like the women flew in the derby including: TRAVEL AIR, WACO, MONOCOUPE AND FLEET.
There are images of the women in the race that have rarely been seen before. There are interviews in the film with legendary pilot ELINOR SMITH SULLIVAN,
National Aerobatic Champion PATTY WAGSTAFF, aerobatic pilot JULIE CLARK, family members of the pilots in the derby, aviation historians and people who knew
the women racers personally.
"This wonderful film highlights spunky, gutsy, brave women — women, whose go-for-it attitudes made aviation history. Their accomplishments were an important
stepping stone in history for today's women pilots and showed how extraordinary women can do anything they decide to do. Ilove the way it was filmed and think
it should be required watching for anyone involved in aviation."
- Patty Wagstaff, National Aerobatic Champion
You have magnificently told the great, true story about the women of the Derby, and the purpose of why they flew it. You've made each of them and the
Derby come to life again. I'm so appreciative of how you portrayed my mother Louise Thaden's beautiful soul, and her determination and courage to be a great
pilot, and what flying and flight meant to her. She, and the other 19 pilots who flew this first race, earned their right, and the right for all women, to be
able to participate in the development of aviation. Your film is a real tribute to my mother and to the others, and I'm forever grateful that their forgotten
story has come to the screen for all to see. Once again, CONGRATULATIONS. I know Louise Thaden is patting you on the back and saying "Job well done, Heather".
- Pat Thaden Webb, Louise Thaden's Daughter