First attempts

Jean was not interested in just being a pilot, however. She wanted to break records, and become famous. In the 20's and 30's, aviators were the real-life celebrities and heroes, photographed for newspapers and movie theatres, and admired by everyone. Jean Batten had great faith in her own abilities, but not enough money to pay for what she wanted. Planes were very expensive to buy.

She was very good at persuading people to give her money, and in 1932 she was virtually given a secon-hand Gipsy Moth biplane by someone who thought she would marry him. But Jean never married.

 


Jean's Gypsy Moth

In 1933 she left England to fly to Australia. She wanted to make it in 14 days. English aviatrix Amy Johnson had made it in 20 days three years earlier. Batten had to break that record.

It didn't happen on the first attempt. Engine failure in India ended the mission. Yet it was the first time she had flown away from England, the first time she had flown over the sea or the desert. No small achievement in the small and flimsy bi-plane, but for Jean Batten it was failure and a pot-hole on the road to destiny.

Her second attempt ended even closer to England. She ran out of petrol over Italy and had to make a dangerous emergency landing between Rome and Marseilles. With the plane slightly damaged in the landing she was grounded in Italy for a week, thus destroying her chances at breaking Amy Johnson's record. She returned to England.

Not content to merely fly across the world, Batten made sure she was always glamorous. She liked to be known as 'the Garbo of the Skies'.

She always brought evening dresses with her for receptions and would emerge from the cockpit after long flights wearing makeup and dressed in a white flying suit.  

 
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