The Golden Age of Air Racing, 1929-1939, Cleveland Municipal Airport

The Women’s Air Derby was a transcontinental air race starting in Santa Monica, California and finishing in front of the crowded grandstand at the National Air Races at Cleveland Municipal Airport. It was nicknamed "The Powder Puff Derby" by humorist Will Rogers as he commented on the first women pilots at Santa Monica preparing for takeoff in 1929. The flamboyant Pancho Barnes (shown at left in the photo above) was also one of the women pilots in that first women's distance race. Louise Thaden won that inaugural 1929 Women's Air Derby.