January 5 In History: Mystery Of The Missing Female Pilot Amy Johnson

Amy Johnson (Sumber: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - On January 5, 1941, today 80 years ago, a female pilot named Amy Johnson was reported missing while on the air. Amy, is a pioneering female pilot who first achieved fame from her attempt to set the record for the longest solo flight, from London England to Darwin, Australia.

As quoted by the Amy Johnson Art Trust page, Tuesday, January 5, 2021, Amy was last reported to have taken off from Blackpool, England, with Airspeed Oxford, which had been ordered to be sent to RAF Kidlington, near Oxford. Around 3:30 p.m., a convoy of ships approached Knock John Buoy at Tizard Bank, off Herne Bay when a sailor spotted an airplane and then a parachute floating in the snow.

Later, some sailors reported seeing two bodies in the water. One of them is depicted with a fresh face and wearing a helmet.

After it became clear that there was no hope of saving Lieutenant Commander Walter Fletcher, Captain HMS Haslemere dived into the water to save the "second body." He is seen reaching the place and resting beside the floating objects around him, before trying to return to the ship. But Captain Haslemere went into shock due to cold, he later died and was buried in Woodlands Cemetery.

Neither Amy's "second body" has been found since then. What remained was some parts of Amy's plane and her belongings, including her bag, checkbook and notebook, were found.

Various conspiracy theories about what actually happened that afternoon emerged. From rumors that Amy was on a secret mission to theories that said she was lost and ran out of fuel.

The idea of a secret mission may have been sparked by a statement issued by Admiralty that referred to "two bodies." Although this was later corrected, other newspapers brought up the idea of the "Mr X" body again.

In 1999, a former member of the 58th (Kent) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment expressed fears that Amy might have been shot down. This theory, however, seems unlikely, given the distance the aircraft is so far away.

Amy Johnson in 1930 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Last minute mystery

The mystery surrounding Amy's last minute only adds to the inherent mystique of her life. However, while the exact details of her death may never be known, Amy's courage continues to inspire.

Amy Johnson graduated from the University of Sheffield and began working as a secretary in London. During the 1920s and 1930s, aviation was dominated by the rich and famous. Most female pilots are given female titles such as Lady Heath, Duchess of Bedford and Lady Bailey. But Amy obtained a "C" license and, with financial help from her father, took flying lessons. In 1929 he got his pilot's license.

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On May 5, 1930, he made his solo flight to Darwin. Even though he lost that record in three days, he still found great popularity in the world for his passion and courage. She was nicknamed "Queen of the Air" by the British press.

After that, Johnson made a number of long-haul flights. In 1931 he set a record for his flight across Siberia to Tokyo, and in 1932 he broke the record for a solo flight to Cape Town, South Africa. Amy then joined the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1939, an aviation organization founded during the Second World War to transport new military aircraft, repair damaged planes, assemble planes, and carry out aircraft maintenance.

Amy Johnson and her husband, Jim Mollison (Source: Wikimedia Commons)