Bidspirit auction | Kings Cups Air Race 1930

Kings Cups Air Race 1930 winner Winifred Brown signed RARE flown RAF cover. Numbered 97 of 100 issued. Winifred Sawley Brown (also known as Winifred Adams; 26 November 1899 - 30 July 1984) was an English sportswoman, aviator and author. She was the first woman to win the King's Cup air race (in 1930). The race has been running annually since 1922. On 5 July 1930, the King's Cup air race was staged to start and finish at Hanworth, starting at 7:00 am, following a circular route of 753 miles (1,212 km) via Hamble, Whitchurch (Bristol), Birmingham, Hooton Park, Barton Aerodrome, Woodford Aerodrome, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Cramlington (Newcastle), Hedon Aerodrome, Ratcliffe Aerodrome, and back to Hanworth. Fixed-time refuelling stops were at Whitchurch, Barton, Cramlington and Hedon. She started the handicap race in her Avro Avian biplane accompanied by Adams as a passenger. At Whitchurch, she was told that she had passed several competitors, then at Barton she learned from her father that she was in third position. As the weather outlook became grim, she had the advantage of having learned to fly in this region. She chose to fly over the Woodhead Pass crossing the Pennine Hills towards Cramlington, where she was received with the news she was then in the lead She crossed the finishing line at Hanworth in her Avro Avian III G-EBVZ at 6:16 pm, followed ten minutes later by A.S. Butler (Chairman of de Havilland Aircraft Co), flying a DH.60M Moth G-AAXG into second place. The race had 88 starters, of which 61 achieved completion of the course at Hanworth the same day. It was the race with the most participants to date. With an average speed of just over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), Winifred Brown was the first woman to win the King's Cup air race. The King's Cup trophy was presented to her by Sir Philip Sassoon. Sassoon was a politician, and the Air-Commodore of No. 601 Squadron RAF known as ”the millionaires squadron”. She was also presented with the Siddeley Trophy, as the winner who was also a member of the Lancashire Aero Club, a qualifying light aeroplane club. After her victory in one of the most prestigious air races in the United Kingdom, she was welcomed in several official ceremonies and events including a reception in the House of Commons. Single Vendor autograph collection. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99