Lucy, Lady Houston: Philanthropist, Activist, and Aviation Pioneer

If not for Poppy Houston, the Battle of Britain might have ended very differently.  Fanny Lucy Radmall was born on April 8, 1857, to Thomas Radmall, a woolen warehouseman and draper, and Maria Isabella Clark. The 9th of 10 children, "Poppy," as she was affectionately known, was nothing short of inquisitive, vivacious, and adventurous. At 16, Poppy became [...]

By |April 26th, 2017|Aviation History|Comments Off on Lucy, Lady Houston: Philanthropist, Activist, and Aviation Pioneer

Plane of the Week: Supermarine Spitfire

I’ve written about the Battle of Britain before where I mentioned that 500 of the Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots were from other countries, including Ireland. Many of those pilots flew Supermarine Spitfires, and one particular Irish pilot was very well known for his Spitfire flying abilities. They called him Spitfire Paddy. The Supermarine Spitfire [...]

By |March 17th, 2017|Plane Of The Week|Comments Off on Plane of the Week: Supermarine Spitfire