Freda Thompson

Freda Thompson (5 April 1909 – 11 December 1980) was a pioneer aviator, the first Australian woman to fly solo from the United Kingdom to Australia.

Early life Born at South Yarra, Melbourne Victoria to parents Frederick and Martha Thompson. Thompson was educated at Toorak College in Melbourne leaving with Honours, Proficiency Certificates Pianoforte and Ice Skating.

Flying qualification and early career On 28 May 1930 Thompson took her first flight as a pilot and later that year obtained her A Licence.

In April 1934 Thompson sailed for England to collect a new De Havilland Moth Major, which she named Christopher Robin. It had been fitted with long range fuel tanks for the journey to Australia. Thompson had accumulated over 250 hours of flying experience by this time. On 28 September 1934 Thompson left Lympne, Kent for Australia, flying solo. The trip took 39 days with the actual flying time being 19 days. Thompson damaged her aeroplane G-ACUC (VH-UUC) when she made a precautionary landing at Megara, Greece, and was delayed for 20 days waiting for a spare part for a damaged wing. Thompson arrived in Darwin on 6 November, and at Mascot, Sydney on 20 November 1934.

WWII Thompson was commandant of the Woman's Air Training Corps in Victoria from 1940–1942.

Later career Following WWII Thompson bought a de Havilland Hornet Moth, and named it Christopher Robin II. She flew extensively within Australia, and in 1952 to the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. She competed in air races and formation-flying events. She won forty-seven trophies. She was president in 1948 of the Royal Victorian Aero Club. By 1980 she had logged 3330 flying hours.

In 1994 she was honoured by the issue of a postage stamp by Australia Post, one of a series depicting Australian aviators also including Stanley Goble and Ivor McIntyre, Lawrence Hargrave, Sir Keith and Sir Ross Macpherson Smith. Thompson was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2001.