Bert Hinkler
Herbert (Bert) Hinkler | |
|---|---|
Hinkler, c. 1928 | |
| Born | 8 December 1892 Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 7 January 1933 (aged 40) Pratomagno Alps, Italy |
| Occupation(s) | Pioneer Aviator, inventor |
| Spouse(s) | Hannah (Nance) Jarvis (de facto, 1920s–33 Katherine Rose (m. 1932) |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal (1917) Britannia Trophy (1920, 1928, 1931) Air Force Cross (1928) FAI Gold Air Medal (1928) Segrave Trophy (1931) |
Herbert John Louis Hinkler AFC, DSM (8 December 1892 – 7 January 1933), better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator (dubbed "Australian Lone Eagle") and inventor. He designed and built early aircraft before being the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, completed on 22 February 1928, and the first person to fly solo across the Southern Atlantic Ocean. He married in 1932 at the age of 39, and died less than a year later after crashing into remote countryside near Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy during a solo flight record attempt.