20 May 1932: 34-year-old Amelia Earhart set off from Newfoundland in a single-engine Lockheed Vega 5B, becoming the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo. Five years later she disappeared while attempting to circumnavigate the globe.

Aviatrix Amelia Earhart was particular about her goggles. The aluminium pair she wore for her record-breaking solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932 had tinted glass and were taped top and bottom to cut out the glare reflected from the sea, along with some wool padding for comfort. “That particular pair are rather historic,” she remarked. “Also, they have grown accustomed to me, and cling around my unconventional nose more effectively than new ones.” They fetched US$141,600 at auction in 2009.