Mr S. Pober doubted the Steampunk worth of the following, but sometimes it’s the true things of the early age of air that surprise us the most.  Ms Hélène Dutrieu was a Belgian (and later French) speed cyclist, stunt cyclist, stunt motorcyclist(!), automobile racer, stunt driver(!!), wartime ambulance driver, director of a military hospital, journalist and world famous pioneering aviatrix, known as “Girl Hawk”.

It must be said though, that there was somewhat of a scandal when it was discovered that she didn’t wear a corset while flying!  Goodness gracious.  Quite the do-everything lady though, and she would have been a marvelous Steampunk heroine – but I’m sure were she not real, people would have scoffed at a fictional character who could do so much as unrealistic!  Most impressive, and a nifty flying costume too.