Lockheed Electra

Pictured is a portion of the Lockheed Electra Model 10-E that resides in the Seattle Museum of Flight. This is the same model of this aircraft the Emilia Earhart used in her ill-fated attempt to fly around the world. A similar, but slightly smaller version of this aircraft, the Electra Model 12, was used in the climatic scene of the movie “Casablanca”.

In Greek mythology, Electra was the daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra. Electra was immortalized in plays by Sophocles and Euripides. She and her brother Orestes plotted revenge against their mother Clytemnestra and stepfather for the murder of their father, Agamemnon. As Greek tragedies go, her story is pretty tragic.

Another mythical Greek character was also called Electra. This Electra is also one of the seven sisters in the Pleiades. She was one of the seven daughters of Atlas. She was raped by Zeus and gave birth to Dardanus, for whom the Dardanelles was named. According to one legend, she was the lost Pleiad, disappearing in grief after the destruction of Troy. The word Electra means “shining” and “bright”.

Electra also appears in psychology as the Electra complex. This is the female equivalent to the male Oedipus complex. In both complexes the child competes with their same-sex parent for the affection of the opposite sex parent. The Electra complex is often associated with the idea of Daddy’s little girl. A classic song by that title is a favorite at white weddings, for when the bride dances with her father. It is amazing what rabbit-holes one can go down with a little Internet research. The lyrics to “Daddy’s Little Girl” are below:

You’re the end of the rainbow, my pot of gold.
You’re daddy’s little girl, to have and hold.
A precious gem is what you are;
You’re mommy’s bright and shining star.

You’re the spirit of Christmas, the star on our tree.
You’re the Easter Bunny to Mommy and me.
You’re sugar, you’re spice, and you’re everything nice
And You’re Daddy’s Little Girl