An interesting article about women pilots who helped to move planes during WWII.
COURAGE OF THE 'SPITFIRE GIRLS'
They were sleek, beautifully shaped, and earned something of a racy reputation.
And that was just the Spitfires they flew.
But even away from the cockpit, the plucky young gals of the World War Two Air Transport Auxiliary turned plenty of heads as well.
In their hastily adapted uniforms (one even had her jacket tailored in Savile Row) they became the darlings of the air – and the unsung heroines of the Battle of Britain.
Women of the Air Transport Auxiliary Service
This was the forgotten army of women who broke through male-dominated barriers to pilot the aircraft – and to deliver them for service in the front line.
It was a job that perfectly suited the Attagirls, as they became known, and not just because they boosted the war effort with such pluckiness and enthusiasm.
Their petite frames fitted the cramped interior of the Spitfire so snugly it was, as one put it, ‘like wearing a well-fitting dress’.
Only 164 women were allowed into the ATA.
Back then, they had to show plenty of determination to convince military bosses that women were up to the task.
But once accepted, they said, they were treated no differently from the men.
The ATA delivered more than 308,000 aircraft from factories to airfields, also returning damaged aircraft for repair.
Sometimes the Attagirls would be given only 30 minutes with a handbook before taking off in an unfamiliar plane.
Losses were considerable, with one in six becoming a casualty at one stage.
The role of the ‘Spitfire Girls’ was largely overlooked until 2008, when the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown was persuaded to honour them with a commemorative badge.
Churchill and his government, however, never underestimated their contribution.
Lord Beaverbrook, then his aircraft production minister, declared: ‘They were soldiers fighting in the struggle just as completely as if engaged on the battlefront.’
Posted :
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1qZ1qooOf
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
