The Role of Women in Spitfire Operations

Spitfires.com
Nov 12
8 min read

The women of the Air Transport Auxiliary

World War II is often talked about in terms of global politics and military operations. But as a time when nations were thrown into chaos, this conflict was also the catalyst for social change.

With men called to combat, women stepped up into roles once thought unimaginable for them. That included taking the controls of some of the most advanced fighter aircraft of the era.

Though they never engaged in combat – at least, not intentionally – women in WWII aviation ensured fighter pilots had the planes they needed to continue the fight against Axis forces.

Each flight demanded precision, courage and tireless dedication. And by proving their capability in such a demanding role, female WWII pilots did more than contribute to Allied war efforts. They also began to dismantle barriers that had kept women grounded.

Their stories of determination, skill and heroism left a lasting legacy for future aviators and women in all walks of life.

Women in the Air Transport Auxiliary: Flying beyond boundaries

Women Spitfire pilots primarily served in the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA).

This was a civilian organisation set up in September 1939 to ferry new military aircraft from factories and assembly plants to active squadrons and airfields.

And when planes returned damaged from sorties, the ATA took them to maintenance depots and back again.

Establishing the women’s division

In January 1940, Pauline Gower – a commissioner for the Civil Air Guard – was appointed to set up and lead the women’s section of the ATA as their flight captain.

At first, just eight women were accepted into service on New Year’s Day 1940, for a total of nine along with Gower. These ATA women pilots were:

Joan Hughes
Margaret Cunnison
Mona Friedlander
Rosemary Rees
Marion Wilberforce
Margaret Fairweather
Gabrielle Patterson
Winifred Crossley Fair

The idea of women in WWII aviation didn’t go down well with some.

In a 1940 editorial, the Aeroplane magazine raved: “Women anxious to serve their country should take on work more befitting their sex instead of encroaching on a man’s occupation.”

But had these outcries been accepted, the outcome of the Second World War may well have been quite different.

Flying with the ATA

Initially, these female WWII pilots – who became known as Attagirls, to the distaste of some – were seen as less skilled than their male colleagues.

They were only cleared to fly Tiger Moths at first. But in time they flew all types of aircraft, including Hawker Hurricanes, American B17 Flying Fortresses and even the legendary Supermarine Spitfires.

Since ATA pilots were civilians, the aircraft were first ferried without ammunition.

However, after the ferried planes started to encounter German aircraft with no way to fight back, the decision was made to leave the guns fully loaded.

Achieving equal pay for women

The women of the ATA were often considered unfit to serve because of their gender.

However, many had just as much flying experience as the male Spitfire ferry pilots around them – and oftentimes much more.

They were initially paid at a lower rate than men for the same job and risks. But by leveraging the connections of her father, Sir Robert Gower MP, Pauline Gower achieved equal pay for all the female pilots under her command.

This was the first time the British government approved equal pay for equal work for an organisation under its control.

The end of the ATA

The ATA was pivotal to WWII Spitfire operations and other RAF missions. And the work of these pilots influenced the outcome of the war.

Upon disbanding the ATA on 30^th November 1945, Lord Beaverbrook – Winston Churchhill’s former Minister of Aircraft Production – said:

“Just as the Battle of Britain is the accomplishment and achievement of the RAF, likewise it can be declared that the ATA sustained and supported them in battle. They were soldiers fighting in the struggle just as completely as if they had been engaged on the battlefront.”

The ATA was no longer needed once the war had come to an end. But women’s contributions to WWII aviation had set a precedent that became the foundation for lasting change.

You might also enjoy: The ale-carrying Spitfires of WWII

Notable women Spitfire pilots

From 1939 to 1945, hundreds of women risked their lives in key WWII female aviation roles – and we encourage you to find out more about them.

But for now, we’ve picked out three such female Spitfire pilots that are deserving of merit.

Mary Ellis

A trailblazer for women in WWII aviation, Mary Ellis was one of the early women Spitfire pilots to serve in the ATA.

Born Mary Wilkins, she grew up close to RAF bases at Bicester and Port Meadow.

She had a lifelong fascination with aircraft. And she learned to fly at Witney Airfield as a teenager.

When the war broke out, her flying license and aviation experience made her a perfect fit for the ATA.

Mary joined in 1941 after she heard an advertisement for the ATA on BBC radio.

She recalled that: “Girls flying aeroplanes was almost a sin at that time”.

But after she was accepted, she soon found herself flying “fast and furious aeroplanes and bombers all over the country”.

From an all-women’s ATA pool in Hamble, Hampshire, Mary flew around 1,000 aircraft of 76 types during the war, including 400 Spitfires. She even delivered 14 Spitfires to RAF Westhampnett (now RAF Goodwood, home of Spitfires.com) in 1944!

“And occasionally,” she said, “I would take one up and go and play with the clouds.”

However, despite her love of taking to the skies, working at the ATA wasn’t all fun and games.

Mary came close to death on several occasions.

She was shot at over Bournemouth – possibly friendly fire – and nearly crashed into another Spitfire as the two attempted to land at the same time in fog. She even survived a crash landing when the undercarriage of her Spitfire jammed, causing the engine to overheat.

Mary said that women in WWII aviation “proved that we could handle aeroplanes and do the job that we were supposed to do.”

When the ATA disbanded, Mary Wilkins was seconded to the RAF. There, she became one of the first women to fly Britain’s first fighter jet, the Gloster Meteor.

Mary became the manager of Sandown Airport of the Isle of Wight in the 1950s and 1960s. And in later life, she told her full story in her book A Spitfire Girl.

She died in 2018 at the age of 101.

Diana Barnato Walker

Diana’s father was a wealthy Jewish financier and famous racing driver. Born into money, she had everything she needed to enjoy a life of luxury.

But for Diana, the idea of lounging around in decadence brought nothing but boredom.

In 1938, at age 20, she learned to fly a Tiger Moth, going solo in just six hours.

And when war broke out, Diana hoped to be a fighter pilot.

However, she was barred from taking off for combat.

“I think we would have been perfectly decent fighter pilots,” she said. "But it was assumed that war was men's business. We had a duty to back them up. We could hardly sit about looking pretty and doing nothing, could we?"

So instead, she volunteered for service in September 1939. And as a member of the ATA, she delivered 260 unarmed Spitfires from factories to RAF airfields between 1942 and 1945.

Quite proudly, she landed each and every one without a scratch, whatever the weather.

Diana also gained a reputation for refusing to fly without looking her best. Her hair was always finely combed, and she put on makeup whenever she landed.

This made her the apple of the eye for combat pilots.

Diana was briefly engaged to Battle of Britain ace Wing Commander Humphrey Gilbert in 1942 before his death shortly after. She later married Wing Commander Derek Walker in 1944.

They flew together in a pair of Mk IX Spitfires on a honeymoon trip to Brussels and back – though for official purposes, the mission was reconnaissance.

This journey actually made Diana the only British woman on record to fly over the Channel into occupied Europe during WWII.

Sadly, Wing Commander Walker died in a flying accident shortly after in November 1945.

After the war, Diana continued to support women in aviation through her work with the Women’s Junior Air Corps, later known as the Girls’ Venture Corps. She encouraged generations of women to fly so that no one could ever say that aircraft are purely “boy’s stuff”.

Diana died on 28 April 2008.

Pauline Gower

It’s impossible to talk about women in WWII aviation without looking at the contributions of Pauline Gower.

Pauline trained as a pilot in the 1920s. And by August 1931, at the age of 21, she had created her own joy riding and air taxi service in Kent.

She was also a keen advocate for flying. She contributed pieces to Girl’s Own Paper and Chatterbox, two popular magazines of the age. And in 1934, her poetry was published under the title Piffling Poems for Pilots.

Pauline even published Women with Wings, a biography of her early years in aviation, in 1938.

That same year, Pauline was appointed as civil defence commissioner for the Civil Air Guard. This organisation was set up in July 1938 by the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood – a Conservative Party colleague of Pauline’s father.

As a civilian organisation, the Civil Air Guard encouraged and subsidised pilot training. And when the war began, this ready-made pool of aviators formed the foundations for the ATA.

While the ATA was established as a male-only group, Pauline insisted that women be allowed to participate, even achieving pay parity between the sexes.

In 1940, Paulina was put in charge of the women’s section of the ATA.

But the term Attagirls didn’t sit well with her. And she insisted on referring to the crack female pilots under her command not as girls but as women.

When the call came for pilots to join the ATA, Pauline received applications from Argentina, Australia, South Africa and the USE. She even brought in female Dutch and Polish pilots displaced by German invasion.

The mix of nationalities, genders and ages, as well as its acceptance of disabled pilots, made the ATA one of the most diverse organisations during the war. And Pauline set high standards that she ensured were met both in flying and social life.

For a woman who made aviation history, Pauline wasn’t able to enjoy her contributions for as long as she deserved. Less than two years after the ATA was disbanded in 1945, Pauline died of cancer.

Read about: The history of the Spitfire

The legacy and impact of female pilots in WWII

Female WWII pilots challenged stereotypes, shifting public perception of women’s capabilities in highly technical, high-risk roles.

Their work not only proved that women were essential pilots and wartime assets, but also made history by establishing the first instance of recognised equal pay.

Post-war opportunities for women in aviation diminished as men returned to peacetime roles.

But the precedent had been set, laying the foundations for further change in the future.

The legacies of Pauline Gower, Mary Ellis, Diana Barnato Walker and hundreds of other female aviators are measured not just in wartime contribution but also the doors they opened for women in aviation worldwide.

Honouring their legacy through Spitfire flight experiences

Learning about the role of women in aviation history is one way to honour their legacy. Another is to step into their very same cockpits with your own Spitfire flight experience.

As the world’s first and only accredited Spitfire pilot training school, we offer two-seater Spitfire flight experiences from 10 different airfields throughout the UK.

And it’s not just about going along for the ride. While you’re up in the sky, you’ll also have the opportunity to perform exhilarating aerobatics – no previous experience required!

Book your Spitfire flight experience today to experience for yourself a rare snapshot of global, military and female history.