The Ladies of WWII - Historum

**Earl_of_Rochester** · December 12th, 2012, 06:57 AM

I saw a programme called 'Spitfire Girls' the other day, it was an innocent film I promise!

There were quite a few dashing young ladies on show though and I daresay their role has been somewhat overlooked. I thought I'd post a few pics of the ATA as there's something about them that appeared very elegant. Their role was to ferry Spitfires and other aircraft around Britain.

Ms Dunlop

The whirlwind Ms Diana Barnato Walker

Ms Walker

& again

Flying gear

Spitfire

Female aviators Dorothy Spicer and Pauline Gower, who later became an officer

Pauline Gower, centre, officer of the Air Transport Auxiliary's No 5 Ferry Pilot's Pool Women's section based at Hatfield, Berkshire

Pauline Gower, ferrying a new aircraft from the factory to the aerodrome in January 1940

Silk stocking and Spitfires: The dark reality of the girls who flew dangerous wartime missions | Mail Online

I understand the Russians had female aces who went into combat, any pictures of them would be interesting to see, or indeed any photographs from other women who played their part in WW2.

~EoR

Halomanuk2 · December 12th, 2012, 07:04 AM

Lydia Litvyak
Top Russian Pilot.

**Von Ranke** · December 12th, 2012, 07:05 AM

Welcome back you young scoundrel. Here is a pic of the almost pretty Russian sniper Lyudmila Pavelichenko :

**Earl_of_Rochester** · December 12th, 2012, 07:14 AM

Most obliged my Scots chum, good to see Halo back too!

Halomanuk2 · December 12th, 2012, 07:16 AM

Ta very much my good Earl...hopefully i will get my proper account back soon as well !!

**Ancientgeezer** · December 12th, 2012, 07:51 AM

There are some brilliant stories about the ATA. The two girls who were both having an affair with the same Squadron Leader and ended up having a duel with hurricanes while both trying to land at his aerodrome first.
The ATA pilot in an unarmed Mustang who had to outfly a pair of German fighters doing a sweep over Hampshire.
The fascinating "Chilly" a South American girl from, yes, Chile, who had paid her own passage to England, did not speak English and when arrested as a spy on arrival at Liverpool laid out the immigration officer with a left hook.
Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly solo to Australia who crashed in the Thames Estuary on an ATA flight.
The super-rich girls who took over Claridges at night and flew by day and gave Bentleys to casual boyfriends.
The ATA girl who chased her errant husband to France in 1945 in a Spitfire knowing that he was flying with a WAAF on his lap.
Enough tales here for a TV soap opera mini series.

**Earl_of_Rochester** · December 12th, 2012, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ancientgeezer

There are some brilliant stories about the ATA. The two girls who were both having an affair with the same Squadron Leader and ended up having a duel with hurricanes while both trying to land at his aerodrome first.
The ATA pilot in an unarmed Mustang who had to outfly a pair of German fighters doing a sweep over Hampshire.
The fascinating "Chilly" a South American girl from, yes, Chile, who had paid her own passage to England, did not speak English and when arrested as a spy on arrival at Liverpool laid out the immigration officer with a left hook.
Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly solo to Australia who crashed in the Thames Estuary on an ATA flight.
The super-rich girls who took over Claridges at night and flew by day and gave Bentleys to casual boyfriends.
The ATA girl who chased her errant husband to France in 1945 in a Spitfire knowing that he was flying with a WAAF on his lap.
Enough tales here for a TV soap opera mini series.

Eat your heart out Downton Abbey.

The Bentley girl was Ms Diana Barnato Walker, the dark haired vixen in the above pics.

Diana_Barnato_Walker

Diana Barnato Walker - Telegraph

**Belisarius** · December 12th, 2012, 08:26 AM

..don't fancy yours much..

**Von Ranke** · December 12th, 2012, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belisarius

..don't fancy yours much..

Perhaps if her greatcoat was over her head one might give it a go. Any port in a storm and all that.

**Von Ranke** · December 12th, 2012, 09:03 AM

Violette Szabo the SOE operative who was captured by the Germans while on a mission to France. She was handed over to the Gestapo who interrogated and tortured her before she was executed by firing squad at the age of 23. She was immortalised by Virginia McKenna who played her in the film Carve Her Name With Pride. :