The Anonymous Widower

Kirsty Joins the Red Arrows

Reports over the last few days, have announced that Kirsty Moore has joined the Red Arrows as the first female pilot. I’ve searched the Internet and can’t find any adverse comments, even in some of the more feisty red-tops.

It just shows that it really isn’t a problem.

As I’ve said in this blog before, my father was something to do with Beaverbrook in the Ministry of Aircraft Production in the Second World War.  He once told me a tale about whether female pilots were to be used by the RAF in combat.  He seemed to imply that Churchill had vetoed it on the grounds that if one was killed it would indicate to the general public, that things were desperate and it would be bad for morale.  But of course, the RAF used any capable female, disabled and elderly pilots they could find to ferry aircraft from the factories to the front-line airfields, thus releasing the fit male pilots for combat. One in eight of the pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary were women.

But the exploits of female pilots on the western front against the Nazis, were nothing compared to what happened in the east.  I have read the excellent book, Moscow 1941, by Rodric Braithwaite, which describes in details the role of women pilots in that battle.  Wikipedia has some more information on Soviet women pilots and a whole section on the Night Witches.

Good luck, Kirsty, you’re following a lot of brave women.

November 12, 2009 - Posted by AnonW | News | Flying