?? Wasps flew Hurricanes and Spits??

"Cub Driver"
I find that hard to believe. Anyone know if the WASPS flew Huricanes
and Spits? If so, what were the circumstances?

There was a TV program on this very topic commemorating their service in
the ATA and the WASPS. These talented women flew nearly everything on
inventory from heavy bombers, trainers, to the latest fighters of that time.
In the beginning ground crews where often shocked to see a wisp of a woman
climb out of a heavy bomber when it was delivered to an active base. They
often waited for the expected male pilot to climb out of the aircraft but
there was none. According to this TV program a memorial has been set up in
England commemorating the personnel of the ATA that lost their lives doing
this important work.

"Ed Majden" wrote in message news:hM%Eb.760563$6C4.347245@pd7tw1no...
"Cub Driver"
I find that hard to believe. Anyone know if the WASPS flew Huricanes
and Spits? If so, what were the circumstances?

There was a TV program on this very topic commemorating their service in
the ATA and the WASPS. These talented women flew nearly everything on
inventory from heavy bombers, trainers, to the latest fighters of that time.
In the beginning ground crews where often shocked to see a wisp of a woman
climb out of a heavy bomber when it was delivered to an active base. They
often waited for the expected male pilot to climb out of the aircraft but
there was none. According to this TV program a memorial has been set up in
England commemorating the personnel of the ATA that lost their lives doing
this important work.


Of course they flew all kinds of aircraft including the Spitfi

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2..._20003231.html

While researching this topic I also came across the story of Roberta
Cowell (a.k.a. Robert Cowell, Spitfire pilot) which is bizarre but
true:

http://www.transgenderzone.com/featu...rta_cowell.htm

In modern times, Carolyn Grace is also the world's only certified
female Spitfire pilot:

http://www.ukwarbirds.fsnet.co.uk/op...20%20grace.htm

Ashton Archer III

While researching this topic I also came across the story of Roberta
Cowell (a.k.a. Robert Cowell, Spitfire pilot) which is bizarre but
true:

http://www.transgenderzone.com/featu...rta_cowell.htm

Absolutely fascinating story. Does anyone know how many kills she/he
had during the war?

Ian

Does anyone know how many kills she/he
had during the war?

If Cowell existed, she evidently wasn't credited with as many as five,
since no such person is listed in Aces High.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

Cub Driver wrote in message . ..
Does anyone know how many kills she/he
had during the war?

If Cowell existed, she evidently wasn't credited with as many as five,
since no such person is listed in Aces High.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com


Robert Cowell's medical history would have seemed to disqualify him
from flying; however, he did enlist in Jan 1940 in the R.A.S.C. after
turning down a mechanical engineer (he was a car racer previously)
position with Ordnance. He was sent to Aldershot. In Jan 1941 Cowell
was posted to a unit in Cambridgeshire with the rank of capt. He was
in charge of mobile workshops.
In May 1941 he was sent to Iceland as Officer Commanding Heavy Repair
Shops. From there, Cowell transfered to the R.A.F. and went back to
England. He at first was trained on Tiger Moths but then was put on a
twin-engined aircraft with a view to becoming a bomber pilot. That
fell through so he went back to single-engined fighter trainers and
flew the Miles Master until graduating up to the Spitfire.
Later in the war, Cowell was part of a fighter squadron that took part
in the invasion of France. His squadron was in Normandy and stayed in
France through the liberation. On Cowell's second tour of operations
on a mission east of the Rhine his Spitfire took flak full in the
engine. A second shell tore a hole in the port wing. Cowell crash
landed at high speed but survived. For the remainder of the war Cowell
was at Stalag Luft I up near the Baltic between Lubeck and Rostock
until liberated by the Russians on May 5, 1945.
There is no record in Cowell's autobiography of having shot down any
German aircraft; however, he was attacked by German aircraft and took
out some ground targets including IIRC part of a V-1 launch site.

Rob

p.s. Hope this info helps... but does anyone know what R.A.S.C. stands
for?

"robert arndt" wrote in message
om...

p.s. Hope this info helps... but does anyone know what R.A.S.C. stands
for?

Royal Army Service Corps?

In article .rogers.com
, Sid Wood writes

"robert arndt" wrote in message
. com...

p.s. Hope this info helps... but does anyone know what R.A.S.C. stands
for?

Royal Army Service Corps?


More cruelly referred to by other units as:

'Run Away - Someone's Coming'

And of course the Local Defence Volunteers were saddled with:

'Look, Duck, Vanish'

Cheers,

Dave

--
Dave Eadsforth

Ashton Archer III wrote:

"Ed Majden" wrote in message news:hM%Eb.760563$6C4.347245@pd7tw1no...
"Cub Driver"
I find that hard to believe. Anyone know if the WASPS flew Huricanes
and Spits? If so, what were the circumstances?

There was a TV program on this very topic commemorating their service in
the ATA and the WASPS. These talented women flew nearly everything on
inventory from heavy bombers, trainers, to the latest fighters of that time.
In the beginning ground crews where often shocked to see a wisp of a woman
climb out of a heavy bomber when it was delivered to an active base. They
often waited for the expected male pilot to climb out of the aircraft but
there was none. According to this TV program a memorial has been set up in
England commemorating the personnel of the ATA that lost their lives doing
this important work.

Of course they flew all kinds of aircraft including the Spitfi

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2..._20003231.html

While researching this topic I also came across the story of Roberta
Cowell (a.k.a. Robert Cowell, Spitfire pilot) which is bizarre but
true:

http://www.transgenderzone.com/featu...rta_cowell.htm

In modern times, Carolyn Grace is also the world's only certified
female Spitfire pilot:

http://www.ukwarbirds.fsnet.co.uk/op...20%20grace.htm

Ashton Archer III

The USAF is way ahead of you Brits. I read a biography of
the WWI US Air Service Medal of Honor winner Frank Luke that
mentioned how he loved to go to bars dressed like a woman.
Luke Air Force Base in Arizona is named after him.

Joe


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The USAF is way ahead of you Brits. I read a biography of
the WWI US Air Service Medal of Honor winner Frank Luke that
mentioned how he loved to go to bars dressed like a woman.
Luke Air Force Base in Arizona is named after him.

Joe

How ironic too that the first US transsexual was Christine Jorgensen,
a former G.I. from the Bronx!!!
IIRC, he served post-WW2 though... Cowell was a Spitfire pilot and
POW.

Rob

p.s. Cowell's autobiography is OOP but still can be obtained from
www.bookfinder.com for a small fee. Jorgensen's book was reprinted in
2000 (ISBN 1573441007) and available.
I read Cowell's book which is fairly interesting, especially the
period in the R.A.F. Still, there is no documentation provided of
Cowell's record in Spits aside from his own memory and a few photos of
his military I.D and POW card. Sad too that as a woman Cowell lost all
interest in both flying and racing cars.

In message , Ashton
Archer III writes
"Ed Majden" wrote in message
news:hM%Eb.760563$6C4.347245@pd7tw1no...
"Cub Driver"
I find that hard to believe. Anyone know if the WASPS flew Huricanes
and Spits? If so, what were the circumstances?

There was a TV program on this very topic commemorating their service in
the ATA and the WASPS. These talented women flew nearly everything on
inventory from heavy bombers, trainers, to the latest fighters of that time.
In the beginning ground crews where often shocked to see a wisp of a woman
climb out of a heavy bomber when it was delivered to an active base. They
often waited for the expected male pilot to climb out of the aircraft but
there was none. According to this TV program a memorial has been set up in
England commemorating the personnel of the ATA that lost their lives doing
this important work.


Of course they flew all kinds of aircraft including the Spitfi

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2..._20003231.html

While researching this topic I also came across the story of Roberta
Cowell (a.k.a. Robert Cowell, Spitfire pilot) which is bizarre but
true:

http://www.transgenderzone.com/featu...rta_cowell.htm

In modern times, Carolyn Grace is also the world's only certified
female Spitfire pilot:

http://www.ukwarbirds.fsnet.co.uk/op...20%20grace.htm

Picture of her and her 2-seater Spitfire trainer in the latest
'Fly-Past'.

Mike
--
M.J.Powell