Spitfires
Details
The heart-pounding true story of the daring American women who piloted the most dangerous aircraft of World War II through the treacherous skies of Britain.
They were crop dusters and debutantes, college girls and performers—all trained as pilots. But because they were women, they could not fly for their country when the U.S. entered WWII. But by 1942, Britain was desperate for transport pilots, so these twenty-five daring aviators left for England, becoming the first American women to command military aircraft.
These “spitfires” lived like women ahead of their time. Risking their lives in one of the deadliest jobs of the war, they ferried fighters and bombers to air bases and returned shot-up wrecks for repair, never knowing what might go wrong. They broke new ground off duty as well, shocking their hosts with thoroughly modern behavior.
With cinematic sweep, Becky Aikman brings to life nine of these forgotten heroines, drawing on unpublished diaries, letters, and records, along with her own interviews. Spitfires is a richly detailed account of war, ambition, and a group of remarkable women whose lives were as unconventional as their dreams.
These “spitfires” lived like women ahead of their time. Risking their lives in one of the deadliest jobs of the war, they ferried fighters and bombers to air bases and returned shot-up wrecks for repair, never knowing what might go wrong. They broke new ground off duty as well, shocking their hosts with thoroughly modern behavior.
With cinematic sweep, Becky Aikman brings to life nine of these forgotten heroines, drawing on unpublished diaries, letters, and records, along with her own interviews. Spitfires is a richly detailed account of war, ambition, and a group of remarkable women whose lives were as unconventional as their dreams.