16 ferry pools (1944) Air Movement Flight Unit 2 Training Units 1,152 pilots (male) 168 pilots (female) 151 flight engineers 19 radio officers 27 ADCC, ATC, and Sea cadets 2,786 ground staff
The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) was a British civilian organisation set up at the start of the Second World War with headquarters at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire. The ATA ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between factories, assembly plants, transatlantic delivery points, maintenance units (MUs), scrapyards, and active service squadrons and airfields, but not to naval aircraft carriers. It also flew service personnel on urgent duty from one place to another and performed some air ambulance work. Notably, around 10% of its pilots were women, and from 1943 they received equal pay to their male colleagues, a first for the British government.
The initial plan was that the ATA would carry personnel, mail and medical supplies, but the pilots were immediately needed to work with the Royal Air Force (RAF) ferry pools transporting aircraft.[1] By 1 May 1940 the ATA had taken over transporting all military aircraft from factories to maintenance units to have guns and accessories installed. On 1 August 1941, the ATA took over all ferrying jobs.[2] This freed the much-needed combat pilots for combat duty. At one time there were fourteen ATA ferry pools as far apart as Hamble, near Southampton, and Lossiemouth, near Inverness in Scotland.
A special ATA Air Pageant was held at White Waltham on 29 September 1945 to raise money for the ATA Benevolent Fund, supported by the aircraft companies that had been served by the ATA. It included comprehensive static displays of Allied and German aircraft, including a V1, aero engines, and an AA gun and searchlight complete with crew. Pilots taking part included Alex Henshaw in a Supermarine Seafire.
Without the ATA the days and nights of the Battle of Britain would have been conducted under conditions quite different from the actual events. They carried out the delivery of aircraft from the factories to the RAF, thus relieving countless numbers of RAF pilots for duty in the battle. 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 the battle. They were soldiers fighting in the struggle just as completely as if they had been engaged on the battlefront.
During the war the ATA flew 415,000 hours and delivered more than 309,000[4] aircraft of 147 types, including Spitfires, Hawker Hurricanes, de Havilland Mosquitoes, North American Mustangs, Avro Lancasters, Handley Page Halifaxes, Fairey Swordfish, Fairey Barracudas and Boeing Fortresses. The average aircraft strength of the ATA training schools was 78. A total of 133,247 hours were flown by school aircraft and 6,013 conversion courses were put through. The total flying hours of the Air Movement Flight were 17,059, of which 8,570 were on domestic flights and 8,489 were on overseas flights. About 883 tons of freight were carried and 3,430 passengers were transported without any casualties; but a total of 174 pilots, women as well as men, were killed flying for the ATA in the wartime years.[5] Total taxi hours amounted to 179,325, excluding Air Movements.[6]
As non-operational delivery flights, the aircraft guns were not loaded. After an encounter with German fighters in UK airspace,[7] the mid-upper gun turrets of Avro Anson transports were armed.[8] However, it was realised that this was against international law as the ATA staff were technically civilian status. A number of solutions were considered but eventually the gunners were withdrawn.[9]
Administration
The administration of the ATA fell to Gerard d'Erlanger, a director of British Airways Ltd. He had suggested an organisation along the lines of the ATA in a letter dated 24 May 1938. Initially the Air Ministry was lukewarm to the idea but, with war imminent, they accepted d'Erlanger's proposal and the ATA was set up in 1939.[10]
In late August 1939 the ATA was placed under British Airways Ltd for initial administration and finance,[1] but on 10 October 1939 Air Member for Supply and Organisation (AMSO) took over. The first pilots were assigned to RAF Reserve Command and attached to RAF flights to ferry trainers, fighters and bombers from factory and storage to Royal Air Force stations.[11] The ATA's Central Ferry Control, which allocated the required flights to all Ferry Pools, was based at RAF Andover.
Late in 1939 it was decided that a third and entirely civilian ferry pool should be set up at White Waltham, near Maidenhead in Berkshire. The operations of this pool began on 15 February 1940. On 16 May 1940 RAF Maintenance Command took control through its No. 41 Group. Then, on 22 July 1941, the ATA was placed under the control of Lord Beaverbrook's Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP). Although control shifted between organisations, administration was carried out throughout the war by staff led by Commodore Gerard d’Erlanger, first at British Airways Ltd then, after its merger in 1940, at the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).[2]
The ATA recruited pilots who were considered unsuitable for either the Royal Air Force or the Fleet Air Arm by reason of age, fitness or sex. A unique feature of the ATA was that physical disabilities were ignored if the pilot could do the job – thus, there were one-armed, one-legged, short-sighted and one-eyed pilots, humorously referred to as "Ancient and Tattered Airmen" (ATA).
The ATA also took pilots from other countries, both neutral and combatant. People from 28 countries flew with the ATA, including Prince Suprabhat Chirasakti (or Jirasakdi), the adopted nephew of the abdicated King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) and Queen Rambai_Barni of Thailand, who died in the crash of a Hawker Hurricane in 1942.)[12].[13]
A notable American member of the ATA was the aviator Jacqueline Cochran, who returned to the United States and started a similar all-female organisation known as the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).
In June 1940 the role of No 5 Ferry Pilots Pool was expanded to other non-combat types of aircraft (trainers and transports) such as the de Havilland Dominie, Airspeed Oxford, Miles Magister and Miles Master;[29] eventually women were incorporated in the other (previously all-male) ferry pools, and were permitted to fly virtually every type flown by the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, including the four-engined heavy bombers, but excluding the largest flying boats.[30] Hurricanes were first flown by women pilots on 19 July 1941, and Spitfires in August 1941.[8]
One notable feature of the ATA was that women received the same pay as men of equal rank, starting in 1943. This was the first time that the British government had agreed to equal pay for equal work within an organisation under its control.[31] At the same time American women flying with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were receiving as little as 65 per cent of the pay of their male colleagues.[32]
After the death in December 2020 of Eleanor Wadsworth at the age of 103, and of Jaye Edwards (née Stella Joyce Petersen; served as Third Officer in the ATA from 1943 to 1945)[33]) in August 2022[34] only one female former ATA pilot survived, American Nancy Stratford (co-author of Contact! Britain!: A woman ferry pilot's story during WWII in England). Wadsworth had joined the ATA in 1943, flew 22 different aircraft types, and flew Spitfires 132 times.[35]
Engineers
ATA, Air Transport Auxiliary Flight Engineer's wing
As the ATA became established and expanded the size and number of aircraft variants, the need for having a variety of engineers quickly became apparent. Further, as they began delivering larger multi-engine aircraft, the Flight Engineer (F/E) became essential in assisting the pilots. They were presented with their own unique insignia in both stitched and bullion variations.
There were many specific categories and levels of Engineers within the ATA organisation including Flight, Ground, SCE, Records Clerk, Tarmac, etc. Of the approximately 30 Operational Flight Engineers, only a handful were women. One of these was Patricia Parker who started her career with the ATA as a Pilot, third class but went on to become a Flight Engineer. Others were Janice Harrington (died in service), Phillis Pierce and Alice Thomas, the latter who also started as a pilot with the ATA.[36]
Training
The first ATA pilots were introduced to military aircraft at the RAF's Central Flying School (CFS), but the ATA soon developed its own training programme. Pilots progressed from light single-engined aircraft to more powerful and complex aircraft in stages. They first qualified on "Class 1" single-engined aircraft such as the Tiger Moth, Magister and Percival Proctor, then gained experience by doing ferrying work with any aircraft in that class, before returning to training to qualify and gain experience on the Class 2 advanced single-engined aircraft. The same process was followed to progress to Class 3 light twin-engined aircraft and Class 4 advanced twin-engined aircraft.[30]
In each case, once cleared to fly one class of aircraft, pilots could be asked to ferry any plane in that class even if they had never seen that type of aircraft before. To do so they had ATA Pilots Notes, a two-ring book of small cards with the critical statistics and notations necessary to ferry each aircraft.[37]
To fly Class 5 four-engined aircraft, pilots were first trained on the Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber and then could be permitted by their Commanding Officer to fly other similar types such as the Avro Lancaster when they had acquired more experience. [38] When flying Class 5 aircraft and certain Class 4 aircraft, the pilot was the sole pilot but was always accompanied by a further crew member such as a flight engineer.[39] There were further rules for Class 6 flying boat ferrying.[30]
The ATA trained its pilots only to ferry planes, rather than to achieve perfection on every type. For example, aerobatics and blind flying were not taught, and pilots were explicitly forbidden to do either, even if they were capable of doing so. Also, in order not to strain the engines, an "ATA cruise" speed was specified in the ATA Pilots Notes.[30] The objective of the ATA was to deliver aircraft safely and that meant taking no unnecessary risks.[40]
Previously: No. 16 Ferry Pilots Pool ATA − No. 4 Ferry Pilot Pool ATA
No. 5 (T) Ferry Pool ATA
Previously: (Training) Ferry Pool ATA
Initial Flying Training School ATA
Previously: Elementary Flying Training School ATA − ATA School
Air Movements Flight ATA (1942–45)
Advanced Flying Training School ATA (1942–45)
Previously: ATA School
Recognition
In 2008 the surviving members of the auxiliary were awarded Air Transport Auxiliary Veterans Badges in recognition for their contributions to the war effort. The badge was announced by Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly in February 2008. Some of the awards were presented directly by Prime Minister Gordon Brown at a Downing Street reception in September 2008.[43]
Flude, Ray (2023). "Girls Can Win Wings! The Air Transport Auxiliary Women Who Learned to Fly Ab Initio". The Aviation Historian (44): 66–77. ISSN2051-1930.
Gould, Carol. Spitfire Girls: A Tale of the Lives and Loves Achievements and Heroism of the Women ATA Pilots in World War II. Forfar: Black Ace Books, 1998.
Lord Brown, Kate. The Beauty Chorus. London: Corvus Atlantic, 2011
Matthews, Beryl. A Flight of Golden Wings. Sutton: Severn House, 2007.
Morrison, Margaret and Pamela Tulk-Hart. Paid to Be Safe. London: Hutchinson, 1948.
Ryan, Garry. Blackbirds (2012) and Two Blackbirds (2014). Calgary, Alberta: NeWest Press.
Schrader, Helena. The Lady in the Spitfire. Lincoln, Nebraska: iUniverse, Inc, 2006.
Singer, E. M. Mother Flies Hurricanes. Bend, OR: Avidia Cascade Press, 1999.
Terrell, George. I'll Never Leave You. San Jose: Writer's Showcase, 2001.
Lester, Natasha. The Paris Secret. New York: Forever (Hachette Book Group), 2020.
Blythe, Jim: "Aviatrix". Stage play performed by A48 Theatre Company, Cardiff, 2023.
Related Research Articles
Marion AliceOrr, CM was a pioneering Canadian aviator who was the first woman to run a flying school. She served with the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1986.
Ferry flying is the flying of aircraft for the purpose of returning the aircraft to base, delivering it to a customer, moving it from one base of operations to another, or moving it to or from a maintenance facility for maintenance, repair, and operations.
White Waltham Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome located at White Waltham, 2 nautical miles southwest of Maidenhead, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.
Joan Lily Amelia Hughes, MBE was a World War II ferry pilot and one of Britain's first female test pilots. She was considered a capable instructor and flew everything except flying boats.
Diana Barnato Walker MBE FRAeS was a pioneering British aviator. In World War II, she became one of the first women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary, flying 80 types of aircraft and delivering 260 Spitfires. In 1963, she became the first British woman to break the sound barrier, flying at Mach 1.6, which also represented a world air speed record for women.
Pauline Mary de Peauly Gower Fahie was a British pilot and writer who established the women's branch of the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War.
Eleanor Lettice Curtis was an English aviator, flight test engineer, air racing pilot, and sportswoman.
Jane Winstone was a New Zealand aviator. She was born in Whanganui, New Zealand in 1912 and flew in the Second World War as a pilot in the British civilian Air Transport Auxiliary and died in service.
Maureen Adele Chase Dunlop de Popp, née Dunlop, was an Anglo-Argentine pilot who flew for the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) during World War II, and became notable as a pin-up on the cover of the Picture Post magazine.
Marion Wilberforce was a Scottish aviator and one of the first eight members of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). She flew many planes including Spitfires, Hurricanes, Lancaster Bombers, Wellington Bombers and Mosquitos. She rose to become deputy commander of the No. 5 Ferry Pool at Hatfield, and later became commander of the No. 12 Ferry Pool at Cosford, one of only two women pool commanders in the whole ATA.
Hazel Jane Raines was an American pioneer aviator and flight instructor with the Civilian Pilot Training Program. During World War II, she was part of the first group of United States women to fly military aircraft, which they did in a war zone for the civilian British Air Transport Auxiliary. She was later a member of the civilian contract labor Women Airforce Service Pilots. After the war, she taught instrument training in Brazil. When President Harry S. Truman authorized the integration of women into the military, she served with Women in the Air Force and was based in Texas, Alabama, and finally London until her death. Raines was the first woman in Georgia to earn a pilot's license, and has been inducted into both the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame and the Georgia Women of Achievement.
Joy Lofthouse was a British pilot having joined the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) as an ab initio pilot in December 1943. She went on to fly Spitfires and bombers for the Air Transport Auxiliary, and was one of only 168 "Attagirls" who served.
Mary Ellis was a British ferry pilot, and one of the last surviving British women pilots from the Second World War.
Vera Elsie Strodl Dowling was a Danish pilot who gained fame in the Second World War as the only Scandinavian woman to fly for the RAF's Air Transport Auxiliary. Later, based in Alberta, Canada, she instructed pilots under the Commonwealth Training Programme. In May 2000, she was honoured with membership of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame.
Rosemary Rees MBE was a British aviator who worked for the Air Transport Auxiliary. She was second in command to Margot Gore at Hamble from the 29th September 1941 when the site became an all-women ATA ferry pool.
Margaret Cunnison was a Scottish aviator and the first Scottish woman flying instructor. She was one of the first women to join the Air Transport Auxiliary.
Winifred Crossley was an aviator who was the first woman to be checked out on a Hurricane fighter. She was one of the First Eight, the initial group of women pilots to join the Air Transport Auxiliary.
Eleanor Wadsworth was an English second world war pilot, who served as one of the RAF's "Spitfire women". Wadsworth was the oldest surviving pilot of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), before her death in December 2020.
Veronica May Volkersz was a British aviator and beauty queen. She flew for the RAF's Air Transport Auxiliary in the Second World War and was the first British woman to fly an operational jet fighter when she ferried a Meteor from the Gloster factory to RAF Moreton Valence on 15 September 1945.
Stefania Cecylia Wojtulanis-Karpińska, was a Polish aviator. She was a sports pilot in the inter war period and was a Captain in the Polish Air Force. She flew in the British Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War, when she was known as Barbara Wojtulanis. She was one of the first two Polish woman pilots to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary, the other being Anna Leska.
↑ "Second Officer H.R.H. Prince SUPRABHAT CHIRASAKTI". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 16 July 2023. Adopted son of H R.H. The Prince and Princess of Sukhodaya; husband of H.H. Princess Mani Chirasakti, of Queen Camel, Somerset. The first Siamese in the British Isles to give his life for the Allied cause.
Bergel, Hugh. Fly and Deliver: A Ferry Pilot's Log Book. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 1982.
Curtis, Lettice. Lettice Curtis: Her Autobiography. Walton on Thames: Red Kite, 2004.
De Bunsen, Mary. Mount Up with Wings. London: Hutchinson, 1960.
Du Cros, Rosemary. ATA Girl: Memoirs of a Wartime Ferry Pilot. London: Muller, 1983.
Ellis, Mary. A Spitfire Girl. Barnsley: Frontline Books, 2016.
Fahie, Michael. A Harvest of Memories: The Life of Pauline Gower M.B.E.. Peterborough: GMS Enterprises, 1995.
Genovese, J. Gen. We Flew Without Guns. Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Company, 1945.
Hugh Bergel (ed). Flying Wartime Aircraft; ATA Ferry Pilots' Handling Notes for Seven World War II Aircraft. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1972. ISBN9780715355503
Hathaway, Warren. Pursuit of a Dream: The Story of Pilot Vera (Strodl) Dowling. Edmonton, Canada: PageMaster Publishing, 2012.
Hawkins, Regina Trice. Hazel Jane Raines, Pioneer Lady of Flight. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1996.
Hyams, Jacky. The Female Few: Spitfire Heroines of the Air Transport Auxiliary. Gloucester: History Press, 2012. ISBN978-0752480961
King, Alison. Golden Wings. London: C. Arthur Pearson Ltd, 1956.
Lucas, Y. M. WAAF with Wings. Peterborough: GMS Enterprises, 1992. ISBN9781870384162
Moggridge, Dolores Theresa. Woman Pilot. London: Michael Joseph, 1957. Republished as: Moggridge, Jackie. Spitfire Girl. My Life in the Sky. London: Head of Zeus, 2014. ISBN978-1781859896
Narracott, Arthur Henson. Unsung Heroes of the Air. London: F. Muller, 1943.
Phelps, Anthony. "I Couldn't Care Less.". Leicester: Harborough Pub. Co.; sole distributors to the trade: H. Marshall, 1945.
Taylor, Leonard. Airwomen's Work. London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, 1943.
Thomas, Nick. Naomi the Aviatrix. Createspace, 2011. ISBN9781453883853
Walters, Anthony Jack. Air Transport Auxiliary (The Lost Child). Wallingford: Aries Publications, 2006. ISBN9780954181567
Welch, Ann Courtenay Edmonds. Happy to Fly: An Autobiography. London: John Murray, 1983. ISBN978-0719540332
Wheeler, Jo. The Hurricane Girls: The Inspirational True Story of the Women who Dared to Fly. London: Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN978-0-241-35463-6
Whittell, Giles. Spitfire Women of World War II. London: Harper Press, 2007. ISBN9780007235360
Other books that mention the ATA's women pilots
Bell, Elizabeth S. Sisters of the Wind: Voices of Early Women Aviators. Pasadena, CA: Trilogy Books, 1994.
Jaros, Dean. Heroes Without Legacy: American Airwomen, 1912-1944. Niwot, CO: University Press of Colorado, 1993.
Keil, Sally Van Wagenen. Those Wonderful Women in Their Flying Machines: The Unknown Heroines of World War II. New York: Rawson, Wade Publishers, 1979.
Lomax, Judy. Women of the Air. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1987.
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