Women at War: The Air Transport Auxiliary

The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) was formed in 1940 to ferry new, repaired, and damaged aircraft between factories, maintenance units, and frontline RAF squadrons. Among its pilots were 168 women who flew every type of aircraft in the RAF inventory.

These women flew without radios, without weapons, and often without full instrument panels — relying on maps and landmarks to navigate across Britain in all weather conditions. They were paid 20% less than their male counterparts until 1943, when equal pay was finally achieved.

The most famous ATA pilot, Amy Johnson, was lost over the Thames Estuary in January 1941 in circumstances that remain mysterious. Fifteen women ATA pilots died during the war. Their contribution proved beyond doubt that women could fly military aircraft as capably as men, paving the way for future generations.