|
|
One of Britain's greatest achievements during the Second World War was the mobilisation of women on an unprecedented scale. This documentary looks at some of the most remarkable of these women, ferry pilots who flew with the Air Transport Auxiliary. Their role was to make sure that the right aircraft were in the right place, a role that saw them pilot just about every British military aircraft of the Second World War, from basic trainers to the Meteor jet fighter.
At the heart of the documentary are a series of interviews with the dwindling band of survivors of the ATA. The outstanding impression one gets from the interviews is of a love of flying in particular and of the Spitfire in particular. You also can't help but be impressed with their nonchalant attitude to being asked to ferry types of aircraft they had never flown before (or even seen before), often with only the 'ferry pilot's notes' to guide them.
After many years of obscurity the contribution made by the ferry pilots of the ATA is now being recognised, with both a memorial and a medal in the last decade. This documentary and the interviews with the surviving pilots, many now in their 90s, should play a valuable role in continuing this process, showing the people behind the achievements.
Edition: DVD
Length: 50 minutes
Publisher: Fact not Fiction Films
Year: 2010