Let us begin!

WOMEN'S AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS (WASPs)

This is the story about the women who joined the war effort during World War II

WHO PAVED THE WAY?

Nancy Love 

Was the first female pilot to fly the most highly powered planes in the Air force

Love is also known for being the director of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron at an Air Base in Delaware, where the WAFS would transport supplies, personnel and more to their needed destinations.

Eventually, Love merged with another program who was ran by Jackie Cochran.

Jackie Cochran

started piloting military aircraft in the midst of World War 2 and became an activist for women pilots.

After meeting resistance, Cochran and 25 other female pilots went to England to join the British Transport Auxiliary (ATA) where she became the First women to ever ferry a bomber plane while overseas. Soon she founded the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) .  Thereafter, she would merge with Nancy Love’s WAFS.

Once the two merged together they were known as the Women’s Air-force Service Pilots until it ended in 1944.

A look into some of the PILOTS

Shirley Chase Kruse

After I graduated the WASP program I was sent to Georgia to flight test the newly repaired aircraft and to ferry aircraft to different bases.

I was sent to Indiana after graduation and flew training aircrafts. After WASP's ended I founded the Flight Safety Foundation and received multiple rewards.

I was sent to Mission, Texas to tow targets for the men to practice shooting, ferried airplanes and was the administrative flight conductor.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor I wanted to join the war effort. 2 weeks after graduating the WASP program, it was shut down. I returned home and worked as a pilot in the Reconstruction Finance Corporation before owning the very first woman air taxi business.

WHY WERE THEY NEEDED?

As the war grew, men were to be put on the front lines of battle against the enemy, which increased the need for qualified individuals to fly the targets for the airmen to practice gunnery, take supplies to different bases, test aircrafts, flight instructors, and to train the increased influx of men being drafted. 

The contribution of these women allowed the men to practice their skills and to get ready for war.

Requirements FOR PROGRAM

Women needed to be between 18 and 35 years old.

Pristine health, 5 feet and 2 inches tall with a pilots license of 500 hours of flight time. 

Out of the 25,000 applications submitted, only 1,830 people were accepted with 1,074 finishing the program. (Wasp requirements and history 2021)

PLANES FLOWN BY WOMEN'S AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS

P-38

C-46

PLANES FLOWN BY WOMEN'S AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS

B-24

These are just 3 of the 77 that were flown!

DOCUMENTATION OF FLIGHTS

PILOTS LOG BOOK