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breetome t1_ixdgxab wrote

I read somewhere that these ladies would deliver the planes to different bases. Very cool photo, thanks for sharing this.

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calguy1955 t1_ixe95rt wrote

They would also ferry servicemen to different bases. These women wanted to serve the war effort but they weren’t allowed in combat so they formed the WASP service and had them fly around the states.

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LanceFree t1_ixf1lli wrote

A friend of the family was in the first class of Wasps. She said the planes were designed for men, she actually had to sit on phonebooks or manuals.

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breetome t1_ixebdek wrote

Cool! Thanks for sharing. I know there was a small bit of a war documentary that mentioned these ladies. They were probably thrilled to be able to fly and help out.

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carmium t1_ixf5x2z wrote

In the UK they had Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). These women ferried every type of aircraft imaginable, with some having flown virtually every single-, twin-, and four-engined plane available. And most loved Spitfires the best!

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HawkeyeTen t1_ixengnz wrote

They flew them to Britain and other areas as well, from what I've read. Truly astonishing ladies.

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phasefournow t1_ixh8pi2 wrote

Took them nearly 50 years to get Government recognition and receive any kind of veterans benefits.

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donutboof t1_ixfnloc wrote

I’m the grandson of a WASP, 44-w-7. In addition to ferrying pretty much everything in the inventory, they also trained pilots, towed targets, and did checkout flights on repaired aircraft. Last year, I actually had the chance to fly an AT-6 flown by my grandmother at Avenger Field!

As a kid, I went to many of their reunions. They were an incredible group of ladies, decades ahead of their time. Returning to civilian life was HARD for most after their wartime experiences. It was really incredible to see what so many did later in life, too.

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katchoo1 t1_ixh03sh wrote

I remember seeing a film about the women who went to work in the war effort in a women's history class in college. It had the inspiring propaganda footage and photos we've all seen, women in coveralls and such, and the women like the WASPs. And then interviews with them as older women (probably filmed in late 70s/early 80s) almost all of them talking about how much some of them wanted to keep going in the workforce but they were all summarily fired to make room for the "fellas" returning from the war. Really felt like it was the most meaningful period of their lives for many and they missed it when it was over. Kind of gives another level to the Baby Boom -- give those ladies something to do at home so they get the hell out of the workforce! I'd always seen the inspiring side of it but it was a bummer to see how the women went from homefront hero one day to selfish jerk the next for staying in a factory job that a man "needed".

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GermsDean t1_ixhym62 wrote

That’s amazing! I read a really great book that I would highly recommend to any aviation nerds like myself called Winning My Wings by Marion Stegeman-Hodgson about her experience in the WASP program.

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DickweedMcGee t1_ixf8ab7 wrote

Dangerous work too. These were high performance aircraft with 1940s reliability, safety equipment and non-computerized traffic control. 38 WASP pilots lost their lives in WWII, some MIA to this day.

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breetome t1_ixf8jh5 wrote

Good point. They had to actually be pretty damn brave to do this.

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deepaksn t1_ixfht6k wrote

Yep.

Except for the bomber crews… I believe that more men were killed in training and non-operational accidents than were by the enemy.

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cannotbefaded t1_ixdcyp9 wrote

How can you tell her religion?

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vinnydaq t1_ixdeu2p wrote

In this case WASP doesn’t mean white Anglo-Saxon Protestant, it stands for Women Air Force Service Pilots.

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be-like-water-2022 t1_ixdq0mc wrote

Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) They changed the face of military history. These women could fly. These women served proudly. These women are amazing.

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paggo_diablo t1_ixfmb6j wrote

“This cockpit is so small I have to go outside just to change my mind”…makes sense if you say it in a Thurston Howell voice…

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fmendoza1963 t1_ixedvjd wrote

Thanks for posting this. These women flew on domestic routes thus freeing up male pilots for combat operations. Unfortunately they were not given military benefits when the war ended.

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HawkeyeTen t1_ixems8e wrote

That's because they were technically an auxiliary force, not true enlisted military ladies like say the Army WACs or the Navy WAVES. They were retroactively declared military some decades later, since they had flown strictly military aircraft, etc. I think it's only fair.

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FinnternetExplorer t1_ixdygr1 wrote

You see that hat?

​

She is Mrs. Nesbit.

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Tie_Good_Flies t1_ixeyleg wrote

My grandmother was a WASP, these ladies were incredible

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Ok-disaster2022 t1_ixez4wv wrote

You grandmother served with greater honor during WW2 than John Wayne, who was a draft dodger.

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turdferguson3891 t1_ixfpo4d wrote

He was in his mid 30s when the US entered the war, he wasn't exactly front line material. But yeah he could have made training movies with his buddy Ronnie in the Army.

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liquid_rotisserie t1_ixenhxc wrote

My grandma was a WASP. I tell her story all the time.

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PepinoF1 t1_ixfac0g wrote

could you please tell us her story??

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liquid_rotisserie t1_ixhkblm wrote

She was an Oklahoma farm girl. Her dad, my great-grandfather, had a Piper Cub on the farm that she learned to fly. She joined the WASP but, shortly after she graduated they canceled the program. She came back to Oklahoma and went to work in Tulsa at North American Aviation as an inspector. She later earner her CFI and her and my grandpa owned a Cessna dealership.

She was always proud of being a WASP and we were always proud of her. When the WASPs received the CGM, we loaded the whole family up in a motor home and drove to D.C. for the ceremony. There weren't many of the 1000-some WASP left by then and they were all in their 70s or 80s. Going out to dinner was an experience. Every time one of those ladies walked into a restaurant, the entire restaurant would stand and clap.

It took way too long for those ladies to be recognized for volunteering to serve their country. They were looked down upon by the male pilots, discriminated against, and likely even sabotaged during their service. Those women were brave Americans and I'm proud to have one as my grandmother.

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PepinoF1 t1_ixi7gtw wrote

Surely these women are an inspiration nowadays, also by knowing the context they're born and grown up with, as you wrote. Thank you for sharing a piece of your grandma's life, truly inspiring and someone to be proud of :)

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SuddenlyThirsty t1_ixegcvr wrote

At first I thought this was a movie starring Millie Bobby Brown. Great job coloring this image.

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FrankieTheAlchemist t1_ixf65cq wrote

My grandfather was a navigator in WW2 and he wrote a book about his experiences state-side. He never got deployed to Europe but instead ended up training other folks and also flying dignitaries around. He used to fly with several WASPs and one in particular that he knew as Meg (not her real name) was apparently the best pilot he ever met. He spoke about her a lot and was upset that she never got her due after all that service. He even wrote about her a bit in a book he wrote about his time in the airforce. She sounded like a riot, and I often wish I’d gotten to meet her!

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pinewind108 t1_ixgnf1i wrote

Training newbie pilots sounds like it might be scarier than flying through flack. Probably a toss up as to which one will kill you faster!

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FrankieTheAlchemist t1_ixhfulb wrote

Sadly WASPs sometimes had to do both. Oftentimes they would tow aerial targets behind their planes. They were definitely shot on accident by rookies (as one would expect).

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John-AtWork t1_ixf3fcb wrote

There is something very modern looking about her and this photo. I think it is because of her functional hair style and being in a jumpsuit. If yo told me that this was the 80s or even the 2000s I'd believe you.

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deepaksn t1_ixfi3wf wrote

It’s the military attire and what a headset does to limit hairstyles and no makeup because it’s impractical… plus it’s a candid photo or appears to be one because it looks like she’s talking.

Modern female military pilots look the same.

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John-AtWork t1_ixfrurm wrote

Yeah, it is pretty neat how timeless that photo is.

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mustang__1 t1_ixfi3id wrote

Still can't believe they haven't made a modern movie about these women. Seems like there are plenty of stories to choose from that would play out great.

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Kerby233 t1_ixdtgrc wrote

Reminds me of Lisa Kudrov (Pheobe from friends)

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Vergenbuurg t1_ixf74eg wrote

Same thought crossed my mind, as well.

Smelly plane,

sme-elly plane,

what are the feeding you?

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Thaddeus206 t1_ixei083 wrote

these women did so much for the war effort. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude

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andrais253 t1_ixghjw7 wrote

My grandmother was too! She flew planes and trained the other male pilots. I have photos of her in the “flight simulator”. So awesome!

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nondescriptun t1_ixga983 wrote

I don't know what her ethnicity or religion has to do with anything. /s

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turd_2004 t1_ixh6yht wrote

Looks like Millie Bobbie Brown

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citoloco t1_ixefn78 wrote

Getting strong Lisa Kudrow vibes

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[deleted] t1_ixefx4l wrote

She looks really modern. Like you’d expect her to get out of the plane and then do a TikTok video about living in Texas.

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Equivalent_Alps_8321 t1_ixf41hz wrote

awesome, how did the WASP program work exactly? how many women were in it?

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donutboof t1_ixfxx5q wrote

There were right around 1000 women who got their wings.

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MelanisticDobie t1_ixfg6g8 wrote

I knew a couple of wasp pilots when I was young:)

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RebelBass3 t1_ixfh2ot wrote

They need to make a Mean Girls sorta comedy about these WASP women.

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Mrben13 t1_ixi6x0x wrote

Is this where the name Mrs. Nesbit comes from in Toy Story after Buzz Lightyear lost his arm?

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Choppergold t1_ixedl61 wrote

Is that a trainer craft?

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Thaddeus206 t1_ixei4gs wrote

yes, after training in the bi plane Steerman they moved onto this plane, the AT-6 (the AT stands for Advanced Trainer)

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donutboof t1_ixfy1is wrote

I think they went Pt-17, BT-13, AT-6, then twin engine if they went that route.

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go_faster1 t1_ixf2dcw wrote

See the hat?! Her name is Missus Nesbit!

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rodriguezj625 t1_ixg5jbi wrote

Why is it that something like this I find so attractive??

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reddskeleton t1_ixg6ol6 wrote

I think she looks like Diane Keaton but tanned and healthy

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Exact-Conclusion9301 t1_ixh9t1g wrote

“We’re in the pipe - 5 by 5.” - Nancy Nesbitt.

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vinnydaq t1_ixpc6de wrote

“Looks like we’re picking up some hull ionization…” - Spunkmeyer

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Better-Emu7264 t1_ixti3xz wrote

That’s actually a BT-13, not an AT-6. See the overhead canopy latch…

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NoNoNotorious89 t1_ixdwz4b wrote

T6 is such a fun plane to fly

Edit: haha people actually downvoting this. Have fun in your 172s and Cirrus 🥱

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donutboof t1_ixfy9qz wrote

I flew a tail that my grandmother flew in ‘44 last year. AMAZING. It belonged to CAF, which lost the B-17 Texas Raiders and its crew last week.

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deepaksn t1_ixfik79 wrote

Never heard that.

It was awful. The only good thing about it is nostalgia and it can do some basic aeros like a fat lady doing ballet.

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NoNoNotorious89 t1_ixfvy2p wrote

Why were you flying one if you didn’t already love warbirds? It’s a pure stick and rudder airplane, with a big round radial engine, and a taildragger. Not liking a T6 is like not loving a Corsair, P-47, Hellcat, De Havilland Beaver etc.

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donutboof t1_ixfydim wrote

The AT-6? Fun! BT-13? Yeah…. Not as much.

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NoNoNotorious89 t1_ixg0stq wrote

Can’t say I’ve flown the 13. The hours don’t really count towards requirements to fly fighters so I’ve never really been interested

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wakka55 t1_ixftcmw wrote

I don't see how her being a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant is relevant.

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BlackBartRidesAgain t1_ixeg00p wrote

She looks like pro-wrestler Tenille Dashwood in this picture

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GentlmanSkeleton t1_ixemb38 wrote

Like wasp was the plane name? Like she wasnt a west anglo-saxon protestant pilot right? Not that it matters, thats my point why point it out....its the name of the plane right?

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