The time: Late Autumn, 1944.
The place: The tarmac of the Lockheed Aircraft Plant in Burbank, CA
A group of four Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) are gathered around their flight leader. She is kneeling and pointing to a significant rendezvous point on an aerial map, reinforcing the path of the WASP flight plan. Their mission is to ferry five P-38 Lightning fighters to a port of embarkation where the planes will be shipped to bases overseas.
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During WWII the WASP organization was largely made up of the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAF). It was formed to free male pilots for combat duty overseas. Of the 25,000 women who applied, fewer than 1,900 were accepted. In addition to ferrying aircraft from factories, their duties included towing targets for anti-aircraft practice, simulated strafing and transporting cargo. During this time they flew nearly every type of military aircraft. In the course of performing their duties, 38 women lost their lives.
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