The Spitfire Girl in the Skies by Fenella J Miller

Author:Fenella J Miller [Miller, Fenella J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788548403
Amazon: 178854840X
Publisher: Aria
Published: 2019-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

When Ellie reported at nine o’clock Amanda greeted her with excitement. ‘Pauline’s done it again. From today we can fly any non-operational aircraft and she thinks when things calm down a bit they might let us fly the fighters, too.’

‘That’s good news!’

‘We’ve got to do a short test flight before we start. I’m doing mine tomorrow and three are doing it now. I wonder if that means we’ll get promoted and get another stripe?’

‘I like being an officer of any sort, but it’s not the same in a civilian organisation as it is in the services.’

‘Another thing, in future we have to clock in at eight o’clock, everything else is pretty much the same.’

‘Where do I find out when I’m doing my test?’ asked Ellie.

‘Sorry, I should have looked for you. It’s on the noticeboard in the operations room.’

Ellie dashed inside and saw she was down to do it that afternoon.

Her instructor, a RAF chap who obviously didn’t approve of female ferry pilots, was waiting for her beside the plane. He didn’t smile so neither did she.

‘Ellen Simpson,’ she said and stood military straight in front of him. He pursed his lips and then jerked his head in the direction of the aircraft. She had already spoken to the girls who’d successfully completed their test and believed she knew enough to be able to fly it successfully.

This was the first closed cockpit aircraft she’d flown, but the instrument panel and everything else was pretty much the same. There was a checklist they had all memorised by its initials and she quickly ran through it making sure the disapproving officer behind her was aware she was doing it. Once completed she called the all clear and said contact.

Fortunately, the engine fired and the prop began to turn. She taxied from the apron onto the runway and waited for the green light. She also did a visual check to ensure there were no random aircraft waiting to land. Hatfield wasn’t an operational RAF base so at least there was no danger of being in the way of a dozen fighters screaming down the runway to take off in pursuit of a German.

Once airborne she forgot about the man sitting behind her and just enjoyed flying something different. She did, as instructed, three circuits and bumps and each one was immaculate. She taxied the Lysander back to where it had been when she got in, switched everything off and scrambled out.

If memory served her right she was the last to go up today. The RAF chap jumped down behind her. ‘Excellent, Miss Simpson, the best so far.’ He smiled and offered his hand. ‘I don’t think ATA, in your case, stands for “Always Terrified Airwoman”.’ He handed her a signed form and, ignoring his comment, she all but skipped back to the office to hand it in.

From that moment on things changed. She might be the youngest in the pool, but she was one of the most experienced, and until her performance in the Lysander she hadn’t really been accepted into the group.

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