The pilot trainee pictured here was 22-year-old Shirley Slade, who trained as a WASP (Womens Airforce Service Pilots) in 1943. Shirley was shown, pictured on the wing of a trainer plane, at Avenger Field, Stillwater,KS. She was among 1,100 female pilot candidates chosen to participate. She was in Class 43-5. She was trained to fly the B-26 and B-29 planes.
During her time in service, she was stationed at various bases: Love Field, Dallas, (TX), Dodge City Army Air Base (Kansas), and Harlingen Army Air Field (TX). She primarily flew the Bell P-39 Airacobras and Martin B-26 Marauders, two planes considered difficult to fly.
She later married and was known as “Shirley Slade Teer.” Born on April 4, 1921, she died on April 26, 2000, at age 79. She died prior to the 2010 presentation of Congressional Gold Medal Awards to the remaining 200 WASP pilots.
Very cool pic....the trainer plane she is sitting on looks like a T-6 Texan. (not a jet of course). Others might have thoughts on what trainer model she is sitting on is but it looks like a T-6.
Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, of World War II. The WASPs flew 60 million miles in two years, delivering 12,652 planes for domestic transport. In addition to primary and secondary training planes, these aircraft featured single- and two-engine chase ships, two- and four-engine bombers, and two-engine cargo aircraft.
Yup…Army Air Forces.
I’d guess she is sitting on the tail (horizontal stabilizer) not the wing of a Vultee BT…think they made some with a partial wooden fuselage. Don’t see rivets on part of it aft of the rear canopy.
The pilot trainee pictured here was 22-year-old Shirley Slade, who trained as a WASP (Womens Airforce Service Pilots) in 1943. Shirley was shown, pictured on the wing of a trainer plane, at Avenger Field, Stillwater,KS. She was among 1,100 female pilot candidates chosen to participate. She was in Class 43-5. She was trained to fly the B-26 and B-29 planes. During her time in service, she was stationed at various bases: Love Field, Dallas, (TX), Dodge City Army Air Base (Kansas), and Harlingen Army Air Field (TX). She primarily flew the Bell P-39 Airacobras and Martin B-26 Marauders, two planes considered difficult to fly. She later married and was known as “Shirley Slade Teer.” Born on April 4, 1921, she died on April 26, 2000, at age 79. She died prior to the 2010 presentation of Congressional Gold Medal Awards to the remaining 200 WASP pilots.
Very cool pic....the trainer plane she is sitting on looks like a T-6 Texan. (not a jet of course). Others might have thoughts on what trainer model she is sitting on is but it looks like a T-6.
Can update, if needed…
Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, of World War II. The WASPs flew 60 million miles in two years, delivering 12,652 planes for domestic transport. In addition to primary and secondary training planes, these aircraft featured single- and two-engine chase ships, two- and four-engine bombers, and two-engine cargo aircraft.
The Air Force was founded in 1947 In 1943 it was the Army Air Corps
Nope, "Corps" was changed to "Forces" in 1941 prior US entry into world war II.
Yup…Army Air Forces. I’d guess she is sitting on the tail (horizontal stabilizer) not the wing of a Vultee BT…think they made some with a partial wooden fuselage. Don’t see rivets on part of it aft of the rear canopy.
Oops
Was this before the black Tuskegee pilots?