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This is superb!' 100-year-old woman who flew spitfires during the Second World War celebrates her centenary by getting behind the controls again
Mary Ellis was in a select gang of female pilots who flew during World War II
She has now celebrated her 100th birthday by flying a plane over West Sussex
Mrs Ellis flew next to one of the Spitfires she was in more than 70 years ago
As she sat on the airfield ready to deliver her first Spitfire, the mechanic standing on the wing asked how many of them she'd flown. When she said it was her first, he was so startled he fell right off. The largest aircraft she flew solo was the Wellington bomber. After landing at an East Anglian airfield, Mary was greeted by the ground crew who asked where the pilot was. 'I'm the pilot,' she said. They insisted on searching the aircraft before they believed her.
It was dangerous work. Mary was sometimes ordered to move combat-damaged planes that were not officially fit to fly, but had to be taken for repairs. She crash-landed twice and was shot at once.
Woman who flew spitfires during WWII celebrates her 100th | Daily Mail Online
tac
Mary Ellis was in a select gang of female pilots who flew during World War II
She has now celebrated her 100th birthday by flying a plane over West Sussex
Mrs Ellis flew next to one of the Spitfires she was in more than 70 years ago
As she sat on the airfield ready to deliver her first Spitfire, the mechanic standing on the wing asked how many of them she'd flown. When she said it was her first, he was so startled he fell right off. The largest aircraft she flew solo was the Wellington bomber. After landing at an East Anglian airfield, Mary was greeted by the ground crew who asked where the pilot was. 'I'm the pilot,' she said. They insisted on searching the aircraft before they believed her.
It was dangerous work. Mary was sometimes ordered to move combat-damaged planes that were not officially fit to fly, but had to be taken for repairs. She crash-landed twice and was shot at once.
Woman who flew spitfires during WWII celebrates her 100th | Daily Mail Online
tac