Sisters in the Sky
45 painted portraits of female Pilots on Active Service during World War II…installed with sound.
World War II was the first war in which air power played a decisive role. However, it was not the first time women served as combat pilots. World War I saw the first aerial combat, and among the pilots there were a few women.
After World War I, it was clear that aviation had developed from a mere sport to a factor of definite social importance both in civilian life and in the armed forces.
The new possibilities in aviation seemed unlimited. And in the late 1930s young people all over the world flocked to the flying schools, where they were trained under programs often subsidized by the government.
This exhibit shows a small selection of the women who flew during World War II.