Eaglemoss Military Watches Collection.
MWC 91 - 1940s American, Women Airforce Service Pilot
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, Aug 13, 2017 at 08:52 PM (6200 Views)
Two Women were key in involving Women Pilots in the US War effort
In 1940 Jacqueline Cochran Wrote a letter to Eleanor Roosevelt suggesting women pilots could help with the fight against Germany. Nancy Harkness-Love also thought Women could play a key part and she wrote to the American Air Corps with the proposition. Neither of them was taken seriously by a male dominated Military
Cochran had already been involved with delivery of US aircraft to Britain and she joined the British Air Transport Auxiliary along with several other American women, where they helped to fly combat aircraft to various positions around the UK freeing up combat pilots, When the US Air Transport Command also realised pilots were being diverted from combat roles they contacted Harkness-Love and put her in charge of a number of women pilots who would deliver aircraft from production facilities all over the USA, they were known as the Women Auxiliary Ferrying Service (WAFS). A programme for women pilots was initiated in 1942 to train specifically to ferry aircraft under the control of Cochran it was called the Women Flying Training Detachment (WFTD). These two groups were amalgamated in 1943 and became the WASP, Women Airforce Service Pilots. The first women pilots who volunteered and were accepted were already very skilled and experienced, to even join the programme a minimum of 500 logged hours was expected.
over 25,000 women applied for the service, but only 1,074 were accepted and in the 26 months after September 1942 they delivered 12,650 aircraft. 38 WASPS lost their lives during training and operations and they have since been recognised and given full military honours.
There was no official WASP watch issued, but Gallet Company produced a small chronograph that would have been ideal for use in this vital role
Case
Polished 26mm case, 28.4mm at the crown, 7.6mm deep, 32mm Lug to Lug, 14mm lug width
Case Interior diameter 22.8mm, 5.5mm deep. 6mm crown, 23mm glass.
Dial
White Dial with black printed minute/second scale, roman numerals at five-minute intervals
Hours indicated by larger Arabic numbers
trapezoid shaped black hands and a slim black seconds hand
Strap
Black nylon strap 14mm wide polished buckle, approx. fitting 160/200mm