Carolyn Grace: Difference between revisions
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She was the first female Spitfire display pilot, not the only. liz Needham in New Zealand and Anna Walker in England have both been displaying Spitfires for several years, there may be others, |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} |
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[[File:Carolyn Grace - Duxford Spring Airshow 2011 (5751897967).jpg|thumb|Grace at [[Imperial War Museum Duxford#Air shows and flying|Duxford Airshow]] 2011]] |
[[File:Carolyn Grace - Duxford Spring Airshow 2011 (5751897967).jpg|thumb|Grace at [[Imperial War Museum Duxford#Air shows and flying|Duxford Airshow]] 2011]] |
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'''Carolyn Grace''' ({{birth based on age at death|70|2022|12|2}} – 2 December 2022) was an Australian-British pilot and aircraft restorer, and |
'''Carolyn Grace''' ({{birth based on age at death|70|2022|12|2}} – 2 December 2022) was an Australian-British pilot and aircraft restorer, and one of two qualified female pilot of the [[Supermarine Spitfire]] since [[World War II]].<ref name=indy_obit/><ref name=wod/> |
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== Early life == |
== Early life == |
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== Pilot career == |
== Pilot career == |
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Following Nick's death after a car crash in 1988, Grace learned to fly the Spitfire.<ref name="telegraph" /><ref name=bbc_flypast>{{cite news |title=Spitfire flypast for 'world's only' woman pilot |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-12632311 |access-date=7 December 2022 |publisher=BBC News |date=4 March 2011}}</ref> In 1990, she made her first solo Spitfire flight and qualified as a pilot for the aircraft.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://ukaviation.news/spitfire-pilot-carolyn-grace-killed-in-car-accident/|title=Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace killed in car accident|work=UK Aviation News|date=7 December 2022|accessdate=7 December 2022}}</ref> While female |
Following Nick's death after a car crash in 1988, Grace learned to fly the Spitfire.<ref name="telegraph" /><ref name=bbc_flypast>{{cite news |title=Spitfire flypast for 'world's only' woman pilot |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-12632311 |access-date=7 December 2022 |publisher=BBC News |date=4 March 2011}}</ref> In 1990, she made her first solo Spitfire flight and qualified as a pilot for the aircraft.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://ukaviation.news/spitfire-pilot-carolyn-grace-killed-in-car-accident/|title=Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace killed in car accident|work=UK Aviation News|date=7 December 2022|accessdate=7 December 2022}}</ref> While female pilots had flown the Spitfire during World War II as part of the [[Air Transport Auxiliary]], Grace was the first qualified female pilot ever to take part in display flying, leading others to follow.<ref name="wod" /> |
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Though she was pressured not to take up solo flying as a widow with two children, Grace felt she needed |
Though she was pressured not to take up solo flying as a widow with two children, Grace felt she needed to commemorate her late husband.<ref name=wod>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wings-of-desire-1092431.html|title=Wings of Desire|newspaper=The Independent|date=9 May 1999|accessdate=8 December 2022}}</ref> She subsequently accumulated 900 flying hours, performing at various air shows and memorial events. The Spitfire ML407, which she and her husband had restored to working order, became known as the "Grace Spitfire".<ref name=telegraph/> The aircraft was kept at [[RAF Bentwaters]], [[Woodbridge, Suffolk]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23178281.suffolk-spitfire-pilot-carolyn-grace-dies-australia/|title=Suffolk: Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace dies in Australia|newspaper=East Anglia Daily Times|date=8 December 2022|accessdate=8 December 2022}}</ref> and [[Aon (company)|Aon]], who sponsored her events, met the expensive insurance costs.<ref name=wod/> |
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In 2004, Grace flew this Spitfire over [[Chartwell]], former residence of [[Winston Churchill]], to commemorate the 60th anniversary of [[D-Day]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3784897.stm|title=Spitfire flies after replica fear|publisher=BBC News|date=7 June 2022|accessdate=7 December 2022}}</ref> In 2011, she flew the plane |
In 2004, Grace flew this Spitfire over [[Chartwell]], the former residence of [[Winston Churchill]], to commemorate the 60th anniversary of [[D-Day]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3784897.stm|title=Spitfire flies after replica fear|publisher=BBC News|date=7 June 2022|accessdate=7 December 2022}}</ref> In 2011, she flew the plane on the 75th anniversary of the Spitfire's first flight in 1936.<ref name=bbc/> |
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Grace died after a car accident at [[Goulburn]], New South Wales,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.2st.com.au/news/highlands-news/163453-vale-carolyn-grace |title=Vale Carolyn Grace |date=8 December 2022 |website=2ST |access-date=22 December 2022}}</ref> on 2 December 2022, at the age of 70.<ref name=indy_obit>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/carolyn-grace-spitfire-pilot-dead-b2240966.html|title=World's only female Spitfire pilot killed in car crash 34 years after her husband died same way|newspaper=The Independent|date=7 December 2022|accessdate=8 December 2022}}</ref><ref name=telegraph>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/07/worlds-female-spitfire-pilot-dies-car-crash/|title=World's only female Spitfire pilot dies in car crash|first=Catherine|last=Lough|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=7 December 2022|accessdate=7 December 2022}}</ref> |
Grace died after a car accident at [[Goulburn]], New South Wales,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.2st.com.au/news/highlands-news/163453-vale-carolyn-grace |title=Vale Carolyn Grace |date=8 December 2022 |website=2ST |access-date=22 December 2022 |archive-date=19 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219043847/https://www.2st.com.au/news/highlands-news/163453-vale-carolyn-grace |url-status=dead }}</ref> on 2 December 2022, at the age of 70.<ref name=indy_obit>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/carolyn-grace-spitfire-pilot-dead-b2240966.html|title=World's only female Spitfire pilot killed in car crash 34 years after her husband died same way|newspaper=The Independent|date=7 December 2022|accessdate=8 December 2022}}</ref><ref name=telegraph>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/07/worlds-female-spitfire-pilot-dies-car-crash/|title=World's only female Spitfire pilot dies in car crash|first=Catherine|last=Lough|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=7 December 2022|accessdate=7 December 2022}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Latest revision as of 08:55, 11 November 2024
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Carolyn Grace (1951 or 1952 – 2 December 2022) was an Australian-British pilot and aircraft restorer, and one of two qualified female pilot of the Supermarine Spitfire since World War II.[1][2]
Early life
[edit]Grace grew up on a farm in New South Wales, where air travel was an essential part of everyday travel to cover long distances in rural Australia. In 1979, her husband Nick found two Spitfires for sale, and decided to buy them.[2] They continued the restoration work in the 1980s, while Grace learned to fly a biplane.[3][4]
Pilot career
[edit]Following Nick's death after a car crash in 1988, Grace learned to fly the Spitfire.[3][4] In 1990, she made her first solo Spitfire flight and qualified as a pilot for the aircraft.[5] While female pilots had flown the Spitfire during World War II as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary, Grace was the first qualified female pilot ever to take part in display flying, leading others to follow.[2]
Though she was pressured not to take up solo flying as a widow with two children, Grace felt she needed to commemorate her late husband.[2] She subsequently accumulated 900 flying hours, performing at various air shows and memorial events. The Spitfire ML407, which she and her husband had restored to working order, became known as the "Grace Spitfire".[3] The aircraft was kept at RAF Bentwaters, Woodbridge, Suffolk,[6] and Aon, who sponsored her events, met the expensive insurance costs.[2]
In 2004, Grace flew this Spitfire over Chartwell, the former residence of Winston Churchill, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day.[7] In 2011, she flew the plane on the 75th anniversary of the Spitfire's first flight in 1936.[5]
Grace died after a car accident at Goulburn, New South Wales,[8] on 2 December 2022, at the age of 70.[1][3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "World's only female Spitfire pilot killed in car crash 34 years after her husband died same way". The Independent. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Wings of Desire". The Independent. 9 May 1999. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d Lough, Catherine (7 December 2022). "World's only female Spitfire pilot dies in car crash". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Spitfire flypast for 'world's only' woman pilot". BBC News. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace killed in car accident". UK Aviation News. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Suffolk: Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace dies in Australia". East Anglia Daily Times. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ "Spitfire flies after replica fear". BBC News. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Vale Carolyn Grace". 2ST. 8 December 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.