Museum of Science and Industry

Some of the unsung heroines of the Second World War will be celebrated during the May half-term holiday at MOSI, with a performance and talk about the ‘Spitfire Girls.’  

The relatively unknown story of the 166 young women who risked their lives to transport Spitfires to battle areas around Europe, will be re-told in daily costumed character shows in the museum’s Air & Space Hall, accompanied by 1940s music from the Spitfire Sisters. 

There will also be a talk in the museum’s Cardwell Auditorium on May 27 at 2.30pm by Carol Gould, author of SpitfireGirls: A Tale of the Lives and Loves, Achievements and Heroism of the Women ATA Pilots in World War II.

Free tickets for the talk will be available from the Information Desk.

During the week’s events (May 23 - 31) visitors will also be able to meet  new costumed character, Manchester’s famous son, Alliott Verdon Roe, who made the first all-British flight in July 1909. A team of MOSI volunteers have just completed a three-year project to build a working replica of his original triplane which is due to be test flown at RAF Woodvale, near Formby, this summer.

MOSI director, Steve Davies MBE, said: “There’s an exciting programme of free family events, with a particular emphasis on performance by our costumed characters. Learn all about the courageous acts of the women who helped to transport Spitfires during the war or dance to music by the Spitfire Sisters. Meet our new costumed character, Mr AV Roe, who carried out the first all-British flight 100 years ago this year. Make your own paper plane or propeller, learn about what life was like for the early pioneers of flight, or wander round our diverse range of free galleries. There will always be something going on and everyone is welcome!”

ENDS

Heroes and Heroines of Flight events are FREE (except Planetarium) and run between 23-31 May, from 10am-5pm. For more information, visit the What's On section of the MOSI website or call 0161 832 2244.

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