WW2 Spitfire pilot Mary Ellis dies
Media playback is unsupported on your deviceThe last living female pilot from World War Two, Mary Ellis, has died aged 101 at her home on the Isle of Wight.
Mrs Ellis was a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) and delivered Spitfires and bombers to the front line during the conflict.
She said she had flown "about 1,000 aeroplanes" during the war, before moving to the Isle of Wight in 1950 to take charge of Sandown Airport.
ATA secretary John Webster described Mrs Ellis as an "amazing" person.
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Mary Ellis, then Mary Wilkins, joined the ATA in 1941 after hearing an advertisement for women pilots on BBC radio.
She said at the time they were known as the "Glamour Girls", adding: "There were plenty of escorts around."
She married Don Ellis, a fellow pilot, in 1961, and continued to live in their marital home beside the runway at Sandown after his death in 2009.
Speaking at a surprise party in 2017 for her 100th birthday - held at the airport - Mrs Ellis said the Spitfire had always been her favourite aircraft.
"I love it, it's everybody's favourite," she said. "I think it's a symbol of freedom."
Tributes have been paid to Mrs Ellis by fellow pilots, including Red Arrow flier Mike Ling.
He posted on Twitter that she was a "legend of the Air Transport Auxiliary".
"I hope you are enjoying a well-earned sherry up there with Joy Lofthouse [a fellow ATA pilot] again."
RAF veteran and military historian Sally McGlone also paid tribute to her.
She wrote on Twitter: "Older than the RAF by one year.
"Without the ATA #RAF100 might not have happened."
Author and former RAF navigator John Nichol described Mrs Ellis as a "truly remarkable lady".
He added: "Another giant leaves us to join her heroic friends in the blue skies."
Skip Twitter post by @JohnNicholRAF
Very sad to hear that WW2 ATA pilot Mary Ellis has died aged 101. A truly remarkable lady, she flew 400 Spitfires & 76 different types of aircraft during WW2. Another giant leaves us to john her heroic friends in Blue Skies. Rest in peace Mary; you truly deserve it. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/br00jZxGiu
— John Nichol (@JohnNicholRAF) July 25, 2018
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End of Twitter post by @JohnNicholRAF
