Diana Home (née  Faunthorpe) - Former Member of the ATA in WWII

Portrait and interview - 1994

In 1944, whilst stationed at Inverness with the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force), Diana volunteered to join the Air Transport Auxiliary.  This was a civilian organisation newly formed under British Airways during the 1939-45 War, to take over the task of ferrying RN and RAF aircraft from the factories to the airfields, thus releasing service pilots for more active duties.

Out of nearly 2000 who volunteered from the WAAF, only thirteen were initially accepted, Diana being a member of the first intake.  A further six were chosen in April 1944, but in all, only seventeen completed the course.

After a few weeks’ ground instruction, the initial flying training started on light single-engine planes.  It was in a Magister that Diana flew her first solo after 13 ½ flying hours.  When the ‘girls’ were given their wings, they were issued with their uniforms which included brown suede flying boots, flying helmets, goggles and leather gauntlets with silk gloves to go inside.

Periods of training were interspersed with actually ferrying work; each successive training period enabling the pilot to fly a great number of different planes.  When flying types of aircraft on which no dual instruction had been received, knowledge was gained firstly by the use of the Pilot’s Handling Notes which gave a complete technical description of an aircraft and how to fly it.  Secondly, each pilot was equipped with a little blue spiral-bound book called Ferry Pilot Notes which listed each aircraft in alphabetical order, and which summarised the essential facts needed to ferry the aircraft.  A pilot would keep this book in a trouser pocket should it be needed during a flight!  Of the fifteen different aircraft that Diana flew, she received tuition in only four of them.

ATA pilots flew without any radio communication with the ground, and no flying was permitted if the visibility was less than 2000 yards and the cloud base was lower than 800 feet.  If the weather deteriorated during a flight, the pilot had either to turn back or land at the nearest airfield.

In March 1945, during training on the more advanced single-engine aircraft, Diana flew her first Spitfire, an experience she well remembers.  It was a momentous occasion partly due to the associations and reputation of the plane and partly because the Spitfire was so responsive and light to the controls.  Being a single seater plane, flying with an instructor was not possible.

Diana has considerably changed her direction since the War and has not flown since.  For ten years during her retirement, she engraved on commission, the Dartington glass purchased by customers at The Cider Press at Shinner’s Bridge, Dartington. She is a member of Atelier Dix (see Mary Clare Dix) and is Secretary of the Totnes Art Society.  She paints in watercolour - landscapes and still life and is a potter.

Update:  Diana died on 27th March, 2010 aged ninety.