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Wally Funk: pioneering pilot & astronaut

Summary

Soundings contributor Liz brings us the story of Wally Funk – a pioneering American aviator. Born in 1939, Wally’s long list of female ‘firsts’ is amazing. Often overlooked these days, Wally’s long and remarkable career saw her train over 3,000 pilots, become a flight inspector and take part in the Mercury 13 programme to assess women’s suitability for full astronaut training. In the mid 20th century, Nasa decided against backing female astronauts, so Wally had to wait until 2021 to finally make it into space at the age of 82.

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Life of the pioneering woman aviator Wally Funk
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Author

  • Head and shoulders portrait of Liz Allan, TNF Soundings Contributor.

    Liz Macintyre Allan was born and brought up on the southside of Glasgow.
    She attended Scotland Street Primary School and later Glasgow University where she was awarded an Honours Degree in History and Comparative Religion. Liz stayed at home for several years while she raised her family and then decided to re-enter academic life as a mature student. After a happy career in education, Liz decided to take a different path....as a story teller. She found a collection of over 300 letters written by her father and describing his experiences during WW2. Liz transcribed his words and it became a successful book....Love Letters from a Desert Rat.
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