With a huge thanks to RAF_Grit from my squad.
WASP Vi Cowden was one of the very lucky few. Not only was she one of just 1,074 women to graduate from the WASP program and earn her wings (more than 25,000 women applied)--she's one of less than 150 who qualified as pursuit pilots. (Yeah, that's right--this sub-100 pound firecracker is a qualified fighter pilot!)
During the war, Vi worked as a ferry pilot and flew almost every fighter in the U.S. inventory, usually picking them up at the factory and taking them to points of debarkation. One of her longer hauls was picking up P-51s from the North American plant in Long Beach, California, and making the run to Newark, New Jersey, where they were loaded onto ships bound for the European theater. Vi also piloted many planes including BT-13, PT-19, AT-6, P-40, P-41, P-39, P-63, P-51, DC-3, PQ-14, A-20, A-24, Waco Aerenica, Cubs and UC-78.
And on Friday, May 1, history almost repeated itself:
1943, Vi Cowden, first woman to take a P-51 to the Tuskegee Airmen. ...and 2009, Vi Cowden, back in the saddle.
That's a dual-control P-51C owned by the Collings Foundation, and was part of their annual Wings of Freedom tour this year, in concert with a B-24 and B-17. It's the only dual-control Razorback Mustang still flying (and for the record, the Collings B-24 is the only one of its type still in the air as well). Vi got to be on board for the ferry hop from San Diego's Gillespie Field up to Long Beach, and it was the first time she's had her hands at the controls of a Mustang in flight since 1944. "It didn't feel like any time had gone by at all," she said. "Felt just the same."
The Collings folks were very, very kind to let her have this hop. I know some of you have adopted Vi as "our" WASP, and if you want to thank them for putting one of our own back in the air, you can write to 'em at: info@collingsfoundation.org. Check out their [url="http://www.collingsfoundation.org"]website[/url], and you can see the other tour stops and the other planes they fly.
They sell rides in the B-17, B-24 and P-51C as a means of raising gas money. Not cheap--bomber slots go for $425 for a half-hour hop (the Mustang goes for a precious $2,200/half-hour, but it's loggable time!)--but we're talking about burning up avgas for a seriously worthy cause.
Hurrah!
captains the B-24), are a big part of what made this ride possible and deserve special mention.
Thanks!
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!! What a terrific story and a million Kudos to the Collings crew for getting her back in the saddle!!!! And of course, Kudos to you RAF for digging up this story!!!! 
