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What did Elsie MacGill do in the war?

What did Elsie MacGill do in the war?

In the early years of Second World War, fighter planes were in short supply. So Canada’s war machine turned to a small northern Ontario town and an exceptional person named Elsie MacGill. MacGill worked for the Canadian Car and Foundry Company (CanCar) in Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay).

Is Elsie MacGill still alive?

Deceased (1905–1980)
Elsie MacGill/Living or Deceased

Why was Elsie MacGill called the Queen of the Hurricanes?

Refinements introduced by MacGill on the Hurricane included skis and de-icing controls for operating in the winter. (These innovations were to prove crucial to the success of the Russian airforce who flew MacGill’s aircraft.) MacGill’s success with the Hurricane earned her the nickname “Queen of the Hurricanes”.

What inspired Elsie MacGill?

After her mother died in 1947, she started writing a biography about her titled My Mother the Judge: a Biography of Helen Gregory MacGill which inspired her to be more outspoken on Women’s rights, such as paid maternity leave and liberation of abortion laws.

Why was Elsie MacGill fired?

In the midst of this project MacGill and the works manager, E. J. (Bill) Soulsby, were dismissed. It was initially rumoured that Soulsby had been curt with a group of senior naval officers who had visited a week earlier, but it was later revealed the reason for the dismissals was that the two were having an affair.

What did Elsie MacGill do for feminism?

She then became the first woman to earn a degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1929. While establishing herself in a predominantly masculine profession, MacGill, also a third generation feminist, actively worked for women’s equal rights and opportunities in Canadian society.

What is Elsie MacGill famous for?

Elsie MacGill was the first woman to earn a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering (1929). She was also the first practising Canadian woman engineer. In 1938, she became chief aeronautical engineer of Canadian Car & Foundry (Can Car).

What is the name of the most advanced fighter planes in the world built in Canada?

Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow

CF-105 Arrow
Role Interceptor
National origin Canada
Manufacturer Avro Canada
First flight 25 March 1958

When did Elsie MacGill graduate?

1923The University of British Columbia
1927University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering
Elsie MacGill/Graduation dates

Why did Canada destroy the Avro Arrow?

Within two months of the project cancellation, all aircraft, engines, production tooling and technical data were ordered scrapped. Officially, the reason given for the destruction order from cabinet and the chiefs of staff was to destroy classified and “secret” materials used in the Arrow and Iroquois programs.

Why did Canada scrap the Avro Arrow?

So why was the Avro Arrow cancelled by the Canadian government in 1959? “The official reason given by the Diefenbaker government [at that time] was that the Arrow was too expensive, and it was no longer worth the money,” Cohen said. “The government had an agenda to destroy it.

How old was Elsie MacGill when she died?

Elsie MacGill was born in 1905 in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was the second daughter of Helen Gregory MacGill (1864–1947) and James Henry MacGill (1869–1939). Elsie’s bond with her older sister, Helen Jr., was so close that the family often referred to them as “HelNelsie.”

Why was Elsie MacGill important to Canadian history?

But this slender, bespectacled disabled woman — an important Canadian feminist — deserves to share that pedestal. Elizabeth Muriel Gregory “Elsie” MacGill wasn’t the brawn — she was the brain who armed the warriors. “Queen of the Hurricanes,” she organized mass production of the aircraft that saved Britain from the Nazis in 1940.

Who was Elsie MacGill’s father James Henry MacGill?

Elsie’s father was James Henry MacGill, a prominent lawyer at the time. He too would inspire his daughter towards greater feats of accomplishment . Inspired from her families extensive education and contributions to society, Elsie made it her goal to attend the University of Toronto and graduate as an engineer.

How many brothers and sisters did Elsie MacGill have?

Elsie had two older step brothers and an older sister, Dr. Helen MacGill Hughes. With Elsie’s parents’ background, becoming the first women to achieve something was a family value.