Today in Mighty Girl history, Elsie MacGill, the Canadian woman who earned a place in history as the world’s first female aeronautical engineer, was born in 1905. MacGill’s work to perfect the Hawker Hurricane, a fighter plane that helped ensure the Allies’ air dominance during World War II, earned her the title “Queen of the Hurricanes.”
MacGill was the first woman in North America, and likely t...he world, to graduate with a Masters Degree in aeronautical engineering in 1929. Shortly before her Masters graduation, MacGill contracted polio and ended up completing her final exams while still in the hospital. Her loss of mobility ended her dreams of becoming a pilot, and doctors told her she would need to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. She refused to believe it and taught herself to walk with two canes. She didn’t give up flight entirely: for the rest of her career, she rode along on every test flight of any plane she helped design.
MacGill went on to get her doctorate at MIT, and in 1938, she became the first woman elected to corporate membership in the Engineering Institute of Canada. The same year, she was hired as the Chief Aeronautical Engineer at Canadian Car and Foundry, the first time in the world a woman held a chief engineering position. MacGill’s position there expanded dramatically when the company was selected to build Hurricane fighters for the Royal Air Force: the factory’s staff jumped from 500 to 4,500. MacGill was responsible for streamlining the manufacturing process as well as designing solutions to make the Hurricane operational in the winter.
MacGill’s role in the war effort made her famous: dozens of articles about the female engineer appeared all over North America. She even appeared in her own comic book, “Queen of the Hurricanes: Elsie MacGill”. By the time production ended in 1943, CC&F had manufactured over 1,400 Hurricanes. The aircraft was particularly renowned during the Battle of Britain where it accounted for 60% of the Royal Air Force's victories in the battle.
After the war, MacGill worked for many years on behalf of women's rights in Canada and was honored for her dedication to the cause with the Order of Canada in 1971. She once said, “I have received many engineering awards, but I hope I will also be remembered as an advocate for the rights of women and children.” There’s no doubt that the Queen of the Hurricanes deserves to be remembered for both.
MacGill is one of the 100 women featured in “100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces” for ages 13 and up at http://
For a wonderful picture book about a young girl who wants to build a flying machine, we highly recommend "Rosie Revere, Engineer" for ages 4 to 9 at http://
If you'd like to encourage your children's interest in engineering, check out our Mighty Careers blog post "I Want To Be An Engineer!", filled with our recommendations for girl-empowering books, toys, and clothing, at http://
And, for more true stories of courageous women heroes of WWII, check out "Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue" for ages 13 and up at http://
MacGill was the first woman in North America, and likely t...he world, to graduate with a Masters Degree in aeronautical engineering in 1929. Shortly before her Masters graduation, MacGill contracted polio and ended up completing her final exams while still in the hospital. Her loss of mobility ended her dreams of becoming a pilot, and doctors told her she would need to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. She refused to believe it and taught herself to walk with two canes. She didn’t give up flight entirely: for the rest of her career, she rode along on every test flight of any plane she helped design.
MacGill went on to get her doctorate at MIT, and in 1938, she became the first woman elected to corporate membership in the Engineering Institute of Canada. The same year, she was hired as the Chief Aeronautical Engineer at Canadian Car and Foundry, the first time in the world a woman held a chief engineering position. MacGill’s position there expanded dramatically when the company was selected to build Hurricane fighters for the Royal Air Force: the factory’s staff jumped from 500 to 4,500. MacGill was responsible for streamlining the manufacturing process as well as designing solutions to make the Hurricane operational in the winter.
MacGill’s role in the war effort made her famous: dozens of articles about the female engineer appeared all over North America. She even appeared in her own comic book, “Queen of the Hurricanes: Elsie MacGill”. By the time production ended in 1943, CC&F had manufactured over 1,400 Hurricanes. The aircraft was particularly renowned during the Battle of Britain where it accounted for 60% of the Royal Air Force's victories in the battle.
After the war, MacGill worked for many years on behalf of women's rights in Canada and was honored for her dedication to the cause with the Order of Canada in 1971. She once said, “I have received many engineering awards, but I hope I will also be remembered as an advocate for the rights of women and children.” There’s no doubt that the Queen of the Hurricanes deserves to be remembered for both.
MacGill is one of the 100 women featured in “100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces” for ages 13 and up at http://
For a wonderful picture book about a young girl who wants to build a flying machine, we highly recommend "Rosie Revere, Engineer" for ages 4 to 9 at http://
If you'd like to encourage your children's interest in engineering, check out our Mighty Careers blog post "I Want To Be An Engineer!", filled with our recommendations for girl-empowering books, toys, and clothing, at http://
And, for more true stories of courageous women heroes of WWII, check out "Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue" for ages 13 and up at http://
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