5/3/10

New Zealand’s South Pacific Pictures and London’s Harbour Pictures announced today that they are to produce a feature film based on the extraordinary women who served in World War II British Air Transport Auxiliary. SPITFIRE GIRLS will be produced by South Pacific’s John Barnett and Paul Davis, and Harbour Pictures’ Nick Barton, and will be a co-production between the UK and New Zealand.

Frequently glamorised by the press during the war, but largely forgotten at war’s end, the exceptional group of 160 women of the ATA played an essential role delivering combat aircraft for the Royal Air Force. Young female pilots from as far away as New Zealand, America, Argentina and South Africa, made their way to Britain for the chance to fly. Almost one in 10 died from bad weather, faulty aircraft, or just bad luck.

Sandy Welch has been commissioned to write the screenplay based on the books “Spitfire Woman of World War II” by Giles Whitell and “Spreading My Wings” the legendary autobiography of ATA pilot Diana Barnato Walker.