When military aged men went off to fight in World War II, those left at home didn’t sit idly by. And while casual civilian flight was largely off the table, American aviators found their skills in demand. From civilian training, U-Boat spotting, and plane building: we’re bringing you four stories of civilian aviation during World War II, in Home Front, a new limited series from AirSpace and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Subscribe to Home Front: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart | Amazon Music | RSS
Home Front is made possible by the generous support of Lockheed Martin.
Showing 1 - 4 of 4
Story
A small group of Americans, many of them women, joined pliots from 25 other countries in England's Air Transport Auxilliary, where they ferried hundreds of thousands of planes across the British Isles.
Story
Spotting U-Boats, search and rescue, medical flights, and dropping the occasional bomb - the Civil Air Patrol was busy during World War II.
Story
We talk to a real-life "Rosie the Riveter" and hear the story of how World War II transformed American aviation, manufacturing, and labor.
Story
Before and during World War II, the Civilian Pilot Training Program trained thousands of licensed pilots and increased "airmindedness" nationwide.
