Artifact #8

The Queen of Hurricanes: Elsie MacGill

Elsie MacGill was born March 27, 1905 in Vancouver, BC, and she was the first woman to graduate with a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering in 1929, and the first Canadian woman to practice within her field of study and first female aircraft designer. Her high achievements led to her position as chief aeronautical engineer at the Canadian Car & Foundry in 1938. This company employed 200 women and produced approximately 1,450 aircrafts throughout the war. Between the years 1938-1943, Elsie supervised the production of the Hawker Hurricane Fighter planes in the Second World War, and later became recognized as “Queen of Hurricanes”. MacGill designed a series of aircraft modifications on the Hawker Hurricane Fighter plane, such as de-icing, and skis to equip the plane for cold weather flying; and this plane was mainly used in the Battle of Britain. Elsie MacGill’s high achievements as a Canadian woman had shifted the way society viewed women in her field, she was the first of her kind, and her efforts had greatly impacted and supported Canadians throughout the war.

Bibliography

“Elsie MacGill.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, December 18, 2007. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/elizabeth-muriel-gregory-macgill.

“Elizabeth Muriel Gregory MacGill - Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.” Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame -, May 15, 2021. https://cahf.ca/elizabeth-muriel-gregory-macgill/.

Canada, Library and Archives. “Collection Search - Elsie Gregory MacGill.” Library and Archives Canada, December 8, 2024. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?idnumber=3222816&app=fonandcol.