<P> The ATA recruited pilots who were considered to be unsuitable for either the Royal Air Force or the Fleet Air Arm by reason of age, fitness or gender . A unique feature of the ATA was that physical handicaps were ignored if the pilot could do the job, thus there were one - armed, one - legged, short - sighted and one - eyed pilots, humorously referred to as "Ancient and Tattered Airmen". </P> <P> The ATA also took pilots from neutral countries . Representatives of 28 countries flew with the ATA . </P> <P> Most notably, the ATA allowed women . The female pilots (nicknamed "Attagirls") had a high profile in the press . On 14 November 1939 Commander Pauline Gower MBE was given the task of organising the women's section of the ATA . The first eight women pilots were accepted into service on 1 January 1940, initially only cleared to fly Tiger Moths from their base in Hatfield . They were: Joan Hughes, Margaret Cunnison, Mona Friedlander, Rosemary Rees, Marion Wilberforce, Margaret Fairweather, Gabrielle Patterson, and Winifred Crossley Fair . Overall during World War II there were 166 women pilots, one in eight of all ATA pilots, and they volunteered from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States, the Netherlands and Poland . From Argentina and Chile came Maureen Dunlop and Margot Duhalde . Fifteen of these women lost their lives in the air, including the British pioneer aviator Amy Johnson . Two of the women pilots received commendations; one was Helen Kerly . </P> <P> These women pilots were initially restricted to non-combat types of aircraft (trainers and transports), but they were eventually permitted to fly virtually every type flown by the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, including the four - engined heavy bombers, but excluding the largest flying boats . Hurricanes were first flown by women pilots on 19 July 1941, and Spitfires in August 1941 . </P>

Who formed the women's section of the air transport auxiliary in britain
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