Spreading My Wings

by Diana Barnato Walker

The daughter of millionaire racing driver, Woolf Barnato, and granddaughter of Barney Barnato who cofounded the De Beers mining company, by 1936 Diana had had enough of her affluent, chaperoned existence and sought excitement in flying, soloing at Brooklands after only six hours' training. She has followed her own instincts ever since.

Joining the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1941 to help ferry aircraft to squadrons and bases throughout the country, she flew scores of different aircraft - fighters, bombers, and trainers - in all kinds of conditions and without radio it has to be remembered.

She lost many friends, a fiancé and a husband before 1945 but continued to fly. In 1962 she was awarded the Jean Lennox Bird Trophy for notable achievement in aviation and then - her greatest moment - in 1963 flew a Lightning through the sound barrier becoming 'the fastest woman in the world'. She was awarded the MBE in 1965.

Her remarkable memoirs, lauded when first published in hardback, are now available in paperback. Brimming with adventure, anecdotes and famous names, the book makes compelling reading. It is the story of a very special woman who, now in her eighties, continues to live life to the full from her home in Surrey.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, War, World War II

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

She gets a four star solely for having remembered so much detail when she wrote this at 85.
Great stories but written like she was dictating to a friend. So stories get confusing as she doesn’t explain much and what she does is often out of order.
It’s like she wrote a draft and they just published it.

[Mrs Olga A Danes-Volkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read

I don't think I would have cared for Diana Barnato.much but this story of her life is amazing. Fabulously rich, her life was one of constant entertainment as is true for rich people today. However, she did leaven this with a sense of responsibility and her life as a pilot with the ATA ferry pilots in WWII is just completely remarkable. Those women pilots had to fight.misogyny and flying virtually non stop the largest possible range of planes without radio and no instrument training.

Diana was undoubtedly a phenomenal pilot and she describes her adventures, if one can call them that, very well indeed. I loved this book. The spirit and bravery of those women unimaginable when the misogyny alone would today cause an uproar. We owe them all so much and if Diana Barnato's life was easier for being both pretty and knowing half England, it in no way detracts from her extraordinary achievements.

[Kent M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well written account of upper crust life in pre-World War II British l8fe, and the sacrifices, activities, and even pleasures to be found while serving in the home front war effort.

A worthy read.

I listened to the audio book version and the narrator did a fantastic job including the technical terminology, which is a rarity in my experience.

[Camio.Dontchaknow · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a life!
A privileged and passionate personality. She's amazingly level headed for someone who spent most of her time in the air. She experienced more than her fair share of heartache. Well, during wartime, didn't they all? But I admire the way she seems to have kept a matter-of-fact joyfulness about her.
She tells her story with ease and delight. I'd never heard of her before this book and I didn't want to put it down. I like a book like that. Although I got. Bit lost trying to keep track of all the other people that popped up.

[Diane]

Mentioned as a reference by Maggie Shipstead in her book "Great Circle"

[Hermien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating family connections. An amazing and inspiring woman.