Main content

As brilliant as the Spitfire is, it has one major flaw. The solution lies with the fastest woman in Britain: champion motorcycle racer and pioneering engineer, Beatrice Shilling.

As brilliant as the Spitfire is, it has one major flaw. Take her into a steep dive and fuel can’t reach the engine. A solution is urgently needed. That’s a job for the fastest woman in Britain: champion motorcycle racer and pioneering engineer, Beatrice Shilling.

Presenter: Tuppence Middleton
Producers: Alasdair Cross and Emily Knight
Editors: Chris Ledgard and Kirsten Lass

The audio for this programme was updated on 16 June 2020.

Available now

18 minutes

Last on

Mon 21 Jun 202109:32GMT
BBC World Service

More episodes

Previous

Women take controlSpitfire: The People’s Plane

Next

New planes, new rulesSpitfire: The People’s Plane

See all episodes from Spitfire: The People’s Plane

Image credit

Beatrice Shilling (Credit: Getty Images)

Broadcasts

  • Sat 13 Jun 202017:32GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Sun 14 Jun 202001:32GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Sun 14 Jun 202005:32GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Sun 14 Jun 202022:32GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Sat 19 Jun 202104:32GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Sat 19 Jun 202117:32GMT
    BBC World Service News Internet
  • Sat 19 Jun 202122:32GMT
    BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Sat 19 Jun 202123:32GMT
    BBC World Service UK DAB/Freeview, News Internet, Online & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Sun 20 Jun 202100:32GMT
    BBC World Service South Asia & East Asia only
  • Sun 20 Jun 202118:32GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Mon 21 Jun 202109:32GMT
    BBC World Service

Podcast