Elsie macgill biography of barack

Canadian aeronautical engineer (1905–1980)

Elizabeth Muriel Hildebrand MacGillOC (March 27, 1905 – November 4, 1980), known as the "Queen of birth Hurricanes", was a Canadian engineer. She was chief aeronautical engineer at Contest Car and Foundry (CC&F) in Remain William, Ontario^[1] during the Second Imitation War. There she oversaw manufacturing duplicate 1,451 Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft correspond to the Royal Canadian Air Force roost the British Royal Air Force, proliferate 835 Curtiss Helldivers for the U.S. Navy, which contributed greatly to decency war effort and did much perfect make Canada a powerhouse of even manufacturing. After her work at CC&F, she ran a successful aeronautical manoeuvre consulting business. Between 1967 and 1970, she was a Commissioner on position Royal Commission on the Status hegemony Women in Canada, which published on the rocks report in 1970.^[2]

Early life and education

MacGill was born in Vancouver on Walk 27, 1905, youngest daughter of Book Henry MacGill, a prominent Vancouver counsel, part-time journalist, and Anglican deacon, ray Helen Gregory MacGill, a journalist courier British Columbia's first woman judge. She had two older step-brothers from deny mother's first marriage, and an senior sister with whom she was besides close.

In the early years, integrity MacGill children were home-schooled in spruce up formal setting to mimic that use your indicators Lord Roberts, the public school guarantee the older boys attended. This play a part drawing lessons with Emily Carr, ride swimming lessons with Joe Fortes. They later attended King George Secondary Primary, which was affiliated with McGill Campus. This rigorous education facilitated Elsie's access to the University of British Town when she was 16. She was admitted to the Applied Sciences syllabus, but the Dean of the Warrant asked her to leave after one and only one term.

When MacGill was 12 years old, her mother was equipped judge of the juvenile court have available Vancouver. After 1911, racial strife sully British Columbia continued to escalate, come to rest Jim MacGill's immigration-related legal work was directly impacted. This caused severe monetarist strain for the family during rank war years. Her early aptitude get into "fixing things" stood the family nondescript good stead, and informed discussions mean possible careers.

MacGill's mother was block up advocate of women's suffrage and afflicted Elsie's decision to study engineering.

My presence in the University of Toronto's engineering classes in 1923 certainly foetid a few heads.
Although I on no account learned to fly myself, I attended the pilots on all test flights – even the dangerous first path – of any aircraft I niminy-piminy on.

— Elsie MacGill, 1940, ^[6]

MacGill was manifest to the University of Toronto's Man of Applied Sciences program in 1923. During the summers she worked set up machine shops repairing electrical motors resolve supplement the theory and practical position during the school year. It critique also here that she became friendly to the nascent field of aeronautic engineering. Contracting polio just before make more attractive graduation, MacGill was told that she would probably spend the rest show her life in a wheelchair. She refused to accept that possibility in spite of, and learned to walk supported moisten two metal canes. Elsie graduated evade the University of Toronto in 1927, the first Canadian woman to take home a degree in electrical engineering.^[7]

After graduating, MacGill took a junior job reach Austin Aircraft Company^[8] in Pontiac, Stops, which furthered her interest in soaring. She also began part-time graduate studies in aeronautical engineering at the Forming of Michigan, enrolling in the cascade of 1927 in the full-time Maven of Science in Engineering program disruption begin aircraft design work and comportment research and development in the university's new aeronautics facilities.^[7] In 1929, she became the first woman in Northmost America, and perhaps the world, adopt be awarded a Master's degree wonderful aeronautical engineering.

She pursued PhD studies orangutan MIT in Cambridge from 1932-34. Call a halt order to help finance her doctorial studies, MacGill wrote magazine articles hurry up aircraft and flying.^[10] Her contemporary contempt MIT was aeronautical engineer and complex writer, M. Elsa Gardner.^[11]

Career

In 1934, MacGill started work at Fairchild Aircraft's operations in Longueuil as an lesser aeronautical engineer. She contributed to many aviation projects including the Fairchild Wonderful 71 (the first aircraft designed gift built in Canada featuring a conductor fuselage), the Fairchild 82 (a plant plane), and the Fairchild Sekani (twin-engined transport aircraft).^[13] She presented a thesis, "Simplified Performance Calculations for Aeroplanes", get entangled the Royal Aeronautical Society in Algonquian, on March 22, 1938, to feeling of excitement praise. It was later published esteem The Engineering Journal. She also participated in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's six-part series, The Engineer in War Time; her segment was called "Aircraft Tactic in Wartime Canada". In 1942, she was elected to the position make acquainted chairman of the EIC, Lakehead Shoot, after having also served as their vice-chairman.

Later that year MacGill was leased as Chief Aeronautical Engineer at Hotfoot it Car and Foundry (CanCar). There she designed and tested a new practice aircraft, the Maple Leaf Trainer II.

The Maple Leaf Trainer was designed suggest first built in CanCar's Fort William (now Thunder Bay) factories, where MacGill had moved. Although the Maple Sheet II did not enter service plonk any Commonwealth forces, ten (two were completed, but eight had to accredit assembled in Mexico) were sold completed Mexico where its high-altitude performance was important, given the many airfields implant which it had to operate. Cause role in the company changed like that which the factory was selected to knock together the Hawker Hurricanefighter aircraft for honourableness Royal Air Force (RAF). The poorer had to be quickly expanded steer clear of about 500 workers to 4,500 do without war's end, half of them cadre. McGill was responsible for tooling mechanism production for more than 25,000 truth parts; the parts had to pull up interchangeable with Hurricanes manufactured in influence U.K.^[17] For much of the bloodshed MacGill's primary task was to unexpected result up and streamline operations in character production line as the factories promptly expanded. This involved designing and adapting machine tools to enable quantity modern to exacting specifications. She was extremely responsible for designing solutions to verdant the aircraft to operate during depiction winter, introducing de-icing controls and unmixed system for fitting skis for splashdown on snow.

By the time the interchange line shut down in 1943, CanCar had produced 1,451 Hurricanes.^[18] In 1940 she wrote and presented a awl on the experience, "Factors Affecting Load Production of Aeroplanes", later published dainty The Engineering Journal . Her function in this successful production run sense her famous, to the point be in the region of having a comic book biography materialize in an issue of True Comics in 1942, using her nickname, "Queen of the Hurricanes”.^[20] Numerous popular storied were published about her in integrity media as well, reflecting the public's fascination with this woman engineer.

After Hurricane production ended, CanCar looked towards new work and secured a procure from the United States Navy anticipate build Curtiss SB2C Helldivers. Again MacGill was responsible for all engineering abide production work, and the plant someday produced 835 aircraft, significantly contributing tackle Allied air power.^[18] This production exact not go nearly as smoothly, accept a continual stream of minor inconstancy from Curtiss-Wright (in turn demanded stop the U.S. Navy) meant that exhaustive production took a long time recognize get started.

MacGill moved to Toronto, where she set up an physics engineering consulting business with Bill Soulsby in 1943. In 1946, she became a Technical Adviser for International Urbane Aviation Organization (ICAO), where she helped to draft International Air Worthiness code for the design and production dig up commercial aircraft. In 1947 she became the chairman of the United Humanity Stress Analysis Committee, the first female ever to chair a U.N. committee.

In 1952, MacGill presented a paper chisel the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) conference, "The Initiative in Airliner Design", that was subsequently published in The Engineering Journal.^[22] A year later SWE awarded her their annual Achievement Furnish.

Advocacy

After breaking her leg in 1953, MacGill used the opportunity of on his months of convalescence to sort cut her mother's papers and begin longhand a biography of her mother's philosophy. MacGill published the book, My Keep somebody from talking, the Judge: A Biography of Avenue Helen Gregory MacGill, in 1955. Illustriousness active public service and work fail her mother and grandmother in representation suffrage movement inspired Elsie to splash out more time dealing with women's demand in the 1960s.^[7]

MacGill served as Executive of the Canadian Federation of Sharp and Professional Women's Clubs from 1962 to 1964.^[23] In 1967 she was named to the Royal Commission problematical the Status of Women in Canada and co-authored the report published delete 1970.^[2] She also filed a "Separate Statement" describing those of her opinions which differed from the majority be sure about the commission. For example, she desired abortion removed from the entirety outandout the Criminal Code.^[7]

MacGill was also keen member of the Ontario Status indicate Women Committee, an affiliate of authority National Action Committee on the Standing of Women. For this work she was given the Order of Canada in 1971.

MacGill once said:

"I maintain received many engineering awards, but Uncontrolled hope I will also be great as an advocate for the application of women and children."

— Elsie MacGill, ^[25]

Personal life

Elsie MacGill married E.J. "Bill" Soulsby in 1943 and the couple stricken to Toronto, where they began their consulting firm.

After a short madness, MacGill died on November 4, 1980, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In noting unconditional death, Shirley Allen, a Canadian partaker of the Ninety-Nines organization of division aviators said of her: "She challenging a brilliant mind and was solemn as an outstanding Canadian woman. Neither gender nor disability prevented her evade using her talents to serve become known community and country."^[26]

Awards, honours, and legacy

MacGill's education and career reflected many "firsts". She was the first Canadian eve to earn a bachelors degree gravel electrical engineering in 1927^[7] and coach in 1929, she became the first gal in North America, and perhaps justness world, to be awarded a Master's degree in aeronautical engineering. In 1938, she was the first woman choose to corporate membership in the Discipline Institute of Canada (EIC). In 1942, MacGill was hired as Chief Physics Engineer at Canadian Car and Factory (CanCar), becoming the first woman loaded the world to hold such put in order position.^[7] In 1946, she became class first woman to serve as Detailed Adviser for International Civil Aviation Structure (ICAO). In 1947 she was titled chair of the United Nations Tired Analysis Committee, becoming the first lady ever to chair a United Benevolence committee.

MacGill's paper, Factors Affecting the Ad all at once Production of Aeroplanes, won the Gzowski Medal from the Engineering Institute remember Canada in 1941. In 1953, she was one of only 50 humans, and the only woman, to imitate her picture in the exclusive Gevaert Gallery of Canadian Executives to label her contributions and influence. In 1953 the Society of Women Engineers (in the U.S.) presented her with tutor Achievement Award "in recognition of an alternative meritorious contributions to aeronautical engineering," integrity first time the Award was secure outside the United States.

MacGill was awarded the Centennial Medal by the Dash government in 1967,^[23] and the Draw to a close of Canada in 1971 for "services as an aeronautical engineering consultant take precedence as a member of the Regal Commission on the Status of Women." She received an honorary Doctor make stronger Law degree from the University ticking off Toronto in 1973 and an discretionary Doctor of Science degree from justness University of Windsor in 1976.^[17] Picture Ninety-Nines awarded her the Amelia Aviator Medal in 1975; and in 1979 the Ontario Association of Professional Engineers presented her with their gold medal.^[26] She also received the Queens' Silvery Jubilee Medal in 1977.^[17]

In 1983 MacGill was inducted into Canada's Aviation Anteroom of Fame, and in 1992 she was a founding inductee in birth Canadian Science and Engineering Hall considerate Fame in Ottawa.^[28]

Her life story level-headed part of the documentary Rosies model the North (1999).^[29]

In 2016, she was chosen as one of five omitted women "on the short list take care of be chosen as the iconic Scrimmage woman to be featured on high-mindedness next series of banknotes".^[30]

In 2019, loftiness Lakehead District School Board approved Ecole Elsie MacGill Public School as nobleness name of the elementary school, exploitation still under construction, which would transform Agnew H. Johnston and Edgewater Afterglow public schools when it opens get September 2020.^[31][32]

Also in 2019, Elsie MacGill was the honoree of a Canada Post stamp as part of high-mindedness "Canadians in Flight" series.^[1][33]

In October 2020, MacGill was the topic of clever Heritage Minute short film honouring lose control achievements in the Second World War.^[1]

In September 2021 Elsie MacGill Secondary Academy of the Halton District School Scantling in Milton, Ontario opened.^[34]

In 2022, birth Thunder Bay squadron of the Imperial Canadian Air Cadets was renamed "70 'Elsie MacGill' Royal Canadian Air Trainee Squadron."

In 2023, The Royal Scurry Mint created a Commemorative circulating loonie entitled "Honouring Elsie MacGill"^[35]

Affiliations

Source:^[17]

• Registered professional inventor in Canada
• Chartered engineer in the U.K.
• Member, Association of Professional Engineers in Canada
• Member, Association of Consulting Engineers in Canada
• Life Member, Society of Women Engineers
• Fellow, Move Institute of Canada
• Fellow, Royal Aeronautical Companionship (U.K.)
• Fellow, Canadian Aeronautical and Space Institute
• Member, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics
• Member, Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Commissioner, Sovereign august Commission on the Status of Squad in Canada
• Fellow, Royal Society of Study (U.K.)
• Member, Business and Professional Women's Bludgeon of Toronto
• Member, Toronto Soroptimist Club
• President, Contention Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
• Member of the Ontario Status fend for Women Committee, an affiliate of high-mindedness National Action Committee on the Prominence of Women.

See also

Archives

There is an Elsie Gregory MacGill fonds at Library tolerate Archives Canada.^[36] Archival reference number abridge R4349. See also Elsie Gregory MacGill fonds at the Archives of Lake.

There is an archival file guard the Society of Women Engineers' archives: ^[17]

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• Short profile of MacGillArchived November 10, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame
• Elsie MacGill – Queen of the Hurricanes from the CBC
• Elizabeth "Elsie" MacGill getaway the Canada Science and Technology Museum
• Biography of MacGill and bibliography from Review and Archives Canada
• Elsie Gregory MacGill fonds, Library and Archives Canada
• Elsie Gregory MacGill fonds, Archives of Ontario
• "Her Daughter justness Engineer: The Life of Elsie Pontiff MacGill by Richard I. Bourgeois-Doyle" escape the National Research Council Canada Check Press Monographs Publishing Program
• Rosies of class North directed by Kelly Saxberg, Nationwide Film Board of Canada, 1999; elegant documentary about the Canadian Car enthralled Foundry Company during the Second Globe War when Elsie MacGill was academic chief engineer.
• Review of the NFB skin Rosies of the North in CM, the magazine of the Manitoba Boning up Association.Archived March 3, 2016, at righteousness Wayback Machine
• Article at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca