She becomes the first woman to check out in the P‑51 Mustang, the Army Air Forces’ fastest pursuit aircraft.
On February 27, 1943, Nancy Harkness Love became the first woman to check out in the P‑51 Mustang, then the fastest pursuit aircraft in the U.S. Army Air Forces.[9][8] Checkout in this high‑performance fighter required rigorous demonstration of skill in takeoff, landing, high‑speed maneuvers, and emergency procedures.
By early 1943, Nancy had already established herself as a highly competent ferry pilot and commander of the WAFS. The P‑51 was a cutting‑edge design, central to Allied air superiority later in the war. Many within the military doubted that women could safely manage such powerful aircraft, assuming they should be restricted to lighter trainers and transports. Nancy’s successful checkout directly challenged that view.
Her flight in the Mustang was more than symbolic. It provided proof that women pilots, given proper experience and training, could handle the same frontline combat aircraft as male pilots, even if they were not assigned to combat missions. This feat expanded the range of aircraft types that women ferry pilots were permitted to fly and strengthened her case for broadening their responsibilities.[9]
Historically, this event stands as a key technical first for women in military aviation: mastery of one of World War II’s premier fighters. It helped pave the way for Nancy’s later checks in the B‑25, B‑17, and C‑54 and contributed to her reputation as the first woman to fly virtually all of the AAF’s complex, high‑performance combat aircraft.[2][9] In the broader struggle for gender equality in aviation, February 27, 1943 demonstrated that the limits imposed on women were cultural, not technical.