Through the darkest days of the Second World War, an elite group of courageous, gifted women risked their lives as courier pilots, flying Lancaster Bombers, Spitfires and many other aircraft in hundreds of perilous missions across the country. In 'The Female Few', five of these astonishingly brave women tell their stories for the first time, awe inspiring tales of incredible risk, tenacity and sacrifice. Their spirit and fearlessness in the face of death still resonates down the years, and their accounts reveal a forgotten chapter in the history of the Second World War. AUTHOR: Jacky Hyams is a journalist and writer. She is the author of 'Bombsites & Lollipops: My 50s East End Childhood', 'The Real Downton Abbey', 'Rapid Response', and 'Time to Help Your Parent's. She has written for many newspapers and magazines, including the Sydney Morning Herald, London Evening Standard, The Times and Rolling Stone. She lives in London. SELLING POINTS: . Based on previously unpublished interviews with four pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary . Revealing accounts of forgotten heroism . Previously unpublished photographs . Bestselling hardback, critically acclaimed 30 b/w illustrations