Elsie MacGill
She became the world's first female aircraft designer and oversaw the mass production of Hurricane fighters that helped win the Second World War.
1905–1980 (age 75)·Canadian engineer·Birthday: March 27·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Elsie MacGill's life was a series of shattered ceilings. She graduated from the University of Toronto's electrical engineering program in 1927, becoming the first woman in Canada to earn a degree in the field. A bout with polio during her studies left her using canes, but it didn't ground her ambitions. She went on to earn a master's in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan, another first for a woman. Her technical brilliance found its ultimate stage at Canadian Car and Foundry during WWII. As chief aeronautical engineer, she didn't just approve designs; she re-engineered the Hawker Hurricane for harsh Canadian winters and mass production, personally signing off on every one of the 1,451 aircraft built. Her leadership turned the Fort William plant into a vital arsenal for the Allies, earning her the enduring nickname 'Queen of the Hurricanes.' After the war, she championed women's rights as a commissioner on the landmark Royal Commission on the Status of Women, ensuring her impact soared far beyond the factory floor.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Elsie was born in 1905, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Elsie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1905
Elsie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1905Born
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Started school
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1918Became a teenager
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Could drive
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1923Could vote
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1926Turned 21
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1935Turned 30
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1945Turned 40
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 50
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 60
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 70
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Died at 75
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
Key Achievements
- Became the first woman in Canada to earn an electrical engineering degree in 1927.
- Served as the chief aeronautical engineer overseeing the production of 1,451 Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft during WWII.
- Re-engineered the Hurricane's design for cold-weather operation and streamlined manufacturing.
- Was the first woman to serve as a technical advisor to the International Civil Aviation Organization.
- Served as a commissioner on the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada.
Did You Know?
She contracted polio in 1929 and designed her own special car with hand-controlled brakes and clutch to maintain her mobility.
A comic book series, 'True Comics,' featured her story in 1942 under the title 'Queen of the Hurricanes.'
She was married to fellow aircraft designer E.J. (Bill) Soulsby, who worked as her assistant at Canadian Car and Foundry.
She was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1983.
“The word 'impossible' is one I do not accept.”
