Heritage Minute: Elsie MacGill

Production Design: Charlie Hannah
Director: Scooter Corkle
Client: Historica Canada
Production Company: Point Blank Creative


Elsie MacGill was the world’s first female aeronautical engineer and Canada’s first practicing woman engineer. She oversaw Canada’s production of Hawker Hurricane aircrafts at the Canadian Car & Foundry factory during the Second World War. Hawker Hurricanes were one of the main fighters flown by Canadian and Allied airmen in the Battle of Britain. This Heritage Minute follows Elsie MacGill in her role as chief engineer overseeing the production of these instrumental aircrafts.