Diana Barnato Walker | |
|---|---|
 Barnato Walker at the controls of an Airspeed Oxford | |
| Born | Diana Barnato 15 January 1918 London, England |
| Died | 28 April 2008 (aged 90) Surrey, England |
| Education | Queen's College, London |
| Occupation | Aviator |
| Known for | first British woman to break the sound barrier |
| Spouse |
Derek Ronald Walker
(m. 1944; died 1945) |
| Partner | Whitney Straight |
| Children | Barney Barnato Walker |
| Parent(s) | Woolf Barnato Dorothy Maitland Falk |
| Relatives | Barney Barnato (grandfather) |
| Awards | MBE |
Diana Barnato Walker MBE FRAeS (15 January 1918 – 28 April 2008) was a pioneering British aviator. In World War II, she became one of the first women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary, flying 80 types of aircraft and delivering 260 Spitfires. In 1963, she became the first British woman to break the sound barrier, flying at Mach 1.6, which also represented a world air speed record for women.