French pilot Jacqueline Auriol, piloting the Mirage III, becomes the first woman to attain the speed of Mach 2. Born on 5 November 1917 she was the daughter of a wealthy shipbuilder, who during World War II, worked against the German occupation of France by helping the French Resistance.
She took up flying in 1946, got her pilot's license in 1948 and became an accomplished stunt flier and test pilot.
Auriol was severely injured in a crash of a SCAN 30 in which she was a passenger in 1949, many of the bones in her face were broken, and spent nearly three years in hospitals undergoing 33 reconstructive operations.
To occupy her mind she studied algebra, trigonometry, aerodynamics and other subjects necessary to obtain advanced pilot certification.
Auriol earned a military pilot license in 1950 and then qualified as one of the first female test pilots. She was among the first women to break the sound barrier and set five world speed records in the 1950s and 1960s.
On four occasions, she was awarded the Harmon International Trophy by an American president in recognition of her aviation exploits. She passed away on 11 February 2000.
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