WASP Women's Air Force Service Pilots Zippo Lighter FIFINELLA Gremlin DISNEY

Description

I Will Ship overseas. OVERSEAS BIDDERS: PLEASE DO NOT PAY until after I send you an invoice.
Commemerative Zippo for the
WOMENS AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS & featuring
Fifinella:
-- the WW II winged, begoggled lady Aviator gremlin depicted here.   Zippo made/dated in 2016.  This auction is for the zippo only- the other articles (patches, LIFE magazine etc) are for illustration purposes only and are not included in the sale.)
--
Commemerating the WASP Pilots who served during WWII. During WWII - women were recruited into the Air Corp to provide stateside ferrying and transportation missions -- as men were deployed for overseas combat services --women were recruited in numbers to provide air transport service due to the dearth of able bodied men in the US (remember "Rosie the Riviter"?)
Long overlooked and marginalized -- the WASPs who provided vital support during WWII- were finally provided "Military Veteran Status" in 1977 ONLY after a long congressional request and petition. Only recently have they finally won the right to be buried at Arlington Cemetary- because thier service was not considered "part of the military."
25,000 applicants applied for training as a WASP in SWEETWATER TEXAS- Avenger Field. However only 1,830 were selected for training. Of these graduates - several dozen women - often only in thier early 20s -gave thier life in support of the WASPs in training and support flights.
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS was very active during WWII --- and designed DOZENS of military emblems and logos to assist in the war effort. Walt Disney provided and allowed the WASPS to use the
"FIFINELLA"
Girl Gremlin character
as a MASCOT for the WASPs. FIFINELLA became the WASPS mascot as a result of the Disney fashioned aircraft "Girl Gremlin" depicted on the uniform patches and nose art of some of the aircraft --- and the name the book about the WASPs,
"GO HOME LITTLE FIFINELLA".
FIFINELLA
was the Disney fashioned aircraft "girl" gremlin for the WASPs. While many airfield gremlins were depicted pulling pranks and wrecking havoc ---"FIFI" was a good tempered gremlin mascot and guardian for the WASPs.
Old wives tales abound of aircraft gremlins during WWII --- and gremlins were "rampant"-- and the likes of Disney's
GUS the GREMLIN
was her male counterpart.
THE DIAMOND ON THE AIRWINGS ON THE ZIPPO REPRESENT THE SHIELD CARRIED BY ATHENA -- THE GODDESS OF WAR.
Full size BRUSHED chrome ..MINT IN BOX--- Never lit
----BRAND NEW.
***SEE MY OTHER AUCTIONS TO SAVE ON SHIPPING--
PLEASE JUST WAIT FOR MY INVOICE IF YOU HAVE WON MORE THAN ONE ITEM:
I DO COMBINE SHIPPING WHEREVER POSSIBLE.  I charge a reasonable shipping rate for combined shipping that is at/near cost.
Virginia States Sales Tax May Apply