Preserving the historic legacy of the RAF is the responsibility of Warrant Officer Carol Russell, Warrant Officer Engineering for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Warrant Officer Russell is in her thirty-sixth year of Royal Air Force service, having joined as a radar technician in 1990. Today she is in charge of around thirty non-commissioned engineers and is responsible for the upkeep of engineering practices and standards at BBMF.
International Women in Engineering Day is 23rd June and recognises the outstanding achievements of women engineers and to encourage more women to pursue careers in engineering. Mrs Russell was the first woman ever to have been appointed to a Warrant Officer level engineering role at RAF Coningsby and firmly believes in #INWED.
She said:
“What would I say to a young woman thinking of a career in engineering? Definitely. I’m a very hands-on person, and if you like hands-on engineering then the RAF is absolutely for you. Fast jets, helicopters, transporters; there is a huge variety of aircraft types. Whatever kind of engineering you’re into, there is something here for you.”
Mrs Russell continued:
“Engineering will develop you in ways that you hadn’t thought of. Physically, with the hand skills you need. Mentally, because you have to be disciplined, and think through all the second and third order consequences of your decisions. But nothing beats the feeling of seeing an aircraft take off that you’ve helped to fix.”
When not at work, Warrant Officer Russell is a qualified spinning instructor and holds regular classes for the BBMF. She also is a keen gardener but doesn’t get much time for horticulture as the BBMF is always busiest during the summer months.
Although Warrant Officer Russell has worked on a variety of aircraft types in her career, and loves the historic aircraft of the BBMF, it is clear that she remembers her time on the SEPECAT Jaguar particularly well:
“If anyone had lived my first seven years on 54 Squadron, everyone would have joined up. It was utterly amazing.”
Reflecting on her career, Mrs Russell said:
“Immense pride to have been an engineer in the RAF for thirty-six years. And to have my final tour here, on the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, leading an amazing team of people who look after these aircraft; that’s the icing on the cake.”
