Roald Dahl, WASPS, Disney and the origin of Gremlins

[Rangi]

This write up came as part of an update to a kickstarter project I have signed up for, but I found it fascinating as a lover of aviation history and just having re-read all the Roald Dahl books with my son, enjoy.

 

For background WASPs (Womens Airforce Service Pilots) were a unit of women that did ferrying of new build and serviced aircraft around the US during WWII, so the men could serve at "the front" instead of being "back home"

 

Fifinella, with her colorful uniform and swept back wings, stands as one of the WASP Program’s most iconic emblems. But just who or what exactly is Fifinella?

Originally drawn in 1942, Fifinella was a Gremlin, a creation of the famed British Author Roald Dahl. Dahl was not the originator of the Gremlin as a concept, but his work gave these mischievous little creatures an identity, as well as names, and characteristics.

 

 

Fifinella became a part of the WASP identity which continues to this day.

The earliest print references to Gremlins are among Royal Air Force flight crews stationed across the Middle East and India in the 1920s. These creatures were similar to imps in that they were interested in dismantling or damaging machinery with impressive mechanical skill, and were used by pilots to explain away unusual occurrences during a flight. Oil pressure gauge having intermittent issues? Must be a Gremlin!

Dahl, himself a pilot in the Royal Air Force, was well familiar with the myth, and when an accident rendered him unable to fly, he began writing The Gremlins to distract himself from his injuries. He created a stunning narrative, about the little people who sabotage RAF aircraft. In the story, we find out that the Gremlins are motivated to sabotage RAF aircraft because their traditional forest home was bulldozed to make way for an aircraft factory. After they destroy his Hawker Hurricane, we see the main character, Gus, convince the Gremlins to join forces with the RAF against the Nazis, their common enemy.

Fifinella, as she appeared in the illustrated book, The Gremlins.

In this narrative, we are also introduced to the Gremlin’s children, known as Widgets (male) and Fibbertigibbets (female), but perhaps most importantly, this is where we meet the Gremlin’s wives – known as Fifinellas. These female Gremlins are often shown caring for the young, but also take to the skies alongside the others in defense of their home.

Dahl’s story became a huge hit; Random House published 50,000 copies for the US Market early in 1943, even First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt had a copy which she loved to read to her Grandchildren. It was also serialized in the popular magazine Cosmopolitan. Disney even intended to make a film, having worked with Dahl on character development for The Gremlins. However, the film was shelved when Disney, who loved the story, realized that there were Copyright issues emanating from the involvement of the British Air Ministry.

However, the artwork Disney had prepared for The Gremlins would have a life beyond a shelved film project. At the time, Disney received regular requests to use their characters in unit patches across the world, and with the debut of The Gremlins book, the impish creatures began to feature in the requests. One such request was received from a group of female aviators in Texas who asked if they could use Fifinella as their mascot. Disney agreed and Fifinella’s association with the WASP program began. Her part in the heart and soul of the WASP lives on through today.

Edited November 27, 2016 by Rangi
hopefully added images