Letter gets girl US spyplane treat

A nine-year-old girl whose "destiny" is to become a pilot had her dream come true when she raced at 120mph in the chase car following a U-2 spyplane as it came in to land.

Ellie Carter, from Great Torrington, Devon, wrote to the organisers of the the world's largest military airshow asking if they could feature her favourite aircraft the following summer.

But in her enthusiasm Ellie only gave her name, age and the fact she lives in Devon, leading to an international "hunt" for the youngster which captured the attention of the US crew of the spyplane at Beale Air Force Base, in California.

Luckily the Monkleigh Primary School pupil keeps a close eye on the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) website and spotted the plea from organisers trying to track her down.

After her mother, Lorna Carter, got in touch it was arranged by the crew of the U-2 spyplane - who had been inspired by Ellie's letter - for her to come to the US airbase and be shown around the aircraft.

She was also given the rare opportunity to sit in the chase car travelling at approximately 120mph as it attempted to keep up with the landing U-2 plane, which had just completed a 12-hour flight from Sacramento at altitudes on the edge of space.

"It was really fun," Ellie said afterwards.

"You could just see the back of the plane, which was really cool, and it came overhead and landed in front of us. The U-2's just unique and it flies in space and everybody has to work together."

Speaking about the letter, she added: "It just went everywhere, it went to Fairford and then to the Pentagon and Beale Air Force Base, which was really amazing."

This summer's RIAT takes place on July 7 and 8 when it will be marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.