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WINGED SISTERHOOD IN THE USSR

Lilya Litvak - The "White Rose" of Stalingrad". Written by Dariusz Tyminski . Fighter aces Lilya Litvyak, 12 German kills (left) and Katya Budanova, 11 German kills (center). They both died in combat...

("Night Witches in the Sky")

In her recently updated volume "Women in the Air War", (a record of the activities of female pilots in the Soviet Air Force fighting on the Eastern Front during The Great Patriotic War (World War II), Kazimera.J.Cottam writes "I find it ironic that there has been such an uproar over whether (American) women can, or should participate in tactical aviation, when more than half a century ago Soviet women did. And not out of Com-unist idealism or 'political correctness' but because their country simply needed them". It was to be the early 90's before women would take the controls of combat aircraft in the West, apart from the British civilian women pilots of the Air Trans- port Auxiliary and their Amer- ican counterparts of the W.A.S.Ps (Womens Air Service Pilots) who delivered new and repaired aircraft from the factories to the squadron airfields, often under extreme conditions and with minimal training. In fact the British ferry pilots were expected to fly as many as 150 different types of aircraft! (right) The film based on historical events is about the squadron of women-pilots during World War II, who nightly bombed Nazi airfields flying antiquated planes. At the same time in the Soviet Union over 1,000 women served as fighter and bomber pilots from 1941 until hostilities ceased in 1945. The first three squadrons were organized and began training early in 1941, each having women ground crews, aircrews and officers, The 587th and 588th being bomber squadrons and the 586th flying fighters. Initially flying some of the oldest and slowest aircraft in the Soviet inventory. They went on to achieve an incredible operational record,

Two typical books written on the subject of Russian 'women flyers'

For example, USAAF bomber crews flew a 'tour' of 25 missions - whereas many pilots in the 587th and 588th flew as many as 500, often flying 18 or more short-range missions in one night especially during the Battle of Stalingrad. And between 1942 and '45 the 588th alone flew some 24,000 sorties dropping 23,000 tons of bombs

"Night Witches in the Sky" made in Russia in 1981 directed by Yevgeniya Zhigulenka (far right in above photo)_ who was a PILOT in the 588th Night Bomber Squadron

At one stage when Allied bomber losses over Berlin forced a halt to the raids one Soviet squadron continued despite the danger. All were killed,all were women, such was their commitment.

Pilot Tanya Makarova and Navigator Vera Belik

Life for the fighter pilots was not easier. Some veterans of the 586th each flew 800-1000 sorties with the distinction of never losing any bombers they were escorting to the Luftwaffe.

Little was known by the general public in the West of the role these women played in achiev- ing victory because the Allies rather than the Soviets, kept it secret. A detailed study of the ex-ploits and experiences of these incredible women is ob- viously beyond the scope of this neces-sarily brief overview. How- ever a number of excellent books have been published detailing the history and the personal stories of those involved. But, unlike Vietnam, the film industry has to date neglected this fascin-ating aspect of military history although a film was made in Russia under the title 'The Night Witches' the name given to these flyers by the German soldiers whose sleep they often disrupted.

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The above text was researched and written by Roy Thomas (right) exclusively for fiba - who had a lifelong interest in aviation mat-ters. Unfortunately Roy was un-able to become a 'pilot' himself because or his eyesight deficien-cy. Instead became a world class expert on most military airplanes worldwide .He may be contacted at roythomas100@hotmail.com

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CONTENTS fiba 2008
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FILMBANK 2008

Year of the RAT