Night Witches

[Shiny Side Up]

Whenever you think your life as a pilot is tough, remember it can always be tougher. Interesting bit to read.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/world ... ef=general

[Changes in Latitudes]

Incredible story, I had no idea the Russians used female pilots in combat like that

Much appreciated.

[Shiny Side Up]

The Sovs used many female pilots. Apparently one of the appeals for women for the task was the ability to aquire silk from parachutes to make underwear.

[PointyEngine]

Truly impressive woman!

"The Po-2 biplanes flown by the Night Witches had an advantage over the faster, deadlier German Messerschmitts: their maximum speed was lower than the German planes’ stall speed, making them hard to shoot down"

- This is what the Air Force is doing wrong, we need fleets of Turbine Beavers, not jets!! They belong in hot tubs!

[iflyforpie]

That's what Bob Diemart was advocating. Unfortunately you must send these planes out with little regard to the lives of the pilots flying them... which for the Soviets was no big deal; I'm sure the infantryman on the steppe had less chance of survival through 41-42...

Sure is a tribute to these women that they were able to create such chaos, confusion, and destruction totally out of proportion to the size and speed of their aircraft and the tonnage (poundage) of bombs they dropped.


It's also worthy to note that the PO-2 went onto further service in the Korean War as 'Bedcheck Charlie'.

One was credited with bringing down a jet-powered F-94 Starfire that was sent to intercept it. One report said that the F-94 collided with the PO-2, another said the F-94 stalled while trying to get a visual, as the PO-2 was a 'stealth aircraft' as far as 1950s air intercept radars were concerned.

[Shiny Side Up]

Incidentally on this topic, the Sovs have had the only women aces there have ever been. Interesting reads for this month's edition of wikireader.

Lydia Litvyak

Someone I'm sure the Colonel would approve of:

Litvyak displayed a rebellious and romantic character. Returning from a successful mission, she would "buzz" the aerodrome and then indulge in unauthorised aerobatics, knowing that it enraged her commander.

Yekaterina Budanova

Night Witches

[JMACK]

Thanks Shiny,

Good read! I liked it, my wife even more.........J

[Expat]

...and Raskova:

http://h2g2.com/approved_entry/A5849076

More photos:

http://www.google.ca/search?q=night+wit ... 24&bih=620

[hazatude]

Am I the only one that is both impressed AND turned on by these heroines?

[xsbank]

Haz, if you are a pilot you could be turned on by a plank!