Female pilots of the VVS

[NZTyphoon]

Before we forget lots of women flew for the VVS: some preliminary  googling has thrown up a couple of sites:

 

http://jpgleize.perso.neuf.fr/aces/ww2fem.htm

 

http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&file=details&id=3597

 

http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads2&screen=4054

 

Books:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sky-Black-Death-Eastern/dp/0893573558

 

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Death-Soviet-Airwomen-World/dp/1585441775

 

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Witches-Amazing-Russias-Pilots/dp/0897332881

 

http://www.amazon.com/Women-Military-Pilots-World-War/dp/078644441X

 

http://www.amazon.com/High-Flying-Women-History-Female-Pilots/dp/0857332570

[Jetlagg]

Neat information. How on earth could we implement this? 

[VaeTibi]

 

 

 

 

[heinkill]

Female voice actors for some of the AI pilots, or a campaign based on one of them as sugested here...

 

http://forum.il2sturmovik.net/topic/239-ideas-for-scripted-campaign-storylines-post-yours-here/

 

 

 

 

[NZTyphoon]

Female voice actors for some of the AI pilots, or a campaign based on one of them as sugested here... http://forum.il2sturmovik.net/topic/239-ideas-for-scripted-campaign-storylines-post-yours-here/

Definitely worth doing. If, as I suspect, time constraints mean that  such features cannot be included in the basic game, I think an expansion pack including female pilots/aircrew would be worth a look.

[MiloMorai]

Katya Ryabova and Nadya Popova

 

 

 

One June 8, 1942, three planes took off on the first mission. The target: the headquarters of a German division. The raid was successful, but one aircraft was lost. The 588th fought non-stop for months, flying 15 to 18 missions a night. "It was a miracle we didn't lose more aircraft", recalls Nadia Popova. "Our planes were the slowest in the air force. They often came back riddled with bullets, but they kept flying."

 

On August 2, 1942, her plane crashed in the Caucasus. She and her navigator were found alive a few days later. The winter of 1942 was brutal, with the temperature plummeting to -54 F during the battle of Stalingrad. Parts of the aircraft were so cold that they ripped the skin off of anyone who touched them. By January 1943, the women of the 588th were worn out. Sleepless nights, constant stress, the loss of friends and sexual harassment from male colleagues took their toll. Women in the 588th flew up to 500 night raids!

[Pollux]

Here is a documentary on women in the Soviet army in French.

 

 

http://pluzz.francetv.fr/videos/l_ombre_d_un_doute.html

[707shap_Srbin]

 and sexual harassment from male colleagues took their toll.

 

Its not true.

[FlatSpinMan]

I know nothing of this but some evidence would improve your argument.

[707shap_Srbin]

I have read a lot of interviews with 46 gnbap (female night bombing regiment) pilots, and many others - they say only warm words about female pilots, and relations between male and female pilots were very very good.

[79_vRAF_Friendly_flyer]

I have read an interview with a Russian female pilot (an issue of Aeroplane monthly or possible Fly Past I'm sure I'll be able to dig up), and she reported a less than rosy picture. I guess not all female pilots suffered it, nor all male airmen were prone to it, but stating categorically that there never were any sexual harassment of female pilots is rather flying in the face of what we know about human nature.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Friendly_flyer

[NZTyphoon]

I have read an interview with a Russian female pilot (an issue of Aeroplane monthly or possible Fly Past I'm sure I'll be able to dig up), and she reported a less than rosy picture. I guess not all female pilots suffered it, nor all male airmen were prone to it, but stating categorically that there never were any sexual harassment of female pilots is rather flying in the face of what we know about human nature.

All too true, unfortunately. There are plenty of examples of sexual harassment, and worse, in current military forces - some of it may well be sensationalised by the media but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. There may well have been Soviet air units where discipline and relations between the sexes were good, but saying that typified things throughout the armed forces is a little hard to believe.

[ITAF_Rani]

At moment I' m reading...LE STREGHE DELLA NOTTE , author Gian Piero Milanetti.

It ' s a really good book, I don t know if it is translated in English too...

It contains many update data and a lot of new photos...

 

 

Regards

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

I really hope the 586th, 587th and 588th are featured...  Of course, we need the Po-2....

[Finkeren]

Given the rate at which female soldiers are subject to harrasment and rape today, I simply cannot believe, that it didn't happen in the VVS 70 years ago, as much as I would want to.

 

BTW: Why the assumption, that the sexual harrasments would necesarilly come from MALE colleages? Many of these squadrons were crewed almost exclusively by women, and we know from later examples, and from women interned in KZ-camps during the war, that women aren't too different from men, when they are living close together under stressfull conditions.

[Rodolphe]

...

 

 

http://airfighters.ru/woman.php

 

http://tamanskipolk46.narod.ru/

 

...

[Mastermariner]

Not sure if it's been posted before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnlCQNyFbVA

Master

[Cybermat47]

There were female pilots in IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, Birds of Steel and presumably War Thunder. But it was odd, because a gruff male would turn into a woman between sentences

[SOLIDKREATE]

Yes the 'Night Witches'. We have a Po-2 here in WA state at the Flying Heritage Club. These women would fly to there target and cut there engines and glide down quietly and then shred everything they can before kicking the engine back over and zooming away.

[VPK_CARTOON]

Anna Alexandrovna Egorova. Over 270 combat missions. IL-2 pilot. The Hero of Soviet Union. Was shot down on august 1944.

Her friend Evdokiya Nazarkina (gunner) died.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Yegorova

Edited October 3, 2013 by VPK_CARTOON

[VPK_CARTOON]

Back in 1937 Anna studied at Uliyanovsk pilot school then wenr  to Kherson flight school. After that she was transferred to Kalinin ( now Tver ) as a flight-instructor where she passed her skills to 42 pilots. 

After the Great Patriotic War started in 1941 she was assigned to 130 communication squadron at South Front headquarters. She flew U-2, UT-2, UT1-4 alongside the frontline and into the enemy territory as a liaison , courier and reconnaissance aircraft. Often was attacked by enemy fighters. Was shot down 3 times.

In 1942 she insisted on transferring her to ground assault air regiment. Fought with 805 assault regiment (197 assault division, 16-th air army, 1 Belorussian front ).

She was a regiment navigator. Anna is the only woman appointed a wing commander and navigator of 805 regiment. She had shown lots of courage fighting their rival at some point -  the German JG54 regiment...

 

...August 20. 1944.

There was a fierce battle behind Visla river where soviet pilots went as two groups. One (16 aircrafts) was under Egorova command. The other was led by the regiment commander. When they reached Visla they were met by German fighters who covered their AAA. Desperately soviet pilots tried to squeeze through the enemy AAA fire and hit the ground targets...

 

Here is what she remembered:

" I was waiting for the start of my mission excited.Worried. Oh damn. It is true that its always hard to wait and to catch up. Those minutes always go like hours. I always wanted to start acting right after the task received. A went to my plane from headquarters. I have spotted the gunner Nazarkina in her cockpit from afar.Haven't seen her in such a good mood and smiley for some time...Her cheeks pink and eyes shine. Looks like she finally goes back to life after all shock she's been through...The plane mechanic Gorobetz reported the aircraft ready for take-off and then secretly noded to gunner direction and whispered - "Comrade leitenant, Nazarkina loaded anti-tank bombs into her rear cockpit with fuses !"

" Is she crazy  ! - i went mad . Clear the cockpit immediatelly !"

Three minutes left before take off.

Mechanic said - "She doesnt let me...Threatens me with her gun !"

 

I came to Nazarkina. She like chicken tried to cover something with her "wings". I smoothelly moved her and reached hand inside.

BOMBS! Took out one 1.5 KG and passed to mechanic. Wanted to take another one but Nazarkina spoke with excitement - "Comrade leitenant leave them for me.Those bombies go right through any tank armor. Tigers, panthers, ferdinands...Please let me keep them ! When there is now enemy fighers above targets i will be throwing them with my hands ! We are going to attack tanks now. Aren't we ?!"

 

"Mechanic" i shouted ! "Clear the cockpit immediatelly!"

 

I put on the chute and jump into the cockpit. Engine start. Radio check and taxiing. I can hear the happy voice of Nazarkina. Hmmm... Hope mechanic managed to take all of bombs out ....."

....Visla is visible in front of us with its islands in the middle. Warsaw is to the right like in the myst.
" Four FW is high left !" - report from Nazarkina. She spotted them and shot the signal rocket to their direction to draw others attention.

Heavy AAA fire blocked our group advance. Starting maneuring. Shells explode so close. Seems like shell splinters drumming the armor of my IL-2.

Red erlikon balls reaching out to our shturmoviks. They are so beutifull. Cant even believe that each one brings death.

My wingmen where they should be - right echelon. Pyotr Makarenko is wing to wing with me. The fire is heavier with every second.

If we fly directly we'll get into even more fire. We change direction slowly so it is not so obvious from the ground. Wingmen follow. The powerfull fire left aside.

Not  losing the few moments untill AAA will correct their fire we start our dive !

No time to check wingmen.I know they all follow me. We drop our deadly load - rockets,bombs, cannon fire...

Ground is burning below us...At this very moment no attention to enemy fire. I dont see it.

One more attack ! And another one !

All over sudden my plane is thrown as if something hit it from below. Then another hit. And third...I can hardly control the plane. 

I try to lead my group to another attack on tanks. Some body is yelling via radio - "You are hit ! Go away "

 

Seems like the plane is damaged. Suddenly all went quiet...No comms with Nazarkina. "Maybe dead" !

The plane is shaking like crazy. Shturmovik is not controlled anymore. I cannot opet the cockpit and can hardly breath due to smoke. The stalling plane is burning and me to..."

 

Anna managed to bail out above enemy territory. She was burned injured and captured. Her friend died.

She spent 6 month in the concentration camp where she was treated by two POW doctors - russian Sinyakov and serbian Pavle Trpinatz from Belgrad.

They patiently cured her with custom made balms and herb mixes while her mother and friend recieved the letter about her death...

 

This girl survived and lived 93 good years. She spent her life with her beloved man also IL2 pilot colonel Timofeev of 230 air division who found her after the war and told her about his love and admiration. They married and even though doctors said she must not bear child due to heavy spine injuries she gave birth to 2 boys Piyotr and Igor. Igor became ingeneer and Piyotr become a military pilot. They in turn delivered  3 grandchildren.

 

For her dedication Egorova was awarded with many medals.

 

p.s. fuf... long text. Think it was last time i tried to translate ))))