A
Abankina, Valya 48
Agranovsky, Valeriy 304–5
Air Defense Command headquarters 260, 261
Air Group 122 see female air force
Altsybeeva, Nina 274
Alyokhin, Junior Lieutenant 295
Amet-Khan, Sultan 194, 195, 219–20, 221, 225
Anisovka airbase 127–8, 129, 168–9, 183
anti-aircraft batteries, Russian 155–6, 164–5
armorers 66, 91, 169, 203–4, 249
Aronova, Raisa 254
Aviation Day, Tushino Aerodrome 51–2
aviatrices, pre-war 26–9, 50–1
B
Bachul, Lena 60–1
Badaev, Commander 65–6
Balashow, Vladimir 163
banned literature 136–7
Baranov, Nikolai “Batya” 34, 35, 36, 124, 125, 126, 162, 163, 195, 210, 233, 247–8, 253, 254, 259–60, 262–3, 279
Bashmakov, Major 67
Bataisk Aviation College 107
Battle of Kursk 284–6
Battle of Stalingrad 210
Belyaeva, Raisa 52, 91, 146, 147, 169, 171, 172–3, 180, 187–8, 196, 197, 199, 200, 214, 215–16
Bershanskaya, Yevdokia 90, 99, 106–9, 110, 116–17, 131, 201, 202, 300–1
Blinova, Klava 82, 83, 93, 128, 171, 174, 179, 180, 181, 182, 216, 261, 281–2, 289–93
Blue Line, fighting on the 273–7
Bock, Field Marshal von 53
Brontman, Lazar 41
Budanova, Katya 21, 50, 52, 258, 259, 260
9 Guards Regiment at Zety 219, 222–3, 224, 227–9
9 Guards Regiment at Zhitkur 195, 199–200, 214–15, 216–17
296 Fighter Regiment (later 73 Guards Regiment) 247, 279–81, 295–6
death of 295–6
Budyonny, Marshal 78
Bukharin, Nikolai 137
Burenko, Grigory 279–80
Bykov, Vassil 284–5
C
Civil War, Russian 107
Commissars abolished 148
Communist Party 76, 92, 105, 110, 145, 248–9, 253, 282–3
see also Komsomol
dance parties at Engels airbase 77, 82
Danilov, Colonel 187
Danilova, Nina 130
Devyataev, Mikhail 311
diary keeping 101–3
Dokutovitch, Galya 66, 90, 98–9, 114, 119–20, 131, 132–3, 138–9, 141, 151, 156–60, 229, 234, 237, 251, 252, 254–5, 265–6, 300–4
Dolina, Masha 32, 33–6, 74, 124, 128–9, 235, 237, 240, 241, 275–8
Domnin, Ivan 279–80
Dranischev, Yevgeny 218, 219–20, 221
drill practice/marching 75
Dryagina, Irina 69–71, 157–8, 159
Dzhugashvili, Yakov 175
Dzhunkovskaya, Galya 240, 276, 277
E
8 Air Army 167, 169–70, 176, 187–8, 189, 212, 226, 239, 272, 307
see also 434 Air Regiment; 437 Air Regiment
85 Regiment 208, 222, 227, 230–1, 312
Engels airbase 17, 20, 39, 62–71, 73–7, 78–121
Engels town 63
engine technicians see mechanics
escapees from occupied territory 144–5, 292–3, 311
evacuation of Moscow 40–1
F
Fedutenko, Nadezhda 74
Fedyayev, Alexander 139
female air force
586 Fighter Regiment at Anisovka airbase 127–8, 129, 146–8, 168–9, 183
586 Fighter Regiment at Engels airbase 32, 65, 66–9, 79–80, 110–12, 116, 121–2
586 Fighter Regiment at Razboyshchina airfield 121–2
586 Fighter Regiment join 8 Air Army (see Fighter Regiment, female; 434 Air Regiment; 437 Air Regiment; 9 Guards Regiment; 73 Guards Fighter Regiment; 296 Fighter Regiment)
587 Heavy Bomber Regiment at Engels airbase 32, 65, 66, 67–8, 70, 74, 81, 101, 128
587 Heavy Bomber Regiment at the Front 234–5, 238–9, 240, 242–4, 254, 275–7 (see also 125 Guards Regiment)
588 Night Bomber Regiment at Engels airbase 18, 32, 65, 66, 68, 75–6, 90, 97–9, 105–9, 116–20, 128
588 Night Bomber Regiment join 4 Air Army (see Night Bomber Regiment, female)
airplanes 80, 81, 95–7, 98–101, 105–6
armorers 66, 91, 169, 203–4, 249
bad behavior and discipline 83, 84, 94, 104–5
disputes and disagreements 90–2
drill practice/marching 75
Engels airbase 62, 63–71, 73–7, 78–121
entertainment and socializing at Engels airbase 77, 82–3, 85
fatalities 118–20, 146–8, 181, 186, 286–7, 295–6, 301–3, 304–9
first orders for deployment to the Front 115–16
food/rations 47–8, 91, 121, 191, 205–6, 250
formation of 17–18, 24–5, 31–2, 36, 37–40
haircuts and personal appearance 52, 64–5, 112, 113–14
inequality amongst the ranks 91, 121, 169, 191
interrogations by SMERSh 144–5
journey to Engels airbase 45–50, 52–3
mechanics and technicians 66, 75–6, 90–1, 96, 97, 121, 169, 172, 191, 205–6 (see also Krasnoshchykova, Valya; Pleshivtseva, Faina)
military oaths 76–7
Muscovite new recruits 37–40, 43–5
navigators 66, 89, 90, 99, 109–10, 140
New Year celebrations 85–6, 224–5, 229, 230
prisoners of war 290–1
Razboyshchina airfield 121–2
recruits from Saratov 103–4
relations with male counterparts at Engels 38–9, 62, 85, 104, 112
spying on colleagues 102–3
uniforms 17, 24, 39, 75, 89, 93–4, 114, 202–3
see also Budanova, Katya; Ivakina, Nina; Litvyak, Lilya; Raskova, Marina
Fialkovsky, Leonid 160–1
Fibikh, Daniil 102
Fighter Regiment, female 260–1, 313
Aniskova airbase 127–8, 129, 146–8, 168–9, 183–6
Engels airbase 32, 65, 66–9, 79–80, 110–12, 116, 121–2
Razboyshchina airfield 121–2
see also Budanova, Katya; female air force; 434 Air Regiment; 437 Air Regiment; Litvyak, Lilya; 9 Guards Regiment; 73 Guards Fighter Regiment; 653 Air Regiment; 65 Guards Fighter Regiment; 296 Fighter Regiment
flying clubs/schools 33–4, 46, 50, 56–7, 69, 162, 175
see also Engels airbase; female air force
Fomichyova, Klava 234
food/rations 47–8, 91, 121, 191, 205–6, 250
fortune-telling tradition 86, 229
4 Air Army 131, 140, 151–2, 201–2, 203–4
see also Night Bomber Regiment, female
434 Air Regiment 20, 171, 174–5, 176–83
437 Air Regiment 21, 171, 173–4, 180, 187–92
see also Litvyak, Lilya; 9 Guards Regiment; 73 Guards Fighter Regiment; 296 Fighter Regiment
Frolova, Tamara 204
funerals 118, 150–1, 181–2, 186, 237, 238, 269, 296
Fyodorova, Tanya 245–6
G
Gelman, Polina 114, 159, 264, 266–7, 302–3
German Air Force
abandon Kotelnikovo airbase 230
Ace pilot brought down by Lilya Litvyak 187–9, 190
bombed in the Stalingrad Cauldron 212–14
bombing raids 71–2, 152–3, 162, 294
bombing Stalingrad 163–6
dog fights 123–5, 178–9, 180–1, 184–5, 187–9, 199–200, 215, 221–4, 253, 256–7, 262, 264, 276–7, 279–80, 285–6, 295, 305–6
early air superiority 122
planes shot down
report on Stalingrad 241
shoot down Night Bombers 301–2
German Army
advances slowed by General Zhukov 207–8
Battle of Kursk 284–6
capture Moscow 53
encircled at Stalingrad Front 211–14, 220, 221, 239–41
frozen in ice 230–1
Kharkov encirclement 133
offensive against and retreat from Caucasus 201, 250, 252–3, 254
offensive against Stalino 54, 56–7
offensive against Rostov-on-Don 138–40, 141, 142–3, 155–6
offensive against Stalingrad 161–6, 178–9, 180–1, 183, 187–9, 208–9
prisoners of war 242
Gershberg, Semyon 41
Glavodezhda 202–3
Golovin, Anatoly 291–2
Golubeva-Teres, Olga 20, 71–4, 75, 84, 85, 102–3, 128, 137, 141–3, 156, 273–5
Golyshev, Ivan 263–4, 269, 271, 297, 299–300, 313
Golyuk, Andrey 312–13
Gorkhiver, Semyon 253
Govoryako, Tanya 93
Gridnev, Alexander 111, 170, 187, 216, 260
Grizodubova, Valentina 27–9, 30, 31, 51
Gromadin, General 261
Gulags 58
Gumrak airfield 220
Guskov, Gavriil 285
Gvozdikova, Valya 68–9
Heavy Bomber Regiment, female 32, 65, 66, 67–8, 70, 74, 81
death of Marina Raskova 235–7
deployed at the Front 234–5, 238–9, 240, 242–4, 254, 275–7
Height 101, Krymsk 275–7
hospital carriages, train 71–3
Hoth, General 139
How The Steel Was Tempered (N. Ostrovsky) 135, 136, 159
I
International Women’s Day 115
Ivakina, Nina
deployed at the Front 147, 148
Engels airbase 62, 63, 68, 77, 79, 84, 85, 87, 91–2, 93, 95, 96, 101–2, 103, 104–5, 111, 112, 118–19, 120
Razboyshchina airfield 121–2
Ivanovna, Maria 278
K
Kacha Flying School 27
Kalmyks 224
Kaluga 232–3
Kamneva, Nina 263
Kaplan, Fanny 42
Karakorskaya, Yelena 185–6
Kasatkina, Klava 101–2
Kashirina, Glafira 143–4
Katz, Frida 60–1
Kazarinova, Militsa 24, 47, 52, 68, 82, 130
Kazarinova, Tamara 110–11, 127, 128, 129, 170, 186–7
Khalip, Yakov 32–3
Khomyakova, Lera 52, 69, 97, 127, 128, 183, 184–6
Khryukin, Timofey 167–8, 169, 212, 226, 248, 310, 311
Khvostikov, Maxim 173–4, 187, 188
Kiev encirclement 88
Kirillova, Masha 276
Kleshchev, Ivan 174–5, 177, 179, 181, 182, 210
Kociok, Oberfeldwebel Josef 302
Komogortseva, Nadya 118
Komsomol (Young Communist League) 37, 55, 68, 76, 77, 91, 92, 103, 148, 155, 159, 257, 259, 309
Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper 257, 309
Kotelnikovo airbase 229, 230, 231–2
Kotluban Station 176–7
Kotov, Sasha 180
Krainov, Major 247, 248–9, 253, 256–7, 262, 263, 268, 272, 297
Krasnoshchykova, Valya 21–2, 37–8, 43–4, 67, 82, 92–3, 169, 196, 204, 216–18, 221, 224–5, 232–3, 248, 256, 259–60, 264, 267–8, 269, 281, 296–7, 308, 309, 312
Kremlin 41–2
Krutova, Zhenya 301–2
Kubarev, Vasiliy 293
Kuliyev, Adil 286
Kulkova (née Malyutina), Elena 20
Kuznetsova, Masha 93, 146, 199, 214, 216, 261
L
labor camps 102
Lantz, General 133
Lavrinenkov, Vladimir 165, 194–6, 197, 205, 220, 221, 222–4, 310–12
Lebedev, Vasiliy 286
Lebedeva, Tonya 182, 216, 261, 281–2, 283, 285–6, 287
Lenin, Vladimir 42
Levitan, Yury 24
Litvyak, Lilya 19
9 Guards Regiment at Zety airbase 224, 225–9
9 Guards Regiment at Zhitkur airbase 194, 195, 196, 198–9, 214, 216–17
296 Fighter Regiment (later 73 Guards Fighter Regiment) 232, 233, 253–4, 256–8, 260, 264, 270–3, 280–1, 294, 296, 297–8, 304–9, 316
437 Air Regiment 187–91
Alexey Salomatin and 233, 253–4, 267–8, 269
defamation of 309–13
Engels airbase 68–9, 82, 84–5, 86, 93–5, 97, 111–12, 113, 114–16
Lomako, Vera 24, 27, 62, 66, 67, 91
Lomanova, Galya 236
long-distance flights 27–9
Loshmanova, Lida 301
M
Makarova, Masha 104
make-up and appearance 112–14
Makunina, Sasha 48–9
Malakhova, Anya 118
Malinina, Marina see Raskova, Marina
Maresiev, Alexey 248
Markov, Valentin 242–3
Marshak, Samuil 259
Martynov, Alexander “Sasha” 126, 209, 210, 233, 254, 269
mechanics, female 66, 75–6, 90–1, 96, 97, 121, 169, 172, 191, 205–6
see also Krasnoshchykova, Valya; Pleshivtseva, Faina
medals of honor 29, 165, 174, 185, 202, 209–10
Meklin, Natasha 64, 201, 202, 229, 251, 301
Menkov, Nikolai “Kolya” 21, 22, 268, 270–1, 294, 297, 298, 304–5, 306, 307, 308–9
Mikhailov, Nikolai 37–8
Mikoyan, Stepan 20, 176, 177, 178–9, 180
Mikoyan, Vladimir 176, 177, 181
military oaths, taking 76–7
Mirotvortsev, Sergey 237
Mius Front 273–7, 294–5, 305–6
Mongolian Embassy, Moscow 261
Moscow 23
captured by German Army 53
defense of 53–4, 115–16, 207–8
pilots take leave in 258–60
prepares for invasion 40–3
Moscow Central Flying Club 69
Motherland flight 27–9
N
Nagorny, S. 210
Napoléon Bonaparte 23
navigators 66, 89, 90, 99, 109–10, 140
see also Dokutovitch, Galya
Nazis see German Army
Nechayeva, Klava 91, 171, 173, 174, 176–7, 179, 180–1
Neminushchaya (née Petrochenkova), Valentina 20
New Year celebrations 85–6, 224–5, 229, 230
Newspaper Novels 38
Night Bomber Regiment, female 18, 32, 65, 66, 68, 75–6, 90, 97–9, 105–8, 116–20, 128
deployment at the Front in 4 Air Army 129–33, 135–9, 140–5, 150–1, 156–60, 201–2, 203–4, 229, 250–2, 264–7, 273–4, 300–4
Night Witches see Night Bomber Regiment, female
Nikitin, Victor 218
Nikulina, Dina 109
9 Guards Regiment 21, 192–200, 204–7, 214–17, 219–28, 231
N.K.V.D. 17, 30–1, 102, 148, 297
“Not one step back” order 149–50
Notes of a Navigator (M. Raskova) 30, 38
O
Okudzhava, Bulat 22
125 Guards Regiment (Heavy Bomber) 275–7
1083 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment 164
Operation Barbarossa 32
Operation Citadel 284–5
Operation Uranus 211–12
operettas 82–3
Osipenko, Polina 27, 28–9, 30, 31
Osoaviakhim (Association for the Support of the Defense, Aviation and Chemical Industries) 24
P
Panov, Dmitry 193, 198, 208, 213, 214, 222, 230–1, 249
Parfyonov, Nikolai 177
Pasko, Dusya 119
Pasko, Stepan 119
Pasko, Yevdokia 20
Paulus, Friedrich 163, 211, 213, 241, 242
peasant life 63–4
Peredera, Katya 112–13
Perushev, Lieutenant 299
Petlyakov Pe-2 dive bombers 18, 100–1
Petrochenkova, Valya 46
Petrovsky Palace, Moscow 23, 24
Piskaryova, Katya 254
Pivovarov, Vladimir 60
Pleshivtseva, Faina 66, 94–5, 191, 199–200, 203, 216–18, 221, 224–5, 232, 233, 256, 259–60, 264, 267–8, 269–70, 308, 313, 314
Popova, Nadya 141
Pravda newspaper 41, 123–4, 137, 168, 238, 314, 315
prisoners of war, German 242
prisoners of war, Russian 40, 53, 88, 140, 291–3
Prokhorova, Yevgenia “Zhenya” 50–1, 52, 69, 79–80, 110, 127, 171, 183–4, 186, 187
Prokofiev, Georgiy 281, 282–3, 285, 289–90, 291
propaganda, Soviet 26, 123, 161, 247, 248–9
Pugachyova, Tonya 99
R
Rachkevich, Yevdokia 24, 75, 77–9, 104, 128, 302
Radchenko, Yevgeny 248
Radio Moscow 42–3
radio operators 59–61, 87–9, 152–3, 189–90, 226–7, 271, 304
Rakobolskaya, Irina 90, 108–9, 113, 150, 158, 201, 300, 302
Raskova, Marina
Aviation Day, Tushino Aerodrome 51
death of 235–8
deployment of regiments 115, 116, 129–30, 131, 170
Engels airbase 62, 65–71, 73–4, 79, 81, 83, 91, 93, 94, 103–4, 118, 128–9
formation of female air force 17–18, 25, 31–2, 36, 37–8, 103–4
leads Heavy Bomber Regiment 74, 81, 128–9, 234
Motherland flight 28–9
negotiates supply of Pe-2 bombers 100–1
non-military aviation career 25–6, 27–9
role in N.K.V.D. 17, 30–2, 110
Razboyshchina airfield 121–2
record-breaking flights 27–9
Red Army Comrades’ Court 84
Revolution Day celebrations 204–5, 206
romances in the Air Divisions 233, 253–4, 264–6
Rossosh, retreat from 87–9
Rostov-on-Don 132, 138–40, 141, 142–3, 149, 155, 247, 252–3
Rotmistrov, General 230
Rozanova, Larisa 68
Ruban, Vasiliy 263
Rudneva, Zhenya 43–5, 64, 85, 89, 109–10, 135, 136, 138, 140, 150, 237, 250–1, 254, 264–7, 301–2, 303–4
Russian Air Force
see female air force; 434 Air Regiment; 437 Air Regiment; Heavy Bomber Regiment, female; Night Bomber Regiment, female; 9 Guards Regiment; 73 Guards Fighter Regiment; 653 Air Regiment; 65 Guards Fighter Regiment; 296 Fighter Regiment;
Russian Army
Battle of Kursk 284–6
defense of Stalingrad 161–2, 164–5, 208–9
Kharkov operation 133
“Not one step back” order 149–50
Red Army Fund 283
retreat from Rostov 139, 142–3
Stalingrad offensive 211–12
take back Kotelnikovo airbase 230
Rybalko, Nikolai 293
S
Sakharov, Mikhail 29
Salikova, Lena 301–2
Salomatin, Alexey 124–5, 163, 209, 210, 232–3, 253–4, 259, 264, 267–9, 279
Saratov Aviation Plant 236–7
Seidmamedova, Zuleika 127–8
Serogodsky, Vasiliy 196–7
Serova, Valentina 315
73 Guards Fighter Regiment (earlier 296 Fighter Regiment) 21, 256, 259, 262–4, 270–3, 279–80, 294–300, 304–9, 316
Shakhurin, Alexey 100–1
Shcherbakov, Alexander 41
Shebalina, Nina 148, 172, 173, 204, 216
Shestakov, Lev 193–4, 195–6, 199, 215, 220, 224, 227
Sholokh, Natasha 164–5
shooting skills 93
Sidnev, Boris 213, 225–6, 227–8, 230, 307
Simonov, Konstantin 32–3, 122–3, 234, 287–9, 314–16
653 Air Regiment (later 65 Guards Fighter Regiment) 183
65 Guards Fighter Regiment 281–3, 285–6, 289–93
65 Signals Battalion 87–8
Skoblikova, Tonya 276
Skorobogatova, Anya 59–61, 87–9, 152–3, 189–90, 226–7, 271, 304
Skotnoy, Ivan 125
Slovokhotova, Nina 101–2
Smirnova, Lina 146–8
snipers 112–13
Soshnikov, Ivan 264
Soviet idealism 135–6
Spiridonov, Chief Engineer 217, 218
spying/informing 102–3, 127–8, 137
Stalin, Joseph 18, 32, 38, 40, 43, 51, 55, 80–1, 85–6, 116, 123, 125, 148, 149, 169–70, 175, 178, 221, 284
Stalingrad 161, 162–7, 173, 176, 183, 241–2
German Army encircled at Front 211–14, 239–41
Stalin’s Falcons newspaper 168, 209, 210, 257
Stalin’s Warriors newspaper 296
Stalin, Vasiliy 175–6, 182–3, 261, 293
State Defense Committee 53
Steppe, Russian 139
Stobova, Anya 60–1
Sumarokova, Tanya 45
superstitions, pilot 198–9
Supreme Soviet 138
Svistunenko, Dmitry 297, 298–9
T
Talalikhin, Victor 123
teplushka wagons 45
thirty 31 Regiment 227–8
Timofeyeva, Yevgenia “Zhenya” 238–9, 240, 241, 242, 275, 278
Timoshenko, Marshal 139–40
Tishurova, Sonya 121
Tolstaya, Sofia Andreyevna 137
Tormosina, Lilya 118
train hospital carriages 71–3
training, pilot 17, 46, 56, 101, 106, 111–12, 128–9
see also flying clubs/schools
Trud Gornyaka, Krasnodon 131–2
Tupolev, Andrey 58
Tur Brothers 257
Tushino Aerodrome 51
296 Fighter Regiment (later 73 Guards Fighter Regiment) 34, 96–7, 123–6, 161–3, 166–7, 227, 228, 232–3, 247–8, 252–4, 256
Tyulenev, General 201–2
U
U-2 biplanes 18, 57–8, 98–9, 117
underwear 202–4
uniforms/clothes 17, 24, 39, 75, 89, 93–5, 114, 202–4
V
Vashchenko, Valentina 313–14
Vershinin, Konstantin 131, 151, 202, 203–4
Vinogradova, Marina 118
Vinogradova, Shura 65
Volkova, Klavdia 185
Volpin, Nadezhda 137
volunteer militia, Muscovite 54
Vysotskaya, Anya 301
W
“Wait For Me” (K. Simonov) 314–16
weather conditions 89, 116–18, 235–6, 239
Yagoda, Genrikh 58
Yakovlev, Alexander 80–1, 123, 125
Yakovlev Yak-I 79, 80–1, 95–7, 169–70, 192–3
Yegorova, Anna 54–7, 58–9, 133–5, 151–2, 153–5, 200, 244–7
Yeliseyeva, Commissar 70
Yeremenko, Commander 221
Yeremin, Boris 123–5, 126, 161–2, 163, 166–7, 193, 194, 209–10, 211, 227–8, 312
Yeryomenko, Andrey 188
Yesenin, Sergey 136–8
Yessentuki sanatorium 254–5
Yevdokimov, Alexander “Sasha” 264, 271–2, 306, 307, 308–9
Yevgenia Prokhorova’s aerobatic quintet 50–1, 52, 69
Young Communist League see Komsomol
Yuryina, Natasha 165
Z
Zalessky, Ivan 227
Zapryagaev, Ivan 124, 209, 210
Zbarsky, Boris 42
Zhitkur airbase 195–200, 204–7, 214–17
Zotkin, Sergeant 272–3