Who were The Night Witches, The Dangerous Women in Combat

The Night Witches were a fierce group of female navigators and pilots who held their own against the Soviet military's male-dominated ranks. Their achievements came about as a result of the Soviet Union's dire desire to grow and modernize, and their sacrifices won them praise from the people.

Alongside their male colleagues, women built railroads, hammered nails, and laid brick; later, they enlisted in the military. Despite the fact that the Night Witches' tale is less well-known in the US, it is an intriguing example of how women aviators made their impact on World War II history.

The Beginning

Soviet women had more work experience than American women by the time the Second World War started. Women contributed to the development and modernization of the Soviet Union in the 1920s; some of them were even engaged by various aviation bureaus to construct and pilot aircraft.

These female pilots flocked to recruitment offices in droves in 1941 as Nazi forces advanced through the Soviet Union, but they were all turned away since the military would not allow female aviators to serve in combat duties. In their frustration, these women penned letters to Marina Raskova, a pilot and navigator who set records in the 1930s by flying planes thousands of miles, and whom they considered to be their national hero.

By October 1941, women aviators were accepted for military training, and Raskova was named Colonel of the three all-women units. However, most Soviet women aircrews were integrated into mixed-gender regiments, flying alongside men.

The women aviators were divided into three all-female units during their year of training:

• The 586 Fighter Aviation Regiment

• The 587 Bomber Aviation Regiment

• The 588 Night Bomber Aviation Regiment

The most-skilled aviators became fighter pilots and, to the ire of their male counterparts, were issued brand-new Yakovlev Yak-1s.

The middle-tier pilots were assigned to the bomber regiment, while the lowest-scoring pilots were assigned to night bombers and given the Polikarpov Po-2, a 1928 trainer made of wood and canvas with no heat, an open cockpit, and a 100-horsepower engine. The plane was armed with three bombs under each wing (as seen below).

Their Method Of Air Combat

The women of the 588th were tasked with flying low above German front lines and dropping bombs at night. The goal was to cause as much disruption as possible to the Germans, causing their men to lose sleep and potentially killing or injuring a few in the process.

The women of the 558thRegiment were instructed on their nighttime assignment and taxied out to the temporary "runway" to await dusk after sleeping during the day.

The pilots would take off in complete darkness, flying at tree top level towards the German front lines, across an area specified by the navigator (who doubled as the bombardier).  Then, the navigator/bombardier would drop the plane’s six bombs and the crew would head back toward a runway cleared that very day and lit with torches.

The Night Witches flew many trips every night, trying to keep the attacks going as long as possible in order to keep the Germans awake. The constant attacks succeeded in turning the Germans into virtual zombies. When the Germans found that the pilots were women, they became enraged and began to plan midnight bombing raids.

As a result, the female pilots modified their approach: they ascended while turning, gradually climbing in a broad circle until they reached a spot designated by the navigator.

The navigator would then tap the pilot on the shoulder to signal that the engine should be turned off, at which time the plane would glide silently. The crew would then drop the bombs and hope that the engine would restart.

This risky endeavor was usually successful; but if it wasn’t, the pilots were armed with pistols and the last bullet was always for themselves. The pilots would rather commit suicide than be taken prisoner by the Germans.

They Made A Name

Although the engine couldn’t be heard while the pilots were executing this new tactic, the plane still made some sound. The wind whistling through the struts could be heard by the German soldiers below, and some commented that it sounded like the screeching of a witch on her broom.

The derisive nickname “Night Witch” gained popularity and eventually became a badge of honor.

By the end of the war there were roughly 500,000 women serving alongside males in Soviet military combat roles. The ladies were discovered to be exceptional snipers; they also served as antiaircraft artillery operators, and some even became tank commanders.

But it was the Night Witches, gliding in their rickety trainers behind the shroud of darkness, who received the greatest accolades. Over 200,000 women received medals for bravery while serving, with 89 receiving the highest accolade, Hero of the Soviet Union. Among those 89 were 22 Night Witches from the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment.