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43-494: Though women were officially barred from combat at the time, Major Marina Raskova used her position and personal contacts with the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to obtain permission to form female combat units. Combat facilitated and ushered in a reluctant acceptance of women in military, based more upon practicality and necessity than for equality. On October 8, 1941, an order was issued to deploy three women's air-force units, including

86-410: A bright flash of an incendiary bullet going past my leg into the gas tank...Then a little red tongue licked out inquiringly from under the gas tank in front of my feet and became a hot little bonfire in one corner of the cockpit." Incendiary projectiles, in particular those intended for armor penetration, are more effective if they explode after penetrating a surface layer, such that they explode inside

129-603: A dye factory as a chemist. She married an engineer, Sergey Raskov, whom she met at the dye factory, so changing her name to Raskova. She had a child, Tanya, in 1930. The following year she started to work in the Aero Navigation Laboratory of the Air Force Academy as a draftswoman. Raskova became a famous aviator as both a pilot and a navigator for the Soviet Union in the 1930s. She was the first woman to become

172-474: A flare (used by navigators to illuminate bombing targets) and using the small silk parachutes to sew undergarments. Both of them were retrained as navigators, but Frolova was killed in action in 1943. Twenty-three personnel from the regiment were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union , two were awarded Hero of the Russian Federation , and one was awarded Hero of Kazakhstan . In 1917, Russia became

215-475: A musician, and her goal was to become an opera singer. In 1919, when she was seven, her father died from the injuries inflicted when he was struck by a motorcycle. She continued her drama and singing studies, but later she fell victim to a middle ear infection that left her unable to continue singing. She decided to quit music and to devote herself to studying chemistry and engineering in high school. After graduation in 1929, to help her family, she started work in

258-765: A navigator in the Soviet Air Force in 1933. A year later, she started teaching at the Zhukovsky Air Academy, also a first for a woman. She taught male and later, female students military navigation. She was the subject of skepticism by many of her male students but was able to prove herself capable. Later, the Academy sent Raskova to Tushino for the Central Flying Club in order to receive flying lessons, which she completed in August 1935. When Raskova's training ended, she

301-486: A new use: they became one of the preferred types of ammunition for use in interceptor fighters . They were not nearly as effective at puncturing bomber aircraft as armor-piercing bullets, but were far more effective than standard bullets because they could ignite fuel if they pierced a fuel tank or pipeline. Belgian inventor de Wilde, who was living in Switzerland, invented a new bullet in 1938. In December of that year

344-523: A square in Moscow, some schools and Young Pioneer detachments. There was a bust of her at the "M. M. Raskova" Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots in Tambov , but that school ceased to function in 1997. Incendiary ammunition Incendiary ammunition is a type of ammunition that contains a chemical that, upon hitting a hard obstacle, has the characteristic of causing fire/setting flammable materials in

387-488: A straight-line distance flight. The plan was to fly from Moscow to Komsomolsk (in the Far East ). When finally completed, the flight took 26 hours and 29 minutes, over a straight-line distance of 5,947 km (3,695 mi) (total distance of 6,450 km (4,010 mi)). However, the ordeal took 10 days when the plane was unable to find an airfield due to poor visibility. Because the navigator's cockpit had no entrance to

430-458: A tall person to operate the top rear machine gun, but not enough women recruited were tall enough, requiring some men to join the aircrews as radio operator and tail gunner. The 588th Regiment's staff driver and searchlight operatives were also male. Marina Raskova Marina Mikhaylovna Raskova (Russian: Мари́на Миха́йловна Раско́ва , IPA: [mɐˈrʲinə mʲɪˈxajləvnə rɐˈskovə] ; née Malinina ; 28 March 1912 – 4 January 1943)

473-402: A teacher. Anna Lyubatovich, her mother's sister, was a known Russian singer as Tatyana Lyubatovich ( Татьяна Спиридоновна Любатович ). Her half-brother (through her father) was shipbuilding scientist Boris Malinin . Unlike the majority of Soviet airwomen, Marina did not show any early interest in aviation. Becoming a pilot-navigator was her second choice. Raskova had originally wanted to become

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516-468: The 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment , which used Yak-1 fighters, and the 587th Bomber Aviation Regiment , which used twin engine Pe-2 dive bombers . Later the unit received the Guards designation and reorganized as the 125th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment. Although all three regiments had been planned to have women exclusively, none remained all-female. The 586th and 588th Regiments employed male mechanics,

559-632: The German Army a Po-2 undergoing repairs. Following her return to the Regiment she was sentenced to death by a military tribunal in 1942 because she could not produce the card. She refused to appeal the sentence as a show of loyalty to the party, but was later acquitted after the political commissar attached to the unit intervened on her behalf. Her sentence was suspended and she was reinstated to her position. Mechanics Raisa Kharitonova and Tamara Frolova were sentenced to ten years of imprisonment for dismantling

602-568: The German military from 1942 until the end of the Second World War (1945). At its largest, it had 40 two-person crews. The regiment flew over 23,000 sorties, dropping over 3,000 tons of bombs and 26,000 incendiary shells. It was the most highly decorated female unit in the Soviet Air Force, with many pilots having flown over 800 missions by the end of the war, and twenty-three having been awarded

645-470: The Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire in the air battles over Dunkirk . The explosive power, coupled with the flash on impact which guided their aim, was much appreciated by pilots. The bullets were at first scarce, and as a result, a mix of ball, AP, Mk IV incendiary tracer and Mk VI incendiary was used until production increased to sufficient levels. By 1942 the standard loading for fixed .303s

688-467: The Hero of the Soviet Union award , the first females ever to receive it and the only ones before World War II. When World War II broke out, there were numerous women who had training as pilots and many immediately volunteered. While there were no formal restrictions on women serving in combat roles, their applications tended to be blocked, run into red tape, etc. for as long as possible in order to discourage

731-531: The Hero of the Soviet Union title. Thirty-two of its members died during the war. The regiment flew in steel-and-canvas Polikarpov U-2 biplanes, a 1928 design intended for use as training aircraft (hence its original uchebnyy designation prefix of "U-") and for crop dusting , which also had a special U-2LNB version for the sort of night harassment attack missions flown by the 588th. The plane could only carry 350 kilograms (770 lb) of bombs, so eight or more missions per night were often necessary. Although

774-458: The "Russian Amelia Earhart " for her achievements. The most famous of her long-distance records was the flight of the Rodina (Russian for "Motherland"), Ant-37 – a converted DB-2 long range bomber – on 24–25 September 1938. She was the navigator of the crew that also included Polina Osipenko and Valentina Grizodubova . From the start, the goal was to set an international women's record for

817-694: The 325th Night Bomber Aviation Division, 4th Air Army , 2nd Belorussian Front ; in October 1943 it became the 46th "Taman" Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, "Taman" referring to the unit's involvement in the Novorossiysk-Taman operations on the Taman Peninsula during 1943. In October 1941, Major Marina Raskova was granted authority to select candidates for the 122nd Composite Air Group, an all-female aviation regiment. Raskova had already established several world records in long-distance non-stop flights and

860-574: The 586th because no women had received training to work on the Yakovlev fighter planes before the war. The 586th's woman commander, Major Tamara Aleksandrovna Kazarinova , was replaced by a man, Major Aleksandr Vasilievich Gridnev , in October 1942. The 587th Regiment was originally under the command of Marina Raskova , but after her death in 1943, a male commanding officer, Major Valentin Markov , replaced her. The 587th's Petlyakov Pe-2 dive bombers also required

903-419: The 588th Regiment. The regiment, formed by Raskova and led by Major Yevdokiya Bershanskaya , was composed primarily of female volunteers in their late teens and early twenties. An attack technique of the night bombers involved idling the engine near the target and gliding to the bomb-release point with only wind noise left to reveal their presence. German soldiers likened the sound to broomsticks and hence named

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946-569: The British Air Ministry purchased the design. However, as the bullet had to be made by hand rather than mass-produced, Major C. Aubrey Dixon of the British Royal Arsenal at Woolwich developed a greatly improved bullet with similar incendiary capabilities. This was adopted by British forces as the 0.303 Incendiary B Mark VI. For security reasons, and to confuse the enemy, it was initially called "de Wilde" ammunition, even though

989-410: The actual equality and treatment of women. A common dilemma for these women grew out of the social pressures of deciding to place more importance on the family instead of an aviation or military career. Irina Rakobolskaya, pilot with the 588th Regiment, rationalized the difficult reality and challenges she faced to pursue both a family and piloting career when she stated, “I think that during the war, when

1032-551: The aircraft was obsolete and slow, the pilots took advantage of its exceptional maneuverability; it also had a maximum speed that was lower than the stalling speed of both the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 , which made it very difficult for German pilots to shoot down, with the exception of fighter ace Josef Kociok , who grounded the regiment for an entire night by shooting down three or four of their planes on

1075-402: The applicants from entering any training program. Raskova is credited with having used her personal connections with Joseph Stalin to convince the military to form three combat regiments of women. Following a speech by Raskova on 8 September 1941 calling for women pilots to be allowed to fight, Stalin on 8 October 1941 ordered the formation of the all-female 122nd Aviation Corps. Not only would

1118-481: The design was almost entirely different from the original version. The B Mark VI incendiary bullet was packed with nitrocellulose , and a small steel ball was placed in the tip of the bullet to ensure that the chemical exploded on impact. As opposed to earlier designs, the B Mark VI was a true incendiary rather than tracer ammunition . The B Mark VI incendiary bullets were first issued in June 1940 and tested operationally in

1161-425: The fate of our country was being decided, the bringing in of women into aviation was justified. But in peacetime a woman can only fly for sport...otherwise how can one combine a career with a family and with maternal happiness?” On 8 October 1941, Order number 0099 specified the creation of three women's regiments—all personnel from technicians to pilots would be entirely composed of women. The other two regiments were

1204-593: The first country to declare legal equality for women, which allowed them to enter military service. Women were inherently equal in both rights and responsibilities as a Russian citizen as social equality was a fundamental part of the Communist ideology. After World War II, women in Russia were treated as they always have been, especially before the 1917 law was passed. This may promote a more nationalistic views for Russia, along with soldiers to fight for their country, rather than for

1247-590: The gas. Similarly, incendiary ammunition was used against non-rigid observation balloons. The British Royal Flying Corps forbade the use of incendiary ammunition for air-to-air combat with another airplane, as their use against personnel was at first considered to be a violation of the St. Petersburg Declaration . Pilots were permitted to deploy them against only zeppelins and balloons. Furthermore, they were required to carry written orders on their person when engaging these targets. During World War II , incendiary bullets found

1290-853: The night of 31 July – 1 August 1943. Members of the regiment were deployed from the Engels Military Aviation School to the Southern Front as part of the 218th Division of the 4th Air Army on 23 May 1942, where they arrived on 27 May. Throughout the course of the war the regiment accumulated approximately 23,672 sorties in combat, including in the following battles: In total the regiment collectively accumulated 28,676 flight hours, dropped over 3,000 tons of bombs and over 26,000 incendiary shells , damaging or completely destroying 17 river crossings, nine railways, two railway stations, 26 warehouses, 12 fuel depots, 176 armored cars, 86 firing points , and 11 searchlights . In addition to bombings,

1333-491: The pilots "Night Witches". Due to the weight of the bombs and the low altitude of flight, the pilots did not carry parachutes until 1944. When the regiment was deployed on the front line in June 1942, the 588th Night Bomber Regiment became part of the 4th Air Army of the Southern Front . In February 1943 the regiment was honored with the Guards designation and reorganized as the 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment in

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1376-448: The rest of the plane and was vulnerable in a crash landing, Raskova parachuted out before they touched down. She had forgotten her emergency kit and was unable to find the plane for 10 days, with no water and almost no food. The rescue crew had found the aircraft eight days after the landing, and was waiting when she found her way to it, after which all three women were taken to safety. On 2 November 1938, all three women were decorated with

1419-422: The target. Additionally, targets with onboard electronics or computers can be damaged by metal fragments when they explode on the surface. Ignition is often delayed by varying means until after impact. Some explosive projectiles, such as high-explosive incendiary bullets, contain an incendiary charge intended to ignite explosives within the shell. Although not intended to start fires, tracer bullets can have

1462-442: The unit performed 155 supply drops of food and ammunition to Soviet forces. In total, 261 people served in the regiment, of whom 32 died of various causes during the war including plane crashes, combat deaths and tuberculosis . Twenty-eight aircraft were written off. Senior Engineer Sofiya Ozerkova destroyed her party card in case of capture during a retreat from an encircled airbase after she had chosen to stay behind to deny

1505-458: The vicinity of the impact on fire. The first time incendiary ammunition was widely used was in World War ;I , more specifically in 1916. At the time, phosphorus was the primary ingredient in the incendiary charge and ignited upon firing, leaving a trail of blue smoke. These early forms were also known as "smoke tracers" because of this. Though deadly, the effective range of these bullets

1548-721: The war. Her ashes were buried in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis on Red Square , beside Polina Osipenko 's. She was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War I Class. An American ship, Ironclad (launched as Mystic in April 1919), that had taken part in Convoy PQ 17 was transferred to Soviet ownership and renamed Marina Raskova  [ ru ] in June 1943. Streets were named after her in Moscow and Kazan, as well as

1591-512: The women be pilots, but also support staff and engineers. After their training, the Group's three regiments received their formal designations as follows: Raskova died on 4 January 1943, when her aircraft crashed attempting to make a forced landing on the Volga bank, while leading two other Pe-2s to the first operative airfield near Stalingrad. The entire crew perished. She received the first state funeral of

1634-411: Was able to become an instrument flying instructor and was allowed to teach command personnel advanced navigation. In 1935, she divorced. She set a number of long-distance records, a significant achievement in the eyes of the Soviet Union, which gave its aviators celebrity status. Most of these record flights occurred in 1937 and 1938, while she was still teaching at the air academy. She was referred to as

1677-455: Was half loaded with AP and half with incendiary bullets. An RAF fighter pilot who was shot down by incendiary ammunition in the Battle of Britain described his experience: "I could smell powder smoke, hot and strong, but it didn't make me feel tough this time. It was from the cannon shells and incendiary bullets that had hit my machine...Bullets were going between my legs, and I remember seeing

1720-456: Was only 350 yards (320 m ), as the phosphorus charge burned quickly. Incendiary bullets called "Buckingham" ammunition were supplied to early British night fighters for use against military zeppelins threatening the British Isles. The flammable hydrogen gas of the zeppelins made incendiary bullets much more deadly than standard ones which would pass through the outer skin without igniting

1763-579: Was referred to as the "Russian Amelia Earhart " for her achievements. When the Germans invaded in 1941, young women began writing Raskova letters, asking how they could best serve their country using their flight skills. Raskova used her personal connection with Stalin to obtain approval to establish the regiment. Stalin was quick to approve of the initiative, as he had a general interest in the women's "tremendous international propaganda value." The regiment flew harassment and precision bombing missions against

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1806-536: Was renamed the 125th M.M. Raskova Borisov Guards Dive Bomber Regiment in her honor. Raskova became one of over 800,000 women in the military service, founding three female air regiments , one of which eventually flew over 30,000 sorties in World War II and produced at least 30 Heroes of the Soviet Union . Marina Malinina was born to middle-class parents. Her father was operatic singer and singing instructor Mikhail Malinin ( Михаил Дмитриевич Малинин ) and her mother

1849-507: Was the first woman in the Soviet Union to achieve the diploma of professional air navigator. Raskova went from a young woman with aspirations of becoming an opera singer to a military instructor to the Soviet's first female navigator. She was the navigator to many record-setting as well as record-breaking flights and the founding and commanding officer of the 587th Bomber Aviation Regiment , which

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