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Olga Yamshchikova: Widely unknown is the fact that Yamshchikova is also credited to be, apart from Litvyak, the (officially) highest-scoring woman ace of all time. She was also part of the 586th IAP, and ranked a total of no less than 17 enemy aircraft shot down!
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Valantina S. Grizodubova: Commanded during the war a squadron of four engined
heavy bombers, the 101st Long-Range Air Regiment, that maintained contact with partisan
regiments. And was Chairman of the Women's Anti-Fascist Committee.
Medals that she was awarded:
- Red Star of the Soviet Union
- Hero of the Soviet Union
- Order of the Red Banner
- Order of Lenin
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L.I. Shulaykina, Guards Senior Lieutenant: She fought the enemy aboard her Il-2 attack
aircraft over the Baltic Front. She participated in fights to expel the enemy from the Baltics.
During the Moodzun operation she made 3-4 sorties a day. During these sorties she sunk together
with other pilots three enemy transport ships, some fast barges and one minesweeper.
During the final stages of the war, Senior Lieutenant Shulaykina, teaming with other pilots,
sunk several hostile transports, five patrol boats, five fast barges and damaged an enemy
minesweeper.
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Galia Borodina: Was the squadron leader of the 586 IAP when they got they first call to combat, to intercept a flight of more than 20 Luftwaffe bombers en route to Saratov, on the Volga
River, north of Stalingrad. Flying her YaK-1 by instruments and reports from ground control, she got to where she calculated that the enemy formation was, and dived for it opening fire. She pulled up to regain altitude and dived for them again. The German bombers apparently thought this aggressive attack came from many fighters, and they jettisoned their bombs before reaching the target and broke up, heading away from Saratov.
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Katya Ryabova: Was with the 588th Bomber Regiment as a Po-2 bomber pilot, flew a total of 890 sorties.
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Nadya Popova: Po-2 bomber pilot, also with the Night Witches. Together with wingwoman Ryabova they flew 18 combat sorties in one night only!
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Tamara Aleksandrovna: She served as commander of the 586th IAP on more than 400 sorties.
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Polina Gelman: Bomber pilot. She flew 18 combat missions and was decorated five times.
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T.F. Konstantinova: Il-2 gunner, here seen having returned from a mission, probably
successful (by the smile on her face), standing on her plane's left wing after securing her
12.7mm gun.