HOME | DD

Description

Female military aviators of the famous 588th Night Bomber Regiment were using Po 2 planes. Designed in 1928 as school and liaisons plane it was very obsolete during war world II. However used as night bomber was very effective. Its flew slow and low, and was undetectable by radars. Also German night fighters, which were prepared for flying fast on height altitude were almost not able to localize it. Pilots of the Po 2 never used radios, so radio locators couldn’t pick them up either. They were basically ghosts.

Po 2 were very liked by its crew because it were easy to fly and easy to repair.
They also could easily take off and land from most locations.
Planes could only carry 350 kilograms of bombs so targets of its missions were rather enemies small camps near front line. The idea was attacking enemy when it was sleeping, just to keep him alerted all the night to lower its morale. However plane was very easy to shoot down from the ground fire. Even single soldier with machine gun, was very dangerous for them.
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 the pilots "Night Witches".
Women pilots were very proud when they heard how they were nicknamed by enemy.

Altogether these daredevil heroines flew more than 30,000 missions in total, or about 800 per pilot and navigator. They lost a total of 30 pilots, and 24 of the flyers were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Po 2 model by me, created with Blender.

Description

Female military aviators of the famous 588th Night Bomber Regiment were using Po 2 planes. Designed in 1928 as school and liaisons plane it was very obsolete during war world II. However used as night bomber was very effective. Its flew slow and low, and was undetectable by radars. Also German night fighters, which were prepared for flying fast on height altitude were almost not able to localize it. Pilots of the Po 2 never used radios, so radio locators couldn’t pick them up either. They were basically ghosts.

Po 2 were very liked by its crew because it were easy to fly and easy to repair.
They also could easily take off and land from most locations.
Planes could only carry 350 kilograms of bombs so targets of its missions were rather enemies small camps near front line. The idea was attacking enemy when it was sleeping, just to keep him alerted all the night to lower its morale. However plane was very easy to shoot down from the ground fire. Even single soldier with machine gun, was very dangerous for them.
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 the pilots "Night Witches".
Women pilots were very proud when they heard how they were nicknamed by enemy.

Altogether these daredevil heroines flew more than 30,000 missions in total, or about 800 per pilot and navigator. They lost a total of 30 pilots, and 24 of the flyers were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Po 2 model by me, created with Blender.