Lydia Litvyak. The White Lily of Stalingrad

Lydia Litvyak made history by becoming the first female pilot to shoot down an enemy plane. Also known as “Lily“, during the Great Patriotic War she became a real ace pilot. Her combat path turned out to be short, but valiant. In the battles for Stalingrad and Kursk, Lydia proved herself in many aerial battles. Her fame grew. The combat commander said of her: “She was very brave and persistent. She was a born combat pilot.“ For her amazing appearance and exploits during the days of the Battle of Stalingrad, her comrades called her the “White Lily of Stalingrad“. In February 1943, Lydia was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant and selected for an elite group of pilots who were allowed to search for and destroy enemy aircraft on their own. These “free shooters“ included only the most experienced pilots. To celebrate the promotion, Lydia painted a white lily on board her Yak. During a battle with several enemy fighters, her plane was shot down, and the brave pilot went missing, and the mystery of her fate remained unsolved for many years.