During this period they flew Yak-1 fighters. After the successfull destruction of the German forces in Stalingrad area, the 586 IAP was moved to second line duties in the aerial defence of some important military logistical facilities and strategic locations. Another interesting fact is that the first and probably only one female winner in night combat is Valery Homiakova, she downed a Ju 88 in the Saratov area. In 1944 the unit was rearmed with Yak-9 fighters and took part in the Soviet offensive in Hungary. The 586 IAP finished the war on one of the captured airfields in Austria.
Losses are unknown.
This unit was officialy declared combat ready in May 1942, and on 23 May 1942, under the lead of Marina Raskova, they reached the airfields near the Stalingrad area. These women's commitment to their reasons for fighting soon won the respect of their adversaries. These women feared nothing. They came night after night in their very slow biplanes, and for some periods they wouldn t give us any sleep at all. On most occasions, the the poor bombing and navigational devices of the Night Witches prevented them from dealing any heavy material damage to the enemy.