Evening star., 1944-04-16
An-Woman Squadron
In Soviet Air Force
Claims Bag Of 70
BY JAMES ALDRIDGE.

foreign Correspondent of The Star and
North American Newspaper Alliance
MOSCOW. - Valentino Mikhai :
lovna Lizitzina is 23-year-old
woman fighter pilot. She belongs
to an all-woman fighter squadron
operating on the first Ukrainian
front. Miss Lizitzinas squadron has
shot down more than 20 German
planes. one of which she has to
her credit.
II wanted to fly" she told me
after an officer came to our school
to ask the boy students to study to
be fighter pilots. Ten girls were
allowed to enter the training school
with the boys and I was one OF
them. We studied theory for q
long time and then we were ad-
Yanced to practical flying. I
trained on U2S and soloed after
q hours and 40 minutes.
Made an Instructor.
"The boys were sent straight to
fighter school, but was held back
to be an instructor. This was the
time when Marshal Samyon Bu-
denny was training his army for
the big 1943 offensive. I sent out
six groups of pupils and have a
personal letter of thanks from the
marshal.
Later I went with Maria Tas-
cova, who is the greatest woman
flyer in the Soviet Union, to Engeln
on the Volga. She trained me and
a lot of other girls on Yakovlev-13S.
This is one of our fastest fighters.
When we had all finished our whole
regiment became fighter unit.
"Our commander officer was a
woman, Maj. Zarinova. All mem
bers of our ground crew also were
women. We were sent to protect
important military objectives near
the front. We saw little action for
some time and after I became as
sistant to the commanding officer
r trained seven girls to fly fighter
planes and we began to operate
from another base.
AkLACkS JunkeIS-06.
"In July Of last year, while on
duty with the other girls, we were
told by radio that German planes
were flying 5000 meters to the
west. Two of us took off and head
ed for the enemy. From 1000
meters away I saw a Junkers- -88
and closed in to attack the rear
gunner. I started a second attack,
saw his guns sticking up in the air
which usually means the gunner
Is dead-but suspected a trick.
'The German started swanning
around. I closed in and attacked
his left motor. 1t started burning,
the plane began to plunge toward
the earth, but I attacked again.
Then I saw three Focke- -Wulf -190s
emerge from a cloud, and one
started to attack me as I followed
the Junkers. One of my girls shot
down the attacking plane, so kept
diving after the Ju-88 until it
crashed. I climbed again and saw
two more planes crash into each
other and go down in flames.
II Immediately thought it was
my flight leader and although I
was over enemy territory went
lower to look for her plane. Run
ming short of fuel, I landed at the
nearest friendly base, where I re-
fueled, then went back home.
II reported the battle and the air
crash, saying I thought it was nv
leader. Later in the day a plane
came In, and it was she. She said
two Focke-Wulfs had coflided trying
TO attack her and she had followed
them down.
Wins Order Of Glory.
THAT was my first fight. was so
excited after it that I had a high
temperature and was confined tn
bed for several days. But T was
awarded the Order of Glory, third
class"
There is no age limit for women
flghter pilots, Miss Lizitzina said.
The commanding officer of her regi-
ment Is a 40-year-old woman who
still flies and who has won the Or
Ger OF Lenin and the Order of the
Red Star.
Miss Lizitzina, who has 1900 hours
nylng to her credit, isn't married
ana wants to remain a fighter pilot.
She is small, blond, has bright ewes
ana recently was promoted to lieu
tenant and also received the Order
o. the Red Star. She thinks Ger
man tactics are deteriorating fast
ana she hopes her regiment will
hlnnIiAn a IL.