And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, November 20, 2022
Natalya Fyodorovna Kravtsova née Meklin, born in Lubny, Ukraine, Flight Commander of the Night Witches and Hero of the Soviet Union awarded for completing 840 sorties, 1945
Saw one of their Polikarpov Po-2 bi-planes at the Boeing Museum of Flight and read about what they did and how they did it. Brave and maybe a bit crazy. Scared the shit out of the Krauts.
The usual tactic involved flying only a few meters above the ground, climbing for the final approach, throttling back the engine and making a gliding bombing run, leaving the targeted troops with only the eerie whistling of the wind in the wings' bracing-wires as an indication of the impending attack.
Some Russians exhibited such great courage and devotion to their country, unfortunately one that was controlled by a despicable regime.
If I were forced to choose, if left only with a binary choice, I would have preferred to live in Nazi Germany rather than Communist Russia. Most people would (if they were being entirely honest with themselves).
Two photos the face of "War & Peace".
ReplyDeleteThere is a Russian TV series based on the Night Witches, quite watchable on YouTube, look for Night Swallows
ReplyDelete(Avoiding the juvenile jokes about X-rated movie titles)
DeleteAmazon had all the episodes.
ReplyDeleteSaw one of their Polikarpov Po-2 bi-planes at the Boeing Museum of Flight and read about what they did and how they did it. Brave and maybe a bit crazy. Scared the shit out of the Krauts.
ReplyDeleteNatasha is likely long gone, but I wonder about her son. Is he still living? If so, he would be in his 70s.
ReplyDelete"Night Witchs" bring death in the dark.
ReplyDeleteThe usual tactic involved flying only a few meters above the ground, climbing for the final approach, throttling back the engine and making a gliding bombing run, leaving the targeted troops with only the eerie whistling of the wind in the wings' bracing-wires as an indication of the impending attack.
The female of the species.
ReplyDeleteHave a listen to the Sabaton song 'Night Witches'.
ReplyDeleteIf you can find a copy of "Night Witches" by Bruce Myles, it's worth your time.
ReplyDeleteAnd the "western" politicians think that their Ukro-nazis are going to defeat Russia...
ReplyDeleteSome Russians exhibited such great courage and devotion to their country, unfortunately one that was controlled by a despicable regime.
ReplyDeleteIf I were forced to choose, if left only with a binary choice, I would have preferred to live in Nazi Germany rather than Communist Russia. Most people would (if they were being entirely honest with themselves).