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The Night Witches Were All-Female Bomber Pilots Who Terrorized Nazis
The Soviet 588th Night Bomber Regiment was composed entirely of women who flew obsolete plywood biplanes in World War II. They would cut their engines and glide silently over targets, earning the name 'Nachthexen' (Night Witches) from terrified German soldiers.
Why It’s Fascinating
They flew over 23,000 sorties in planes so old they could not carry parachutes. Their tactic of engine-off glide bombing was so effective that any German soldier who shot one down was automatically awarded the Iron Cross.
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