On September 13, 1942, the fierce Battle of Stalingrad began. Four fighters of the 437th Fighter Aviation Regiment soared high in the air. The squad was commanded by veteran fighter pilot Major Stepan Danilov, but today a young fighter was fighting under his command. The young warrior was only 21 years old, but she was already pinning high hopes on her, though she hadn't shot down a single plane. Danilov decided to take care of his young team members, letting her fly the plane with the fuselage number 32. The formation of the Ju-88 can be seen in the distance... And they are not alone: they accompany the "Messerschmidt" BF109. The four-headed fighter accelerated his pace and continued to attack. Rapidly approaching the Germans, four Soviet pilots chose their target.
The "Yak-1" is a fast and maneuverable aircraft, a powerful weapon in the hands of good pilots ... However, it is lightly armed and requires a lot of skill and precision to knock down the enemy. The battle began, and the 53rd Fighter Squadron"Messerschmidt BF109 went to attack the Soviet aircraft. The battle is in full swing... But Danilov's fears were to no avail. He sent the plane number 32 into the enemy's tail and saw the enemy getting closer and closer in her line of sight. Finally, the Ju-88 came into his range, and her aircraft machine gun opened fire on the Ju-88. The bullet flew directly to the target, and the Ju-88 caught fire and began to fall to the ground in an arc.
It was the first enemy plane shot down by a young pilot, but for the number 32 aircraft, the decisive day was not over. The 437th Regiment was a mixed formation, with female pilots fighting alongside male pilots. Squadron commander Raisa Belyaeva, who piloted another "Yak-1", found himself in trouble: one of the "Messerschmidt" BF109s was behind its tail. Raisa made a sharp turn, desperately trying to get rid of the German pilot, but to no avail. 109 seemed to stick to her. In the pilot's seat of the 109 was German "two aces" Sergeant Ervin Meyer. Aircraft 32 realized that the commander was in danger and rushed to her rescue.
After a dexterous maneuver, Aircraft 32 appeared behind Meyer. Meyer was aware of the danger and, despite his vast experience, was forced to end the chase. Number 32 had little combat experience, but he didn't lose himself and pulled the trigger. Accurate shots, the shot-down BF109 emitted smoke and oil. Meyer realized he couldn't land the plane without crashing. Open the hatch and jump out of the plane. The parachute opened and the Germans saw his nemesis, the "Yak-1" numbered 32 on board was rising rapidly, while the German ace slowly descended into enemy territory. Red Army soldiers organized a search for and captured German pilots. As they escorted him to the base, Meyer asked him if it was possible to meet with the people who had knocked him down. Permission was granted by the Soviet command.
After landing, the pilot of the No. 32 fighter was invited to meet with the defeated enemy. But when the pilot entered the room, Meyer was shocked again. They told him it was the pilot who shot him down... It turned out he was a charming young woman. Lydia Litviak. Meyer began cursing the Russians who had humiliated him with stupid jokes, but then Lydia stepped forward, her voice clear and visibly contemptuous of the invaders, and she described step by step how she had shot down the German ace. Meyer realized he was coming face-to-face with the pilot who had shot him down. He apologized, took off the gold watch, and wanted to give it to the girl. However, Lydia stared at him with her sharp blue eyes and replied, "I do not accept gifts from the enemy." "After saying that, he turned and left, leaving the German alone to face his fate.
On that day, she became the first female pilot in history to shoot down an enemy plane... But that's just the beginning. The next day, she engaged in an air battle with another BF109. This time, the Messerschmidt was piloted by Lieutenant Hans Foss, who shot down 71 planes. Lydia succeeded in piercing his fuel tank. Foss gave up the fight and hurried back to the base... But he didn't have enough fuel. Without reaching the airport, 109 fell and fell to the ground. Lydia's fame grew. The commander said of her: "She is very brave and has perseverance. She was born a pilot. Because of his incredible appearance and his exploits at the Battle of Stalingrad, her comrades-in-arms called her "the white lily of Stalingrad."
In February 1943, Lydia was awarded the rank of second lieutenant, and she was selected as an elite pilot, who was allowed to search for enemy aircraft on her own. These "free shooters" include only the most experienced pilots. To commemorate the occasion, Lydia painted a white lily on the plane. In March 1943, Lydia flew combat missions as part of a flight of six Yak fighter jets. After encountering 12 Junkers, the Yaks engaged them. Lydia ignored the Messerschmidt 109 that juncker was accompanying, aiming at one of the Ju-88s and shooting it down. But before Lydia could leave, she was attacked by Messerschmidt. The bullet penetrated the cockpit of the Yak-1, injuring the White Lily. Overcoming the pain, the pilot not only did not lose control of the aircraft, but also managed to attack and shoot down another BF109 under the command of Lieutenant Franz Müller. Despite severe pain and blood loss, Lydia managed to return to the airport.
However, injuries did not stop Litviak from returning to work; in early May, she was back in the pilot's seat. In the war, in advanced positions, in a male-dominated environment, Lydia maintained her femininity and independence. She became close friends with her mechanic, Major Paspotnico.
On August 1, 1943, Lydia took off from the base airport near the town of Lucy. Together with Ivan Borisenko, another pilot on a mission with her, they attacked a group of German bombers. Lydia didn't notice the two BF-109s above them. One of the German fighter jets was piloted by Knight's Cross recipient Jorge Merkel. Merkel managed to shoot down the "White Lily of Stalingrad" plane. Both planes disappeared behind the clouds, and Borisenko could no longer see them. According to German reports, the damaged Soviet plane turned around and crashed into the BF109, killing the German pilot. Borisenko searched for Lydia, but did not find her comrades...
Time passed, but the place where the plane crashed could not be found, and it was suspected that Lydia might be captured by the Germans. Her friend Paspotniko decided to prove that Lydia had not been captured. The metal detector search in which Lydia's relatives were involved lasted 36 years. Finally, in 1979, more than 90 other plane crash sites were discovered, and Paspotniko learned that a female pilot had died of a head injury and was buried in the village of Dmitryevka. The remains were exhumed and a special committee concluded that they belonged to the white lilies of Stalingrad.
In 1990, 47 years after her death, Lydia was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union by the decision of President Gorbachev. Pasponikova recalled Lydia: "She never considered herself invincible. She believes some pilots are lucky, others are not. I'm sure if you didn't die in the first battle, the more you flew, the more experience you gained, the better your chances of surviving and winning. But for that, you have to be lucky."