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Last broadcast on Mon, 2 Nov 2009, 20:00 on BBC Radio 4.
Synopsis
Lucy Ash tells the extraordinary but little-known tale of Russia's three all-female regiments that flew more than 30,000 missions on the Eastern Front during Second World War. At home they were celebrated as Stalin's Falcons, but terrified German troops called them the Night Witches.
Lucy travels to Moscow and Rostov-on-Don to meet a number of these formidable women, who are now grandmothers in their 80s and 90s. She discovers that their bravery has inspired aerobatic champions, comic book artists and even a Dutch heavy metal band.
See an audio slideshow of the Night Witches
Click on the link below for the audio slideshow with archive photographs of the Russian female fighter pilots. The slideshow also includes more recent comics by Garth Ennis based on the Night Witches' stories.
BBC News website audio slideshow: Russia's WW2 Night Witches fighter pilots
Broadcast
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Mon 2 Nov 200920:00
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