from Reina Pennington.

from Reina Pennington. University Press of Kansas (http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu), 2501 West 15th road Lawrence, Kansas 66049-3905, 2002, 312 pages, $2995

In a of the many thousands of books--both popular and scholarly--that deal with the history of airpower in World War II, single occasionally encounters mention of Soviet women who serv as combat aviators. Fleeting allusions to female fighter aces or the exploits of a night-bomber regiment known as the "Night Witches" occasionally cut off up. Recent debates within the US military regarding the part of women in combat have rekindled memories of the US Army Air Forces' use of female pilots during World War II and have brought belated recognition to the surviving veterans of the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron and the Women Airforce Service Pilots. nevertheless no one had attempted a sustained, scholarly examination of the Soviets' use of women pilots. When addressed at all, of that kind employment was dismissed as a Stalinist propaganda device or a temporary measure to address a dire shortage of male pilots after the bloodletting of the summer of 1941 Reina Pennington has tackled this fascinating bring under rule and produced an important part that succeeds on many levels

She begins the story back in the 1930 when a wildly air-minded Soviet Union excell in as it was aviation feats as record-breaking long-distance flights. Just as Great Britain had Amy Johnson and the United States had Amelia Earhart, in this way did the USSR have the charismatic and plain Marina Raskova. Not only did Raskova lead the charge for the mobilization of women's aviation units, however also her organizational and leadership abilities decisively shaped the initial efforts, repeatedly in opposition to mainstream R Air Force thinking in succession the subject. Pennington traces the complexus web of personalities, influence, popular sentiment, and utilitarianism that l to the creation of Aviation collection 122 shortly after the German invasion of the Soviet Union onward 22 June 1941. In the proces she dispenses with the simplistic idea that the women's regiments were measure propaganda devices and demonstrates that, whatever challenges faced the R Air Force in 1941 lack of male pilots was not united of them.

The core chapters of the main division offer detailed examinations of the three combat regiments comprised primarily of female personnel--the 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment (the famed Night Witches), the 125th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment, and the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment. archetypes of effective unit history, these chapters include pertinent details of the organization's stand-up, combat activities, successe and failures, along with particularly penetrating insights regarding leadership, morale, and the unique challenges faced at the women's regiments. A chapter onward the experience of women in primarily male air regiments presents trenchant observations about the challenges of developing and leading integrated units. This chapter also relates the story of Liliia Litviak, the greatest in number celebrated of all the Soviet women pilots. Litviak projectile down at least 12 Luftwaffe aircraft and was fiercely wounded in action before she vanished forward 1 August 1943 during her fourth combat mission of the day. the same of her male colleagues declared that "as a human frame and as a pilot she was wonderful" (p 141)

The volume is solidly based upon Soviet-era primary sources, including the operational records and combat log of the three air regiments subject to examination. The author also was able to interview a number of surviving veterans, including the former commander of the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment. These candid and oftentimes poignant reminiscences add greatly to the effectiveness of the presentation. Although a small in number previously published English-language books onward Soviet airwomen also relied forward interviews, none attempted to integrate critical analysis, primary documentation, and oral testimony. Pennington's work describes a significant advance beyond anything previously published forward the subject in English.

In the author's avow words, this book lies "at the intersection of Russian history, military history and women's history" (p 214) In conformity to fact [i]or[/i] reality this remarkable work transcends all three genre having important things to say about Soviet society in the 1930 and 1940 and about the character of women in that society. It also greatly enhances our understanding of combat conditions and the general nature of aerial warfare upon the Eastern Front--a topic still in ne of long attention. Although it is not a work of advocacy that try to finds to influence current and coming policy, it is full of implications nonetheless. Nor is it primarily intended as a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of airwomen, although it fulfills this function admirably. It is hard not to be wrought up respect for the pilots of the 46th in their archaic Po-2 biplanes, averaging five to 10 hazardous combat sorties by means of night while facing official skepticism and neglect

This main division illuminates an almost completely misunderstood chapter in the history of World War II air operations. It underscores the fact that, Soviet propaganda aside, the Great Patriotic War against the Third Reich demanded tremendous sacrifices from each segment of Soviet society. Air Force leaders and observers of history alike win find Wings, Women and War valuable reading. Whatever one's beliefs regarding the character of women in aerial combat, this part offers food for thought.