The White Rose of Stalingrad

The Real-Life Adventure of Lidiya Vladimirovna Litvyak, the Highest Scoring Female Air Ace of All Time

The White Rose of Stalingrad cover

The White Rose of Stalingrad

The Real-Life Adventure of Lidiya Vladimirovna Litvyak, the Highest Scoring Female Air Ace of All Time

Description

Bill Yenne brings to life the untold story of Lidiya Vladimirovna, Russia's World War II flying ace, who lit up the skies over Germany and Russia while flying 66 combat missions

Of all the major air forces that were engaged in the war, only the Red Air Force had units comprised specifically of women. Initially the Red Air Force maintained an all-male policy among its combat pilots. However, as the apparently invincible German juggernaut sliced through Soviet defenses, the Red Air Force began to rethink its ban on women. By October 1941, authorization was forthcoming for three ground attack regiments of women pilots.

Among these women, Lidiya Vladimirovna “Lilya” Litvyak soon emerged as a rising star. She shot down five German aircraft over the Stalingrad Front, and thus become history's first female ace. She scored 12 documented victories over German aircraft between September 1942 and July 1943. She also had many victories shared with other pilots, bringing her possible total to around 20.

The fact that she was a 21-year-old woman ace was not lost on the hero-hungry Soviet media, and soon this colourful character, whom the Germans dubbed “The White Rose of Stalingrad,” became both folk heroine and martyr.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Prologue
Chapter 1: Born Into a Season of Darkness and Promises
Chapter 2: Growing Up With the Man in Red
Chapter 3: Mother and Father
Chapter 4: Bright, Happy Years
Chapter 5: Bonfires of Paranoia
Chapter 6: Heroes in the Sky
Chapter 7: Heroines in the Sky
Chapter 8: From Behind Dark Clouds
Chapter 9: Enemies at the Gates
Chapter 10: Women at War
Chapter 11: Marina's Falcons
Chapter 12: Operational Assignments
Chapter 13: Lilya at War
Chapter 14: Stalingrad, the Very Hell of the War
Chapter 15: A Time of Heroines
Chapter 16: Springtime in Moscow
Chapter 17: Romance and Tragedy
Chapter 18: The White Lily of the Donbass
Chapter 19: Twilight of the Falcons
Chapter 20: Lost Lily
Epilogue

Appendix: Aerial Victories Credited to Lilya Litvyak
About the Author
Selected Recurring Acronyms
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Published 20 Feb 2013
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Extent 336
ISBN 9781782009139
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 20 b/w
Series General Military
Short code GNM
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Bill Yenne

Bill Yenne is the author of ten novels and more th…

Resources

Book Vote

Tell us what titles you would like to see published by Osprey, then vote for your favourites in our monthly book vote!

Related Titles

Sign up for Osprey membership for access to thousands of plane profiles, maps, battle scenes and more. Plus up to 30% off website purchases

Free UK delivery for orders £30 and over