Night Witches: The Fearless Female Pilots Who Helped Win WWII

Why were these brave female pilots given such an unfavorable nickname? Well, it was actually the Germans themselves who called them “Night Witches” (Nachthexen) because of the whooshing noise their plywood and canvas airplanes would make. And it reminded them of the sound of a witch’s broomstick. But these women were anything but witches. And when you see how young, inexperienced, and unequipped they were, their success makes it all the more impressive.

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The Night Witches. Source: history.com

These women who piloted old wooden biplanes actually took the nickname as a compliment. Heck, in 30,000 separate missions over four years, the Night Witches dumped 23,000 tons of bombs on German invaders. They ultimately chased them back to Berlin. These women flew under cover of darkness, facing bullets and frostbite in the air, while also dealing skepticism and sexual harassment on the ground. They were both feared and hated so much by the Germans that whoever managed to take a Night Witch down was automatically awarded the prestigious Iron Cross medal.

This is the story of the all-powerful Night Witches of WWII. Prepare to be impressed…

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