Klavdiya Andreevna Nechaeva (russian: Клавдия Андреевна Нечаева; 9 March 1916 – 17 September 1942) was a Soviet fighter pilot during World War II who was killed in action protecting her squadron commander during the

battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later re ...

Biography

Nechaeva was born in Ryazan Governorate on 9 March 1916 in Polyanka. She attended a local comprehensive school. She learned to fly at the Izmailovsky aeroclub in Moscow and later worked as an instructor. Upon the German invasion of the Soviet Union, she was invited to join women's aviation group by Marina Raskova. After joining she and the rest of the women volunteers were sent for training at Engels Military Aviation School, and Nechaeva was underwent training to fly the Yak-1 for the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment, an air defense unit and the first of the three women's regiments to be deployed to the front. In September 1942 she and several other women pilots were transferred to the male 434th Fighter Aviation Regiment based in Stalingrad; the reasons for the transfer are disputed among historians, ranging from the need for more pilots in the battle of Stalingrad, to

Tamara Kazarinova Tamara Aleksandrovna Kazarinova (russian: Тамара Александровна Казаринова; 9 July 1906 – 4 August 1956) was a Soviet pilot and the commander of the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment during the Second World War until she ...

(commander of the women's 586th Regiment) wanting to get rid of the pilots who complained about her. Upon arrival she flew support for ships and barges transporting cargo around the city.

Death

Nechaeva died in aerial combat, protecting her squadron commander from an enemy attack over Stalingrad on 17 September 1942. After a successful mission where four enemy aircraft were shot down the squadron commander's plane was targeted on landing, but the Pe-2s they were escorting were able to reach their target. To save her squadron commander, Nechaeva took the enemy aircraft fire on herself. On 6 April 1985 she was posthumously awarded the

Order of the Patriotic War The Order of the Patriotic War (russian: Орден Отечественной войны, Orden Otechestvennoy voiny) is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisan ...

2nd class. She is honored by a street in Volzhsky, Volgograd Oblast bearing her name as well as a school. Her name is listed in the Hall of Military Glory on Mamayev Kurgan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nechaeva, Klavdiya 1916 births 1942 deaths People from Ryazan Oblast People from Ryazan Governorate Soviet Air Force officers Women air force personnel of the Soviet Union Soviet military personnel killed in World War II Aviators killed by being shot down

Biography

Death

See also

References