Khiuaz Dospanova
Soviet Po-2 navigator in WWII and Hero of Kazakhstan (1922-2008)
Khiuaz Qayrqyzy Dospanova (Russian: Хиуаз Каировна Доспанова, romanized: Khiuaz Kairovna Dospanova; Kazakh: Хиуаз Қайырқызы Доспанова; 15 May 1922 – 20 May 2008) was a Soviet pilot and navigator who served during World War II in the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, nicknamed the "Night Witches". In addition to being the first ethnically Kazakh woman officer in the Soviet Air Force, she was the only Kazakh woman to serve in the "Night Witches".
Despite sustaining multiple fractures in her legs in a ground collision in 1943, she returned to active duty and continued to participate in sorties against doctor's recommendations; she was eventually awarded the title Hero of Kazakhstan in 2004 for her perseverance, and Atyrau International Airport is named in her honor.
Early life
Born in Atyrau, present-day Kazakhstan, from her early childhood she dreamed of becoming a pilot. After completing secondary school she became certified as a reserve pilot. When World War II started she applied to the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy in Moscow, but her application was denied because the academy was for males only; she entered a medical institute instead in 1941.
Military career
When she heard of the recently formed all-female aviation regiments commanded by Marina Raskova, she applied to the aviation college in Saratov. In 1942 she was placed in the 588th Night Bomber Regiment under the command of experienced pilot Yevdokia Bershanskaya; the unit was later awarded the Guards designation and renamed as the 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment.
While landing after a mission on 1 April 1943, the Polikarpov Po-2 Dospanova and pilot Yuliya Pashkova were flying was hit by the plane of Polina Makagon and Lydia Svistunova. Both pilots in the other plane were killed in the crash and Pashkova died during surgery; Dospanova was assumed to be dead after not moving for a while, but nurses eventually realized she was still alive because she was not showing signs of pallor mortis long after they assumed her to be dead, so she underwent a series of surgeries over several days.
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