Ontelly

Night Witches

Logo for Night Witches

Lucy Ash tells the extraordinary but little-known tale of Russia's three all-female regiments that flew more than 30,000 missions on the Eastern Front during Second World War. At home they were celebrated as Stalin's Falcons, but terrified German troops called them the Night Witches. Lucy travels to Moscow and Rostov-on-Don to meet a number of these formidable women, who are now grandmothers in their 80s and 90s. She discovers that their bravery has inspired aerobatic champions, comic book artists and even a Dutch heavy metal band.