Lidiya Shulaykina

Lidiya Ivanovna Shulaykina (Russian: Лидия Ивановна Шулайкина; 28 March 1915 – 22 June 1995) was an Ilyushin Il-2 pilot during the Second World War. She was recognized as a Hero of the Russian Federation in 1993.

Shulaykina was born in 1915 in Orekhovo-Zuyevo near Moscow and she became interested in flying. After learning to fly she went on to train others at the same aero-club. She was already successfully training military pilots when she applied for combat. There was no reason for her to not be accepted, so eventually, she was.

She became a Guards Senior Lieutenant, and flew the well armed Ilyushin Il-2 on missions to fire rockets and bomb German transport vessels at sea. She was the only female Russian naval pilot at the time.

She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner twice. After the war she continued to fly and to train others on transport and combat aircraft.

She was recognized as a Hero of the Russian Federation in 1993. Her citation noted that the award was for "...courage and heroism displayed in the fight against the German-fascist aggressors in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945".