Yekaterina Budanova

Yekaterina Budanova
Nickname(s)Katya
Born6 December 1916
Konoplanka, Smolensk Governorate, Russia
Died19 July 1943(1943-07-19) (aged 26)
Novokrasnovka,[1] Luhansk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance Soviet Union
Service / branch Soviet Air Force
Years of service1941–1943
RankCaptain
AwardsHero of the Russian Federation

Yekaterina Vasilyevna Budanova (Russian: Екатерина Васильевна Буданова), nicknamed Katya (Катя) (6 December 1916 – 19 July 1943), was a fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II. Usually credited with five or more aerial victories,[2] along with Lydia Litvyak, she is often considered one of the world's two female fighter aces. She was shot down by either Luftwaffe ace Georg Schwientek of JG 52 or ace Emil Bitsch, of JG 3.

  1. ^ Pennington 2001, p. 140.
  2. ^ Jackson 2003, p. 57.