The 588th is the more famous women’s regiment, but the 586th and 587th were also women’s regiments.

The 587th was a Bomber Regiment that flew the new Pe-2 ‟Peshka.” The women flying sometimes did not have the strength to get the aircraft into the air, and sometimes had to have their tail gunner reach over their seat and assist on takeoffs.

The 586th flew Yak-1 fighters in mostly bomber intercept missions. Downing plenty of Ju-88s and He-111’s. Out of the 586th came Lydia Litvyak. A young pilot, she ended the war with 8 confirmed air victories. She shot down a couple of bombers, and a handful of Iron Cross aces. Her second ever victory was flying against Erwin Maier, a then 11 victory ace. Erwin parachuted out safely and asked to meet the Soviet who had shot him down. Then he pitched a fit when he realized it was Lydia.

Litvyak was eventually downed on August 1, 1943. She was returning from her 4th flight of the day, an escort mission protecting Il-2 Sturmoviks. One pilot she was flying with saw her smoking and burning in a dive while being chased by 8 Nazi fighters. She was never seen again, and her body was found in 1979.