Khiuaz Dospanova

Khiuaz Kairovna Dospanova (Russian and Kazakh: Хиуаз Каировна Доспанова; 15 May 1922 – 20 May 2008) was a Kazakh pilot and navigator who served during World War II in the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, nicknamed the "Night Witches." She was the only Kazakh woman to serve in the "Night Witches" and, although she was not awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union unlike many of her Russian and Ukrainian colleagues, she was awarded the title Hero of Kazakhstan in 2004 for her service after independence.[1]

Khiuaz Dospanova
Native name
Хиуаз Доспанова
Born15 May 1922
Ganyushkino, Atyrau Region, Turkestan ASSR
Died20 May 2008 (aged 86)
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Allegiance Soviet Union
Service/branch Soviet Air Force
Years of service1942–1945
RankSenior lieutenant
Unit588th Night Bomber Regiment
Battles/warsEastern Front of World War II
AwardsHero of Kazakhstan
Spouse(s)Shaku Amirov

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.[1]

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, where Dospanova gained 300 flight hours in combat as a navigator and gunner, eventually reaching the rank of senior lieutenant.[2][3]

While landing after a mission in 1943, the Polikarpov Po-2 Dospanova and pilot Yuliya Paskova were flying collided with the plane of Polina Makagon and Lydia Svistunova. Both pilots in the other plane were killed in the crash and Paskova 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. Her legs developed gangrene, but one doctor refused to amputate her legs, saying that she would need them. Dospanova had to wear casts on both of her legs for weeks and walked with a cane quite a while after the casts were removed. She returned to the regiment, but often required assistance of getting in and out the aircraft, and eventually became the regiment's head of communications after the previous head of communication, Valentina Stupina, died.[2]

Recognition

She was awarded various medals including the Order of the Red Star, Orders of the Patriotic War in 1st and 2nd class, and the title Hero of Kazakhstan.[2][4] There is an ice rink named after her, as well as a school and an Embraer 190 of Air Astana; Atyrau International Airport is to be renamed in her honor.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Хиуаз Доспанова - Hiyaz Dospanova". www.peoples.ru.
  2. "Khiuaz Dospanova. The brave pilot · Publications · "Kazakhstan History" portal". e-history.kz. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
  3. "Из архива Р. Ароновой". www.bestwriter.ru. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
  4. Polascak, Marissa. "Famous Female Kazakh Pilot is the Muse for Atyrau International Airport's New Name". kazakhworld.com. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
  5. "Atyrau International Airport to be named after legendary Kazakh female war pilot Dospanova". Tengrinews.kz. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
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