Yekaterina Zelenko
Encyclopedia
Yekaterina Ivanovna Zelenko (September 14, 1916—September 12, 1941) was a Soviet
(ethnic Ukrainian) war pilot. She is the only woman ever to have performed an air ramming.
Zelenko attended seven school classes in Kursk
. With her mother's move to Voronezh
, Yekaterina entered the Voronezh Secondary Flying School. In October 1933 she passed through Voronezh Flying Club and was sent to the 3rd Orenburg
Military Flying Academy named after Kliment Voroshilov
. Later she found herself in Kharkiv
, assigned to the 19th Light Bomber Brigade. In the Winter War
Zelenko was the only female pilot.
On the eve of the German invasion of the Soviet Union Zelenko was taking part in the retraining of the leading personnel of seven flying regiments in use of the Sukhoi Su-2
. Following the German invasion, Zelenko made forty flights (also at night) and participated in twelve air combats with enemy fighters
. On September 12, 1941, Zelenko's Su-2 was attacked by seven Me-109s. After Zelenko ran out of ammunition, she launched a top-down air ramming which tore an Me-109 into two as the propeller hit the German aircraft's tail. The Su-2 she was piloting exploded though, and Zelenko was pulled out of cockpit. The air combat was observed by local residents who identified her body. On May 5, 1990 Zelenko was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union
posthumously. A minor planet
, 1900 Katyusha
was named after her. Zelenko's husband Pavel Ignatenko also died in air combat in 1943.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(ethnic Ukrainian) war pilot. She is the only woman ever to have performed an air ramming.
Zelenko attended seven school classes in Kursk
Kursk
Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
. With her mother's move to Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
, Yekaterina entered the Voronezh Secondary Flying School. In October 1933 she passed through Voronezh Flying Club and was sent to the 3rd Orenburg
Orenburg
Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 546,987 ; 549,361 ; Highest point: 154.4 m...
Military Flying Academy named after Kliment Voroshilov
Kliment Voroshilov
Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov , popularly known as Klim Voroshilov was a Soviet military officer, politician, and statesman...
. Later she found herself in Kharkiv
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, assigned to the 19th Light Bomber Brigade. In the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
Zelenko was the only female pilot.
On the eve of the German invasion of the Soviet Union Zelenko was taking part in the retraining of the leading personnel of seven flying regiments in use of the Sukhoi Su-2
Sukhoi Su-2
-External links:***-Related content:*List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS...
. Following the German invasion, Zelenko made forty flights (also at night) and participated in twelve air combats with enemy fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
. On September 12, 1941, Zelenko's Su-2 was attacked by seven Me-109s. After Zelenko ran out of ammunition, she launched a top-down air ramming which tore an Me-109 into two as the propeller hit the German aircraft's tail. The Su-2 she was piloting exploded though, and Zelenko was pulled out of cockpit. The air combat was observed by local residents who identified her body. On May 5, 1990 Zelenko was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
posthumously. A minor planet
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
, 1900 Katyusha
1900 Katyusha
1900 Katyusha is a main-belt asteroid discovered on December 16, 1971 by T. Smirnova at Nauchnyj.- External links :...
was named after her. Zelenko's husband Pavel Ignatenko also died in air combat in 1943.