Nadezhda Fedutenko

Nadezhda Nikiforovna Fedutenko (Russian: Надежда Никифоровна Федутенко, 30 September 1915 – 28 January 1978) was a Soviet Air Force officer and combat pilot.

She flew supply and liaison missions in support of the fighting troops, including the evacuation of 150 wounded soldiers, and the transportation of the Red Army Stavka representatives, among others.

By December 1942 Fedutenko converted to flying the Petlyakov Pe-2 medium bomber after graduating from training courses at the Engels Military Aviation School for Pilots.

[1][3] On 26 May 1943, during the Kuban air battles, Fedutenko received a head wound from an anti-aircraft gun shell fragment just before dropping bombs on heavily defended German artillery positions near the village of Kiyevskoye, Krasnodar Krai.

On 14 March 1945, Fedutenko's superior recommended that she be awarded the title of Hero of Soviet Union for "the exceptional services she rendered for the Motherland showing valour and heroism".