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Polina Osipenko

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description Polina Osipenko Overview

Polina Osipenko was a Soviet military pilot who became one of the most famous female aviators of the 1930s. She set several international flight distance records for women, including a notable flight from Moscow to the Russian Far East in 1938. Tragically, she died later that year during a routine training flight. In recognition of her aviation achievements, Osipenko was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, making her one of the first women to receive the distinction.

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What flight made Polina Osipenko famous?

In September 1938, Osipenko flew nonstop from Moscow toward the Soviet Far East with Valentina Grizodubova and Marina Raskova. The crew set a women's nonstop flight-distance record in the aircraft Rodina.

What aircraft did Polina Osipenko use for the 1938 record?

The crew flew the Antonov ANT-37, a twin-engine aircraft named Rodina, meaning Motherland. The flight took place on September 24 and 25, 1938.

What recognition did Polina Osipenko receive?

Osipenko, Grizodubova, and Raskova became the first three women awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for the 1938 record flight. The award was granted in November 1938.

How did Polina Osipenko die?

Osipenko died on May 11, 1939, in an aircraft crash during a blind-flying training exercise. Her death came less than a year after the Rodina record flight.