Soviet Air Force

The Soviet Air Force was the air force of the Soviet Union

During World War II, in the winter of 1942, the Soviet Air Force launched "disruption bombing" raids from temporary bases to upset German preparations for the attack on Stalingrad. The 588th Night Bomber Regiment, who became better known as the Night Witches by the Germans, was an all-female regiment of fliers which mostly attacked the Germans during the night in Polikarpov biplanes and other biplanes left over from the First World War, attempting to be as stealthy as possible. The Second Doctor reasoned that the Air Force was largely comprised of women because the men were fighting in the Army. Many of these women were farmers who wanted to play their part in the war effort, but they received little training and many of them were killed.

After saving Lilya Grankin from the wreckage of her plane, the Doctor and his companions were taken prisoner by the Night Witches after they recognised Polly Wright as the complete double of their top pilot Tatiana Kregki. Commander Nadia Vansey, accused them of being enemy spies sent to assassinate and replace Tatiana, deliver information to the Nazis and break the morale of the Soviet Air Force by removing their recruitment poster girl. Her subordinates convinced her otherwise, but Nadia still saw a chance to perform a propaganda coup by allowing the Germans to capture and execute Polly to make it appear as if Tatiana had risen from the dead when she attacked them again. Meanwhile, a desperate Tatiana sought to fake her own death and impersonate Polly to escape the war. The Doctor and his companions sought to disentangle themselves from the events before the Panzers attacked the air strip. The TARDIS left as the tanks and biplanes engaged in battle. (AUDIO: The Night Witches)