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Within the cockpit of her Yakovlev Yak-1‚ it’s possible that most of Lydia Litvyak’s enemies had little idea that it was a woman that would be their downfall. In a men-dominated field‚ Lydia Litvyak was as deadly a fighter pilot as any.  Her career was short but bright‚ and even after her death‚ she would go down in history as one of the most influential Russian pilots of all time.  Lydia was the first woman to shoot down an enemy aircraft‚ but she was more than just the records she held. Before the war‚ Lydia was an accomplished flight instructor in her own right‚ and once she took to the skies as an aerial ace for Russia‚ her talent was swiftly recognized.  Let’s look a little deeper into the life of Lydia Litvyak–not just her life as a pilot‚ but as a woman‚ too.  Lydia Litvyak’s Early Life Born in Moscow‚ Lydia lost her father early in her life to the Great Purge orchestrated by Joseph Stalin. He was arrested and considered an enemy of the people‚ and this might have been the catalyst for his daughter Lydia to become desperate to clear her family name.  At the age of 14‚ Lydia discovered her interest in aviation and joined a flying club. It wasn’t long until she was embarking on her first solo flight at just 15 years of age. After her first solo flight‚ Lydia attended and graduated from the Kherson military flying school‚ and became a flight instructor. World War II was close on the horizon‚ and by the time Germany invaded the Soviet Union‚ Lydia had already trained dozens of pilots on her own.  This made her ideal to volunteer for the Russian military’s first female aviation regiment‚ the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Air Defense Force‚ which had been formed by another influential female Soviet pilot‚ Marina Raskova. Her passion for flying and her intense patriotism that had spawned from her father’s reputation as an enemy of the people should have made her an easy choice‚ but at first‚ she was rejected for lack of experience.  Frustrated‚ Lydia applied a second time‚ this time fudging the numbers and adding another 100 hours to her flight time. With the extra hours‚ she was accepted into the all-female regiment in 1941.  Lydia Litvyak in World War II Once a part of the women’s regiment‚ Lydia trained to fly on the Yakovlev Yak-1‚ a quick and deadly fighter plane. Lydia would fly this sort of fighter plane for the rest of her time in the war.  In 1941‚ she flew her first combat missions. These missions were mainly for defense‚ and her success in them led her and a few of the other women in her regiment to be transferred to a male regiment near Stalingrad.  This regiment‚ known as the 437th Fighter Aviation Regiment‚ needed help‚ and Lydia was more than happy to offer her expertise. Strong-willed and brash‚ Lydia Litvyak showed little fear in battle‚ and this led to her gaining her first two kills on the 13th of September‚ only 3 days after she had first arrived.  The story goes that Litvyak first shot down a Junker Ju 88‚ which fell from the sky‚ burning all the way down. Her second kill was a Messerschmitt Bf 109G‚ one of the most dangerous fighter planes being flown at the time‚ which was piloted by a decorated German pilot. The pilot managed to parachute from the falling Bf 109G and was captured by Soviet soldiers once he landed.  He asked to see the “Russian ace” who managed to take him down‚ and when Lydia was brought before him‚ the German pilot first thought he was being made fun of. Lydia quickly changed his mind‚ though‚ recounting step by step how their aerial battle had gone She and the other women who had joined her in the men’s regiment stayed for a short time more‚ but eventually‚ Lydia would take on another position–that of a free hunter.  The White Lily of Stalingrad After her time with the 427th‚ Lydia joined the 296th Fighter Regiment‚ where she would proceed to rise in the ranks. Lydia became somewhat of a celebrity in Russia–the beautiful but deadly female fighter pilot nicknamed the White Lily of Stalingrad.  Her reputation was earned. Lydia was granted the Order of the Red Star‚ and soon after selected for an elite aerial group known as the okhotniki‚ or ‘free hunters.’ The free hunters would work in pairs and take on fights of their choosing. Her favorite partner was Captain Aleksey Solomatin‚ a man whom Lydia would eventually fall in love with. He was just as talented as Lydia and even more reckless. Some sources say the two were married in secret.  During this time‚ she was injured and took some time off to recover back at home with her mother. With her star continuing to rise and stories of her prowess spreading overseas‚ Lydia was back in the cockpit as soon as she was healed.  By the time she returned‚ Lydia had taken down dozens of enemy planes‚ and she had never been more confident.  This confidence was shattered‚ though‚ when Lydia’s flying partner and possible lover Solomantin died in a crash in front of the entire regiment as he was coming into land. This devastated Litvyak‚ and her fighting became more intense‚ reckless‚ and even desperate.  What Happened to Lydia Litvyak?  After the death of Solomantin‚ Litvyak would continue to succeed‚ even if the success felt hollow to her. She would become the commander of her squadron and even took down a tricky target–a German artillery observation balloon. Tragically‚ Lydia Litvyak wouldn’t see the end of World War II. On August 1‚ 1943‚ Lydia would take her Yak-1 into the air for its final flight.  She and other members of her squadron were escorting ground attack aircraft when they were attacked by several German bombers. Lydia engaged‚ but what she didn’t know was that there were fighter planes‚ Messerschmitt 109s‚ flying cover for the bombers. She was last seen‚ her plane pouring smoke‚ as up to 8 of the German fighter planes pursued her.  Litvyak was shot down‚ and she and her plane all but disappeared‚ ending the career and life of the White Lily of Stalingrad.  1979 Discovery of Lydia Litvyak’s Grave  Because of the possibility that Lydia had been captured by German forces instead of killed‚ she was never awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.  Her dear friend and mechanic during the war‚ Senior Sergeant Inna Pasportnikova began a 39-year-long search for the remains of the female pilot and her Yak-1.  In the process‚ Pasportnikova would discover over 90 crash sites and other pilots that had been lost in action‚ but there was no sign of Lydia.  Finally‚ in 1979‚ Pasportnikona and her team learned that a female pilot had been buried in the village of Dmitrievka in the Shakhterski district of what is now Kazakhstan. The body was exhumed‚ and after inspection‚ was concluded to be that of Lydia Litvyak. Finally‚ Lydia had been found‚ and she was posthumously given the award she had so long been denied–that of Hero of the Soviet Union.    References  “WCW: Lydia Litvak‚ The White Lily of Stalingrad” https://cockpitusa.com/blogs/posts-without-blog/wcw-lydia-litvak-the-white-lily-of-stanlingrad “The Short‚ Daring Life of Lilya Litvyak” https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/10/06/short-daring-life-lilya-litvyak-white-rose-stalingrad/The post Lydia Litvyak: The daring female Soviet fighter ace first appeared on History Defined.

Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder‚ and while Xin Zhui was certainly a beautiful woman during her life‚ most wouldn’t consider her to be so 2‚100 years later. But for a certain group of scientists and researchers‚ the mummy of Xin Zhui would be one of the more incredible‚ if not beautiful things‚ that have ever been discovered from the Han Dynasty. A noblewoman in life‚ Xin Zhui died young‚ at around 50 years of age‚ but she had a second life that would rival her luxurious first one in terms of importance. Wax reconstruction of Xin Zhui Her mummy was so lifelike that it shocked discoverers. With soft skin‚ raven hair‚ and blood still in her veins‚ Xin Zhui is one of the most well-preserved mummies ever discovered. What was the life of a noblewoman like Xin Zhui like‚ and how exactly was her mummy so perfectly preserved? Xin Zhui: Lady of the Han Dynasty  In life‚ Xin Zhui was a woman of privilege. As the wife of the Marquis of Dai‚ her lifestyle was luxurious and decadent. Although she died at the relatively young age of 50‚ her years were spent listening to private musicians and indulging in the richest of foods available for Chinese nobles of the time.  Even if it was the normal sort of life someone of Xin’s status would live‚ being so pampered led Xin to have a rather sedentary lifestyle. The effects of such a lifestyle wouldn’t have been well understood back in the Han Dynasty‚ but now we know that it likely contributed to her demise.  The preserved mummy After she was discovered‚ a detailed autopsy was performed on Xin Zhui‚ and because of how well she was preserved scientists were able to identify health issues such as coronary thrombosis‚ diabetes‚ and arteriosclerosis that were related to her lack of physical activity. Other issues such as compressed spinal discs would have caused Xin to be in pain throughout her later years.   Amazingly‚ Xin Zhui was so intact that scientists were able to determine what her last meal had been. Fruit seeds‚ specifically melon seeds‚ were present in her stomach–138 of them to be exact. With there being so many seeds‚ it’s thought that she ate a large amount of melon very quickly only hours before her demise. The Tomb of Xin Zhui As influential as her mummy is‚ Xin Zhui was not found during an archaeological dig. Instead‚ workers were excavating the earth to create an air raid shelter when they first encountered not just her tomb‚ but the tomb of her husband and another young man who was thought to be her son or brother. Immediately‚ the workers knew that they had something special on their hands‚ and turned the site over to archaeologists. It was clear that excavating the tomb would be an incredibly large undertaking‚ so over 1‚500 high school students were brought in to assist with the dig.  Inside the tomb were Xin Zhui’s coffins‚ but also over 1‚400 artifacts that were nearly as well preserved as the mummy itself. These items included things like an entire wardrobe for Xin in the afterlife‚ and 162 carved wooden figures in the shape of humans–her servants in the next world. Xin Zhui’s tomb contained her coffin–except‚ one coffin wasn’t enough for a lady of such high standing. Instead‚ Xin was buried in four coffins of decreasing size‚ all with unique paint jobs and themes.   Coffin 1- The first coffin was painted a solid black on the outside‚ representing the color of the underworld. On the inside of this first coffin‚ there were paintings on the themes of protection‚ reincarnation‚ and immortality. These images were meant for the deceased‚ hence their placement on the inside.  Coffin 2- The second coffin was also black‚ but this one was decorated with motifs of the sky and clouds‚ animals‚ and deities of protection. The figure of a tiny person‚ representing the deceased Xin Zhui‚ rises from the top center on the head of the coffin‚ symbolizing her entrance into the new universe.  Coffin 3- Painted a brilliant red‚ the third coffin is the first that is not black. Red represents immortality‚ and winged creatures decorate the background. These immortal winged animals flank the three-peaked Mount Kunlun.  Coffin 4- A painted silk banner was placed on the top of the fourth coffin. This banner was ornately decorated‚ showing the realms of heaven‚ earth‚ and the netherworld. The coffin itself was adorned with yellow and black feathers‚ representative of the wings Xin Zhui’s spirit would grow to ascend into the heavens.  Xin Zhui’s Mummy: Scientific Insights and Preservation Techniques  Inside of the four intricately decorated coffins‚ the body of Xin Zhui was found. The coffin was full of a mysterious liquid‚ and once Xin was revealed‚ her appearance left scientists stunned. Whatever the mystery liquid was‚ it had preserved her in such a way that had never been seen before. Meanwhile‚ the other two bodies that had been buried alongside her had long since decayed.  Xin Zhui’s condition was nothing short of remarkable. Her pale skin was still soft‚ moist from the mystery liquid‚ and almost wholly intact. The muscles in her body were also still intact‚ along with ligaments‚ and this allowed her joints to be moved and flexed. Even her vessels were still there‚ and small amounts of her blood‚ determined to be Type A‚ were able to be recovered.  Since Xin Zhui was a noblewoman‚ it’s expected that she was carefully washed before burial‚ which may have helped slow decomposition. Even accounting for the washing‚ Xin was more well-preserved than any other mummy that had been found at the time. Experts were sure that there had to be more of an explanation behind her preservation.  Why was Xin Zhui So Well Preserved? After an autopsy and careful examination of both the body and tomb‚ a few conclusions were made as to why Xin Xhui was so well preserved.  Mysterious liquid- The most obvious answer to the question of the fantastic shape Xin’s body was in was the mysterious liquid that filled the innermost coffin. This liquid was tested and found to be mildly acidic‚ which might have prevented bacterial growth. The problem arose when other scientists suggested that the liquid may have come from the body itself‚ and not been a preservative‚ taking the liquid out of the preservation equation.  Airtight coffins- Whether it was known at the time or not‚ the four coffins that Xin was buried in were nearly airtight. This kept her body sealed within‚ away from contaminants that might have caused something like mold growth or bacterial decay.  Burial chamber- Lastly‚ Xin Zhui’s burial chamber was surrounded by charcoal and white clay‚ two substances that are known for their filtration and purifying properties. Water was not able to seep through to the body. After being removed from her airtight coffin and autopsied‚ the mummy of Xin Zhui began to degrade quickly. Whatever perfect circumstances had kept her in such immaculate shape were gone‚ and the decay she had avoided for centuries was setting in.  Scientists rushed to seal her once more in a glass display case to keep the degradation from continuing‚ and in 2003 a new “secret formula” was injected into her veins to keep her in pristine condition. References  “At 2‚100 Years Old‚ Lady Dai’s Mummy Is Still In Unbelievable Shape” https://www.iflscience.com/at-2-100-years-old-lady-dai-s-mummy-is-still-in-unbelievable-shape-67188 “Xin Zhui And The Story Of The Stunningly Intact Lady Dai Mummy” https://allthatsinteresting.com/xin-zhui-lady-daiThe post Xin Zhui: The amazingly preserved 2‚100 year old mummy first appeared on History Defined.

Op-ed by Summer Lane | Photo: Alamy For conservatives and proponents of America First policies‚ Joe Biden’s administration has been painful to watch. As inflation erodes the economy and war… The post Reflecting on this year’s biggest WINS for freedom-loving Americans first appeared on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).

Photo: Alamy Earlier this year‚ shocking reports emerged that a secret Chinese-run bio-lab had been uncovered in the heart of California‚ hidden away in an old warehouse in a small… The post Explosive report on secret Chinese bio-lab emerges during Xi’s California visit first appeared on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).

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