The woman who holds more than 100 world records in aviation

Marina Popovich is an elite pilot, writer and poet. The only thing she has yet to conquer is space.

According to Russia Beyond, with 102 records in the world aviation industry, 5,600 hours of flying in the sky, the number of planes and helicopters that have been piloted is up to 40 types, obtained a doctorate in engineering and 15 books have been published. published (including a book of poems), Marina Lavrentievna Popovich is one of the most famous Soviet female pilots in the post-war period. She is also known as "Madame MiG" (Mig Lady).

Marina Lavrentievna Popovich is one of the most famous female pilots of the post-war Soviet Union.

Conquer the dream

Popovich (maiden name - Vasilieva) was born into a family of musicians, but from childhood, having spent the war years, she dreamed of joining military aviation. However, Popovich initially had a hard time following his dream. With a height of 1m50, she is not allowed to join the flying club.

"My feet couldn't reach the stirrup," recalls Popovich, "So I set myself a goal - to do leg stretches, and started doing upside down. Then I got taller, no. obviously because I was only 16 years old or because the exercises worked, but my height has increased to 1.61m and the flying club accepted my application.In the beginning, I learned skydiving. learn to fly a plane".

Marina Lavrentievna Popovich in her youth. (Photo: Sputnik).

However, the flying club was still not a big enough world for the young girl at that time. Popovich dreamed of entering the aviation school, but the school stopped accepting female students after the war ended.

Refusing to give up, she personally went to see Marshal Kliment Voroshilov, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, and persuaded him to give her a chance. As a result, in 1954, Popovich graduated with honors from the Saransk Aeronautical Engineering School.

"Madame MiG"

Entering the military jet industry seems like an impossible task for a girl, but Popovich has gradually proved capable. In 1961, she became a Soviet first class female test pilot.

After that, the girl with many big dreams married the cosmonaut Pavel Popovich and decided to conquer space. This time, however, luck turned against her. Popovich claimed that she was not accepted into the space crew because she could not swim and was already a mother.

"Maria, there's no need to be so eager to go into space," the German cosmonaut Titov comforted her, "We'll just do a short flight and then sit on Earth the rest of the time."

Marina Lavrentievna Popovich has achieved many records in the aviation industry. (Photo: russiainphoto.ru).

However, Popovich refused to sit still and do nothing. In 1964, she was the first female pilot to overcome the "wall of sound" with the MiG-21 fighter. This is also the reason why the Western press nicknamed her "Mrs. MiG".

After that, Popovich successively hit different records, the number of which eventually exceeded 100 records. Not only flying high-speed fighters, Popovich also mastered huge aircraft such as heavy transport An-22 "Antey".

Of course, this is a risky business. Popovich said she has found herself on the brink of death many times:

"Once, the afterburner of a MiG-21 malfunctioned, the plane crashed on takeoff, the cockpit was stuck. Fortunately, a miracle saved my life: They broke the cockpit window, pulled me At first, I wasn't scared at all, but at night, recalling the flight in my dream, I screamed in terror.

The next morning, I had to go to the medical unit for treatment. Three days later, I recovered and started test flights again."

The only thing Popovich has yet to conquer is space.

After retiring, Popovich began writing books. She has co-authored dozens of books devoted to the aviation industry, has also written screenplays for several films and published a book of her own poetry.

Some of her works focus on UFOs (unidentified flying objects) - an area in which "Lady MiG" is very passionate.

"Unusual and little-studied phenomena have become my second love after the sky," she said.