White Squadron (Romania)

The White Squadron (Escadrila Albă) or Escadrila 108 Transport ușor was a Royal Romanian Air Force squadron of air ambulances piloted by women in the World War II.^[1][2][3] They flew Polish RWD 13S planes.^[1][4]

Casualties boarding a White Squadron RWD 13S in 1941

The 1944 Italian-Romanian film Squadriglia Bianca [it] was inspired by the squadron's story.

Notable pilots

• Smaranda Brăescu
• Mariana Drăgescu
• Marina Știrbei
• Nadia Russo

References

1. "The White Squadron". www.bucharestairports.ro. Bucharest International Airport. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
2. Zamfirache, Cosmin Patrascu (7 October 2015). "Istoria româncelor-eroine din "Escadrila Albă", singura unitate de aviație din cel de-Al Doilea Război Mondial formată exclusiv din piloți femei". Adevărul (in Romanian). Retrieved 1 May 2020.
3. "Ultima femeie-pilot din "Escadrila Alba"". Jurnalul Național. 9 June 2004. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
4. Axworthy, M. Flank Guard Romania's Aerial Advance on Stalingrad Air Enthusiast 64 July-August 1996 p.36 with photo

Further reading

• Cristian Crăciunoiu, Jean-Louis Roba, Escadrila Albă (The White Squadron), București, Editura Modelism, 2002, ISBN 973-8101-14-X

External links

• Escadrila albă 2012 video about the Squadron, in Romanian
• Squadriglia bianca at IMDb