Khiuaz Dospanova

Khiuaz Dospanova (Cyrillic: Хиуаз Доспанова) was a Kazakh pilot who served in World War II in the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, nicknamed the "night witches." Born in Atyrau, present-day Kazakhstan, from her early childhood she dreamed of becoming a pilot. After completing secondary school she became certified as a reserve pilot. When World War II started she applied to the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy in Moscow but her application was denied because the academy was for males only. She entered a medical institute instead in 1941. Not long after that, she heard of the all-female aviation regiment commanded by Marina Raskova, and she applied to the aviation college in Saratov. In 1942 she was placed in the 588th Night Bomber Regiment commanded by Senior Lieutenant Yevdokia Bershanskaya, gaining over 300 flight hours as a navigator and sniper, reaching the rank of senior lieutenant.

She was awarded various medals including the Order of the Red Star, Order of the Red Banner, the Khalyk Kaharmany, and Orders of the Patriotic War in 1st and 2nd class. There is an ice rink bearing her name in Kazakhstan, and Atyrau International Airport is to be named in her honor.