Raïna Vassillieva Kassabova - Bulgarian Pilot

[Surok]

Hi, I read an article, on a well-known free encyclopedia, about Raïna Vassillieva Kassabova (Райна Василева Касабова), there are references to two books :

* Йонов, М., „Одрин 1912-1913“, Sofia, 1983, Военно издателство
* Петков, И., „Страници в небето“, Списание „Български воин“, Sofia, 2005, бр. 2

they say in the english article that she was pilot in Bulgarian Air Forces by 1912-1913 Balkan war... at the age of 15 !

So she would be the first woman military pilot (of aeroplane) and the youngest woman licensed pilot (of aeroplane) ?

Unfortunately I can't read bulgarian language yet. I can read most of it and understand simple words similar to russian but I don't fully understand sentences. I found plenty of occurences on google with her name, all in bulgarian. I understand that she flew missions but can't fully understand, it's linked with the city of Odrin (Edrine) in Turkey and another pilot and a mecanic but can't understand much more.

And on a link on the english article "the first air-dropped bomb in military history was developed by the Bulgarian Air Force during the First Balkan War, and used on 16 October 1912 by Lieuts. Radul Milkov and Prodan Tarakchiev. Rayna Kasabova was the first woman ever to take part in a combat air mission, accomplished on 30 October 1912."

I will try to get a translation on a well-known language forum. If someone has information pleaaase help me to go to sleep at a decent hour ^^.

EDIT : there is that too : "Kasabowa, Rajna Wasilewa (1897 - 1969), public woman, CSA, F.1097 K, 10 a.e., 1925-1965"

and I found that on a forum :

Rayna Kasabova – 1.05.1897 – 25.05.1969. 15-years old became the first woman pilot heroine in the aviation. Her act of heroism she did as a joke, without intention. On the 30th of October 1912y. at the airport Mustafa Pasha (today Svilengrad) at noon time arrived two girls from the First Field Mobile Hospital. One of the girls is Kasabova. She is from old clan from Karlovo. Her mother – Maria is christened by Vassil Levski himself and later she become his courier. Rayna’s father barvely fought at Shipka Peak against the turks during the Liberation War. Her uncle – Lazar Lilov is hanged by the turks.
At the airport Rayna met young pilot Stefan Kalinov with nickname The Black Prince. He allowed her to enter his biplan “Voazen” and she was enchanted and said that it’s very comfortable to sit and she can to the others like from balcony. When she stepped on the ground officer Kalinov asked for permission and received such from his supreme officer Radul Milkov to take for a walk in the skies the girl. The other pilot gave to Rayna his coat and gave her his glasses. The mechanist Ilia Mladenov took two packages of leaflets and noticed by noone he gave these to Rayna. He explained her how to throw them, when the pilot give her the sign. When the plane got into the air officer Kalinov took course to Odrin.
Kalinov and Rayna didn’t come back and officer Radul and mechanist Ilia got into his plane and took off. They both experienced different misadventures in the air and they were forced to go back to the airport.
Fortunately “Voazen” returned after 43min flight. When Kalinov was asked what took them so long he said enthusiasticly “We flew above Odrin! We were throwing leaflets! Rayna threw them!”. Rauna told the others how the turks shoot at them and how she told Kalinov to rise a little bit the plane to avoid the minarets of the mosque Sultan Selim. And with excitement she described how she threw the leaflets in which was written: “The victims are unnessesarry”. After the examination of “Voazen” the mechanist Mladenov found many hits by turkish bullets and shells.
The first woman who made miltary flight died alone. The Black Prince died during the test of the Bulgarian plane “Dogan” on 15-th of July 1915y. – only 26-years old. Rayna lived long – she died in 1969y. After her casket there was only one man marching – the veteran pilot Georgi Hayverov.

[Doc]

If you find more information on this lady, I would be interested in seeing it. My understanding at present is that she was in fact the first woman to take part in aerial operations in war (dropping the leaflets), but that she was not a licensed pilot. Doc

[Surok]

ok I will look for some translation, but I'm too impatient, I will ask someone I don't know yet on skype !

I saw on a message of 2006 that you wrote a book about Marie Marvingt ?

[Doc]

Originally Posted by Surok

ok I will look for some translation, but I'm too impatient, I will ask someone I don't know yet on skype !

I saw on a message of 2006 that you wrote a book about Marie Marvingt ?

Thanks.

On Marie Marvingt-- I've written a few articles, and am now doing research for a book on her life. It's slow because I have to work it around my full-time job, but I am making progress. She is my number one hobby. Doc

[YavorD]

Hi!
I am Bulgarian and can, probably, help a bit with translation.
Just couple of notes now.

• Raïna Vassillieva Kassabova (Райна Василева Касабова) was truly remarkable woman. She volunteered as a nurse in a military hospital in 1912.
• Being a pilot - probably not.
• Military pilot - no record.
• Flying in a military aeroplane in October 1912 - quite possible, but no confirmation from primary sources.

We all should pay attention using secondary sources, mostly stories recorded several years (decades) after the date of event described.
Regards,
Yavor

[Surok]

Originally Posted by YavorD

Hi!
I am Bulgarian and can, probably, help a bit with translation.
Just couple of notes now.

• Raïna Vassillieva Kassabova (Райна Василева Касабова) was truly remarkable woman. She volunteered as a nurse in a military hospital in 1912.
• Being a pilot - probably not.
• Military pilot - no record.
• Flying in a military aeroplane in October 1912 - quite possible, but no confirmation from primary sources.

We all should pay attention using secondary sources, mostly stories recorded several years (decades) after the date of event described.
Regards,
Yavor

I understand, for the books refenreced on Wiki, apparently they are recent and more referring to Edrine and Bulgaria in the war, right ?

I also found another book, recent too but maybe referring to old books ?

Автор: Любен Овчаров
Издател: ИК "Еър груп 2000"
Мека подвързия
Дата на включване: 2004-11-08
ISBN: 9547520695

The title look strange but in the resume of the book the name of Raïna Kassabova is written in big letters.

Doc, nice (I will pm you if you don't mind because I have 2-3 questions... ok more likely 20-30 questions in fact !)

[AAC Cadet Leader]

i'm watching this thread with great interest. thank you, gentlemen.

[YavorD]

Originally Posted by Surok

...
I also found another book, recent too but maybe referring to old books ?

Автор: Любен Овчаров
Издател: ИК "Еър груп 2000"
Мека подвързия
Дата на включване: 2004-11-08
ISBN: 9547520695

The title look strange but in the resume of the book the name of Raïna Kassabova is written in big letters.

...

The title is "Полетът на самарянката", The flight of the Samaritan [woman]. 64 pages, soft cover, 6 black and white photos.

I am not familiar with this small book. The author, Lyuben Ovcharov, a writer, former pilot, published several books about aviation in Bulgaria.
The book about Raina Kassabova is, probably, a biography, and may contain useful information, although hardly based on primary sources. One should keep in mind, such documents, if preserved, are not easily accessible in Bulgaria, nowadays because of technical or bureaucratic reasons.

Regards,
Yavor

P.S. For me, personally, is hard to spend several workdays in National Library in Sofia, and much easier to place an order in National Archives, Kew, UK (with generous help from other forum members).

[Surok]

Thanks for you answer.