Borscht, Barracks, and Bears:

How Russian Pilots Lived in WWII

Sarah Clark
HI 355: WW2 Colloquium
Phase 3
Word Count: 3,307
December 6, 2019
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 1

Introduction

What were the living conditions of Russian pilots in WWII?

Food, water, and shelter, as fundamental components of human existence are no less

critical in an aviation unit than the number of enemies shot down, as a combat force can be made

or broken over necessities. During World War II, Russian pilots returned to bases where food

and housing were not to be taken for granted, and free time was dictated by forces largely outside

their control. The overall living conditions of Russian pilots during the war were varied,

unpredictable, and improvised.

When the war began, pilots unused to wartime conditions had to adapt quickly to their

new conditions. One pilot recalled:

the sun was baking hot on the street. I walked slowly towards the airfield and came up to
the dispersal area. It was like a disturbed anthill. They were repairing the old shelters.
Here and there they were digging new ones. They assigned the headquarters dug-out for
the use of the staff. Fyodorov and Godunov decided to use an enormous plywood
container in which, at one time, an aircraft had arrived from the factory in parts…We had
supper –field rations, as if we were at the front—and spent the night in the dug-out. Tired
after the day’s work and even more so after the previous sleepless night, everyone soon
dropped off. Of course, after comfortable quarters, snow-white sheets and a soft bed, it is
not cosy to sleep on a plank bed; but aircrew get used to anything.1

Food Sources

Throughout the war, sources of food varied, but the three most common were rations,

villagers, and American Lend-Lease food. Rations were the primary source of food for Russian

pilots. The military had its own rationing system, separate from and prioritized above the civilian

system.2 At first, most foods were produced and distributed by state associated farms and

collectives. Throughout the war, more and more initiative was given to peasants to make food

production a private enterprise to increase production and reduce the burden on state-owned

1
Kaberov, Swastika in the Gunsight, 5.
2
Ganson, “Food Supply,” 78.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 2

sources.3 Typical rations for the Russian armed forces consisted of a simple breakfast of porridge

known as kasha, a type of soup called borscht for lunch, and bread with pickles or cucumbers for

dinner, and for aviators 100 grams of vodka after combat missions.4 In general, variety and items

such as meat, fat, and fresh fruits and vegetables were hard to come by.

Throughout the war, Russians both were allocated and received fewer daily calories than

the soldiers of several other countries. In early 1941, Russian infantrymen were allocated 2,954

calories a day, which was increased to 3,450 in September.5 Members of active flying units were

supposed to receive 4,712.6 Compared to other Allied nations, this basic allowance was low. For

instance, the United States allocated 4,748 calories for front-line soldiers, and Britain allocated

5,300 for soldiers fighting in cold weather.7 Despite official instructions, it was common for

Russians to receive less than their daily allotted calories, placing them even farther below their

Allied comrades.

Pilots overcame the lack of food and added variety by trading with nearby villagers if

based near or in a village. There are multiple accounts of pilots and technicians going into towns

to exchange unused items such as underwear or more common items such as “tobacco,

cigarettes, bread, and sugar for milk, sour cream, eggs, and butter and sometimes meat.”8

Exchanges could be a one-time or reoccurring transaction. For instance, while in Romania, one

squadron member paid a Romanian for a daily supply of ten eggs.9 However, making deals with

the locals was not always favored by senior officers, as squadron members were arrested and

3
Moskoff, “The First Priority,” 126; Ganson, “Food Supply,” 75-76.
4
Collingham, “Fighting on Empty,” 319.
5
Collingham, “Fighting on Empty.” 319.
6
Moskoff, “The First Priority,” 127.
7
Collingham, “Out of Depression,” 434; Collingham, “Fighting on Empty,” 319.
8
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 145, 186.
9
Mariinskiy, Airacobra, 142.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 3

imprisoned in some units.10 Yet, the prevalence of such transactions illustrates the desperation

for sufficient and adequate food.

Pilots not only traded with villagers and peasants, but they also took advantage of their

surroundings. They scavenged through the remains of old villages, especially on the way towards

Berlin in 1944 and 1945.11 One of the most common items searched for was alcohol. For

instance, one fighter pilot, heading towards Berlin, recalled that “in the deserted workshops of

the sugar mill the omnipresent procurement officers…found tanks of spirits.”12 In other

locations, where natural resources such as rivers were more abundant, pilots occasionally

resorted to fishing to provide fresh meat in desperate times, when the food supplied in the mess

hall was either meager or nonexistent.13

Another way variety was increased was through the introduction of American Lend-

Lease items, especially in 1943 and after. For instance, dairy items from America like dried eggs

and milk powder, hard to come by in Russia, supplemented protein and fat intake, and packaged

meats such as Spam were a welcome respite from dried fish.14 To show this one pilot reported

that “American food, it was a feast—canned meat, dried eggs, canned milk.”15 While American

food was only a tiny sliver of what the air forces ate during the war, it certainly provided a

respite from the standard fare.

10
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 145.
11
I Remember, “Airmen: Ivan Konovalov,” [Link] [accessed
14 October 2019].
12
Kramarenko, Combat over the Eastern Front, 77-78.
13
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 114.
14
Collingham, ”Fighting on Empty,” 340; I Remember, “Airmen: Kolyadin Victor Ivanovich,”
[Link] kolyadin-victor-ivanovich/ [accessed 14 October 2019].
15
Pennington, Wings, Women, and War, 119.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 4

Factors that Affected Food

Squadron location, when correlated with timeframe, was one of the most significant

factors affecting food availability and type, including geographic location, distance relative to

frontlines, and proximity to inhabited villages. Geographic location was significant because

Russia is a massive country, and front lines stretched for hundreds of miles. Food supplies were

inadequate to begin with, and the distribution system was incomplete and inefficient. These

issues were only compounded by the rapidly advancing German forces during Operation

Barbarossa.16 Not every unit received equal amounts of food, and food reserves were not in

place, especially at the beginning, resulting in troops at the front and rear being shorted.17 To

show the variation, one fighter pilot, who spent some time near the front lines at Smolensk,

wrote “I’m still amazed that—whether advancing or retreating—we were always well supplied

with food.”18 Conversely, other pilots reported periodic food shortages lasting several days near

front lines.19 Therefore food availability varied greatly from one unit to the next.

Distance from the front impacted food supply because it affected the ability of food to

reach airfields. At the beginning of the war, food shortages were common in contested areas,

such as the North Caucasus and Ukraine.20 Plus, reserves were either too far away or not built up

enough to sustain prolonged shortages.21 During German advances supplies were not always able

to be delivered, causing aircrews to survive on what meager items they had stockpiled.22 Other

16
Moskoff, “The First Priority,” 113.
17
Moskoff, “The First Priority,” 115.
18
Drabkin, Barbarossa, 85.
19
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 186.
20
Pennington, Wings, Women, and War, 79.
21
Moskoff, “The First Priority,” 115.
22
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 186; Pennington, Wings, Women, and War, 79.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 5

times, aircrews were forced to pick up supplies with their aircraft because the ground vehicles

were unable to reach their airfields.23

The type of action an air unit was supporting, such as a retreat or an advance, also

affected their food supply. When a regiment formally moved to a new airfield in preparation for

an operation, and if time allowed, the airfield would be prepped by a service battalion consisting

of combat support and maintenance personnel, who stocked up supplies and prepared the

housing and airfield facilities for the arrival of the unit.24 Thorough preparation resulted in

efficiency and ease of movement. However, when movement to a new airfield was either hastily

planned or unplanned as a result of an unexpected retreat, there was no preparation, resulting in

the opposite effect: no supplies. For instance, while retreating in 1942, one pilot wrote that upon

reaching the assigned base they “found nothing there—no staff, no mess hall, no fuel” because

the ground support had been unable to reach the base in time to prepare it.25

However, the unit in that scenario ended up being fed by a woman from a local village,

illustrating the last essential component of location: proximity to an inhabited area.26 Airfields

were frequently built near villages. Consequently, instead of official housing, pilots would be

billeted with the town residents. Occasionally villagers had items unavailable to military

members, such as fresh vegetables from their gardens or dairy products, such as milk. 27

One last factor to consider in analyzing food supply is unit type: bombers versus fighters.

Food for both types of units was dreary and monotonous with occasional highlights of canned

23
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 67.
24
Bessette, ”Soviet Military Transportation Aviation,” 196.
25
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 108.
26
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 108.
27
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 85, 176.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 6

American food, items gained from the locals, or the rationed chocolate and Coca-Cola.28 For

instance, in 1942, one bomber pilot reported eating brown bread, a lot of cereal, and in the fall-

potatoes, while another bomber pilot reported eating a breakfast of gruel, bread, butter, and tea

the following year.29 Fighter pilots reported similar types of food including soup, tea, and

bread.30 Overall, food was more affected by location, type of action, and timeframe than type of

unit because units across all aircraft types experienced times of relative abundance and shortage,

based on locational and situational factors.

Housing

Housing was also based on location and situation. The spectrum ranged from sleeping in and

under aircraft using tarps and covers as blankets to large houses in nearby villages, and later even

villas. Pilots were usually billeted separately from the enlisted technicians. Commonly, the

technicians were kept closer to the aircraft in dugouts, huts, or trenches, so that they were

quickly accessible and ready for action, while it was more common for pilots to live outside the

airfield. However, there were times when pilots and technicians lived together, such as one tail

gunner who lived in the same local home as her pilot.31

Housing Situations

One of the main differences in airfield accommodations was the age of the airfield. New

airfields were usually less developed because they were formed during war when a base was

needed during a rapid advance or unplanned retreat. Hasty quarters usually consisted of dugouts

built into the ground, sometimes made by female workers from nearby cities, such as

28
I Remember, “Airmen: Kolyadin Victor Ivanovich,” [Link] kolyadin-victor-
ivanovich/ [accessed 14 October 2019].
29
I Remember. “Airmen: Kolyadin Victor Ivanovich,” [Link] kolyadin-victor-
ivanovich/ [accessed 14 October 2019]; I Remember, “Airmen: Ivan Konovalov,” [Link]
/en/memoirs/airmen/ivankonovalov/ [accessed 14 October 2019].
30
Kramarenko, Combat over the Eastern Front, 78.
31
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 176.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 7

Leningrad.32 Pilots also lived in trenches or around the aircraft until more permanent quarters

could be made.33 Again, there were exceptions. New airfields were better prepared when

movements were planned well in advance, and airfield service battalions were available to go to

the airfield first and prepare it for the unit, which included billeting arrangements.34

Conversely, older airfields, many of which had been training schools or air bases before the

war, already had a developed infrastructure. They had permanent quarters or at least buildings

that could be readily turned into barracks. For instance, one pilot recalled living in an old school

building on an airfield that had been a training school two years before the war.35 Even in 1944,

when the Russians refitted three Ukrainian air bases for the Americans, they refitted an artillery

barracks and school buildings for the Americans to live in.36 Also, as the Russians moved east in

1944 and 1945 they utilized barracks on former German airfields.

If housing was not available on the airfield, pilots were billeted in the homes of villagers or

other available buildings, within several miles of the airfield. Even within the homes there was a

lot of variation. Usually the home’s residents still lived there, and one of two scenarios occurred:

either a couple or as many as possible pilots would be billeted there. For example, one pilot

recalls that “the overcrowding was horrendous, but room was found for me. In a crooked

hut…having delicately pushed the hostess to the oven in her kitchen.”37 Houses could become

crowded and uncomfortable when pilots, other officers, and non-maintenance personnel, were

forced to live together. Alternatively, other pilots were billeted alone and given a lot of space and

32
Kaberov, Swastika in the Gunsight, 91.
33
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 106.
34
Bessette, ”Soviet Military Transportation Aviation,” 196.
35
Reshetnikov, Bomber Pilot on the Eastern Front, 33.
36
Plokhy, Forgotten Bastards, 35.
37
Reshetnikov, Bomber Pilot on the Eastern Front, 138.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 8

relatively nice accommodations. Also, nearby villages were occasionally abandoned, resulting in

pilots living in vacant homes.38 Overall, village billeting was varied.

Uncontrollable Factors

Another variable that should not be overlooked is the effect of the war on housing options.

Barracks and dugouts were not immune to German air raids. When permanent buildings or

dugouts were destroyed, pilots slept in hastily rebuilt dugouts or under the aircraft. Combat

readiness also dictated how close aircrews slept to their aircraft because if a raid was expected,

pilots needed to be ready to defend their airfield at a moment’s notice.39 Bombings, when the

signal of a German advance, also contributed to units moving from new bases and having to find

new quarters altogether. Other times, the housing at a new base was inhabitable. For instance,

one mechanic wrote that “all of the habitable dwellings nearby were mined by the Germans, so

we had to live under the wings of our aircraft.”40 Therefore, stable and safe housing was not to be

taken for granted in combat conditions.

Weather also played devil’s advocate with housing. Mud, rain, and snow are all part of

life in Russia and had devastating effects on airfield usage and quality of life inside aircrew

quarters. During the rainy season, dugouts were flooded with inches to feet of water, either

forcing pilots to pump the water out in colder seasons or live under the aircraft in warmer

weather.41 Snow, on the other hand, made its way into primitive buildings in the form of ice.

Escaping the cold was impossible. Changes in weather patterns and the beginning of colder

seasons also resulted in insect and animal infestations, such as fleas, rats, and mosquitos. One rat

38
Kramarenko, Combat over the Eastern Front, 26.
39
Tomofeyeva-Yegorova, Black Sky Red Death, 106.
40
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 151.
41
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 110, 173.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 9

infestation was so bad a pilot remarked that “they were routinely crushed under people’s feet.”42

Overall, weather was just one more variable that made housing unpredictable.

Commodities

Not only was housing itself varied and often improvised, but commodities nowadays taken

for granted were as well. Most of what the pilots had for furniture, light, and linens were

makeshift. Oil drums and shell casings were used as crude lamps and stoves. Any available

material was burned in those stoves, including used bomb fuse-boxes.43 Beds, tables, and any

other furniture were typically cobbled together from planks, wood scraps, straw, and aircraft

covers. Pillows were stuffed with everything from weeds to straw. Again, there were exceptions,

especially later in the war, when air units took over German airfields or lived in residences

currently or previously owned by the wealthy. For example, one pilot wrote that his unit was

“billeted for a rest in some factory-owner’s villa…on soft feather beds,” and remarked that “the

conqueror’s position has its advantages.”44 Overall though, pilots did not live in luxury. They

made what they needed from what was available.

Personal Free Time

The small amount of free time in between tasking, or during rough weather, helped the pilots

let loose and mentally cope with being in combat. On a personal level, people kept busy with

what was available. Those who had books read them and then shared them, which led to book

discussions.45 Games requiring little space, such as dominos, chess, and cards were played;

although, some commands forbade cardplaying, calling it bourgeois.46 People who were

musically gifted and carried their instrument, such as a guitar or accordion, around would play

42
Pennington, Wings, Women, and War, 116.
43
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 124.
44
Kramarenko, Combat over the Eastern Front, 73.
45
Reshetnikov, Bomber Pilot on the Eastern Front, 138.
46
Drabkin, Barbarossa, 42.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 10

for their fellow airmen. Some of the women would knit, embroider, or sew new pairs of silk

underwear. And everyone looked forward to letters from home, especially when the Germans

occupied territory where their loved ones lived. For instance, one pilot wrote that when she

received the first letter from her mother, five months into the war, she “felt such relief! All these

months I had worried about my family, whether they were suffering somewhere under German

occupation.”47 Pilots were desperate for news about the wellbeing and whereabouts of relatives

and friends.

Unit Free Time

Beyond the personal level, units organized events amongst themselves. Some had a

newsletter that members would write in and distribute amongst the unit.48 Usually those had a

political overtone. Nevertheless, they were an opportunity for people to use skills other than

flying, such as creative writing, journalism, and drawing. Activities such as talent shows and

performances were also organized, including events such as formal readings, performance of

plays or sketches, and solo acts. For example, one squadron had the only Gypsy to fly for Russia

in the war, who performed dances of his culture, until he died in combat.49 Parties and dances

were also held, especially in some of the female units, to celebrate successful missions with

dancing and singing.50 Celebrations were an outlet for the emotion created by the stresses of

combat and unpredictable living conditions.

Occasionally if located near a larger city, such as Leningrad, and if tasking allowed,

pilots were able to partake in urban activities, such as movies, concerts, and dance classes. At

times, events were formally organized by unit commanders to increase morale and let their

47
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 81.
48
Kaberov, Swastika in the Gunsight, 6.
49
Kramarenko, Combat over the Eastern Front, 61.
50
Noggle, A Dance with Death, 71 .
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 11

personnel get away from the humdrum of front-line duties, while other times, attending a movie

or performance was not command mandated. For instance, one corps commander gave circus

tickets to his officers and ordered them to go on a night when no flights were scheduled.51 While

in a different squadron a group of pilots was invited to a musical premiere in Leningrad while the

city was being barraged by the Germans.52 Not only did pilots seek out entertainment, but

entertainment sought them out, in the form of traveling performers, artists, and mobile theaters

that traveled throughout the eastern front, providing performances for units unable to go to a city

or populated area.

Relationships

Beyond mere activities, relationships were another way to pass the time. Wedding

ceremonies were a change from the more frequent funeral ceremonies. Pilots married either

pilots from other commands or members of various service battalions. To illustrate the difference

between a funeral and wedding, an airman wrote, “the regiment personnel celebrated a festive

and memorable event. And it had nothing to do with war, blood, or death. It was quite the

opposite of a funeral.”53 Joyous occasions were a welcome relief from the cruel ways of combat.

Relationships were unavoidable in squadrons where technicians and combat support staff were

frequently female. Even in units with only female pilots, relationships were not uncommon with

male members of the same or other units. There was one female pilot, for example, whose

former commanding officer proposed after the war ended.54 Relationships were crucial in

motivating pilots to return from every flight and survive the war, while also serving to satisfy the

soft side of human existence.

51
Reshetnikov, Bomber Pilot on the Eastern Front, 157.
52
Kaberov, Swastika in the Gunsight, 178.
53
Antipov & Utkin, Dragons on Bird Wings, 75.
54
Timofeyeva-Yegorova, Red Sky Black Death, 201.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 12

However, humans were not the only ones to fulfill this need for affection, as pets were

not forbidden. Often, stray dogs or cats were picked up when a unit passed by an abandoned

area. They were either adopted by a whole unit or individuals, as was the case with the Gypsy

and his dog, Jack.55 However, there were other scenarios, where a pet would be left behind by

higher-ups who briefly visited the unit. For example, Alexander Novikov, then Air Force

supreme commander, left behind a bear cub he had been given. At the squadron, the small cub

ate and slept with the men, which became difficult as she grew. In the end, she was killed by

outsiders, and the air unit refused to eat her.56 While an unusual scenario, it still shows the

connections unit members made with animals that ended up in their possession. Focusing on

caring for a pet was a needed distraction.

Conclusion

During World War II, the men and women in the Russian air forces lived an

unpredictable life, dictated by the whims of combat. Food would be available one day and not

the next. Moving from base to base increased unpredictability, as not all locations were supplied

equally, especially when close to combat or advancing German forces. Air force units stretched

from Leningrad to Ukraine, which strained the initially inadequate supply system. Time was not

always available for building new housing, resulting in external billeting and quickly-built

dugouts. Improvisation was the name of the game, as the pilots had to make do with the food,

materials, and housing they could scavenge or trade for. Pilots with imagination and creativity

were able to create a home away from home that at least met the bare minimum of their needs,

despite limited free time to decompress and get away from combat stressors.

55
Kramarenko, Combat over the Eastern Front, 61.
56
Kramarenko, Combat over the Eastern Front, 69.
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 13

Research Question: What were the living conditions of Russian pilots in WWII?Outline

1. Introduction
1.1. Research question
1.2. Idea of the variability, range of living conditions
2. Living Conditions
2.1. Food
2.1.1. Food sources
[Link]. Rations
[Link].1. Calorie comparison
[Link]. Local sources
[Link]. American food
2.1.2. Factors affecting food
[Link]. Location
[Link].1. Timeframe
[Link].2. Movement type
[Link].3. Billeting
[Link]. Unit type
2.2. Housing
2.2.1. Introduction
2.2.2. Housing Situations
[Link]. New Airfields
[Link]. Old Airfields
[Link]. Living in Villages
2.2.3. Uncontrollable Factors
[Link]. Combat Conditions
[Link]. Weather
2.2.4. Commodities
2.3. Free Time
2.3.1. Personal Level
[Link]. Hobbies: sewing, knitting, poetry, music
[Link]. Letters from home
2.3.2. Unit Level Activities
[Link]. Newspapers, performances
[Link]. Nearby towns
[Link].1. Leader/command initiated
2.3.3. Relationships
[Link]. People
[Link]. Pets
3. Conclusion
 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 14

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 Clark-Borscht, Barracks, and Bears-page 15

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Bessette, John. “Soviet Military Transport Aviation” in The Soviet Air Forces edited by Paul
Murphy, 188-211. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1984.

Collingham, Lizzie. “The Soviet Union—Fighting on Empty” in The Taste of War, 317-346.
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Antipov, Vladislav, and Igor Utkin. Dragons on Bird Wings: The Combat History of the 812th
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