Fearless female Russian pilots dubbed the Night Witches by the Nazis because of their deadly skills during WWII 

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Fascinating colourised photos have emerged showing the world's first all-female team of combat pilots preparing for battle in the Second World War. Lilya Litvyak, Katya Budanova and Mariya Kuznetsov are pictured examining a map ahead of one of their missions in Stalingrad

• Pictures show Russian fighter pilots from the all-female 588th Night Bomber Regiment during World War Two
• The feared pilots were dubbed Night Witches by Nazis for their bombing raids during the battle for Stalingrad
• Original black and white photogaphs have been brought to life by translator Olga Shirnina, from Moscow

Fascinating colourised photos have emerged showing the world's first all-female team of fighter pilots preparing for battle in Russia during the Second World War.

Original black and white images of the feared Soviet unit - dubbed the Night Witches by the Nazis they were bombing - have been brought to life by translator, Olga Shirnina, from Moscow.

They show female members of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment - also known as the 46th 'Taman' Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment - of the Soviet Air Forces.

Black and white images of the feared Soviet unit - dubbed the Night Witches by the Nazis they were bombing - have been brought to life by translator, Olga Shirnina, from Moscow. Pictures show Rufina Gasheva and Nataly Meklin - heroes of the Soviet Union's famed Night Witches squadron

On a mission: Captain Maria Dolina poses for a photograph in front of her fighter plane during the Second World War

Taking flight: Lydia Litvyak prepares to board her fighter plane during the Second World War. Members of the squadron were dubbed the Night Witches by the Nazis

While women were originally barred from combat, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin introduced an order on October 8, 1941 to deploy three women's force units, including the 588th regiment.

The Night Witches developed their own technique to deal with the Nazis at Stalingrad after German officials started to arrange flak guns and searchlights in concentric circles around possible targets.

They flew harassment bombing and precision bombing missions against the German military from 1942 until the end of the Second World War in 1945.

Together, they carried out more than 24,000 missions and dropped 23,000 tons of bombs. The 588th remained an all-women regiment throughout the war.

Soviet pilot Yekaterina Ryabova examines a map as she leans against the wing of her Second World War fighter plane in Russia

While women were originally barred from combat, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin introduced an order on October 8, 1941 to deploy three women's force units, including the 588th regiment. Natalia Meklin, Sofia Burzaeva and Polina Gelman are pictured in this colourised image

Team effort: Colourised photographs show the feared Night Watch division in Crimea in 1944 as they push a truck up a hill

Yevdokia Bershanskaya (right), commander of the 46th Taman Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, instructs her crew - Yevdokia Nosal and Nina Ulyanenko in this photograph, which was taken in 1942 and has now been transformed with colour

Six members of the 588 (46 Guards) Night Bomber Regiment pose for a photos in another fascinating colourised image

Soviet Air Force officer Rufina Gasheva (left) flew 848 night missions as navigator in a fighter plane. Pictured right: Squadron member Major Evdokia Nikulina

Yekaterina Budanova and Lydia Litvyak are pictured in 1942. The photos have been transformed with colour by a Russian translator

The women flew harassment bombing and precision bombing missions against the German military from 1942 until the end of the Second World War in 1945

The leader of the Night Witches was Marina Raskova, who along with two other women, set a world record for non-stop direct flight by women in 1938 when they flew an ANT-37, a Soviet-built twin-engine aircraft named Rodina.

With 40 two-person crews, 30 died in combat and 23 were awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title.

The modernised photographs were carefully colourised by translator, Olga Shirnina.

She said she went online to learn techniques.

'I wanted something not so complicated and here was another thing; I saw that many colourists colourise the skin with deep yellow-brown which I didn't like,' she said.

Together, the women carried out more than 24,000 missions and dropped 23,000 tons of bombs. The 588th remained an all-women regiment throughout the war. Pilots Marina Raskova (left) and Nina Ulyanenko (right) are pictured above

With 40 two-person crews, 30 members of the squadron died in combat and 23 were awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title. Pictured: Pilots Yekaterina Ryabova (left) and Hiuaz Dospanova (right)

 While women were originally barred from combat, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin introduced an order on October 8, 1941 to deploy three women's force units, including the 588th regiment

The modernised photographs were carefully colourised by translator, Olga Shirnina from Russia's capital Moscow. Her colourised portraits show Martina Raskova (left) and Evdokia Pasko (right)

'I wanted it more natural. So first I used pipette to take colours from original colour photos and then came up with the idea to take the face completely.'

Through thorough research, she was able to find internet tutorials and videos on how to colourise the monochrome photographs. 

Her main motivation for the painstaking work is her huge interest in Russia's history.

'It is full of dramatic, cataclysmic events which impacted on the history of both the country itself and the whole world,' she said.

'Sometimes a picture can say more than many words and I am glad that people can learn more about Russia and its people through my colourings, especially about our brave women.'

Black and white pictures of Soviet fighter pilots Marina Raskova (left) and Antonina Lebedeva (right) have been brought to life with colour

Pilot Hiuaz Dospanova is pictured in another Second World War photograph transformed by a Russian expert