This list of Russian and Soviet aviators includes the noteworthy aviators of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. The majority of pilots listed here served in the Imperial Russian Air Force, the Soviet Air Force or the modern Russian Air Force (or continue to serve in the latter). The aircrew members listed below either performed notable feats in aviation, held senior positions in Russian military aviation, and/or received national or international decorations for their aviation service. Alphabetical list A Vsevolod Abramovich, pioneer aviator killed on crash, inventor of Abramovich Flyer Sergey Anokhin, Soviet test pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Pavel Argeyev, Russia's third most successful fighter ace during World War I in Russia and France B Yekaterina Budanova, World War II pilot, one of the world's two female fighter aces C Valery Chkalov, flew the first transcontinental flight by airplane over the North Pole, Hero of the Soviet Union D Mikhail Devyatayev, World War II flying ace, awarded the Order of Lenin, Order of Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War and Hero of the Soviet Union Mariya Dolina, female dive bomber pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union F Viktor Federov, flying ace, received the Légion d'honneur and two other French decorations during World War I G Nikolai Gastello, the first Soviet pilot to direct his burning aircraft at a ground target, Hero of the Soviet Union Polina Gelman, World War II bomber pilot, one of the Night Witches, Hero of the Soviet Union Juri Gilsher, World War I flying ace amputee, awarded four decorations for valor Alexander Golovanov, Chief Marshal of Aviation at the end of World War II, Commander of Long Range Aviation Sergey Gritsevets, fighter ace during the Spanish Civil War and the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, & the first to be recognised twice as Hero of the Soviet Union Valentina Grizodubova, one of the first Soviet female pilots and Heroes of the Soviet Union, set a record for woman's ultralong flights Mikhail Gromov, set a record during the transcontinental flight over the North Pole, founded the Gromov Flight Research Institute, Hero of the Soviet Union I Vladimir Ilyushin, test pilot for OKB Sukhoi, Hero of the Soviet Union K Nikolai Kamanin, polar aviator, among the first to be decorated as Hero of the Soviet Union, trained the first ever cosmonauts, including Yuri Gagarin, Gherman Titov and Alexei Leonov Rafael Kaprelyan, test