that Budanova had five personal kills at the time of her death. Many Russian aviation historians dispute Budanova's status as a flying ace; Andrey Simonov and Svetlana Chudinova credit her with only three solo aerial victories, while Mikhail Bykov credits her with three solo and one shared aerial victory. The Soviet magazine published a quote from her in an April 1943 issue claiming to have three solo and three shared victories. Awards Hero of the Russian Federation (1 October 1993) Order of the Patriotic War 1st class (22 July 1943) Order of the Red Star (17 February 1943) In Popular Culture Pocket Jacks Comics White Lily series, featured a fictionalized Budanova as the main character of the story which closely follows her relationship with Lydia Litvyak. References Notes Bibliography 1916 births 1943 deaths Aviators killed by being shot down Russian aviators Soviet women in World War II Soviet World War II pilots Soviet Air Force officers Women military aviators Budanova, Katya Russian people of World War II Budanova, Katya Soviet military personnel killed in World War II Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Ukraine Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the Soviet Union Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943 Russian women aviators