Senior Sergeant Inna Pasportnikova, Litvyak's mechanic during the time she flew with the men's regiment, reported in 1990 that after Solomatin's death, Litvyak wanted nothing but to fly combat missions, and she fought desperately [REF].
Litvyak scored against a difficult target on May 31, 1943: an artillery observation balloon manned by a German officer.