The first book about the legendary Normandie-Niemen squadron, based on documents from not only domestic but also foreign archives. The combat path of French fighter pilots who flew more than 5,000 sorties on the Soviet-German front during the Great Patriotic War and shot down 273 enemy aircraft (four Normandy pilots were awarded the highest award of the USSR - the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union). The true story of the famous air regiment, which became a symbol of alliance and military brotherhood. Comprehensive answers to the most difficult and “inconvenient” questions: Why did the USSR agree to accept French pilots, but refused French mechanics? How did the children of Russian White emigrants end up in the squadron? What was the level of combat training of French pilots? Why were attempts made to withdraw Normandy from the USSR? And finally, was it an accident that NATO used this elite air regiment to bomb Yugoslav cities and why was it disbanded in 2009?