In the first half of the 20th century, to win the distance record in a straight line ( shortest distance between takeoff and landing points) were sought by the most scientifically and technically advanced countries. France, England, USA, Italy, Germany competed with each other. So, in 1931, the United States won the record (8560 kilometers), in 1932 he moved to England (8544 kilometers), then to France (9104.7 kilometers). At the end of 1931, the USSR decided to create an aircraft capable of overcoming large The design bureau of A.N. non-stop flight distance record in a closed circle.
In August 1935 Hero Soviet Union polar pilot S.A. Levanevsky, co-pilot G.F. Baidukov and navigator V.I. Levchenko made an attempt to fly on an ANT-25 aircraft on the route Moscow - North Pole - San Francisco. But the pilots failed - a malfunction in the oil pipeline forced them to return back. Levanevsky lost faith in the possibility of a transatlantic flight on a single-engine aircraft. The co-pilot, Baidukov, believed in the reliability of the design and engine of the ANT-25 aircraft. He captivated the legendary fighter pilot V.P. Chkalov with the idea of flying over the North Pole to the USA. In the spring of 1936, the formed crew - V.P. Chkalov (commander), G.F. Baydukov (co-pilot) and A.V. Belyakov (navigator) - turned to G.K. Ordzhonikidze with a request to allow them to fly from Moscow through the North Pole to America. The decision of the Government is to allow the flight, but not through the North Pole, but along the route Moscow - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. On July 14, 1936, the Decree of the Council of Labor and Defense (STO) "On non-stop flight on an RD aircraft" by Chkalov's crew was issued. Due to the fact that the range to Kamchatka is much less than the ANT-25 could overcome, the crew convinced the government to approve the route Moscow - Victoria Island - Franz Josef Land - Severnaya Zemlya- Tiksi Bay - Petropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka - Sea of Okhotsk - Sakhalin Island - Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, with landing in Khabarovsk or Chita.
The flight began at 2:45 GMT on July 20, 1936. Passed in severe weather conditions. The crew initially flew in the direction of the North Pole to Victoria Island (82 degrees north latitude) in order to reconnoiter the Arctic conditions. Having passed the Arctic expanses and Yakutia, the plane ended up over the Sea of Okhotsk. The crew reached Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and dropped a pennant over it. The task was completed, but the supply of gasoline allowed us to fly further. Chkalov sent the plane to the mainland, but in a powerful and extensive cyclone over the Sea of Okhotsk, the aircraft was subjected to heavy icing, and the crew was forced to land. Chkalov managed to land the aircraft on a piece of land much smaller than what was required for a normal landing of the ANT-25. The flight ended on July 22, 1936 on Udd Island in the Bay of Schastya, near the city of Nikolaevsk-on-Amur.
Flight of Chkalov's crew across the Arctic Ocean on Far East surprised the aviation world. The single-engine ANT-25 covered 9,374 kilometers in 56 hours and 20 minutes, of which 5,140 kilometers flew over the Barents Sea, the Arctic Ocean, and the Sea of Okhotsk. The English Air Marshal John Salmond then said: “The flight of Chkalov and his companions strikes the human imagination with its grandiosity. The power of aviation technology is wonderful, which makes it possible to overcome such colossal spaces without stopping, which, moreover, are clearly inaccessible to another mode of transport. The flight was made by Soviet pilots in a Soviet car with a Soviet engine. This demonstrates to the whole world the brilliant technical equipment of the Soviet country. After the successful completion of the flight, V.P. Chkalov, G.F. Baidukov and A.V. Belyakov were awarded the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union. On August 13, 1936, the Politburo decided to rename the islands of Udd, Langre and Kevos in the Bay of Shchastya to the islands of Chkalov, Baidukov and Belyakov, respectively.
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STALIN'S ROUTE: THE ROAD OF HEROES
Chkalov, Baidukov and Belyakov flew over the North Pole to America and set a flight distance record. This fact was inscribed in golden letters into the mythology of the achievements of socialism. In fact, everything was not quite like that - more complicated and dramatic ...
ANT-25 flew over the snowy expanses to America. The landmark flight was announced to the whole world, the US ambassador came to see off the plane to the airfield. Of course, there was a welcome telegram to the pilots, signed by the leaders of the party and government. However, the flight did not go as smoothly as expected. A trickle of oil appeared in the air from under the hood. Co-pilot Georgy Baidukov believed that despite the leak, there was enough oil and there was no reason to worry. However, the crew commander decided that he needed to turn back. He responded to Baidukov's objections with a truly Bolshevik argument - he unfastened the holster hanging on board the aircraft and began to take out a Mauser from it. As a result, ANT-25 did not get to America ...
So the story of flights of the red-winged giant Tupolev across the North Pole began dramatically. They tried to forget about this unsuccessful attempt, in which Sigismund Levanevsky was the commander of the crew, as soon as possible. The failure of Levanevsky was overshadowed by the success of Valery Chkalov, who safely reached the United States two years later. The paradox lies in the fact that the flight of the Chkalovsky crew was, according to the Hamburg account, a failure ...
Record - at any cost!
The then world record for non-stop flight in a straight line was 9104 kilometers and was set by French pilots Paul Codos and Maurice Rossi in 1933. The Bleriot 110 aircraft built to set this record was an ordinary monoplane with fixed landing gear. But even that was unusual at the time. Previous achievements were usually placed on modifications of serial machines, the entire "record" of which often consisted in additional fuel tanks.
Records were set by American, French and English enthusiasts. Aviation firms developed what they could sell - transport or military aircraft. To create a fundamentally new record-breaking car from scratch, attracting the best design forces and colossal material resources, could only be done in a country where the words “payback” and “profit” were deleted from the current lexicon. And where, besides the USSR, could a special runway of extraordinary length be built for such a flight? What about years of preparation? And what about the special commission, which solved all related issues without fail, headed by one of the leaders - Voroshilov? And finally, it would hardly have occurred to a French or American president to make up a crew himself or to invent a route for the pilots to fly. Only the “father of nations” was capable of such a thing! Not surprisingly, Chkalov's plane bore the inscription "Stalin's route."
Surprisingly different. Two long-distance flights made by Chkalov (to the Far East and to the USA) made him a world celebrity and were glorified as the great successes of Soviet aviation. But they never achieved their main goal - the world distance record remained with the French. And this is despite the fact that it was quite possible to break such a record on the ANT-25 aircraft. After all, the first name of this unique airplane (RD) was deciphered as “Range Record”! Of course, it was not the brilliant pilot Chkalov and not the members of his crew, Baidukov and Belyakov, who were responsible for their relative failure ...
Plane for the record
The task of winning the world flight distance record for the Soviet country was set in August 1931, and already in December a decision was made: the flight would take place in the summer of 1932! Andrey Nikolaevich Tupolev, who presented the preliminary design of the record aircraft, of course, understood that the Napoleonic plans of responsible officials from the relevant commission were not feasible in such a timeframe. In the summer of 1932, they just started building an unusual single-engine aircraft, which had no analogues in aviation at that time. By appearance it looked like a glider with a motor - its wingspan was two and a half times the length of the fuselage!
Gas tanks were located in the giant wings, and they were the supporting part of the structure, taking on some of the loads. The creators of the machine gave great attention aerodynamics, in particular, they equipped the taxiway with a retractable landing gear. However, the wheel racks only “pulled up” to the wing and remained semi-recessed in flight. But the cleaning and release of the chassis was carried out not with the help of a manual winch, but (for the first time in the USSR!) With an electric motor. The aircraft was stuffed with the latest devices of domestic design, in particular, they were equipped with a gyromagnetic compass and a transceiver radio station with a transmission range of up to 5000 km. They also took care of the pilots - heating the cabin with exhaust gases and oxygen cylinders were supposed to save them from the cold and lack of air at a height. In general, the RD turned out to be an interesting design from all sides with one small but significant drawback. It was impossible to set any record on it ... The first flight took place in the summer of 1933. Having calculated the indecently high consumption of gasoline, the creators of the aircraft did not lose heart.
Everything will work out now
By the autumn of 1933, the second copy (“understudy”) was ready. Unlike the first ANT-25, it was equipped with an M-34R engine with a gearbox that slowed down the propeller speed. The efficiency of the screw has increased, fuel consumption has fallen. The estimated flight range has increased from 7,200 km for the first version of the aircraft to 10,800 km for an understudy. It was then that the news came about the flight of Kodos and Rossi from New York to Syria. It was their record that now had to be beaten on the taxiway. Alas, the estimated range, which characterizes the flight in ideal conditions, in reality always turns out to be less - therefore, the capabilities of an aircraft with a geared engine were not enough.
Then the understudy underwent a kind of "tuning". The corrugated metal skin of the aircraft created too much aerodynamic drag. To combat it, they decided to cover the wing and plumage over the corrugation with a cloth and varnish it. The fabric was sewn to the metal by hand through many drilled holes. In some places, between the "waves" of the corrugation, profiled bars were laid, carved from the lightest tree - balsa. The propeller blades were polished to a mirror shine ... The gigantic labor costs for such fine-tuning paid off handsomely - in early 1934, after testing, it was concluded that the aircraft was able to fly over 13,000 km without landing. In September of the same year, they tried to verify these calculations experimentally.
ANT-25 with a full supply of fuel for a record flight could not take off from any of the unpaved airfields that existed at that time. Therefore, a special concrete runway was built at the Shchelkovo airfield near Moscow. In order to increase the takeoff speed, a 12-meter starting hill was built at the beginning of the runway, onto which the plane was dragged before takeoff. The crew of Mikhail Gromov, the same pilot who first took this machine into the air, was entrusted with testing the ultimate capabilities of the ANT-25. Two attempts to set a flight record in a closed circle ended in forced landings - the engine failed. For the third time, ANT was in the air for more than three days - it flew from Moscow to Kharkov and flew over Ukraine until it ran out of fuel. After landing in Kharkov, it turned out that the plane had flown 12,411 km! An excellent result - much more than the world record for flying on a closed route (10,601 km), which belonged to Kodos and Rossi. What now? Pilots are waiting for honors and preparation for the assault on the most honorable record, linear non-stop flight? The head of the Red Army Air Force, Yakov Alksnis, who arrived in Kharkov, said that a solemn meeting of champion heroes was being prepared in Moscow.
Secret Achievement
However, the crew did not wait for the celebrations. Just at this time, Kliment Voroshilov was heading south to take a break from the work of building socialism. When his train stopped in Kharkov (at midnight), the pilots, who had not had time to sleep, were brought to report to the “first red officer”. Voroshilov, who was sitting in the salon-car at the set table, was not at all happy about Gromov's message. “And what are we to do? - he asked. Now the Americans will start chasing the record, and again we will have to come up with something ...
And if this achievement is not published, then we will have it in stock!” Who needs a record "in reserve", Voroshilov did not explain. But instead of a solemn meeting of the pilots, an absolutely empty airfield was waiting in Moscow. There they learned that it was decided to classify information about their flight!
In fairness, it must be said that there was a reason in Voroshilov's reasoning. Gromov's flight would still not be registered as a world record. Firstly, the USSR at that moment had not yet joined the International Aviation Federation (FAI), this happened a year later. Secondly, according to international rules, it was necessary to land at the same point from where the crew took off. And finally, foreign commissars did not observe the flight, and then the international federation probably did not have much confidence in “these Bolsheviks” ...
But imagine what it was like for the pilots! It is unlikely that Mikhail Gromov was consoled by the award of the newly established title of Hero of the Soviet Union to him (two other members of his crew received the Order of Lenin). The first Heroes have just become pilots who rescued the crew of the Chelyuskin steamer crushed by ice in the Arctic. The whole country knew about their feat, children in every yard played “Chelyuskinites on an ice floe” ... And Gromov did not even have the right to tell why he received his award.
We are not looking for easy ways!
Of course, the pilot immediately began to prepare an international record flight. The routes Khabarovsk-Moscow-France-North Africa, Moscow-Europe-New York (across the Atlantic), Moscow-Brazil, Moscow-Australia were worked out ... However, unexpectedly, the aircraft was taken away from Gromov's crew. They were informed that the famous polar pilot Sigismund Levanevsky would fly on it from Moscow to America via the North Pole!
Logically, the choice of route was absurd. It is clear that the record must be set in favorable conditions, and not in the Arctic, where most of the navigational instruments do not work and the aircraft is covered with ice. But in a country “where fatigue is the measure of work,” a different logic prevailed. Inventing difficulties for oneself and then overcoming them is a completely honorable task for a Soviet person!
It is clear why Levanevsky wanted to fly to the USA. He became famous and popular in this country, bringing there the American pilot James Mattern, who had an accident in Chukotka. It is also clear why Levanevsky's desire was hastened to be satisfied. Sigismund enjoyed the patronage of Stalin himself ...
Obviously, the “leader of the peoples” Levanevsky was interested in as a propaganda example. In those years, having relatives abroad was the highest degree suspicious. But the history of the Levanevsky family fit perfectly into the concept of "two worlds - two destinies." Sigismund, a Pole by nationality, had a brother, Jozef, who left for bourgeois Poland after the revolution. Jozef became a famous record-breaking pilot and crashed in one of his training flights. After that, at first glance, a strange (but in fact natural) inflation of the glory of Sigismund, who until then had not been known to anyone, began. After all, now he was a living argument proving the advantages of socialism! Suffice it to say that Levanevsky became a Hero of the Soviet Union as a pilot who saved the Chelyuskinites, although he never took out a single person from the ice floe, damaging the plane during landing ...
Therefore, the plane was taken away from Mikhail Gromov, who knew the ANT like the back of his hand, and handed over to Levanevsky, who had never dealt with this machine. Is it any wonder that his record flight ended in a fiasco? When analyzing the circumstances of the incident, it turned out that, having ordered to turn back, Levanevsky simply played it safe. There would be enough oil to America, it began to splash out due to the fact that the oil tank was filled “from the heart”, above the norm. Soon the crew and the designer were called to Stalin - the leader wanted to understand the reasons for the failure. Levanevsky, in response to Stalin's questions, uttered an emotional monologue that the ANT-25 was worthless and that only a pest in disguise could build such aircraft. After that, I had to call a doctor. Tupolev became ill - he understood well what such accusations threatened the creator of the aircraft. Co-pilot Georgy Baidukov stood up for the designer and his offspring.
As a result, Levanevsky was sent to America to look for a car suitable for his purposes, and Baidukov thought about how to complete the epic with a polar flight.
Chkalov instead of Levanevsky
Baydukov coped with the task - he found another one to replace one of the leader's favorites. Frankly, his friend Valery Chkalov was just as badly suited for a record flight as Levanevsky. A brilliant (albeit not very disciplined) fighter pilot, then a test pilot ... Chkalov flew light aircraft, finding out their limiting capabilities. To do this, he did not need to move away from airfields, and even more so to study air navigation and master the skills of blind flight. Baidukov promised that in difficult conditions he would pilot the car himself: “Your job is to take off!” Most importantly, Stalin knew Chkalov well and could allow him to fly. And so it happened, but the leader decided not to take risks and wait with America. To begin with, he suggested that Chkalov's crew fly to the Far East. It is possible that the pilots themselves suggested this option, however, be that as it may, the inscription "Stalin's route" appeared on board their aircraft.
In July 1936, Chkalov, Baidukov and navigator Belyakov flew the "Stalin route" from Moscow to Kamchatka and Sakhalin. The flight was, of course, heroic, and Chkalov also demonstrated extraordinary skill by landing the plane on the tiny island of Udd on a completely unsuitable site. But ... some of the requirements required for fixing the world distance record were not met, and he still remained with the French.
But now it was possible to fly over the North Pole. This time, the formalities were treated more carefully - a record set in such difficult conditions would have had an even stronger propaganda resonance. Two crews were supposed to fly - Chkalov and Gromov, with a difference of half an hour. It was known that the Gromov crew was better prepared, so the mission of "scouts" was assigned to Chkalov, Baidukov and Belyakov, and Gromov, Danilin and Yumashev were to set the record. However, shortly before the flight, Gromov, having come to the hangar, discovered that the engine had been removed from his plane ...! The engine was moved to Chkalov's car, and the second crew had to wait for the new engine to be "run in" on the stand ... Technical necessity or something else? If two planes were to fly together, the focus would be on who would set the record...
The situation becomes clearer if we remember that two members of Gromov's crew were of noble origin, and the third was of merchant origin. The Chkalovites, on the other hand, were distinguished by an impeccable "proletarian" biography and were very suitable for the role of the main characters of a propaganda show that demonstrated the advantages of the Soviet school of aircraft construction. Chkalov flew first and harvested the entire harvest of glory. Few people at that moment thought that from Moscow to Vancouver, where Chkalov's crew landed on June 20, 1937, it was 8582 km in a straight line. ANT-25, bypassing zones with bad weather conditions, flew much greater distance- but to fix the record, it is important how many kilometers between the end points of the route! The distance record was still held by Kodos and Rossi. Chkalov's route turned out to be truly "Stalinist" - wanderings, heroic overcoming of difficulties and failure to fulfill the main task ...
However, less than a month after Chkalov's flight, Gromov's long-suffering crew still got the opportunity to set off on their flight. After flying over the Pole to the United States and landing in San Jacinto, the second ANT-25 covered 10,148 km in a straight line. Record - this time without any reservations! And in the tanks of the aircraft there was still gasoline for at least one and a half thousand kilometers of travel. But beyond was the Mexican border. But we didn’t agree with Mexico about the flight of our crew - no one thought that Gromov would fly so far ...
On June 18, 1937, the crew of Valery Chkalov began a non-stop flight from Moscow over the North Pole to America.
In the early 1930s, Soviet aviation progressed rapidly. Pilots and aircraft designers were ready to take aim at the most prestigious world records, including flight distance records.
In December 1931, the Council of Labor and Defense of the USSR instructed the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) to start developing an RD (range record) aircraft specially designed for making a record flight.
The concept of the aircraft was developed by aircraft designer Andrey Tupolev, and the study of all the details of the project was entrusted to a team of engineers led by Pavel Sukhy. For the aircraft, a new AM-34R engine was developed, the creator of which was the designer Alexander Mikulin.
The first achievement of ANT-25. 
Pilot Mikhail Gromov was engaged in testing the new machine, which in its final form was called ANT-25. In total, two such machines were built, which were tested almost simultaneously. The ANT-25, which made its first flight in 1933, was an experimental, "raw" machine, and it still had to be brought to perfection in order to carry out record flights.
On September 10, 1934, the crew of Mikhail Gromov, Alexander Filin and Ivan Petrov began an experimental closed route. The flight lasted 75 hours, during which the ANT-25 covered 12,411 km. In terms of range, this was a world record, but it was not counted, since the USSR was not yet a member of the International Aviation Federation (FAI). 
But the main thing is that the flight was carried out along a closed route, that is, in fact, the pilots did not move to a critical distance from the base, making, figuratively speaking, "circles around the stadium." The most prestigious category among distance records was considered to be flying in a straight line. In order to achieve a result in this form, in fact, the ANT-25 was built.
Nevertheless, for this flight, the crew members were awarded the Order of Lenin, and the commander of the ANT-25, Mikhail Gromov, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
The failure of Sigismund Levanevsky. 
The question arose about the implementation of a record flight to a distance in a straight line. Among the options were flights Moscow - Australia, Khabarovsk - Morocco. The route Moscow - South America proposed by Mikhail Gromov.
Gromov's version had only one, but a very serious minus - it required coordination of the right to overflight with a number of countries, and the refusal of even one of them could destroy all plans.
However, the pilot Sigismund Levanevsky offers an ambitious, albeit extremely risky option - a flight over the North Pole to America. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, who favored Levanevsky, approves of his plan. He was given the ANT-25, and the flight itself was scheduled for August 1935. 
On August 3, 1935, the ANT-25 aircraft with a crew of Sigismund Levanevsky, Georgy Baidukov and Viktor Levchenko begins flying along the route Moscow - North Pole - San Francisco. However, after 2000 km, oil began to leak into the cabin. Levanevsky decided to stop the flight and lie down on the return course. ANT-25 landed near Novgorod.
As it turned out, the oil leak was caused by the fact that it was poured too much, and it began to foam. There was nothing fatal in this, but Levanevsky declared the ANT-25 an unreliable machine, and refused to fly Tupolev's planes in the future, declaring the designer a "pest". To Andrei Tupolev, these statements by Levanevsky cost a heart attack.
Moscow - Udd Island. 
Georgy Baidukov, who disagreed with Levanevsky, said that the ANT-25 could complete the task. But after Levanevsky's refusal, he needed the first pilot in the crew. Baidukov managed to persuade his friend, one of the best test pilots in the country, Valery Chkalov, to become one.
The third member of the new crew was navigator Alexander Belyakov.
In the spring of 1936, Chkalov's crew asked for permission to fly across the North Pole to America. However, Stalin, remembering the failure of Levanevsky, appoints another route: Moscow - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
July 20, 1936 ANT-25 starts. After 56 hours and 20 minutes, the plane landed on the sandbar of Odd Island. Chkalov landed the car in the most difficult conditions on a small patch. In order for the plane to take off from the island, the military who arrived to help had to build a wooden runway 500 meters long.
In Moscow, the pilots were met personally by Joseph Stalin. The entire crew was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Who will be the first to fly to America? 
The question of flying across the North Pole to America arose again. But the Soviet leadership decides that such a flight can be carried out during the operation of the drifting polar station "North Pole". Polar explorers will have to provide pilots with accurate data on weather conditions in the Pole region, which will increase the chances of success.
The work of the polar station "North Pole-1" under the leadership of Ivan Papanin began on June 6, 1937. By this time, everything was ready for the flight to America. 
At the preparation stage, the question again became - who will fly first? The crews of Valery Chkalov, Mikhail Gromov and Sigismund Levanevsky were considered as candidates.
Levanevsky was the author of the flight plan, Chkalov had a flight to Udd Island behind his back, and Gromov knew best of all the ANT-25, on which he set a record for the distance of a flight along a closed route.
Levanevsky again confirmed that he would not fly on Tupolev's cars. As for Chkalov and Gromov, it was decided to send two crews on two ANT-25s with a difference of half an hour.
Comrade Alksnis' precaution. 
But a few days before the flight, the engine was suddenly removed from Mikhail Gromov's ANT-25. The crew was told that it had to be transferred to Chkalov's plane, where problems were discovered. Instead, a new engine ordered from the factory was to be installed on Gromov's plane.
This meant that Gromov would not fly with Chkalov. Experts doubt that the engine from Gromov's plane could really be rearranged to Chkalov's car. Rather, it was an excuse to detain Gromov's crew. 
According to Gromov himself, Yakov Alksnis, Deputy People's Commissar of Defense for Aviation, who oversaw the flight, could have made the decision. He was worried about possible competition between the two crews, which threatened to lead to excessive risk during the flight.
In the end, it became clear try again the flight will be undertaken by the crew of Valery Chkalov.
Flight to the edge. 
At 04:05 on June 18, 1937, the ANT-25 aircraft with a crew of Chkalov, Baidukov and Belyakov took off from the Shchelkovsky airfield. 
The flight took place in very difficult conditions. The plane often entered the zone of cyclones, clouds, as a result of which it was covered with a layer of ice. While one pilot was at the controls, the other had to almost continuously pump anti-icing fluid. In addition to the severe frost (the temperature in the cabin dropped below minus 20), the crew had to face oxygen starvation. Scientists believed that the height of the clouds in the region of the pole would not exceed 3500 - 4000 meters, which means that the pilots would not need to rise higher. In practice, everything turned out differently, and I had to fly at altitudes where you can not do without an oxygen mask. This led to an oxygen deficiency, which became acute in the second part of the flight. 
It was not possible to receive a weather report from the station "North Pole-1". Just during the passage of this area on the ANT-25, the radio antenna failed.
Georgy Baidukov's feat. 
For a very long time, the plane had to be piloted almost blindly, and the experience of Baidukov, who was a master of such flights, came in handy here. Of the more than 60 hours of flight, two thirds were at the helm. 
Departing from the next cyclone, the ANT-25 was forced to overcome the Rocky Mountains at an altitude of over 6000 meters, that is, almost at the maximum altitude for this aircraft. Chkalov and Belyakov gave the rest of the oxygen to Baidukov, who was at the helm, and they themselves lay down on the floor, trying to save strength in conditions of oxygen starvation. 
June 20, 1937 at about 15:15 Moscow time, in conditions of low cloud cover and rain, ANT-25 reached the American Portland. The crew decided to land on the northern bank of the Columbia River, at a military airfield in Vancouver. Despite the fact that the runway was a bit short for the ANT-25, the landing was successful. And after a few minutes, the Soviet pilots were surrounded by enthusiastic Americans, who were not stopped by the fact that the airfield was a military one, and the entrance to its territory was closed to outsiders. 
The first of the officials who met Chkalov's crew in the United States was the head of the garrison, General George Marshall. This is the same person whose name the plan will be named. post-war reconstruction Europe.
The world record was set by Mikhail Gromov. 
In the 1930s, Soviet-American relations were on the rise, and hero pilots were greeted with enthusiasm throughout America. The flight over the Pole was indeed an outstanding event, and the Americans appreciated it at its true worth. In Washington, Chkalov's crew was personally received by US President Franklin Roosevelt.
At home, Chkalov, Baidukov and Belyakov were greeted as winners. Behind these stormy celebrations, one fact remained almost unnoticed - it was not possible to achieve a world record in the flight distance in a straight line. The indicator of 8582 km was the record of the USSR, not the world. 
This gap was eliminated by Mikhail Gromov. On July 12, 1937, the second ANT-25 with a crew of Gromov, Andrei Yumashev and Sergei Danilin began its flight. Gromov tried to take into account all the shortcomings identified in Chkalov's flight.
After 62 hours and 17 minutes of flight, Mikhail Gromov's ANT-25 landed on a field near San Jacinto, California. The flight range in a straight line was 10,148 km, and this was an unconditional world record. Having calculated the remaining fuel after landing, the pilots found out that they could even reach Panama, since there was still fuel in the tanks for another 1,500 km. 
In the history of the American city of Vancouver, and after 80 years, the main event remains the arrival Soviet pilots in June 1937. One of the streets of the city bears the name of Valery Chkalov.
Exactly 80 years ago, on June 18, 1937, an ANT-25 aircraft with a crew of pilot Valery Chkalov, co-pilot Georgy Baidukov and navigator Alexander Belyakov took off from the airfield in Shchelkovo near Moscow. He headed for the North Pole and further to the USA, covering 8504 km in 63 hours of flight. This was not the first record for the flight range of Soviet pilots at that time, but the first one specifically to America, which was clearly convinced of the superiority of Russian aviation technology and the courage of its pilots. Today you will not surprise anyone with the range of that flight, the route of which is now regularly operated by Russian airlines. Strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces capable of “hanging” in the sky for days when performing combat duty tasks, refueling in the air with fuel. But then, 80 years ago, such a flight was a real feat and a test not only for pilots, but also for the aviation equipment of the country, which quite recently “became on the wing”, but had already declared itself world records. That 1937 flight was prepared for a long time and postponed for a long time. The first attempt to fly an ANT-25 aircraft to America, in San Francisco, piloted by Sigismund Levanevsky, was made in early August 1935. It turned out to be unsuccessful: already over the Barents Sea, the engine began to “drive” oil, and a command was received from Moscow to return. Stalin, who closely followed all long-range aviation flights, especially when setting records, ordered the plane to be turned around so as not to embarrass himself in front of the Americans. Apparently, it was not in vain: when landing between Moscow and Tver, the aircraft, the wings of which were soaked with kerosene when dumping fuel, caught fire. The pilots were also almost injured. But the idea to fly to the USA, as they say, was up in the air. Now its initiator was Valery Chkalov, a pilot from God, whose authority was recognized even by Joseph Stalin, who singled him out among other pilots and listened to his opinion. Such an arrangement of the "father of peoples" allowed Chkalov, together with members of his crew, to apply to the government with a request to make such a flight. The aircraft designer Tupolev also actively supported this idea, after whom the best aircraft of that time ANT-25 (Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev) was named. Stalin gave permission for the flight, but changed its route: instead of America, the pilots flew from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which was also a very difficult test - 56 hours of non-stop flight, during which they covered 9375 km and landed on an unequipped sand spit on the island. Then the inscription "Stalin's route" appeared on board the aircraft. - Valery Pavlovich Chkalov and his comrades were pioneers in this business and tried not only to set records, although they also played on the image of the country. This was, first of all, the experience of the combat use of aircraft, and the pilots were precisely military pilots, for whom the possibility of long-range use of aviation was the main thing. Already on the first day of the Great Patriotic War Soviet bombers attacked the capital of the aggressor country, Berlin, and oil fields in Romania. When aircraft were delivered under lend-lease from the United States, American fighters and bombers from Alaska were flown across the entire territory of the country to the front line, which was comparable to military exploits. 
The current aerobatic teams, in the creation of which I participated in 1991-1992, were also built on the principle of training the most experienced pilots, who later trained young pilots. At that time, Air Force pilots had to be kept at the expense of colonel posts, some other privileges, because people left the army due to underfunding, lack of housing. Many managed to be saved, and it was they who then taught the youth the art of aerobatics. Chkalov's flight to Vancouver was also important from a political point of view. The Americans were convinced of the reliability of Soviet aviation technology, the flight aroused great attention and ordinary citizens of this country. Contacts were established, some understanding of each other arose, which probably contributed to allied relations during the Second World War. If such flights continued, then, it seems to me, the current relations would be much better. But not everything works out. So it was in 1987, when, as part of the 50th anniversary of Valery Chkalov's flight to the United States, we planned a similar non-stop flight of our then newest Su-27 fighters. But understanding was not found at the political level, and our light combat aircraft flew with two in-flight refueling to Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and then successfully returned back. 
Chkalov nevertheless managed to convince Stalin of the need to fly across the North Pole to the shores of America, and on June 18, 1937, the ANT-25 aircraft took off from the airfield near Moscow, which is now called Chkalovsky, along the planned route. The course lay to the North, to Franz Josef Land, to the North Pole, then along the 123rd meridian to the south. It was not possible to fly to California due to lack of fuel: the flight had to change the route and make a significant detour. With minimal navigational equipment, in which for astronomical orientation there was a sextant and an accurate marine chronometer, as well as a solar course indicator with a rather complex optical system, Chkalov's crew did not go astray even in conditions of complete lack of visibility. Plus, the constant sub-zero temperature on board, and it was possible to keep warm only due to warm clothes. For the sake of extra fuel, the pilots saved on food - instead of the planned 350 kg, they took only 100 with them. But they flew. Largely due to the reliability of the aircraft itself. 
ANT-25 at that time was a very original aircraft - it is an all-metal monoplane with a wingspan of 34 m and a record elongation of 11 m. The wing of an air machine performed not only aerodynamic functions, but was also used as a fuel storage for the first time in the world - more than seven tons . Initially, the aircraft wing was covered with corrugated duralumin sheets over the entire area, but during tests it turned out that such a skin creates a high level of resistance, which affects the flight range. Designer Tupolev got rid of this by having the wing covered with percale, painted and polished, which made it possible to increase the flight range. However, the fire hazard increased: the percale absorbed gasoline and could ignite from a spark from the exhaust pipes from the engine. 
The Arctic version of the ANT-25, on which Chkalov flew, was improved and prepared specifically for operation in the especially cold conditions of the North. On this modification, the dimensions of the radiator of the engine water cooling system were reduced, the end of the oil tank drain pipe was moved beyond the radiator to prevent it from icing. A three-bladed metal propeller was installed on the engine with an in-flight control system for the angles of attack of the blades, which made it possible to more accurately select the optimal flight mode. A blade de-icing system was also designed, which was a technical victory for the designers who ensured the flight of the aircraft in clouds. There was also a combat modification of this aircraft - ANT-36 with the military designation "The first long-range bomber" - DB-1. It was released in a small series and entered service with the Air Force. A significant drawback was considered a low speed of 240 km / h and a bomb load of 300 kg. Nevertheless, this aircraft became the platform for the creation of a whole generation of military bombers, which were distinguished by their flight range. And then, in 1937, the Americans enthusiastically wrote that Chkalov's flight announced to the whole world that Soviet aviation was really capable of catching up and overtaking the countries of the West, that The Soviet Union not only has excellent pilots and designers, but Soviet factories have mastered the technique of building first-class aircraft. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of this fact, not only from an economic or purely industrial point of view, but also from the point of view of international relations. 
At home, where the Chkalovsky crew returned in early August 1937, Comrade Stalin personally met them, and Moscow showered the heroes-pilots with flowers and enthusiastic greetings. The entire crew - Valery Chkalov, Georgy Baidukov and Alexander Belyakov - were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. But Valery Pavlovich did not manage to receive his Star, introduced in 1939: on December 15, 1938, he died during the first test flight of the new I-180 fighter. 
The memory of Valery Chkalov remained in the names of the city of Chkalovsk in Nizhny Novgorod region, many towns, villages, streets, schools, military units and businesses that bear his name. And today, a bust of the famous aviator will be unveiled on the territory of one of the schools in the Shchelkovo district of the Moscow region, and a memorial plaque dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the flight of Chkalov's crew over the North Pole to the USA will be unveiled near the regional Palace of Culture.
