• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

ANT-25 (RD)

Among the many Soviet aircraft, the ANT-25 (RD) was one of the most famous. Its history began on December 7, 1931, when, at the suggestion of K.E. Voroshilov, it was decided to build a special aircraft for record long-range flights. Designing the aircraft to break the world record for flight range was entrusted to the TsAGI OKB. On December 7, 1931, Konstantin Voroshilov, People's Commissar for Military and Maritime Affairs, proposed to develop a special aircraft for record-breaking long-range flights. In the summer of 1931, the creation of a new machine was entrusted to A.N. Tupolev, who had already managed to establish himself as a successful designer.

ANT-25 (RD) was an all-metal single-engine cantilever low-winged. The increased total fuel capacity allowed non-stop flight for 75 hours at a speed of 165 km / h. The main feature of the aircraft was the installation of wings on it with a large relative elongation, which ensured a decrease in the inductive resistance of the wing. The designers placed on ANT-25 (RD) the most modern equipment at that time: artificial horizon, gyromagnetic compass, gyro and radio compac, aviation sextant and solar heading indicator. The radio station provided the crew with stable transmission of messages at a distance of up to 5,000 km and allowed them to find the aircraft from the ground at a distance of up to 2,000 km. It became much more convenient for pilots to fly day and night, without fear for data transfer failure.

On June 22, 1933, the first flight of ANT-25 (RD) under the control of MM Gromov took place, which assessed the stability of the aircraft and the ease of control. In 1934, the crew, consisting of MM Gromov, I. T. Spirin and A. I. Filin, began performing regular test flights on the second prototype ANT-25 (RD). On June 30, the pilots set a record for the USSR in flight range, breaking 4465 km in 27 hours 21 minutes, and a month later they improved their achievement: in 65 hours 6559 km were traveled. In September 1934, the crew of M.Gromov set another world record, flying 12,411 km in 75 hours.

A letter was written to the Political Bureau of the Central Committee with a request to allow the flight to ANT-25 from Moscow to the USA via the North Pole to be carried out in 1936. Valery Pavlovich handed a letter to Sergo Ordzhonikidze. After a while V. Chkalov, G. Baidukov and A. Belyakov were invited to the Kremlin. I. Stalin, in his office, announced: “Flying across the pole is, of course, important, but today we need a non-stop flight from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. I have already spoken to Comrade Blücher, so that he would be ready to meet you on the territory of his army. At the same time he told him about the importance of the flight, equating it to the action of the two field armies.” In 20-22 July 1936, the crew consisting of V.P. Chkalov, GF Baidukov and A.V. Belyakov made a non-stop flight from Moscow to the Far East, overcoming 9374 km in 56 hours and 20 minutes. The flight of V. Chkalov’s crew to the Far East was enthusiastically covered by the media in the Soviet Union country and abroad.

The crew decided not to stop there and appealed to the government to allow the unprecedented flight of the USSR - the North Pole - the USA. Having received the approval of the authorities, on June 18, 1937, ANT-25 (RD) set off for a flight, which subsequently gained worldwide fame. Two days after takeoff from the Schelkovsky airfield, the crew of V.Chkalov landed in the American city of Vancouver, having covered a distance of 11,430 km in 63 hours and 16 minutes. Hero pilots were honored with the reception by US President F. Roosevelt in the White House.

On July 12, 1937, the crew of MM Gromov, AB Yumashev and S. A. Danilin on the second ANT-25 (RD) made another flight to the USA and landed in California, setting 2 world distance records.

Historical flights on the ANT-25 (RD) demonstrated not only the skill of the Soviet pilots, but also once again proved the high level of domestic aircraft construction. This event has become a landmark in the history of world aviation. The undoubted achievement of design, engineering, industrial production opportunities of the USSR. It is a symbol of recognition of courage and professionalism, overcoming political and ideological differences. Simply - the triumph of common sense and the possibilities of peaceful coexistence of countries with different political and socio-economic systems. During the tests, the RD-1 and RD-2 flew unpainted, in the natural color of aluminum. There were no inscriptions, designations and identification marks on them either. Only after the second modernization and during the immediate preparation for long-haul flights did the planes get bright coloring with red wings and stabilizers. They were not only decorative, but also of practical importance - the machines had to fly in the polar latitudes, over snow and ice, and in the case of a forced landing, the huge red surfaces were to serve as a well-marked reference point for rescuers.

The color of the RD-1 and RD-2 differed somewhat. The RD-1 had a white fuselage with thin red longitudinal stripes along the sides and a red propeller, and the RD-2 had a silver fuselage with a black hood and coke. On the eve of the trip to the island of Udz on the sides of this car, they made red inscriptions "Stalin Route". With them, she flew to America. On the wings of both planes, there were large white alphanumeric codes “URSS N025-1” (RD-1) and “URSS N025” (RD-2) on the top and bottom.

A small series of ANT-25 was released in a military version, designated DB-1 (“Far Bomber”). The experience of construction of the aircraft was useful in the design of stratospheric aircraft BOK-1, BOK-7, BOK-8, BOK-11 and BOK-15.