The Forgotten fight of 19261 Katya Vladimirov Kennesaw State University Jules Verne’s novel (1873) Around the World in Eighty Days about an imaginary journey from London via Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco, New York, Liverpool and back to London by an Englishman Phileas Fogg and his French manservant Passepartout sparked cravings for adventure and left restless several generations of men and few women. Not only did they aspire to conquer the world or at least parts of it but to accomplish it faster relying on new technology. The aviation fueled their ambitions. By 1940s glorious undertakings by James H. Doolittle, Noel Wien, Charles A. Lindbergh, Jean Mermoz2, E. Earhart, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry were worshipped and mythologized. The stories of early aviation were wildly exciting and endearing exposing men’s raw love for freedom, adventure, and discovery, all testaments to will power, survival, and comradely. They also brought much publicity galvanizing the public. Russian history of the early aviation has also its own Saint-Exupéries, truly extraordinary Russian pilots like Anokhin, Kopylov, Naidenov, and Moiseev whose records had been established in the 1920s, a decade earlier that their above-mentioned Western counterparts. Yet they have been obliterated from world history much like the international cooperation of the time that transcended borders, cultural, and ideological differences. It is time to correct historical injustice. The paper focuses on one particular flight of 1926 that carried two American passengers on board. In the name of international friendship and promotion of aviation, Soviet society of aviation enthusiasts Aviakhim engaged its most experienced pilot Vasily Kopylov to take US citizens Wells and Evans from Moscow to Omsk. Moscow-Omsk flight was a part of their round the world trip that originated from NYC on 06/16/26 and ended on 07/14/26 at the same location. 20,000 miles were covered in 28 days 14 hours 36 minutes and 5 seconds. 3 1 With gratitude to Mr. Roman Firsov who shared his research and supported my project 2 Air and Space “10 All-Time Great Pilots,” http://www.airspacemag.com/history-offlight/10-great-pilots-4026745/?no-ist 3 Linton Wells. Around the world in twenty eight days, Boston, NYC: Houghton Mifflin, 1926 In the Western press and later narratives US passengers had been miraculously transformed from passengers into pilots yet neither Evans nor Wells navigated that aircraft. The records say that two American pilots, Evans and Wells, set a world record by circling the globe in 28 days in 1926. Another entry had a slight variation when it states that in 1926, pilot Edward S. Evans and journalist Linton Wells travelled around the world in a record 28 days, using a combination of airplanes, railroads and ships. 4 The most recent book of 2013 Round About the Earth: Circumnavigation from Magellan to Orbit mentioned neither pilots nor boat captains, mechanics, guides and hosts, officials and commoners-Russians, Germans, Mongolian, Turks, Chinese, Dutch, and French-who contributed immeasurably to that record claimed by US.5 Wells and Evans were more candid and referred to themselves as “the racers” focusing more on the time record than anything else. After the journey Wells published two books “Around the World in 28 days” and “Blood in the moon” with chapters dedicated to the Russian leg of their journey among other adventures. His books are an amusing combination of rational accounts and Anglo-Saxon superiority with typical colonial stereotypes.Wells keenly observes the result of the land reforms in Russia. Yet he cannot help himself illuminating Russian lack of smiling at strangers, a treacherous “vodka drink”, or raw eggs as “strange gifts” from primitive yet charitable natives that Americans threw into the mountains below from the aircraft windows. Wells’s story is honest: the travellers were passengers and not the navigators. Historic records however had never been corrected. In short, it was never affirmed that pilot Kopylov and his mechanic Klychko flew German made plane by Lufthansa from Moscow to Omsk to meet Trans Siberian express in a record time. Without them the journey and the record were unattainable. The flight with passengers was also unique: no passengers were allowed on flights prior to that journey. For Lufthansa as well as for other air companies it was advantageous: it silenced all opponents of commercial aviation and open up new business endeavors. 4 Fond PR-2228, Allan D. Taylor film collection, Royal BC archive on-line. http://searchbcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/allan-d-taylor-film-collection and http://www.wingnet.org/rtw/RTW001E.HTM 5 Joyce Chaplin, Round About the Earth: Circumnavigation from Magellan to Orbit , Simon & Schuster, 2013 2 Russian love for aviation started in the early 20c, and by 1925 Soviet Society of Aviation enthusiasts Aviakhim was born as a result of a merger between two earlier societies Dobrolet and Dobrokhim originated in 1923 and 1924 respectfully. Their goals were to promote aviation and use chemical components for the agricultural purposes. They also ran propaganda campaigns, organized local cells, published newspapers and journals "Химия и жизнь", "Самолет", "Авиация и химия.” The society also collected funds to built aircrafts. 6 By 1925 they supported several aviation schools, developed plans for agricultural assistance, and organized aviation museum groups and clubs. There were aviation hours integrated into school curricula and the first Soviet made aircraft was welcomed by newly established Academy of Aviation.7 Aviakhim was eagerly engaged in elaborate international cooperation between aviators and supported international flights over the territory of the Soviet Union of various degrees of difficulty. From 1923 French, Dutch, Japanese, German, Polish, and British pilots attempted to cross the vast territories some with more success than others. In 1923, for instance, Aviakhim assisted Velling who flew from Moscow to Tiflis and from Tashkent to Moscow (11000 km). Aviakhim also organized and coordinated flights by 6 Obshchestvo Druzey Vozdushnogo Flota, Oleg Bondarev http://vk.com/odvf_russia 7 In 1927 The Society of Defense Assistance absorbed Aviakhim and Osoviakhim was created. http://mytext-book.ru/book41.html 3 Russian pilots over foreign territories. In 1924 Russian pilots Mezheraup, Garanin, Arvatov, Goppe, Yakobson and Zalevsky flew 6 airplanes model P-1 to Kabul over the Gindukush Mountains at the high of 5000 meters. In 1925 pilots Gromov, Volkovoinov, Yekatov, Naidenov, Tomashevsky, Poliakov flew 6 airplanes models P-1, P-2, AK-1, and Ju-13 to Bejing with various stops. The trip lasted for 33 days. In1926 pilot Moiseev flew from Moscow to Tehran and back to Moscow and pilot Mezheraup completed his trip from Moscow to Ankara. 8 8 GARF, fond 9404, op. 1, 74. Since 1925 the flight were under the supervision of the Special International Flights committee chaired by S. Kamenev http://mytextbook.ru/book41.html 4 5 There were many reasons to choose Kopylov to pilot the 1926 flight. By 1924 Vasily Kopylov was already an experienced aviator. 9 He was born in 1897 in the city of Kozel’sk Kaluga region and before the World War I resided in Petrograd.10 In 1914 he and a group of 80 Russian cadets were sent by the Russian imperial government to England to be trained by the Russian aviation corps.11 After graduation in June 1917 Kopylov continued his training abroad mastering various types of aircrafts. After the Civil war in Russia in 1920 he returned to Moscow and soon became inimitable pilot for Aviakhim.12 In 1925 Kopylov and his aircraft Ju-13 travelled from Moscow to KazanUfa-Perm’-Vyatka-Ustyug-Vologda-and back to Moscow which is roughly 10 000 km. 9 http://www.polarpost.ru/forum/search.php?sid=7847c06fa09c0d80cddcd28805e75b4e http://mytext-book.ru/book41.html 11 http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29822 and http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53893 12 http://www.retroplan.ru/encyclopaedia.html?sobi2Id=1097&sobi2Task=sobi2Details and http://www.retroplan.ru/encyclopaedia.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&sobi2Id=1060 and http://forum.patriotcenter.ru/index.php?topic=53872.msg356795#msg356795 10 6 The crew that consisted of a pilot, a mechanic, and a designated Aviakhim representative landed a plane in a town or a village and gathered local people for meetings, lectures, and took passengers for brief flights around the area. In some cases the pilot made up to 80 landings and took aboard up to 50 people altogether to justify money collected to promote aviation. Kopylov was popular. Everywhere he went crowds greeted him with cheers. His flights from Moscow to Penza to Murom to Pereyaslavl’ and back to Moscow and from Moscow to Kaluga to Briansk to Tver’ and back to Moscow gathered lots of publicity and interest. Upon his arrival in Murom there was a welcoming crowd of 3,5000, in Vizaniki- a crowd of 5,000, and the newspapers counted that up 16,000 people welcomed him during one trip. Mostly men attended the meetings: workers, peasants, and students, military, and even priests. There were many children and teenagers but very few women. At the 7 meetings many wore their best attire to pose for the photos. Each time Kopylov went into the air with few selected passengers to demonstrate capabilities of flight. 8 By 1926 Vasily Kopylov and his mechanic Klychko had already flown from Moscow to Tehran, from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia, from Moscow to Rome, Udina, Vienna, from Krakow to Moscow, and completed numerous local flights from Moscow to Tver’, Rybinsk, Belozersk, Kargopol’, Kotlas, Perm’, Sarapul’, Cherboksary, spending 176 hours in the air over 18000 km, and landed 490 times. Kopylov’s courage and skills paired with his mechanic Klychko’s technical knowledge were many praised and 9 awarded as the best Aviakhim crew.13 Wells writes: “The pilot although young in years was old in experience. Only twenty-eight year old, he had been flying more than twelve years and was considered one of the best in Russia. His mechanic Klychko was sufficiently well acquainted with the mechanical side of flying the make repairs in the dark while blindfolded, if need be”. 14 It is small wonder that Kopylov was selected to carry American passengers during their 1926 flight from Moscow to Omsk. Russian aviators used various models of the planes but Junkers (Ju-13) modification such as "Emu" and "Schwarzdrossel" were their favorites.15 Kopylov and his friend and mechanic Klychko also flew modified version of Ju-13, a hydroplane.16 13 GARF, fond 9404, op. 1, 67 Wells, 139-140 15 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_F.13 16 GARF, fond 9404, op. 1. От Союза Авиахим СССР, 31 декабря 1925 г. Объяснительная записка председателя Тверского губернского авиахима к плану города Твери, GARF 14 10 11 In June of `926 Kopylov flew German-made Junker-13. 17A Rolls-Royce engine “as mechanically perfect as man could make it” provided its motor power. 18 Junkers were very reliable planes that could carry a lot of load, which translated into extra gallons of fuel for long distance flights. Wells and Evans were amused with the large sign on board which read “No smoking” for it was “hardly likely for them to smoke with 150 gallons of high-test gasoline within two feet of them and the cabin filled with its fumes”. 19 17 GARF, fond 9404, op. 1, 78-98. The first model made by Lufthansa was acquired in September of 1924 and renamed "Красный артельщик" in January 1925. Later it was renames "Все в ОДВФ" and after a crush in Penza it was modified and became a property Dobrolet. It was utilized until 1947. The second aircraft Junkers (Ju-13), modification "Schwarzdrossel" was acquired in 1925 and named "Все в Авиахим”. During the summer of 1925 and winter of 1926 Kopylov flew that model for 176 hours and 18000 km visiting 67 various cities and villages and landed 400 times. In 1927 that aircraft was renamed "ВКП/б-1" and in 1928 "Все в Осоавиаахим". It was utilized until 1930s. 18 Wells, 140 19 Wells, 140 12 The flights were extremely dangerous: the aircrafts were imperfect, navigation and infrastructure were barely existent, and there were no parachutes. And if they were, pilots prefer to fly without them: they were heavy and it was more dangerous to open a parachute in case of a cabin fire. The only option for a pilot was either to land under any circumstances even if chassis did not open or to jump into the void hoping to survive the crush. The passengers were insured for death and injuries by the Soviet state insurance but the pilot and his mechanic were not. 20 Wells writes that careful attention was given to the luggage on board. The absolute limit was four hundred pounds. Wells and Evans stepped on the scales and it was found that together they weighted 302 pounds, which left 98 pounds for luggage. Their initial luggage was 150 pounds and piece-by-piece it was removed, and it was decide to abandon parachutes but leave motion-picture camera, film, and several other articles. 21 20 21 GARF, Ibid, 67. Wells, 133-134 13 They left Moscow on June 24 at 1:58 am. The goal was to catch Trans Siberian train in Omsk at 3:34 pm local times on June 25. They had therefore 34 hours to cover over two thousand miles at an average speed of one hundred miles per hour. This speed however was not maintained because of the heavy load and head or tail winds. In addition, the landing for refueling presented few dilemmas. Nowadays we fly without thoughts back to the time when aviation was at its birth. Lets imagine the Soviet republic of the 1920s with few aircrafts and no infrastructure to support aviation. While there were no airdromes, and most people had no concept of a plane, enthusiasm was abandon and small local cells who promoted aviation cleared improvised landing fields, lighted campfires for landing, made announcements, and advertised events. 22 They hand-made maps marked railroads, train stations, fences, woods, and creeks which look more like child drawings. The instructions and warnings for the pilots were minimal: “The landing will be on the river Volga. The widest part is about 200 meters. There will be fires along the banks. The snow coverage is satisfactory. The right bank has a partially unfrozen side”. 23 The estimations were bare approximations: “There are few landing location available: a meadow close to the northern part of the city and a field for the cattle not far from the woods covered partially by bushes and connected to the bridge 22 GARF, Ibid. Из протокола № 1 первой районной конференции Райавиахима города Красноярска, 3 января 1926 г 23 GARF, Ibid Объяснительная записка председателя Тверского губернского авиахима к плану города Твери, [1925]1. 14 (drawn on the map)”. 24 Instead of bonfires during the landing in rain or snow local people encircled the meadow, held hands, and ran aside only when the pilot stated his descent. In preparation for the flight the authorities selected four possible landing fields along the route: Kazan which was six hours east of Moscow, Krasnoufimsk, ten hours to the east, Kurgan, six hours east of Krasnoufimsk, and finally Omsk, five and a half hours east of Kurgan.25 The field in Kazan was small and hazardous and it was decided that except in emergency Kazan would be passed up in an attempt to read Krasnoufimsk without stopping. The pilot thus planned a non-stop flight of ten hours with gasoline enough only for eleven hours without refueling. 26 24 GARF Ibid. Уездный совет Авиахима г. Старый Оскол Курской Губернии - Курскому губсовету авиахима, 21 декабря 1925 г. 25 Wells, 143 26 GARF, Ibid, 13 15 Huge drums of gasoline were previously sent to all points of destinations. Unbeknown to the pilot it was quite a feat on the part of Aviakhim and local authorities. The delivery was at a risk of being delayed. Desperate orders turned into pleas were endlessly sent from Aviakhim central authorities to the local branches: “Assists, Assist, Assist at all costs”. From the telegram: “Aviakhim has a contract to deliver two Americans via plane from Moscow to Omsk as a part of their around the world journey. The aircraft has to stop in Krasnoufimsk to refuel. Due to the outmost importance of the flight deliver gasoline and oil immediately to refuel the Junkers. Everything has to be delivered by Saturday at 19:00. Confirm delivery”.27 The reply was discouraging. From the telegram: “The oil is on its way to Krasnoufimsk on the 16th of June. Unable to send gasoline urgently. It is against regulation to send gasoline extra speed. Might not make it in time”. 28 At the last minute the complications were solved and the gasoline was delivered to remote locales. There was less than an half an hour afforded for refueling, which meant that neither pilots not passengers slept or ate during the entire time of their flight. At best they had tea and soup. So much could be said about the flight and its participants: description of mountains and fields, villages and towns, stories of risk and delight, physical exhaustion and endurance, peculiarities of the greeting committees, miscommunications and friendship, none achievable in the conference paper format. 27 GARF, fond 9404, op. 1. 54. Телеграмма Авиахима РСФСР - Уралавиахиму в Свердловск, 15 июня 1926 г. 28 GARF, Ibid Телеграмма Уралавиахима, 15 июня 1926 16 On June 25, 1916 at 10:16 am Kopylov taxied his plane to the stop before a crowd of Soviet officials in Omsk. It was a great day in the history of Russian aviation, writes Wells; all Russia celebrated the event. None were happier than Evans and Wells and Kopylov and Klychko. The men forgot their exhaustion, forgot that they risked their lives every inch of the way during the grueling 22 hours they had been in the air. All that mattered at the moment was the success of their adventure. “They were like schoolboys”.29 Wells and Evans bordered Trans-Siberian train on time. Aviakhim was proud. The Soviet highest authorities sent telegrams praising brilliant victory of the Soviet aviation and amazing endurance and skills of the Soviet pilot. Foreign correspondents sent endless telegrams to their respectful agencies. Air and trade companies argued about future contracts for carrying passengers over Russian territories and Siberian lands. There was much celebration in Omsk. Kopylov and Klychko quietly left for Moscow and made it back in one day. Their future fate remains unknown. Both probably perished during the purges of the 1930s. 29 Wells, 160-161. GARF, fond 9404, op. 1, 74 17