U.S.A.: VETERAN SOVIET AIRMEN RETURN TO U.S.A. TO COMMEMORATE ANNIVERSARY OF POLAR FLIGHT.

Record ID: 1059613

  • Title: U.S.A.: VETERAN SOVIET AIRMEN RETURN TO U.S.A. TO COMMEMORATE ANNIVERSARY OF POLAR FLIGHT.
  • Date: 21st June 1975
  • Summary: 1. CUs Newspaper photographer of Russian pilots (3 shots) 0.19 2. CUs Two Russian pilots mobbed by newsmen (4 shots) 0.29 3. SV One of pilots receiving bouquet p.34 4. SV Son of dead pilot receives flowers 0.35 5. CU Navigator and co-pilot 0.42 6. SVs Co-pilot and navigator with newsmen (3 shots) 0.54 7. CUs Newsmen and dead pilot's son (2 shots) 1.01 8. SV Co-pilot and navigator 1.04 9. CUs Original news paper stills of four pilots (4 shots) 1.18 TRANSCRIPT: "Early on Sunday, June 20th, 1937, three Russian aviators completed the first non-stop flight over the North Pole. With only ten gallons of fuel left, their single engine "plane landed at the military field in Vancouver, Washington. The Russians had been inspired by Charles Lindberg's solo flight over the Atlantic ten years before. Two of those three brave airman returned to Washington State to commemorate their record flight. They were mobbed in Vancouver by Russian newsmen who flew in just ahead of the ageing heroes. Pilot Valery Chkalov died in a crash the year following the Arctic flight. So his son accepted flowers, along with navigator Alexander Beliakov and co-pilot Georgy Baidukov. The navigator Alexander Beliakov and co-pilot Georgy Baidukov. The navigator guided their 120 mile an hour flight despite magnetic variations at the pole which made their compass useless. Co-pilot Baidukov handled the "plane for many hours, better at flying on instruments than the senior pilot. The commemoration was prompted by Russian cosmonauts' questions at the Expo '74 last year. They asked, where was this country's monument to the Russian flight? Finally, after the cold was years, the two nations are again recognising our common humanity. As this weekend's (INDISTINCT) magazine cover says when translated: 'The Russians are coming'. This is Bruce Northcott." Initials BB/0000 BB/DW/BB/0015 REPORTER: BRUCE NORTHCOTT Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th July 1975 13:00
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  • Location: VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON STATE, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAZZCSJR9H1WIXJX72PNK1H29K
  • Story Text:
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS - SOURCE TO BE VERIFIED
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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