Three Soviet aviators—pilot Mikhail Gromov, co-pilot Andrey Yumashev, and navigator Sergei Danilin—completed a record-breaking transpolar flight. They departed Moscow on July 12 aboard a Tupolev ANT-25, a long-range aircraft designed for intercontinental missions. After approximately sixty-two hours and seventeen minutes in the air, and covering over 6,300 miles, they landed in a cow pasture near San Jacinto, California. Their intended destination had been San Diego or Riverside, but fog forced an emergency landing.
The Tupolev ANT-25 was a single-engine aircraft with a wingspan of 125 feet. It was stripped of non-essential components such as brakes to reduce weight and increase fuel capacity. The plane was equipped with navigation tools and gear for polar survival. The crew endured harsh Arctic conditions, including sub-zero temperatures, icing on control surfaces, and periods of radio silence.
When the plane landed in San Jacinto, local residents rushed to the field. Army personnel soon secured the aircraft to protect it. The aviators, unable to speak English, presented written notes requesting basic needs such as food, sleep, and bathing. The landing became a sensation in the United States, prompting a wave of public attention and national recognition.
Following the landing, the Soviet crew began a three-week goodwill tour of the United States. They visited Los Angeles, where they were honored with a parade and granted honorary citizenship. They continued to San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and New York City. The aviators also met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House.
This flight established a new nonstop distance record of over 10,148 kilometers (more than 6,300 miles). It was the second Soviet transpolar flight completed that year. The earlier flight, led by pilot Valery Chkalov, had landed in Vancouver, Washington, in June 1937. Together, these missions demonstrated the viability of trans-Arctic air routes and highlighted the capabilities of Soviet aviation.
The achievement held major significance for the Soviet Union. It was used as evidence of Soviet technological development and engineering strength. All three aviators were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Each of them went on to hold high-ranking military positions during World War II. The flight became a central part of Soviet aviation history.
In the United States, the mission earned admiration and sparked public interest in international aviation. It also served as a rare moment of positive U.S.–Soviet engagement before the Cold War. Although political tensions remained, the reception of the Soviet crew revealed a mutual respect for pioneering achievement.
The pasture in San Jacinto where the plane landed was later declared California Historical Landmark No. 989. A monument was erected at the landing site to honor the event. In Vancouver, Washington, another monument commemorates Chkalov’s earlier transpolar flight, making both locations lasting symbols of 1930s Soviet-American aviation history.
The 1937 flight contributed to the advancement of long-distance aviation and increased understanding of polar navigation. It proved that aircraft could travel intercontinental distances via the North Pole, an idea that later influenced the development of international air routes during and after World War II.
The flight remains a landmark event in aviation history. It symbolizes Soviet ambition, engineering skill, and the global fascination with flight during the interwar period. The landing in California not only marked a triumph of endurance and navigation but also left a legacy of cross-cultural recognition during a time of emerging global tension.
References / More Knowledge:
Gromov, M., Yumashev, A., & Danilin, S. “Moscow–North Pole–San Jacinto Flight.” Wikipedia, 2025.
“Tupolev ANT-25.” Wikipedia, 2024.
“Soviet Transpolar Landing Site.” California Office of Historic Preservation, Landmark No. 989.
“Three Soviet Fliers’ 1937 Happy Landing in a Southland Pasture.” Los Angeles Times, July 22, 2001.
“Chkalov Transpolar Flight Monument.” National Park Service, Pearson Field, Vancouver, Washington.
“Soviet Air Forces: 1930s Aviation and Propaganda.” Wikipedia, 2025.