RuAviation

12 September 2024 will mark the 90th anniversary of the completion of the ANT-25 crew flight consisting of commander Mikhail Gromov, co-pilot Andrey Yumashev and navigator Sergey Danilin, which set a world record for the closed-range flight.

On 10-12 September 1934, the crew made a non-stop flight along the route in the polygon Moscow – Tula – Ryazan – Dnepropetrovsk – Kharkov – Moscow. It was a phenomenal achievement, the range of the flight almost reached the technical limit of the ANT-25 aircraft. After landing there was only 30 litres of fuel left in the tanks. In 75 hours the pilots covered a distance of 12,411 kilometres, which far surpassed the world record of flight distance on a closed route of that time, which belonged to the French (10,601 km).

The flight took place in difficult weather conditions – the crew had to contend with icing, severe turbulence and extreme temperature changes. Despite this, the aircraft and its AM-34 engine designed by Alexander Mikulin performed flawlessly. Upon returning to Moscow, the technical commission noted that the post-flight condition was virtually identical to the pre-flight condition. This testified to the high quality of the aircraft and engine.

The achievement of the Soviet crew and aircraft was written in small print on the back pages of the newspapers. There were neither national honours nor triumphal drives through the capital. The fact is that until 1935 the USSR was not a member of the International Federation of Aviation, so the record could not be officially registered. But its loud celebration could alert the French and British, who were already intensively preparing to take the barrier of 10,000 kilometres – in early 1935 started a non-stop flight France – Chile with a length of 11,500 kilometres on a Bleriot 110 aircraft, but engine failure prevented its successful completion.

Mikhail Gromov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the record-breaking flight, and his crew members were awarded the Order of Lenin.