Warplanes to Alaska

by Blake Smith

Overview

This book describes the delivery of 8000 aircraft to Russia over a little known airway that extended from the U.S. through Northwestern Canada to Nome, Alaska. Warplanes to Alaska is a tribute to the hundreds of men and women who toiled in the harshest of climates to help decide the outcome of World War II. The author interviewed scores of Canadian, Russians and American veterans and acquired hundreds of photos in an effort to fully recount this amazing part of history. Details of the Russian portion of the airway and their military operations, long hidden by an impenetrable veil of official secrecy, are revealed here for the first time. Warplanes to Alaska will engage anyone interested in WWII, aviation or northern history. Could a subarctic wilderness airway traversing northwestern North America and the breadth of Russia be used to deliver thousands of warplanes? The needs of the beleaguered WW II ally demanded the attempt, despite the brutal climate, primitive facilities and wild terrain. This book describes the delivery of 8,000 aircraft to Russia over a little-known airway that extended from the U.S. through northwestern Canada to Nome, Alaska. The airway was cruel on man and machine as the twisted wrecks of fallen warplanes littering forest and muskeg bear testament. Warplanes to Alaska is a tribute to the hundreds of men and women who toiled in the harshest of climates to help decide the outcome of World War II. The author interviewed scores of Canadian, Russians and American veterans and acquired hundreds of photos in an effort to fully recount this amazing part of history. Details of the Russian portion of the airway and their military operations, long hidden by an impenetrable veil of official secrecy, are revealed here for the first time. Warplanes to Alaska will engage anyone interested in WWII, aviation or northern history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780888394019
Publisher:	Hancock House Publishers
Publication date:	01/01/1998
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	0.33(w) x 0.43(h) x 0.04(d)

About the Author

This book describes the delivery of 8000 aircraft to Russia over a little known airway that extended from the U.S. through Northwestern Canada to Nome, Alaska. Warplanes to Alaska is a tribute to the hundreds of men and women who toiled in the harshest of climates to help decide the outcome of World War II. The author interviewed scores of Canadian, Russians and American veterans and acquired hundreds of photos in an effort to fully recount this amazing part of history. Details of the Russian portion of the airway and their military operations, long hidden by an impenetrable veil of official secrecy, are revealed here for the first time. Warplanes to Alaska will engage anyone interested in WWII, aviation or northern history. Could a subarctic wilderness airway traversing northwestern North America and the breadth of Russia be used to deliver thousands of warplanes? The needs of the beleaguered WW II ally demanded the attempt, despite the brutal climate, primitive facilities and wild terrain. This book describes the delivery of 8,000 aircraft to Russia over a little-known airway that extended from the U.S. through northwestern Canada to Nome, Alaska. The airway was cruel on man and machine as the twisted wrecks of fallen warplanes littering forest and muskeg bear testament. Warplanes to Alaska is a tribute to the hundreds of men and women who toiled in the harshest of climates to help decide the outcome of World War II. The author interviewed scores of Canadian, Russians and American veterans and acquired hundreds of photos in an effort to fully recount this amazing part of history. Details of the Russian portion of the airway and their military operations, long hidden by an impenetrable veil of official secrecy, are revealed here for the first time. Warplanes to Alaska will engage anyone interested in WWII, aviation or northern history.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	12
Preface	14
Glossary of terms and abbreviations	15
Maps
Air Strategist's view of the world from Alaska	8
Alaska-Siberia Air Route	10
Northwest Route - Distances between primary Airports	20
""GATHERING STORM""	17
Barbarossa	17
Evacuation of Industries	22
Birth of Lend-Lease	22
Establishing Delivery Route	27
Creation of the Northern Routes	29
Fort Nelson - Inaccessible?	33
Watson Lake - Similar Problems	35
Others Were Easier	36
Alaskan Airfields	37
ALEUTIAN SOLUTIONS	41
The First of Many	41
Plane Rush of	41
Poor Planning, One Wrong Turn	42
And the Others?	43
Ships that pass in the Night	44
Roar of the Aleutian Tigers	44
Losses Unacceptable	45
Modest Beginnings for Sourdough Ferry Pilots	45
Solving supply Problems	46
New Home, Expanded Mission for Northwest
Sector Pilots	47
Attack Imminent - Send more Planes	48
Dutch Harbor Attacked	49
RCAF to Alaska	52
Air Transport takes a Major Role	54
Prelude to Lend-Lease Deliveries	56
Canadian Sovereignty	64
Maps of the Bush Pilots	68
Skyway Above-Highway Below	69
LIFELINE TO RUSSIA	75
Soviet Mission Arrives	75
Siberian Survey Flight	78
Planes to Russia	80
Wing Organization	84
Coldest Winter in a Half-Century	85
Elusive Arctic Kit	88
Cold Feet	89
Ferrying Slows to a Trickle	92
Ice-Bound - Snow-Bound - Alaska-Bound!	94
RCAF - Almost Forgotten	99
Tales from the Back of Beyond	100
Aircraft Types Sent	105
The Ferry Pilot	114
Flying in a Fog	118
Shiver me Timbers!	118
Down and Out on Baker Lake	118
Predicting the Weather	120
Back Yard Bungle	122
Help from Above	123
Safety in Numbers	125
Terrible Silence	129
Fairbanks - No Time to Rest	130
Digging Out	135
Brass Inspect Airfields	137
Gaffney Takes Charge	137
Ebb and Flow	138
Emergency Flight Strips	138
Drill Thrill	139
Life on the Ledge	139
Sabotage	140
Diplomatic Mail	141
The Big Push	144
Alaska Highway Landing	146
Thrills - Spills - Chills	147
Summer Advances	149
Nick of Time	150
Gear up and Forgotten	150
Northern Comforts	152
PLANES TO RUSSIA - YEAR TWO	153
Smoke Alarm	153
Triple Tragedy	154
Maybe a Day - Maybe a Week	156
Ground Bound	156
Winter Strikes Again	163
In Like a Lion	167
Big Pilots Exchanged for Small Ones	167
Way off Course	168
1943 Winds Down	172
Lost in Alaska	172
Search and Rescue Becomes Organized	174
Para - Docs	178
Short Stop	183
Landline Link	183
Bevy of Bent Birds	185
New Birds on the Block	185
Shroud of Secrecy Lifted	189
Route Reaches Adulthood	190
LEND-LEASE THE FINAL YEAR	195
Home Away from Home	195
Siberian Skyway	195
Milestone Reached	216
Last of the Airacobras	216
Shake, Rattle,and Roll	219
Missing Mitchell	221
Americans Move to Namao	223
Yelp for Help	223
Memorable Moments	224
Jet Age Arrives	227
Kingcobra Crack-ups	230
Down the Home Stretch	231
Putt. . .Putt. . .Putt	232
Barber's Close Shave	232
Balloon Bombs	233
Aid to Continue	235
Up in the Air	240
. . .And under Water	242
Thunderclap	242
Falcons and Eagles Scatter	242
Ice Curtain Descends	244
Transfer of Responsibility	246
Conclusion	247
APPENDIX	249
Lend - Lease Aircraft Deliveries Over the Alaska-Siberia Route 1942-1945	249
American Aircraft in Soviet Service During World War II	249
BIBLIOGRAPHY	251
INDEX	253