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Arctic Triumphs and Tragedies
The moniker “patron” had already stuck to Bolkhovitinov.Word had it that the
first person to call him that behind his back was Isayev.“Our patron has started to
change his tune,” said military engineer Frolov, who was flight test lead. “He has
already sat down with me to consider how it would look if they convert Annushka
into a cargo/passenger plane.”
But it would be a long time before a cargo/passenger version for transpolar
routes appeared on the scene. Based on preliminary calculations, if all of the
weaponry was removed, then the weight of the empty aircraft would be 16 tons.
In order to ensure a range of at least 8,000 kilometers, the aircraft would have to
hold 16.5 tons of gasoline and 900 kilograms of oil.The crew, along with equipment
and food supplies, would add up to 1.5 tons plus a minimum of miscellaneous
baggage—in total, we had already exceeded 35 tons for the takeoff weight.
Given the 840 horsepower for each M-34FRN engine at an altitude of 4,000
meters, this was the takeoff weight limit. But the first step is the hardest.
My group in the so-called “ground crew” was in the most difficult situation. In
order to issue the electrical diagrams and installation drawings for the new equipment,
we needed the initial data from the other factories involved.They still did
not know anything about the decision that had been made. During the very first
days, authorized representatives from Glavaviaprom and the Air Force were detailed
to us on temporary duty. I only had to mention my difficulties in passing before
everything I needed started to appear. The chief developers of all the factories
received instructions to consider our jobs top priority.
Together with Chizhikov and the engineers of the Gorky and Moscow radio
factories, we designed instruments and radio equipment.The new powerful Omega
radio station was installed in the tail section in the specially insulated radio operator’s
cockpit.The Omega could operate on short and long waves in telegraph and
telephone mode. In the navigator’s cockpit, the sights, bomb release devices,
machine gun, and forward gunner were removed.They decided to place the flight
radio operator there along with the navigator. In the navigator’s cockpit we
installed a second, lighter radio station without the long wave range, and we
equipped the radio operator’s seat.
The crew consisted of Levanevskiy and a specially created flight staff. It was
clear who the pilots would be: Levanevskiy and Kastanayev.Two flight mechanics
were needed for the four engines, which could be accessed through the thick
wings.The first flight mechanic was Grigoriy Pobezhimov, who had traveled with
Levanevskiy to the United States to procure airplanes. Pobezhimov was an experienced
polar flight mechanic, but he was not familiar with the DB-A and had no
experience with M-34FRN engines.
Kastanayev recommended Godovikov as a candidate. He told Bolkhovitinov
that he was the only man among the factory workers who knew that airplane
inside and out. He had a wonderful feel for the engines, could instantly figure out
the quirky lubrication systems and fuel lines, and if necessary would crawl into the
most inaccessible place.
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