Ivan Timofeevich Spirin. Flight through an era

Before the war

On September 4-18, 1930, on R-5 aircraft, he participated in a group flight along the route: Moscow - Sevastopol - Ankara - Tbilisi - Tehran - Termez - Kabul - Tashkent - Orenburg - Moscow. In 61 hours and 30 minutes of flight time, 10,500 kilometers were covered. All 6 participants of the expedition of the large eastern flight were awarded the Order of the Red Star. Spirin was awarded the order number 9.

On September 12-15, 1934, the crew consisting of commander M. M. Gromov, engineer A. I. Filin and navigator I. T. Spirin on a single-engine ANT-25 aircraft, on board of which the letters “RD” were written - a range record, achieved flight from an airfield near Moscow to a Kharkov airfield. This flight was intended to break the world record of the French pilots Bossutro and Rossi, who in 1932 covered a distance of 10,601 kilometers on a Blériot plane. The three-day flight ended safely with an outstanding success. The crew set a new world distance record, covering a distance of 12,411 kilometers, and an all-Union duration record of 75 hours. The feat was marked by awarding the title of Hero to M. M. Gromov Soviet Union, I. T. Spirin and A. I. Filin were awarded the Order of Lenin.

Since January 1935, flag navigator of the Red Army Air Force, he is also the head of the 4th department of the 1st department of the Red Army Air Force Directorate. Since February 1936, commander and military commissar of the Research Institute of the Air Force of the Red Army, since December - flagship navigator of expeditions.

In 1937 he twice participated in expeditions to North Pole. The head of the air navigation sector of the Air Force Research Institute, brigade commander Spirin, was the flag navigator of the world's first air expedition to the North Pole in 1937. The flight, which began from the Moscow Central Airfield on March 22, took place in difficult meteorological conditions and was successfully completed on May 21 by landing on an ice floe after Spirin, having done everything necessary calculations, declared: “The pole is below us!” Four brave people, led by I. D. Papanin, were landed from the plane onto the ice floe, who then drifted for several months in the Arctic Ocean, engaged in scientific work. For completing the government's assignment and heroism in the Northern Expedition, I. T. Spirin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Since September 1938, Spirin has been the head of the air navigator department of the Air Force Academy named after Professor N. E. Zhukovsky, doctor geographical sciences, professor.

Awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, 3 Orders of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, Patriotic War 1st degree, Red Banner of Labor, two Orders of the Red Star, medals. He was involved in plane crashes five times: he burned, fell, crashed into a swamp, but miraculously remained alive, although he broke his leg, hip, collarbone, and ribs. Spirin flew about 9,000 hours.

WITH Pirin Ivan Timofeevich - flag navigator of the Soviet polar expedition.

Born on July 28 (August 9), 1898 in the city of Kolomna, now the Moscow region. Russian. Graduated from the 3rd year of the institute.

In the army since 1918. Participant in the Civil War. He fought as a Red Army soldier in the 9th Infantry Regiment (Ryazan, then the Southern Front), took part in battles with the cavalry of General K.K. Mamontov, and with the troops of A.I. Denikin. Since November 1919 - in the Air Force, Red Army soldier of the Ilya Muromets airship squadron. Since May 1920 - aerologist, senior clerk, head of the technical part of the combat formation, acting military commissar and acting commander of the 2nd combat formation of the airship division on Western Front, fought against Polish troops.

From September 1922 – manager of a technical warehouse, head of the technical department scientific experimental airfield in Moscow. He graduated from the letnab school in Moscow as an external student in 1924. From October 1924 to September 1938, he served in the Red Army Air Force Research Institute (with short breaks): senior flight navigator of the air navigation department, flight instructor, deputy head of the navigation department, flag navigator of the Red Army Air Force (from January 1935), commander and military commissar of the Air Force Research Institute ( since February 1936). In 1930 he graduated from the 1st Kaczynskaya military school pilots named after A.F. Myasnikov.

One of the first outstanding masters of long-distance flights in Soviet aviation. As a navigator, he participated in long-distance flights Moscow - Beijing (1925), to Italy (1927), in a circular flight Moscow - Irkutsk - Kharkov - Moscow (1929), Moscow - Sevastopol - Ankara - Tehran - Kabul - Tashkent - Moscow (1930) , in many others. From September 10 to 12, 1934, on an ANT-25 aircraft as a navigator (crew commander M.M. Gromov, co-pilot A.I. Filin), he made a record flight in terms of range and duration along a closed route of 12,411 kilometers in 75 hours.

An active participant in the development of new methods of aircraft navigation, he participated in the creation of a number of navigation tools. Along with his main job in the 1930s, he taught air navigation in Air Force Academy named after Professor N.E. Zhukovsky, participated in a number of search air expeditions in the Arctic.

In 1937, as one of the best navigators of the Soviet Union, he was included in the Soviet Arctic expedition and as a flag navigator of the expedition in the crew of the flagship aircraft (commander M.V. Vodopyanov) participated in the landing of the first scientific drifting station “North Pole-1” on the North Pole. Ensured the precise landing of the expedition led by I.D. Papanin in the area of ​​the geographic North Pole.

For exemplary fulfillment of government assignments and the courage and heroism shown, June 27, 1937 Spirin Ivan Timofeevich awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Brigade commander (07/04/1937). In September 1938, he was transferred from the Red Army Air Force Research Institute to the Air Force Academy named after Professor N.E. Zhukovsky, where he was appointed head of the air navigator department.

Participant in the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940: commander of a long-range combat aviation group in the 9th Army Air Force. Personally carried out 2 long-range combat missions to destroy enemy targets and several missions to bombard his front line.

Since September 1940 - head of the 2nd Ivanovo Higher School of Navigators. Major General of Aviation (06/04/1940).

At the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War, on the basis of this school, a long-range aviation group for the defense of Moscow was created, the purpose of which was to destroy enemy airfields and its important military installations. The group under the command of Aviation Major General Spirin consisted of up to 200 aircraft and took part in the Battle of Smolensk and the Battle of Moscow. Since March 1942 - head of the Higher Officer School for Long-Range Night Crews, located in Central Asia, under his command over 1,000 crews were trained for night combat missions.

Since October 1944, again at the front, commander of the 9th Guards Bomber Aviation Corps in the ADD and in the 18th Air Army, which acted in the interests of almost all fronts.

After the war, from 1945 to April 1948, he was again the head of the Ivanovo Higher School of Navigators. Graduated from the Higher Academic Courses at the Higher Military Academy named after K.E. Voroshilov. From May 1949 - head of the special department, from February 1950 - head special faculty, since November 1952 - deputy head of the navigation department of the Air Force Engineering Academy named after N.E. Zhukovsky. Retired since July 1955.

He worked as the head of the aviation department of the Antarctic Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences. From 1957 until the last days of his life - head of the military department of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. In total, during the period of aviation work he had more than 9,000 flight hours.

Doctor of Geographical Sciences (1938), Professor (1938).

Lieutenant General of Aviation (11/5/1944). Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin (09.28.1934, 06.27.1937, ...), 2 Orders of the Red Banner (1925, ...), Orders of the Patriotic War 1st degree, Red Banner of Labor, 2 Orders of the Red Star (1930, ...), medals.

In the city of Kolomna there is a bust of the Hero, in Moscow on the house in which he lived - memorial plaque. A street in Moscow is named after him.

Essays:
Notes of a military pilot. M., 1939;
Soviet aviation. M., 1940;
Notes from an aviator. M., 1955;
In the blue sky. M., 1960, etc.

Ivan Timofeevich Spirin lived a life full of bright historical events in which he took a direct part. Sixty-two years of life included participation in Civil War, study, work and development...

Ivan Timofeevich Spirin lived a life full of bright historical events in which he took a direct part. Sixty-two years of his life included participation in the Civil War, study, work and mastering the profession of an aviator, the work of his whole life. Long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights, scientific and teaching activity, command of aviation units in the Finnish and Great Patriotic War, leadership in the training of aviation personnel, development of Arctic aviation, organization of military education in one of the country's leading universities. This is an incomplete list of vital tasks that Hero of the Soviet Union performed, Lieutenant General of Aviation, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor Ivan Timofeevich Spirin.

Standing on the “wing”

For the first time, the future hero of the Soviet Union saw a flight through a hole in the fence: he spied on the performance of a recognized aviator. The first performance he saw did not impress Spirin at all, but a few years later he attended the performance of aviator Nesterov, and this performance already impressed and interested him. He became so interested that he decided to connect his life with aviation.

Young Spirin was lucky, and in 1920 he was sent to the second combat detachment of the Ilya Muromets squadron of heavy ships. There he began to study and develop navigation. At that time, flying out of sight of land was a risky undertaking, just like walking on the sea without a compass, at a great distance from the shore. Therefore, it was necessary to develop and test instruments and methods for orienting in the sky, which is what Ivan Timofeevich did. In 1925, he made the first flight beyond the sight of earthly landmarks, using instruments and navigational calculations on the route Moscow - Kolomna. In the same year he flew from Moscow to Beijing. In 1927, Spirin took part in a large European flight, and two years later he was looking for the Americans who had crashed in the Arctic.

Spirin entered the aviation school as an already accomplished navigator in 1930 and immediately became one of the best cadets in his group. One of the main impressions of this period for him was his first independent flight. Here's how he describes it in his book:

“With indescribable excitement, I stepped on the gas. The plane ran across the field. Everything is faster, faster. So he smoothly separated from the ground, scraped his wheels twice on the grass and flew into the air. The car quickly gained altitude. I carefully looked around so that no plane would interfere. Finally made the first turn. Amazing condition! Some new, joyful, broad feeling filled my chest. One. On one's own. I look at the booth where the instructor usually sat. Yes, yes, it's empty. And the car is flying. Flies freely. And nothing strange here. I manage. The plane is listening."

In addition to the examination flight, at the end of the training the head of the aviation school gave Spirin one more flight. This flight took place in difficult conditions, with very strong winds. Spirin passed this test with honor, flying and landing in such weather.

Long-haul flights continue

In September 1930, the so-called Great Eastern flight was carried out on P-5 aircraft along the route Moscow - Ankara - Tiflis - Tehran - Termez - Kabul - Tashkent - Orenburg - Moscow, over a length of more than ten thousand kilometers. Spirin was appointed navigator on the lead aircraft. In total, three aircraft took part in the flight. The distance was covered in 61 hours and 30 minutes of flight time. The planes landed in cities, so it was more of a test of the equipment's durability. All six participants in the flight were awarded the Order of the Red Star. Spirin was awarded the order number 9. The most interesting is the flight along the closed route Moscow - Ryazan - Tula - Kharkov - Moscow. Before him, there were two unsuccessful attempts, which were interrupted for a number of reasons. The pilot on this flight was the famous M.M. Gromov, Engineer A.I. Filin and navigator I.T. Spirin. The flight was difficult weather conditions– along the entire route it was raining, thunderstorms, and there was heavy cloudiness. To avoid flying in such conditions, it was necessary to climb to a height of 4-5 kilometers, where the frost led to the fact that bottles with drinking water the cabin burst. Despite all this, the pilots stayed in the air for more than 75 hours and set a world record for flight duration - 12,411 kilometers. The feat was noted by awarding M.M. Gromov the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, I.T. Spirin and A.I. Filin were awarded the Order of Lenin.

Flight to the North Pole

Before leaving for the Pole

Conquering the North Pole was one of the priority tasks for aviation. Its successful conquest would be proof highest quality, both Soviet technology and personnel training.

The expedition leader was Otto Schmidt, and the pilot commander was Mikhail Vodopyanov. O.Yu. Schmidt proposed appointing Ivan Timofeevich Spirin, who was well known in aviation circles at that time, as the flag navigator of the expedition. The preparation was long, thorough and intense. Dozens of factory teams, employees of research institutes and design bureaus, pilots, scientists, aircraft designers and meteorologists took part in it. The expedition involved four heavy four-engine ANT-6 aircraft designed by A.N. Tupolev and light aircraft R-5 and U-2, whose task included short-range reconnaissance of weather, clouds and ice (they were delivered to Rudolf Island in advance) and a twin-engine weather reconnaissance aircraft, which was supposed to fly ahead of the “main forces” of the air squadron from Moscow to Rudolf Island. I.T. Spirin and his subordinate navigators carefully calculated the flight elements of each stage of the route Moscow - Arkhangelsk - Naryan-Mar - Fr. Rudolph - North Pole, compiled cartographic grids with radio bearing lines to determine the location of the aircraft when flying over unmarked terrain or out of sight of the ground, and worked out backup options in case of a forced deviation from the main route. Particular attention was paid to astronomy. The flight to the North Pole took place on March 22, 1937, the bright orange flagship aircraft USSR N-170 took off from the field of the Central Airfield. Spirin wrote in the logbook: “Takeoff – 12.30.” A few minutes later the entire squadron was in the air. This was not Spirin’s first experience of navigating in such conditions, but this did not make the task too much easier. The difficulty of orientation in such an area lies in two factors: the monotony of the landscape and the unpredictable behavior of magnetic devices. To navigate in such terrain, Spirin developed his own mechanism, which made it possible to unambiguously determine his position by the position of the stars and the sun in literally a matter of minutes. This allowed him to plot and adjust the route during the flight. The weather, however, was not conducive to the flight. They had to constantly go around the cloud front, now from below, now from above, and at times they had to pass at a height between two fronts of clouds so that one remained below, and the other was above at that time. Under such conditions, neither the stars nor the sun were visible, so we had to walk blindly, and in some areas descend to 30 meters above the ground.

When approaching Arkhangelsk, a message was received that the airfield on the Dvina was dangerous for landing due to the thaw. The first stage of the route was difficult. The second stage was not easy either: snow storms raged. But the flag navigator confidently plotted a course through the blizzard and snow clouds over the tiring monotony of the white tundra and took the plane to Naryan-Mar. Due to bad weather we had to stay there for thirteen days. And then change the route: fly to Novaya Zemlya and from there to Rudolph Island. And here we had to linger, waiting for clear weather.

The head of the expedition made a decision: as soon as the sky cleared, only the flagship aircraft would fly to the pole. That's what they did. On May 21, the plane with the number “USSR N-170”, with the brightly visible inscription “Aviaarktika”, took off heavily from the snow-covered airfield, and Spirin set a course to the north. There were 13 people on board. The plane flew for four hours over the icy sea in a gray haze. Only three times did Spirin manage to measure the height of the sun and calculate the location of the car. The devices he designed himself came to the rescue: they were not influenced by the magnetic forces of the Earth.

The plane was flying above the clouds when it arrived at the pole. I.T. came out of the chart room. Spirin, his concentrated face broke into a radiant smile. Calmly, in a slightly muffled voice, he said: “The pole is below us!” At 11:35 a.m. M.V. Vodopyanov landed the plane on ice at the northernmost point of the globe.

Landing was a challenging and exciting element of piloting a heavy ANT-6 aircraft onto a drifting ice floe. Scientists from all over the world argued that landing on the ice of the North Pole was impossible, so it was necessary to choose the landing site very carefully. This is how Spirin himself describes this moment in his book:

“The plane approaches the ice floe. It passes low over the hummocks and touches the snow softly. Then he runs along it, bouncing on uneven surfaces, shudders, slows down and finally stops. There was silence in the ship for several seconds. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. It seemed as if the ice floe could not bear its weight, would crack, burst, and our huge plane, which had just climbed onto it, would go to the bottom. But the car stood calmly, as if nothing had happened. No one was able to be the first to break this amazing silence. Suddenly, at some point, it gave way to a stormy explosion of joy. And then it was generally difficult to understand what was going on.”

A few days later, three more expedition aircraft landed on the ice. A camp was set up and the first drifting scientific station in history began operating in the North Pole area. The crews spent more than two weeks on this ice floe before returning back to Rudolf Island, and four brave people led by I.D. Papanin drifted in the Arctic Ocean for 274 days, doing scientific work.

Ivan Timofeevich Spirin (August 9 ( 18980809 ) - November 4) - military pilot, participant in the Civil, Soviet-Finnish and Great Patriotic Wars, commander of the 9th Guards Bomber Aviation Corps, Lieutenant General of Aviation, Doctor of Geographical Sciences (), Professor (). The first Hero of the Soviet Union among Kolomna residents.

Biography

On September 4-18, 1930, on R-5 aircraft, he participated in a group flight along the route: Moscow - Sevastopol - Ankara - Tbilisi - Tehran - Termez - Kabul - Tashkent - Orenburg - Moscow. In 61 hours and 30 minutes of flight time, 10,500 kilometers were covered. All 6 participants of the expedition of the large eastern flight were awarded the Order of the Red Star. Spirin was awarded the order number 9.

On September 12-15, 1934, the crew consisting of commander M. M. Gromov, engineer A. I. Filin and navigator I. T. Spirin on a single-engine ANT-25 aircraft, on board of which the letters “RD” were written - a range record, achieved flight from an airfield near Moscow to a Kharkov airfield. This flight was intended to break the world record of the French pilots Bossutro and Rossi, who in 1932 covered a distance of 10,601 kilometers on a Blériot plane. The three-day flight ended safely with an outstanding success. The crew set a new world distance record, covering a distance of 12,411 kilometers, and an all-Union duration record of 75 hours. The feat was noted by awarding M. M. Gromov the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, I. T. Spirin and A. I. Filin were awarded the Order of Lenin.

Since January 1935, flag navigator of the Red Army Air Force, he is also the head of the 4th department of the 1st department of the Red Army Air Force Directorate. Since February 1936, commander and military commissar of the Research Institute of the Air Force of the Red Army, since December - flagship navigator of expeditions.

In 1937, he twice participated in expeditions to the North Pole. The head of the air navigation sector of the Air Force Research Institute, brigade commander Spirin, was the flag navigator of the world's first air expedition to the North Pole in 1937. The flight, which began from the Moscow Central Airfield on March 22, took place in the most difficult meteorological conditions and was successfully completed on May 21 by landing on an ice floe after Spirin, having made all the necessary calculations, declared: “The pole is below us!” Four brave people, led by I. D. Papanin, were landed from the plane onto the ice floe, who then drifted for several months in the Arctic Ocean, doing scientific work. For completing the government's assignment and heroism in the Northern Expedition, I. T. Spirin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Since September 1938, Spirin has been the head of the air navigator department of the Air Force Academy named after Professor N.E. Zhukovsky, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor.

After the war

After the war, until April 1948, I. T. Spirin was the head of the Ivanovo Higher School of Navigators, then he studied at the Higher Attestation Commission at the Higher Military Academy named after K. E. Voroshilov. Since May 1949, head of the special department (since February 1950 - special faculty) of the Air Force Engineering Academy named after Professor N. E. Zhukovsky, since November 1952 - deputy head of the navigator department of the academy.

Awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, 3 Orders of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree, the Red Banner of Labor, two Orders of the Red Star, and medals. He was involved in plane crashes five times: he burned, fell, crashed into a swamp, but miraculously remained alive, although he broke his leg, hip, collarbone, and ribs. Spirin flew about 9,000 hours.

Streets in Kolomna, Moscow and Cahul (Moldova) are named after Spirin. In Kolomna, a bust of Spirin was installed in the Memorial Park.

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Literature

• Team of authors. Great Patriotic War: Komkory. Military biographical dictionary / Under the general editorship of M. G. Vozhakin. - M.; Zhukovsky: Kuchkovo field, 2006. - T. 2. - P. 420-421. - ISBN 5-901679-08-3.

Notes

Links

. Website "Heroes of the Country".

Excerpt characterizing Spirin, Ivan Timofeevich

It was one of those March nights when winter seems to want to take its toll and pours out its last snows and storms with desperate anger. To meet the German doctor from Moscow, who was expected every minute and for whom a stand was sent to the main road, to the turn into the country road, horsemen with lanterns were sent to guide him through the potholes and jams.
Princess Marya had left the book long ago: she sat silently, fixing her radiant eyes on the wrinkled face of the nanny, familiar to the smallest detail: on a strand of gray hair that had escaped from under a scarf, on the hanging pouch of skin under her chin.
Nanny Savishna, with a stocking in her hands, in a quiet voice told, without hearing or understanding her own words, what had been told hundreds of times about how the late princess in Chisinau gave birth to Princess Marya, with a Moldavian peasant woman instead of her grandmother.
“God have mercy, you never need a doctor,” she said. Suddenly a gust of wind hit one of the exposed frames of the room (by the will of the prince, one frame was always displayed with larks in each room) and, knocking off the poorly closed bolt, fluttered the damask curtain, and, smelling cold and snow, blew out the candle. Princess Marya shuddered; The nanny, having put down the stocking, went to the window and leaned out and began to catch the folded frame. Cold wind ruffled the ends of her scarf and gray, stray strands of hair.
- Princess, mother, someone is driving along the road ahead! - she said, holding the frame and not closing it. - With lanterns, it should be, doctor...
- Oh my God! God bless! - said Princess Marya, - we must go meet him: he doesn’t know Russian.
Princess Marya threw on her shawl and ran towards those traveling. When she passed the front hall, she saw through the window that some kind of carriage and lanterns were standing at the entrance. She went out onto the stairs. There was a tallow candle on the railing post and it was flowing from the wind. The waiter Philip, with a frightened face and another candle in his hand, stood below, on the first landing of the stairs. Even lower, around the bend, along the stairs, moving footsteps in warm boots could be heard. And some familiar voice, as it seemed to Princess Marya, said something.
- God bless! - said the voice. - And father?
“They’ve gone to bed,” answered the voice of the butler Demyan, who was already downstairs.
Then the voice said something else, Demyan answered something, and steps in warm boots began to approach faster along the invisible bend of the stairs. “This is Andrey! - thought Princess Marya. No, this cannot be, it would be too unusual,” she thought, and at the same moment as she was thinking this, on the platform on which the waiter stood with a candle, the face and figure of Prince Andrei appeared in a fur coat with a collar sprinkled with snow. Yes, it was him, but pale and thin, and with a changed, strangely softened, but alarming expression on his face. He walked onto the stairs and hugged his sister.
-You didn’t receive my letter? - he asked, and without waiting for an answer, which he would not have received, because the princess could not speak, he returned, and with the obstetrician, who entered after him (he met with him at the last station), with quick steps he again entered the the stairs and hugged his sister again. - What fate! - he said, “Dear Masha,” and, taking off his fur coat and boots, he went to the princess’s quarters.

The little princess was lying on pillows, wearing a white cap. (Suffering had just released her.) Black hair curled in strands around her sore, sweaty cheeks; her rosy, lovely mouth with a sponge covered with black hairs was open, and she smiled joyfully. Prince Andrei entered the room and stopped in front of her, at the foot of the sofa on which she was lying. Brilliant eyes, looking childish, scared and excited, stopped at him without changing expression. “I love you all, I haven’t done harm to anyone, why am I suffering? help me,” her expression said. She saw her husband, but did not understand the significance of his appearance now before her. Prince Andrei walked around the sofa and kissed her on the forehead.
“My darling,” he said: a word he had never spoken to her. - God is merciful. “She looked at him questioningly, childishly and reproachfully.
“I expected help from you, and nothing, nothing, and you too!” - said her eyes. She wasn't surprised that he came; she did not understand that he had arrived. His arrival had nothing to do with her suffering and its relief. The torment began again, and Marya Bogdanovna advised Prince Andrei to leave the room.
The obstetrician entered the room. Prince Andrei went out and, meeting Princess Marya, again approached her. They started talking in a whisper, but every minute the conversation fell silent. They waited and listened.
“Allez, mon ami, [Go, my friend,” said Princess Marya. Prince Andrey again went to his wife and sat down in the next room, waiting. Some woman came out of her room with a frightened face and was embarrassed when she saw Prince Andrei. He covered his face with his hands and sat there for several minutes. Pathetic, helpless animal groans were heard from behind the door. Prince Andrei stood up, went to the door and wanted to open it. Someone was holding the door.
- You can’t, you can’t! – a frightened voice said from there. – He began to walk around the room. The screams stopped and a few seconds passed. Suddenly a terrible scream - not her scream, she could not scream like that - was heard in the next room. Prince Andrei ran to the door; the scream stopped, and the cry of a child was heard.
“Why did they bring the child there? thought Prince Andrei at the first second. Child? Which one?... Why is there a child there? Or was it a baby born? When he suddenly realized all the joyful meaning of this cry, tears choked him, and he, leaning with both hands on the windowsill, sobbed, began to cry, as children cry. The door opened. The doctor, with his shirt sleeves rolled up, without a frock coat, pale and with a shaking jaw, left the room. Prince Andrey turned to him, but the doctor looked at him in confusion and, without saying a word, walked past. The woman ran out and, seeing Prince Andrei, hesitated on the threshold. He entered his wife's room. She lay dead in the same position in which he had seen her five minutes ago, and the same expression, despite the fixed eyes and the paleness of her cheeks, was on that charming, childish face with a sponge covered with black hairs.
“I love you all and have never done anything bad to anyone, so what did you do to me?” her lovely, pitiful, dead face spoke. In the corner of the room, something small and red grunted and squeaked in Marya Bogdanovna’s white, shaking hands.

Two hours after this, Prince Andrei entered his father’s office with quiet steps. The old man already knew everything. He stood right at the door, and as soon as it opened, the old man silently, with his senile, hard hands, like a vice, grabbed his son’s neck and sobbed like a child.

Three days later the funeral service was held for the little princess, and, bidding farewell to her, Prince Andrei ascended the steps of the coffin. And in the coffin there was the same face, although with eyes closed. “Oh, what have you done to me?” it said everything, and Prince Andrei felt that something was torn away in his soul, that he was guilty of a guilt that he could not correct or forget. He couldn't cry. The old man also entered and kissed her wax hand, which lay calmly and high on the other, and her face said to him: “Oh, what and why did you do this to me?” And the old man turned away angrily when he saw this face.

Five days later they baptized young prince Nikolai Andreich. The mother held the diapers with her chin while the priest smeared the boy’s wrinkled red palms and steps with a goose feather.
The godfather grandfather, afraid to drop him, shuddering, carried the baby around the dented tin font and handed him over to his godmother, Princess Marya. Prince Andrei, frozen with fear that the child might not be drowned, sat in another room, waiting for the end of the sacrament. He looked joyfully at the child when the nanny carried him out to him, and nodded his head approvingly when the nanny told him that a piece of wax with hairs thrown into the font did not sink, but floated along the font.

Rostov's participation in Dolokhov's duel with Bezukhov was hushed up through the efforts of the old count, and Rostov, instead of being demoted, as he expected, was appointed adjutant to the Moscow governor general. As a result, he could not go to the village with his entire family, but remained in his new position all summer in Moscow. Dolokhov recovered, and Rostov became especially friendly with him during this time of his recovery. Dolokhov lay sick with his mother, who loved him passionately and tenderly. The old woman Marya Ivanovna, who fell in love with Rostov for his friendship with Fedya, often told him about her son.
“Yes, Count, he is too noble and pure of soul,” she used to say, “for our current, corrupted world.” Nobody likes virtue, it hurts everyone's eyes. Well, tell me, Count, is this fair, is this fair on Bezukhov’s part? And Fedya, in his nobility, loved him, and now he never says anything bad about him. In St. Petersburg, these pranks with the police officer were something they joked about, because they did it together? Well, Bezukhov had nothing, but Fedya bore everything on his shoulders! After all, what did he endure! Suppose they returned it, but how could they not return it? I think there weren’t many brave men and sons of the fatherland like him there. Well now - this duel! Do these people have a sense of honor? Knowing that he is the only son, challenge him to a duel and shoot so straight! It's good that God had mercy on us. And for what? Well, who doesn’t have intrigue these days? Well, if he is so jealous? I understand, because he could have made me feel it before, otherwise it went on for a year. And so, he challenged him to a duel, believing that Fedya would not fight because he owed him. What baseness! What disgusting! I know you understood Fedya, my dear count, that’s why I love you with my soul, believe me. Few people understand him. This is such a high, heavenly soul!

He was awarded three Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of the Patriotic War 1st degree, the Red Banner of Labor, two Orders of the Red Star, and medals.

Born into a working-class family. Russian. As a child, he lived in the village of Nizhnee Khoroshovo, Kolomensky district. Then he was a repair and auxiliary worker on the railway. Golutvin station.

In the Red Army since 1918. Called up by the Kolomna military registration and enlistment office. Participated in the Civil War. Served in the 9th rifle regiment. Was wounded. After cured

Iya was appointed aerologist of the 2nd combat detachment of the heavy ship squadron “Ilya Muromets”. Red Army soldier Spirin helped the mechanics refuel the airships, equipped them with bombs, and patched up holes. Soon he was appointed head of the technical unit of the aviation detachment.

Member of the CPSU(b) since 1920

1922 - Head of the air navigation sector of the Air Force Research Institute.

In 1925, he made the first flight beyond the sight of earthly reference points using instruments and navigational calculations on the route Moscow - Kolomna.

In 1925 he took part in the long-distance flight Moscow - Beijing. Awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Chinese Order

In 1927 he took part in a flight across Europe. He got into a plane crash, but miraculously survived.

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “In the fall of 1927, I had the opportunity to participate in one of the very large flights of that time. We had to fly outside the Soviet Union...

Autumn time

No, there was no weather. We followed it in vain, meticulously choosing a favorable period, but in the end we ran into very bad meteorological conditions, because of which the matter almost ended sadly.

Our plane was loaded beyond all norms. This is essentially a small car

I had enough fuel for fourteen hours. Gasoline tanks were placed wherever possible - in the wings, behind the dashboard, under the seats, and in the tail of the aircraft. The device for pumping gasoline from these numerous tanks to the main tank was very complex. It consisted of twelve taps,

located below, on the starboard side near the floor. When it was necessary to empty one or another tank, it was necessary to switch the taps, and, having emptied it, very accurately turn off the tank and block the access to gasoline through the same taps. Otherwise, the car was wonderfully equipped, supplied with a sufficient number of

vom instruments, special maps, nomograms, computer equipment, etc. The aircraft's lighting for night flight was excellent and consisted of fourteen electric bulbs. Each light bulb had its own switch. In a word, the airplane cabin resembled a complex technical structure, richly

ed by the most outlandish devices, devices, switches and switches of that time.

We were flying on a dark night. The plane was flying over Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The weather began to deteriorate. She was getting worse and worse. Continuous thick clouds pressed us down. We gradually lost altitude, from 2000 meters

ov dropped to 650, but even here dark, huge clouds were creeping in. More and more often they unexpectedly appeared in front of the plane, somewhat lower than it. The rain intensified, and a gusty, squally wind tossed us from side to side.

It was pitch black all around. The horizon was completely invisible. It was difficult to distinguish

where the sky, where the earth is, everything merged into a black-brown mass.

I tried to free the tail tanks as quickly as possible. With a small pump he had already pumped gasoline from the very rear tank, carefully closed the taps and, bending low, checked several times with a flashlight whether everything was done correctly, whether the valves were closed correctly.

wounds. Having then made a note in the logbook, he began pumping the tank from under his seat. My partner was driving the car at the time. Busy working with fuel, I felt some kind of awkwardness several times... I continued to pump gasoline and did not look around, but I was being pinned harder and harder

little towards the back wall. Finally, wondering what was going on, I leaned out of the cabin and glanced forward. What I saw in the darkness of this autumn night, made me scream. Our plane raised its nose incredibly high and hung almost vertically in the air. It was the most critical situation ever

It couldn’t have happened... The car, which had lost speed... somehow reluctantly fell onto its wing and quickly fell down...

I immediately realized that the plane had gone into a tailspin. With the load that was on the plane, it did not leave this figure, and we fell down with incredible speed, rotating around our own right.

longitudinal axis.

A thought flashed through my head: “It’s all over.” With lightning speed, I turned off all the taps of the gasoline tanks. Usually this took a lot of time: you look, check, shine a flashlight to see if you did it right. In the dark, by touch, I literally closed all the taps in an instant, as if I had walked through my fingers

E on the piano keys. With his other hand he just as quickly turned off all electric light.

The car fell. In a few terrible seconds, many thoughts rushed through my head like a whirlwind... It was difficult to understand this cyclone of sensations and memories, there was no consistency, but my whole life and even the most

the fallen, the forgotten stood up as if alive...

Swipe. I hid headlong into the cabin. The first blow was followed by a second, a third, and then it was even difficult to understand what was happening. There was a continuous roar and roar. Something huge was breaking, metal was clanging, trees were cracking... Sharp, incredibly

a deafening blow and... suddenly it became quiet and even darker...

My cabin was filled with large branches. I sat in it, crouched down... I quickly felt my legs and arms. As if everything was intact... Having gathered my strength, I throw off the twigs and branches that were crushing me and with difficulty get out of this pile.

Not around

dark, but black, just black. You can't see a thing. There are some thickets around us. Autumn rain pours down like a sieve. We find each other by voice. Let's feel ourselves again. Everything is intact. My head and side hurt a lot, but I don’t pay attention to it. There is a special silence all around...

My eyes are slowly getting used to it

t to darkness. I look around and see a piece of duralumin wing. Sandwiched between two pine trees, it rests on three thick branches. This “platform” is located two to two and a half meters from the ground. I climbed onto it and jumped around, checking to see if it was reliable and could support two people.

After a few

By the time we spread out our leather jackets on this wing, we took out thermoses of coffee and chocolate. Having removed the surviving battery from the plane, they even installed electricity and lit a small lamp from a flashlight. Now the animals are not scary. We drank a small glass of coffee. Unable to sleep due to anxiety

Ivan, in pain, we lay in silence until dawn...

When it became light, we more clearly imagined everything that happened at night. Looking around, we gasped: the forest, the most impenetrable forest, called Belovezhskaya Pushcha, was pretty much destroyed. We counted eighty-two trees of the ship's timber, broken

during a plane crash. Some trees were uprooted. Many are broken to the core. Others have the tops of their heads knocked off. A shapeless pile of metal lies among the rubble. This is what was our plane. Shiny, smooth, like polished duralumin - what happened to it! From it now there is no

It was impossible to make even a small saucepan, it was so disfigured. How did people survive? For a long time we wondered which direction we were flying, in which direction there might be a railway. There is no sun, thick haze all around, low clouds and rain, rain, rain. Neither the plane wreckage nor the nature of the layer

The semolina forest could not suggest anything, because we were falling, spinning in a corkscrew...

Bah,” I shouted, “we have a compass!”

They quickly turned away the precious device. Now we can try to get out of the dense thicket... We hung rags and ribbons on the branches, marking our path. It was a pity for the tapes from

pennants. These were beautiful silk panels, sewn with elegant wedges about one and a half meters long. Beautiful inscriptions in three languages, printed on tapes, they reported that this was such and such a plane, the pilots were such and such, and they were going there. The ribbons were tied to metal cartridges into which the

There were notes, and we had to throw all this at certain points in Europe. It was easy to find the pennant using the tape. Now the tapes have found other uses.

We walked away from the plane, taking the direction according to the compass... I walked behind, hung with rags and pennants, tracing our path according to the compass on a piece of paper

according to the indications and from time to time leaving a cloth on the knots.

The path was difficult. We suffered from bruises. But this would not be so bad if the thicket were not truly impassable. Either we had to crawl through a wall of bushes, then we had to climb through windbreaks, then we came out to some swamps

To the swampy backwaters, where your feet immediately got stuck up to the knees...

The rags, no matter how I saved them, were already used up. Now I tore the silk ribbons into thin strips and carefully tied them on the trees. We walked, still writing down our compass path on paper. They walked for a long time. Time dragged on agonizingly

me. As it turned out later, we fell only seven kilometers from the railway, and reached it after nine and a half hours.”

In 1929, as a navigator on the K-4 "Chervona Ukraine" passenger plane, he took part in a record flight along the route Kharkov - Moscow - Kazan - Kurgan - Novosi

Birsk – Irkutsk – Moscow – Kharkov, covering 5200 kilometers in 36 hours.

Aviation Lieutenant General Belyakov recalls: “Special tests fell on the lot of navigator Spirin,” noted at a meeting with the People’s Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs K.E. Voroshilov, expedition leader F.A. Ingaunis.

After all, thanks to his calculations, courage and courage, we made it the whole way, without going astray anywhere from the route. And this despite the lack of all the necessary maps, fogs, bad weather, and the daily changing situation.”

4-18.09.30 as a flag navigator participated in a group flight of three P-5 aircraft

along the route: Moscow-Sevastopol-Ankara-Tbilisi-Tehran-Termez-Kabul-Tashkent-Orenburg-Moscow, covering 10,500 km in 61.5 hours of flight time.

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “A real test of the Soviet air fleet, a test of our ability to fly and especially our ability to fly.”

A large eastern flight was necessary to navigate in difficult conditions. This flight was organized on three new, newly built P-5 aircraft. The planes are entirely of Soviet design and Soviet construction. We had to fly from Moscow to Turkey, from Turkey to Persia, from Persia to Afghanistan and

from there, through Tashkent and Orenburg, return to Moscow again.

The flight was delayed. The flight was supposed to take place in August, but August passed and September was already approaching. The weather was getting worse. It started to rain. The airfield softened, turning into a swampy mess. There was a threat that it would be impossible to take off from it...

There was no hope for the weather to improve, the mood was falling. On September 3, at noon, the departure order was received. The departure is scheduled for September 4, at five o'clock. But the rain stubbornly did not stop...

It was in this weather that we began our big eastern flight. Rising in the rain and making a semicircle over the air

at the airport, all three planes lined up at an altitude of 150 meters and set a course for Sevastopol. Strong bumps, sharp gusts of wind, fog, and rain accompanied us to Kharkov. In the thick fog, Kharkov flashed somewhere below. And then the fog became even thicker, even denser, and the flight conditions became more difficult. Nako

The Germans, slowly but clearly and clearly, as in a geography lesson, appeared ahead and slowly swam towards the shore of the Black Sea.

Landing in Sevastopol, replenishment of fuel. Let's look at the weather again. Nothing comforting... Black clouds hung low over the sea, a thick haze covered with a dense veil

everything is all around. A fine autumn rain was drizzling, the same as that which saw us off from Moscow. Sharp gusts of wind reached up to 70 kilometers per hour...

The first section to the middle of the sea was extremely tense, absorbing all attention. A strong storm raged at sea, a powerful thunderstorm extending from the west

and to the east, made further flight along the route impossible. But going back was just as difficult and risky as flying forward. A minute of thought - and a black cloud swallowed up the planes. Twelve minutes of frenzied rocking in this terrible twilight, often pierced by lightning... Behind this thunderstorm came a friend

I am no less powerful. Again lightning, hail and the frenzied desire of the hurricane to overturn, break and throw into the raging sea our small devices making their way to the south.

We avoided the next three thunderstorms, as a result of which the straight line of the route from the middle of the sea was thoroughly broken. But here we go

The Turkish coast appeared in the fog. Despite all the kinks along the way, complex calculations helped us reach the port of Ineboli accurately...

We did not stay long with the Turks. Soon three planes were rushing again, now along the Black Sea, almost in the middle of it, to the east - to Sukhumi, Tbilisi, and Tehran.

This time the sea was calm. Our planes intercepted it along confidently and clearly. We also confidently swept along the Caucasus ridge over the Suram Pass, over the high mountains, over Tbilisi, left behind the beautiful Kura River, high mountains, crossed across the Caspian Sea in its southern part and

They reached the shores of Persia, to the city of Rasht.

From this city your path lay straight to Tehran. That's where we headed. But, as we moved forward, the clouds piled higher and higher. She has already driven us to a height above 3 thousand meters. And ahead are all the mountains, mountains completely covered with thick clouds,

reaching up to six to seven thousand meters. It was impossible to go below the clouds. It seemed impossible to get to Tehran. I then made a rather bold decision: to fly the planes around the mountains and clouds, along the valley of the Seifid-Rud River.

We abruptly break course, descend under the clouds and go over the valley. She becomes

I'm getting narrower and narrower. On both sides it was surrounded by high mountains, hanging with cliffs into the valley. Strong chatter. Thick haze. The valley gradually turns into a gorge. You can't march in formation. We move forward like a goose - one after another. On the sides of the gorge there are formidable rocks. Sometimes the gorge turns sharply. In the haze

You barely notice this turn, you only see steeply hanging rocks, and it seems that the planes are about to hit a dead end. But at the very last moment you notice a turn. We turn around carefully so as not to hit the rock with our wing. The other two planes are following us. But now the gorge becomes somewhat wider, and...

finally we go out to sandy steppe, leaving this inhospitable, dangerous and wild area.

Soon the barely noticeable Tehran Highway appears below. We quickly pass the city of Qazvin. Evening had fallen as we approached Tehran.

Two days later we were rushing east again, crossing the harsh desert paradise

ony Persia, leaving behind small settlements - oases. Among these sandy expanses are Tejen and Merv. We are approaching the very heart of the sand region - the Kara-Kum desert. The flight over Kara-Kumy was difficult. There is sand everywhere, it hangs in the air, gets into your mouth, grinds on your teeth, cuts your face, gets into your eyes.

Sand, sand, sand spreads everywhere, for hundreds of kilometers. Below it forms large, regularly alternating ridges. Therefore, the appearance of the desert resembles a sea with motionless frozen huge waves. You can’t count on landing, even with minor damage. Often colossal craters are visible below. N

and the wind is blowing on the ground, sand tornadoes are spinning and dancing in the gates. This spectacle resembles a bubbling cauldron. There is no sign of life all around, everything is dead. It seems that the engines began to work somehow dully. Someone's engine is about to start sneezing, slamming and stopping completely. Only test readings provide reassurance

devices. The planes are pressed closely together and are moving forward, only forward. I take measurements dozens of times and check the correctness of the path. Occasionally, unexpectedly, as if on a screen, populated areas appear, surrounded by dense greenery and picturesque lakes. But they disappear as soon as the planes approach

This vision of the desert is a mirage. Finally, a large winding river appears ahead... At first I can’t believe whether this is a real river, or a mirage? It seems that if you fly up to it, it will just disappear, disappear, just as many villages and lakes have already disappeared. No, we are approaching a real river. This is Amu Darya. She

wriggles beautifully, beckoning to you. We walk along it to the border town of Termes...

Next we had to cross mountain range Hindu Kush. These highest mountains leave a strong impression. Their sharp peaks stick out under and above the plane, on both sides. Narrow, bottomless gorges. What kind of money is there?

t be landing? Even if you jump with a parachute, this enterprise is unlikely to end happily here. Even if you stay alive, you still won’t get to housing.

We are stubbornly heading towards the only Salang pass in this area. We climb higher and higher. Now the height is already five thousand, six thousand

cell meters Freezing. We are dressed lightly. We are walking very close over the tops of the mountains. The smooth snowy peaks of the mountains resemble sugar loaves. They are located often and close to each other... We pass so low over the tops of the mountains that it seems that our wheels are about to get caught.

The famous Salang pass is getting closer. A

Fghans consider it sacred. Only here, along a narrow wild path winding at an altitude of five to six thousand meters, can you sometimes cross the mountains. Usually they travel through the passes on foot. And we decided to get to the Indian border through Salang by air. We climb even higher, the frost gets stronger. Suitable

let's go to the pass. It ends abruptly, and a picturesque valley covered with vegetation opens up before us deep below. We slow down the gas and quickly, as if sliding down on a sled, plan for this valley. Getting closer and closer to the ground. Exactly at the appointed time we approach the capital of Afghanistan - Kabul.

from the same Hindu Kush we crossed again on the way back, covering, in general, very long distance.

The path over the Gissar, Zeravshan and Turkestan ranges was especially difficult. Visibility was so bad that we saw the mountain ranges only when we approached

m close. The flight over the Gissar ridge, which seemed simple to us after the Hindu Kush, turned out to be quite serious. The matter was complicated by poor visibility and gradually thickening clouds. We are gradually gaining altitude. She reached 4800 meters. And there are even higher mountains ahead. But it prevents you from gaining altitude

greed. Below, among the steep cliffs, small valley dried up river.

I decided to repeat the same maneuver that we had undertaken in the valley of the Senfid Rud River: to go around the valley. But this time, we almost paid for it. As we moved forward, the valley became narrower and

la in the gorge. Above - continuous clouds covering the tops of the mountains. We move one after another between the vertically rising rocks. Finally, the gorge unexpectedly ends. A new mountain range appears ahead, also covered with stratus and cumulus clouds. It is impossible to turn back. Unity

The new way out is to break through the clouds. We gain altitude. A few minutes later we emerged above the clouds.

The planes flying so close behind us were not visible. Several long minutes of waiting. What's wrong with them? Did you make it through? Is everything okay? But then one plane appears from the clouds, and after some time

Another. The whole link is assembled. We continue on our way.

After these uninhabited, wild mountains, the rest of the route seemed much easier, even through the Kyzyl-Kum desert. And already quite easy, even pleasant, despite the very bad weather, after the seas, mountains and deserts, the road to our native places, from Orenburg

and through Ryazan to Moscow.

Our return to the capital was joyful. The Moscow airfield looked festive, receiving safe and sound aircraft returning from a long flight.

A serious exam was passed.”

For participation in this flight, navigator Spirin was awarded the Order of the Red Star

yes. He was awarded Order No. 6.

In December 1930, he graduated from the 1st Military Pilot School named after. Comrade Myasnikov in Kutch.

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “Several air fleet commanders came to Kacha, to the oldest pilot school, the aerobatics school. We were sent here to retrain

Xia. Those who arrived were divided into groups. The one I was in consisted of eight people. The instructor was young in age, but experienced, energetic pilot and wonderful person...

He said:

Although you are commanders, and of quite high ranks, here at school you will be in the position of the course

ntov. You have to start from the basics. You will prepare the plane yourself, wash it, clean it, you will fill the car with gasoline and oil, take it out and drive it into the hangar...

This didn't bother us. I wanted to start studying as soon as possible. We didn't have to wait long. The next day the flights began. We take turns for years

or with an instructor, doing transportation flights, first simple, and then complex, performing various figures...

From the first days my studies went well, and I soon left my comrades behind... We flew in the morning and in the evening. True, we were pretty tired. But who paid attention to this!..

Next

evening flights. I had already made four landings and, having decided that it was difficult to count on more, that they would not give me any more flights, I took on the duties of a “kitchen man”.

I grabbed two huge cans and went for gasoline. Gasoline had to be poured into a can from a barrel. One person to lift and tilt a heavy b

It was difficult for the point, but we somehow managed to do it. As soon as I grabbed the barrel, I saw two comrades running towards me in the distance. They shouted something and waved their arms. I left the barrel and waited. The out of breath comrades ran up and announced:

The instructor didn't tell you to carry gasoline...

They snatched it from me

They removed the cans and filled them with gasoline... On the way, my comrades did not even let me touch the cans...

The instructor was making another flight with a student. Soon he returned...

Spirin,” he called.

I stood up straight.

Sit down and fly yourself...

I was stunned... Trying to hide the waves

Yes, I quickly put on my helmet, goggles, gloves, climbed into the cockpit and got attached, as always...

Well, so - a normal flight in a circle. Do as you always have done, flying with me. Take off, gain altitude. Do not turn around below 150 meters. Normal turn, box and - for landing. Take a look

those are for air - there are a lot of cars flying, if anyone is in the way, don’t be embarrassed, go for a second round.

He spoke calmly and kindly, good look looked at my joyfully embarrassed face. He understood well what was going on with my nerves and tried to calm me down.

And I sat, listened to him and felt how

My legs are shaking. The heels of his boots clicked against the pedal controls. I was flying out alone! First solo flight. Not only in the group, but throughout the entire school... The entire airfield knew that Spirin was flying alone, and thousands of eyes were watching my plane.

I now remember this first flight in all the smallest details.

generalities Taxied to the executive start, raised his hand, asking for takeoff. The starter waved the white flag...

I looked at the instructor standing near the plane. He waved his hand approvingly. With indescribable, unprecedented excitement, I gave the gas. The plane ran across the field faster and faster. There he is in the air

The car was gaining altitude. I carefully looked around so as not to interfere with any plane, and so that it would not interfere with me. Finally, I made my first turn. It went well... Amazing condition. Some new, joyful, broad feeling filled my entire chest. One. On one's own. Review

I went to the booth where the instructor usually sat. Yes, yes, it's empty. And the car is flying. Flies freely. And there is nothing strange here. I manage. The plane listens. If I want, I’ll turn left, if I want, I’ll turn right... The trembling in my legs has disappeared. I want to sing and scream. But control over movements is not weakened. I'm already approaching the second

rum turnaround. In the mood again sudden change: we need to land. But this is the most difficult, most important thing. After all, cars are the ones that break down the most during landing... I strain my nerves and thoughts...

The last turn. I turn off the engine and switch to planning. The car is getting lower and lower. The earth is rushing towards

I'm eating. It is important to land exactly at the given place. Will I be able to do this? What if not? What if there is a mistake? What will the instructor say then?..

Ten meters to the ground. I immediately calm down. Now you can see that the plane will touch the ground with its wheels in the right place. This is good. But there is no time to rejoice. The earth is lightning beige

it's under the plane, which is still in the air. Here she is very close. I lightly pull the handle towards me. The car touches the ground softly. Mileage. Stop!

I'm not leaving Kabyle. Comrades are running towards the plane. Slowly, the instructor walks behind everyone. Friends secretly raise him up thumb. This is a conventional sign: “in

“Everything is good.” The instructor comes up and calmly, as if nothing had happened, says:

Let's take one more flight. Repeat everything you did now.

“So it flew well,” I think. “So everything is fine,” and I fly into the air again.”

During one of the flights on his plane, it collapsed in the air

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “Soon the cycle of flights on a training aircraft will end, we will switch to combat vehicle...

One evening the group finished the program for the day. But there was still time. The instructor instructed me to fly to carry out complex task. I had to get up

climb to a height of 1200 meters, make several deep turns, several deep figure eights and four flips over the wing...

I gained 750 meters, retreated to my zone, stood up against the wind and began to turn... I made one turn... I energetically brought the car into a horizontal position and immediately stalled

turned it in the other direction, sharply pulled the handle towards himself, the car spun, but barely described a full circle when there was a terrible explosion and after it the plane shook violently. I instantly pulled the steering wheels in the opposite direction and, having leveled the car, turned off the engine...

Immediately it felt somehow cold, running down my back.

I got goosebumps. And the car continued to fly. I was afraid not only to move the steering wheel, but even to move myself...

I carefully move the foot control - the car obeys. I try manual control - the car obeys. Strange... Then I decided to turn on the engine. The rotary motor, which was then on training

airplanes, it was quite easy to turn on. I pressed the switch. The engine, having sucked in enough gasoline, immediately jerked and started working, and at the same moment a deafening metallic clang and crack was heard. The car began to shake violently. Now it’s clear - the engine fell apart. We need to choose a seat and sit down urgently... Car

I was quickly losing altitude, and now I had no more than 300 meters at my disposal.

I was above the Mamashai Valley and planned straight towards it. He immediately turned around and walked away. I strain my eyesight, peer ahead, choose a site.

I have no experience of a forced landing. I'm aiming

I go to one platform, I come closer to it and see that you won’t get there. I choose another one. I approach it and see that it is all filled with ditches. And it already seems as if there is nowhere to sit at all. Descending, poorly understanding what would happen, where I would sit, how I would land, I flew to a straight line. There was a feeling that you were no longer in control

a car, and it pulls you along...

And then a desperate determination takes possession of me. Come what may. I sit wherever I have to. One and a half to two dozen meters to the ground. Finally, I begin to level and plant the car. A joyful cry involuntarily escapes from my chest: it turns out that I am landing on a flat green field

It's almost an airfield. The car stopped. Got out. I try the propeller and notice that the second plane of our group is approaching me very low. It was the instructor. They at the airfield saw everything that was happening to me in the air, of course they became alarmed, and as soon as I disappeared from sight behind the hill, the instructor immediately

flew to me...

What's happened?

Yes, here it is, the engine.

There was a mechanic with the instructor. He approached the plane, barely glanced with an experienced eye and understood everything:

The connecting rod burst and destroyed everything inside.

Suddenly the instructor quickly approached me and shook my hand firmly.”

Before graduation from summer school

school, he had to endure a number of more checks.

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “In early December, I completed training on a combat vehicle, and the instructor said that he could release me. This was somewhat unusual. Most cadets mastered only half of the export flight program

ov on a combat vehicle. Only a few flew independently. Some were just starting to fly combat aircraft. But my progress was considered sufficient for independent flights, and therefore the school leaders decided to graduate me. The days of testing and trial have begun. Arriving from a cross-country flight and

As I approached the airfield, I noticed that people were fussing and running on the landing strip. From the height I couldn’t make out what was happening below, and only as I approached the ground I saw that a few meters before the landing sign a rope with multi-colored flags was stretched. This conventionally meant a ditch. If I

If I hit this rope, it means I don’t know how to calculate and the plane “fell into a ditch.” At the end of the run (at the distance that the car needs to run with a proper landing), a rope with flags was also stretched. If I touch it, I “got into a ditch”, which means I’ve accelerated the car too much, I don’t know how to sit down correctly

and “broke the plane.”

This test was unexpected... But to avoid any talk that I was chickening out, I decided to go on the trip. The plane did not hit either rope.

The next day the detachment commander arrived to test me in the air... We took off. I have most of the figures

I did well... The squad leader gave an overall assessment of my piloting technique as “excellent.” Then the squadron commander arrived and tried me in the air again. They gave it again good grade. Finally, they announced that I had graduated from school, documents, characteristics, certifications had already been prepared, and I

I was about to leave for my unit...

On December 18, a nor'easter raged in Kutch. Strong winds are not uncommon here; it sometimes blows for three days, and sometimes for all nine, and blows so much that it knocks a person off his feet. The speed reaches 20 or more meters per second...

Around noon, a messenger entered the room:

The head of the school calls Comrade Spirin to the airfield...

It is possible that the head of the school wanted to see me and give edifying advice for the future. It must be said that the head of the school was strict and stern... For his excessive pickiness, he received the nickname “rasp.”

With great difficulty, overcoming

headwind, I make my way to the airfield. The wind is very strong, but smooth. I walk slowly and finally reach the squadron headquarters. The head of the school stood in the common room... He looked at me carefully and, somehow drawing out his words, said very quietly:

You will fly now. You will receive the task from the team

squadron director. I told him everything. The plane is ready, at the hangar.

Here's your time! I was taken aback... Flying in this weather? And the boss looked at me somehow especially inquisitively. Having come to my senses, I hid the feeling of confusion that gripped me, repeated the order and left the room...

The plane was held back by six people

ek: two at the wings and tail. Strong gusts of wind hit the car, as if trying to overturn it. I approached the cockpit where the squadron commander was sitting. It was impossible to talk. The howl of the wind drowned out the voice. I brought my face almost close to the commander, he, trying to be calm, handed over

tribute. I was instructed to rise, gain the appropriate height and perform a whole series of figures, loops, flips over the wing, a corkscrew...

The plane is already on the takeoff line, facing the wind. I immediately gave full throttle. After running just a few meters, the car took off from the ground and began to gain momentum.

In the air I felt in place. I no longer doubted that the flight would be successful. Quite quickly I did everything that was required. It chattered a lot. After 10 minutes of flight, I was sweating profusely... The figures had to be controlled with two hands - one hand was not strong enough. Worried

but only landing in such devilish weather. I walked very close to the edge of the airfield, hoping that strong wind will hold back the car when gliding. The landing “T” loomed unusually close to the wing. On both sides of the landing strip there were lines of Red Army soldiers.

I leveled the car

and before she had time to touch the ground, the strong hands of the Red Army men grabbed her from both sides. Dozens of people held the plane back, preventing it from capsizing. You can't steer in such a wind. The plane must be rolled into the hangar by hand...

Now you are a real pilot, - leaning over my ear, shouting

l head of the school."

In the early 30s. Spirin taught air navigation at the VVA named after. Zhukovsky, and also participated in the preparation and conduct of several long-distance flights.

In 1933-34 As part of Gromov's crew, he made three unsuccessful attempts to break the world curve flight distance record.

for the first time, outside Ryazan, engine speed began to drop due to a carburetor malfunction. The plane was descending. Gromov decided to urgently drain the fuel and make an emergency landing. He managed to land the plane unharmed on a water meadow. The jets on the engine were changed, and the next day the crew returned to

Two days later, during the second attempt, the right engine block began to fail again outside Ryazan. Flames flew out of it, touching the edge of the plane's wing. The engine power dropped and the plane began to descend. Blinded by fire and sparks, Gromov guided the plane solely by instruments. Turning towards Ryazan,

which was about 120 km away, he ordered the parachutes to be inspected and the hatches to be prepared in case of a jump. However, he still managed to land the car on a small airfield while gliding, releasing the landing gear at the very last moment. There was simply no power left for the second approach. The crew jumped out of the plane

It's on the go. Together they were able to keep it from rolling down the sharp slope towards the river at the end of the airfield. The commission found that the carburetor had failed again.

09.10-12.34 on an ANT-25 aircraft as a navigator (crew commander - Gromov, co-pilot - Filin) ​​made a long-distance non-stop

flight Moscow - Ryazan - Kharkov - Dnepropetrovsk - Kharkov, covering 12,411 km in 75 hours. During the flight, a world aviation record for curved flight distance was set. He was awarded the Order of Lenin.

In 1934-36. - flag navigator of the Red Army Air Force. Participated in the organization and conducted

and air parades over Red Square.

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “1935. We are preparing especially carefully for the air parade. On April 15, we left for the airfield and settled there almost permanently. This year many aircraft are taking part in the parade. Arrive d

Entire squadrons were invited to participate in the celebrations. By April 25, so many aircraft had arrived that there was no point even thinking about placing them at one airfield. They were grouped by type - heavy, light, fighter. I took part in the parade as a flag navigator. For navigational work, there were up to 70-1 at the parade headquarters

00 specialists. Turning radii, elements for assembling parts, connecting the entire column, formation, etc. were developed. It wasn't easy. In fact: it was necessary to assemble a huge number of aircraft into a clear, orderly column and build them so that this 12-15 kilometer column would pass over Krasnaya Square

It is completely monolithic and beautiful. Of course, serious preparation was required.

We sat at night doing calculations and calculations. Formation and assembly in the air were quite complex operations. The planes each took off from their own airfield. We walked along strictly defined routes. On these routes they

they formed into detachments and squadrons. At a strictly defined time, the planes went to the control point of the main route. Each formed formation had to arrive at this control point exactly certain time. A slight delay already spoiled the matter, since at that moment the appointed month

then another formation approached and took the place of the latecomer. The slightest mistake at the junction of two connections would cause confusion, a turmoil could begin, which, in turn, would involve a third connection arriving at the same place.

So from all sides to the checkpoint t

Huge formations appeared. Having passed through the checkpoint, they set course and walked along the main route, where the formation of the entire column took place. In order to pass over Red Square at exactly the appointed time, the flagship took off two and a half to three hours before the appointed time. He's about

He usually walked along the main route and, strictly calculating the time, depending on the wind and weather conditions, moved away from Moscow to such a distance that the entire column could fit on the main route. According to very accurate calculations (they must coincide with the moment the last connection entered the main route) f

The lagman turned and headed back towards Moscow.

Sometimes the meteorological situation was such that we reached the city of Kalinin. On the way back, following a strictly defined course, the flagship encountered formations that, one after another, came to its tail. It wasn't easy either

case. The connection with a strictly defined roll and speed was deployed with a completely precise radius and was adjusted so that the distance was no more than 100 meters. About 30 kilometers from Moscow, the last connection was attached to the column. And finally, 18 kilometers from Red Square

The maneuvering for the installation was over. From that moment on, it was impossible to increase or decrease the speed, it was impossible to turn off, in a word, it was necessary to go as the command found. This was required because playing with speed in such a large column could lead to serious consequences.

The flagship did not have a free minute in the air. Three radio stations continuously reported the location of each compound, the time it took the compound to pass through the checkpoint, and finally the time the compound was attached to the column. Observations of air posts were continuously received

from the ground - such and such a formation was behind by so much or moved to the side, etc. From the flagship plane an order immediately came - to catch up, to catch up. The radio broadcast the weather conditions every minute and at certain intervals the flagship's watch was checked against the Spas watch.

what tower.

During the two to three hour flight, the flagship aircraft received hundreds of radiograms. One of the assistant flag navigators barely had time to read them and give instructions. He showed us only very important radiograms. The second officer was sitting receiving messages from earth stations, monitoring the Don on the radio

information about the state of the weather and systematically compared the time on the clock.

This is how one of the largest and most remarkable air parades was built and held - the 1935 parade.

At this parade, when there were only a few tens of kilometers left to Moscow and the addition of the column was coming to an end

Unexpectedly it was discovered sudden change wind and it became clear that at exactly 12 o'clock we would not get to Red Square.

The head of the air parade was late by an almost insignificant amount - from one and a half to three minutes. But it was impossible to allow this inaccuracy either. If I were flying alone or not even

There are so many planes, it wouldn’t cost anything to increase speed and catch up with this time. But to do this to the column meant breaking it, losing the formation and, perhaps, disrupting the parade. But it’s also impossible to be late, even for such a short time. The command demanded arrival on Red Square exactly at 12 o'clock

What a commotion arose on the flagship! We were indignant and vilified this unexpected change in weather in every possible way. We radioed Red Square. The matter came to the command. But this could no longer be corrected, and it was only possible to reduce the delay slightly.

And at twelve o'clock

at one and a half minutes Moscow time, the flagship appeared over Red Square. Behind him, in a twelve-kilometer column with a hum, roar and roar, hundreds and hundreds of aircraft flew in impeccable formation.”

05/21/37, as part of the crew of the flagship aircraft, Major Spirin participated in the landing

e to the North Pole of the first scientific drifting station. Was a flag navigator. Ensured the precise landing of the expedition in the area of ​​the Pole.

Honored navigator of the USSR Akkuratov recalls: “Waiting for flying weather, between snowstorms and fogs, we went to the airfield and again, once again, dug out the drifted snow.

the planes were in robes, the antennas were being restored.

So we waited for the weather for a month. I remember, while we were getting to Rudolf, Spirin, laughing at the “old people,” asked:

– Where is the famous Arctic? Sun, blue azure, light haze. This is Gagra.

It happened that in the first days of his stay

and Rudolf needed to check the accuracy of the direction of the radio beacon zones. To do this, they decided to fly south on a light N-36 aircraft with a radio receiver, land on the ice and listen to the work of the lighthouse from the ground. Spirin, Fedorov and flight radio operator Ivanov undertook to carry out this operation.

Having taken off in the morning, they had to return

will be in two to three hours. But twelve hours have passed and they are still missing. They began to equip a plane to search. The N-36 did not have a radio, and the crew could not report what had happened. Towards the end of the second day, we suddenly heard the characteristic crackling sound of the engine, and the plane landed right next to the winter quarters.

On the way to the cabin

Pania Spirin, overgrown, with frostbitten cheeks, laughing, repeated:

– I found it, I finally found the Arctic! It turns out there is an Arctic!

It turned out that fifty kilometers south of Rudolf they chose an ice floe and sat down.

Fedorov quickly determined the coordinates with a sextant, and Spirin and Ivanov began listening

emit beacon signals. But when the work was completed and the people boarded the plane, the engine did not start. For a whole day, falling from fatigue, they turned the propeller, but the engine was dead. The frost intensified and it began to storm. There were no sleeping bags or food with us. Embracing each other in the cramped open cabin, they

warmed each other.

Only on the second day did it get warmer, and the engine, heated with tow soaked in gasoline, was able to start.”

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “On one of the clear sunny days, when we were waiting for departure to the Pole, at 19:10 I took off from the site from the winter quarters

and o. Rudolph. The purpose of the flight is to fly 80–100 kilometers to the south and check whether Rudolf’s radio beacon is working correctly... We crossed the mountains of. Rudolf, left on the left about. Hohenlohe. Soon after Fr. Reiner approached the crossing. We flew a little further on the same course. Water everywhere...

I decided to sit among the hummocks

at o. Dixon. I go at low level and choose a site. I give the command to throw the rocket. At 20:15 I sat down safely. The airport is terrible. There are many hummocks, hard to see from above, and hard, old sastrugi. We immediately get to work. Using a theodolite we determine the location. Scattering Poho

bottom radio station. I inspect the take-off site - hummock on hummock. It’s difficult, but we’ll take off. At 20:20 the engine stopped. Prepared radiogram No. 1: “Rudolph. Schmidt. Eastern part The Italian Strait and almost the entire American Strait have large openings and large and small broken ice. To the south

Water is also visible on the horizon. It is impossible to sit down. Came back. At 20.15 I safely descended between the Baka and Kelti straits, east of Dikson Island, five kilometers away. The airfield is very bad - hummocks up to one meter. We make observations. Contact you every 10 minutes, starting from 21 0

0. Spirin.”

But this radiogram was never destined to reach its addressee. At 20.35 it became clear that there was no connection. We Rudolf hears us, he doesn’t.

20 hours 50 minutes. I turn the motor of the radio station, but Rudolph still doesn’t hear us. An hour passes. We do not lose hope of contacting you by radio. We turn the motor

with Fedorov until my hands are calloused. Sima frantically taps the key: “VHF, VHF,” calling Rudolf.

22 hours. We started to start the engine. The filling is good. Rotate the screw several times. The motor does not start. We fight for half an hour. The motor stubbornly does not go.

Here for the first time I felt the seriousness of our situation. ABOUT

However, I try to appear cheerful. We try to start the engine with a shock absorber. I'm in the cockpit, Sima and Zhenya are pulling the shock absorber, sliding and falling. Funny and sad. The motor doesn't work. We fill it, we blow it out - no use. We pour gasoline into the spark plugs - the result is the same. The force applied to the launch is small - only one

Human. Another should hold the propeller, the third should control it in the cockpit. We decide to use Ropac or Iceberg and use three people to tighten the shock absorber. We chose a suitable iceberg nearby. We drag the plane with difficulty. Hard work. We are almost exhausted. They dragged...

It's one o'clock in the morning. The sun is shining. The weather is all hoo

and even worse. We start the engine with the help of our “rationalization”. Another failure. We are exhausted and do not give the shock absorber enough tension. I notice from the altimeter that the atmospheric pressure is dropping catastrophically. The air temperature is rising. Not a good sign. We decided to rest. Listen to Rudolf's radio.

Sima writes:

“Spirin. At 3 o'clock the plane takes off along your route. Will drop sleeping bags, food, etc. If you can sit down, put out signs. Schmidt."

2 hours 30 minutes. We are starting to prepare the site for the R-6 aircraft... To lay out the signs we use fur coats, tarpaulins,

fuselage cover, gloves, instrument covers. The site is 500 meters. The approach from the south is good.

3 hours 10 minutes. The weather is very bad. It is clear that the plane will not arrive. I try to joke, to distract my comrades. But they are already strong, tested, and have been in more such Arctic “cases” than I have. At 3:30 a.m.

t the snowstorm began. We hastily remove the signs from our airfield.

4 hours. It purred properly. The wind is getting stronger. Only nearby icebergs are visible. We are in a hurry to strengthen the plane. We tie one wing with the same shock absorber behind the iceberg and with ropes from the radio station to the tripod from the theodolite dug in the dream

g using a Finnish knife. Now it’s clear - we’re stuck for a long time.

“Well, they started to partridge,” I think, looking at the pathetic leash, at the plane swaying from the wind and at the tired Sima and Zhenya.

Feeling extremely tired. At 6 o’clock I climb into the airplane cabin. Fedorov, protecting himself from the wind, lay down on

wing near the fuselage. Sima is on duty, trying to provide communication. I want to take a nap. Impossible. Blowing desperately. The cabin is covered in snow. Snow gets stuck under your helmet, fur coat, and gets on your neck and even your back. Chilled. The felt boots are wet. I didn't spend even an hour in the cabin. I go out to see Sima. Let's mess around together. Still no problem with communication

audit. I settle down to lie on the wing. It blows right through. I climb into the cabin again. It blows even more. The tooth does not touch the tooth. How to keep warm? I came up with a walk - I go to the nearest iceberg and back. I'm warming up a little. In my head anxious thoughts. After all, we have three chocolate bars and a quarter of

a kilo of crackers for three. Nothing warm. How long will it be stormy? It’s good if it’s a day or two, but what about five to seven?.. What then?..

11 o'clock. I climb into the cabin again. I want to sleep. But the wind rules the cabin. Chills. If only you don’t get sick, then it’s really bad. I wrap myself tighter in my fur coat, tucking it under

my feet and I forget myself for a while.

After a while I call out to my comrades. I suggest you have a snack. We eat reluctantly. The mood is not good. We're trying to be funny. It doesn't turn out very well. I want warmth and sleep, sleep.

We all climb into the cockpit again. The thermometer shows eight, then six and four degrees

A. It's leaking from the plane. It's on him dark surface act light rays. The whole plane is covered in icicles. Everything was frozen. Beautiful and somehow creepy. Shall we not fly away?

What if you try to start the engine again? After all, the temperature is 6 degrees. We got together together. The length of the shock absorber was reduced. From the second

The first engine snorted, from the third it gave two exhausts and started working. It immediately became more fun. But there is fog and snowstorm all around. The engine was stopped. We systematically warm up the engine until 18 o'clock. Our shock absorber works great. And the snowstorm keeps turning. The wind is getting stronger...

Back in the cockpit. We wrap ourselves up and tremble... Anxious again

thoughts. 24 hours. A little clarification. The engine started quickly. All equipment is loaded. I try unsuccessfully to take off three times. Wet, sticky snow slows down the take-off run. As I take off, I maneuver among hummocks and icebergs. You can't take off in a straight line. I'm making one last try. Full throttle. Handle from yourself. Samole

t jumps along small hummocks. I select the handle a little towards myself. Don't tip over, otherwise you'll burn. There is no speed. I'm trying to tear it off. I suddenly grab the handle. A little more speed is missing. Again I slightly move the handle away from myself and again - a jerk towards myself. It’s already the end of the site, and there’s a big iceberg ahead. Still rushing

j. The car jumped over the iceberg and went down like a stone. Catastrophic situation. I took off the gas. I work furiously with the rudders, maneuvering among the icebergs. The car is intact. I breathed easier. To hell with such experiments. With difficulty we pull the car out onto level ground. I pull into the parking lot again. Gasoline is low. I turn off the engine.

Sima and Zhenya demand:

Fly alone! The load is less... you'll come off. Bring us food, a tent and everything we need.

I look at my comrades in surprise. Flying away alone, leaving them without clothes, without a tent, in the middle of snow and blizzard, is madness. And here, on the plane, even though it’s blowing through, but everything

There is some kind of angle. I categorically cut off this conversation.

The storm got worse. At 2 o'clock the wind picked up again. We're shaking in the cabin again. Shall we not fly away? No, you need to unload the plane as much as possible, throw away everything, including the radio station, and fly away.

Strong gusts of wind sharply sway the

airplane. I'm thinking about tying him up again. It is impossible to sit in the cockpit. I'm going to the iceberg. Doubts arise about gasoline. Is the gas gauge reading correctly? How can we measure how much is left? The three of us are going. We measure with a small antenna from the radio station, lowering it into the tank. Calculated. POV

Apparently, about forty minutes of flight is enough. We need to save money.

6 o'clock. We snacked on breadcrumbs and chocolate. After an unsuccessful takeoff, I am even more tired. My legs, arms, back hurt, my whole body aches...

7 o'clock. The snowfall is subsiding: visibility on the horizon is slightly better. 7 hours 30 minutes. I decide to try to get up. ABOUT

Let's discuss. If we don't break away, we need to do something. You can't go - it's a snowstorm. Apparently, you will have to dig a hole in the snow near the iceberg and sit out, continuing to “partridge”. Let's start the engine. Last gas. If we don't break away, it's the end.

The engine was acting up for a long time and finally started running. We unload all batteries and all

The extra load now is 60–70 kilograms. I taxi to the newly selected site. The weather is quickly deteriorating, although it could not be called more or less bearable at all.

Sima rocks the plane, helping it break away from the wet snow, and lands on the move. Full throttle. I tense all my muscles. Jerk, other

hey... I feel like the car is hanging in the air. We slipped through two large icebergs. Let's fly! Now to get to Rudolf, the visibility is disgusting. The clouds are pressing down. The snow is pouring out as if from a bag. There is a snowstorm on the ground. I head straight for Rudolf through the mountainous island. Alexandra. At an altitude of about 150–200 meters

The flight is covered with clouds. I enter them. A minute later nothing is visible. The blind flight instruments on this machine do not inspire confidence. In addition, the plane chatters a lot. It was decided to turn back and go around the island. Alexandra. I descend to 25 meters. I see something. I'm flying low. Ice flashing

bergs, glaciers. Just don't run into any mountain or iceberg in the fog. After 10 minutes it gets even worse. Visibility is very bad. Chatting. I'd rather get to the sea. There are clearings there... The wind is strong and fair. He circled the land of Alexandra from the east... Approached the island of Hohenlohe. Ahead in

a narrow strip of sea appears. It became more fun... On the right, the Rudolf Mountains are visible in the fog. I'm walking low over the sea on the western side of the island. The fuel gauge shows 10 liters - is that enough? And where should you sit if the engine stops? There is small fast ice with high hummocks off the coast. Will this ice hold up? I want some advice

deal with Fedorov. The wind and strong pitching interfere. I go around the rocks, steep cliffs sliding down to the sea. I'm intensely looking for an ice floe to land on in case the engine stops.

On the right are mountains and rocks, densely covered with fog. Finally Cape Stolbovaya and the radio masts appeared! wintering. I come close. Aerodrome

It's covered in thick fog. There is a strong snowstorm near the winter quarters. The surface of the earth is not visible. I shout to Sima to throw the rocket. He hesitated for some reason. There's not a single person downstairs. “They won’t wait,” flashed through my thoughts. I decide to land in a snowstorm. There's nothing to wait for. Gasoline is running low. With the engine running against a strong gust

of that wind I approach the earth. A house flashed by. Ahead on the right I vaguely see the silhouette of a dog walker.

I level the car. She touches the snow softly with her skis and quickly stops. People are running towards the plane, taken by surprise by our appearance... And who could have expected that we would arrive in such a snowstorm.

And we two

We don’t sleep at night, worrying about you... They sent the dogs. The plane is always on duty to fly out to search for us, our friends vying with each other to tell us.

Everyone is happy. And we are especially pleased. I ask for a cigarette. After all, we haven't smoked for so long. A day ago, the last crumbs of tobacco were collected and placed in the tubes.

winterers go indoors.

Well done,” Vodopyanov shouts from his bed.

They help me undress. I report to Schmidt about the flight. Almost the entire population of the island gathered around. They are listening. I wash my face and put myself in order. There is a good breakfast in the wardroom. The crew of the duty aircraft from the airfield sends telephonic messages

greeting background. At the table, Schmidt tells how everyone at the winter quarters was worried about us.

There are a lot of people in the wardroom. It doesn’t go well with breakfast; for some reason I don’t feel like eating. But we drink hot tea with great pleasure. Frozen. Questions and questions endlessly...

May I sleep?"

The flag-navigator of the expedition, Spirin, was the first in the world to lead an airplane to the North Pole.

During the flight, the left middle engine suddenly stopped working. It turned out that antifreeze was leaking from the radiator. Very soon the engine could fail. Mechanics cut through the skin at the bottom of the wing and found a leak in the flange

e radiator. They wrapped the tube with insulating tape, but this did not help - the leak continued. Then, unwinding the tape, they began to apply dry rags to the leak, and then squeeze out the antifreeze into a bucket and pump it back into the engine. To do this they had to take off their gloves and in twenty-four degree

th frost in the rapid air flow, stick your bare hands out. The work did not stop for a second, and the engine continued to work.

The troubles didn't end there. Not long before landing, the on-board radio failed. The radio station of the drifting station also failed. Below the porthole

We couldn't see anything. The moment of passage of the pole had to be determined by calculations.

Vodopyanov broke through the clouds and directed the plane along the site and examined it again. Then he gave the command to drop a smoke bomb to determine the direction of the wind. U-turn. Sunset against the wind. Brilliant landing.

On June 27, 1937, Major Spirin was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. After the establishment of the medal " Gold Star", How special sign honors for Heroes of the Soviet Union, he was awarded medal No. 41.

On July 4, 1937, he was awarded the military rank of brigade commander.

Autumn 1937 – winter 1938 as part of

Vodopyanov's crew participated in the search for Levanevsky's crew.

02.22.38 he was awarded a medal"XX years of the Red Army."

Marina Raskova recalls: “The Research Institute of the Red Army Air Force required additional workers for the summer. I was sent to the institute, at the disposal of Spirin, who

who headed the air navigation department.

The Research Institute of the Red Army Air Force was the center where all the latest instruments and all modern methods of navigation were born. With this huge soul creative work was Ivan Timofeevich Spirin. Spirin is one of the oldest organizers of navigation

affairs air force Red Army. His biography is wonderful...

In the old, dark times, Spirin did not even have the opportunity to properly learn to read and write. Having entered aviation, he begins to study hard. He enters the evening workers' school and, denying himself leisure, in a few years receives the knowledge he needs.

enough to work successfully in aviation.

He is fascinated by the idea of ​​air travel. From the very first steps of his flying life, Spirin chooses the difficult role of a researcher. He sets out to break new paths in the art of flying.

Spirin - in to a greater extent more practical than my first teacher

l Belyakov. Everything that Spirin managed to achieve in theory was tested in practice tens and hundreds of times. Spirin made a prediction that has become a catchphrase in the flying world. He said at one meeting: “The time will come when... you will have to fly in so-called bad weather in order to approach the target.

gu unnoticed and take him by surprise.”

Spirin made his first flight along the route in 1925... Only twelve years passed, and the same Ivan Timofeevich, as a flag navigator, plotted the course for an entire squadron of aircraft that departed from Moscow to the North Pole... What a huge path has been traveled

this man in a short time! But in order to make it possible to fulfill the age-old dream of mankind, Spirin worked hard all these years, worked as a Bolshevik, a son of the people, a true disciple of the Lenin-Stalin party, should work...

Ivan Timofeevich has not only an extraordinary

ability, but also a distinctive property of a Bolshevik - never to rest on one’s laurels.

Under Spirin's guidance, I learned the internal mechanics of all aeronautical instruments. Until now, I only knew the purpose of the instruments, knew how to handle them, and trained for speed of calculations

Now, at the research institute, the inner essence of aeronautical technology was revealed to me. I understood what the influence of temperature on the metals from which our devices are made means, what residual and stagnant phenomena are. Here, at the research institute, I graduated

I clearly understood all the hitherto incomprehensible issues of astronomical orientation. The sextant and other astronomical instruments were studied to the smallest detail.

I owe to Spirin the exceptional attention that I enjoyed at the institute. There has never been a time when I failed to get something here

a prompt and most thorough answer to the questions that worried the young novice navigator. And a lot of questions accumulated. And to this day I know for sure that Ivan Timofeevich will always come to the rescue in difficult times, help with advice, show, and everything will become clear. He will do it so thoroughly and

It’s clear that after that there won’t be any doubts left.

I learned a lot from Spirin. I understood how exceptionally important the design of a navigator’s workplace is for work in flight, I understood what the navigator’s initiative means during a flight, and finally I saw that in my navigator education they

There is a significant gap: I lacked knowledge of radio. And at that time, radio direction finding had already taken a strong place in air navigation.”

In 1938, the Committee on Higher Education under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR for many years of scientific and pedagogical activity awarded to Divisional Commander Spirin academic degree Doctor of Geographical Sciences and Scientist

rank of professor of navigating.

He was elected as a delegate to the XVIII Congress of the CPSU and a deputy of the Moscow Soviet.

Participated in the Soviet-Finnish war. Commanded a special air group. Made several combat missions.

Aviation Lieutenant General Spirin recalls: “Our aviation suffered a serious blow in this war.

oh test. Soviet pilots they had to prove in practice that they were not afraid of the snow, swamps, or fogs of Finland.

The meteorological and climatic conditions here were very special. The peculiarity of airfields, located, as a rule, on frozen lakes, the specifics of flying in bad conditions

meteorological conditions and severe frosts, at first they were puzzling and alarming. But very soon our air forces got used to the new situation, got used to all the difficulties, and learned to overcome them.

During the Finnish campaign I had the opportunity to command a formation operating in the northern

om area of ​​fighting in the Arctic Circle. I remember the day when for the first time all our people gathered on the ice bridgehead. warships. They stood in strict rows, their mighty wings spread wide on the white cover of the frozen lake.

The crews lined up near the vehicles for inspection expressed confidence with their entire appearance.

t and strength. There was something indescribably majestic and menacing in the general expectant calm. Without noticing it myself, I began to speak to the pilots in a new voice, ringing with tension. There were no words to come up with. They flowed from the very heart, and it was clear from people’s faces that my speech was close and understandable

to everyone that the angry feelings that worried me at that moment are overwhelming the hearts of everyone.

Night has fallen. Everything is ready for a combat mission. In the distant darkness lurked the robber lair of the Finnish invaders. In the darkness of the night, detachments of Mannerheim’s warriors with weapons and technical equipment are constantly moving from there.

what kind of loads. They are going to reinforce the responsible sector of the front.

The White Finnish command, confident that Soviet bombers would not risk appearing on such a dark and cloudy night, is in a hurry to take advantage of the favorable time for them.

And suddenly the earth trembled. Blinding for a moment crimson

There is a flash of flame and a deafening explosion is heard. Behind him is a second, a third, another and another... The earth hums and groans.

A firestorm sweeps over the enemy's nest. Military warehouse buildings are collapsing, a train station is flying into the air. Everything is engulfed in a sea of ​​fire.

Finnish soldiers are stunned to the point that they open anti-aircraft guns

fire only when the Soviet night bombers, having fulfilled their duty, are already far on their way back.

How much joy and jubilation there was when the battle group met at our airfield. Of course! The first flight, and even at night, under completely cloudy conditions, over little-studied terrain, and with such successful results

results...

Following this, front-line suffering begins. Planes are constantly taking off in dozens, twenties and larger groups. They fly at night, in the evening twilight, at dawn, in any weather.

I remember well the combat mission at the beginning of March 1940.

Our unit was faced with

This is a very serious task. And I led the whole group myself, along with my navigator and air gunners...

We took off on a clear frosty morning large group airplanes. Until this time, our bombers had not yet raided this locality.

The previously insignificant town has now become

an important troop concentration base. According to intelligence data, the headquarters of a large military unit was located here, and reserves began to accumulate. And in general, in this area the White Finns dug in, felt safe and became extremely insolent. Our command decided to end this. The planes were flying close

formation, at an altitude of 1700 meters.

This altitude was taken as the most suitable for this flight, mainly for the purpose of more accurate bombing.

Usually our planes flew at an altitude of three to four thousand meters, and the White Finns had already adjusted their anti-aircraft batteries to such a height.

During the flight, it was decided to take place, firstly, absolutely suddenly, and, contrary to usual, during the day, and, secondly, at an unusual height for the enemy. While the anti-aircraft guns are reforming, we will rush through and drop bombs exactly on the target. That was the calculation.

And so the ships, having described a gentle turning arc behind the leader, approach the

l. She was already clearly visible. Suddenly, the first shots of enemy anti-aircraft guns appeared. It turned out that the White Finnish anti-aircraft guns, over which we expected to pass at an altitude of 1700 meters, were installed, for the most part, on the tops of the hills, and therefore the actual altitude of our flight was 3

much less. As we approached the target, the anti-aircraft fire intensified to the limit.

I became alarmed. No joke! Without expecting it, we gave the White Finns a trump card in their hands... I quickly made a decision: to bomb at forced speed, without changing the altitude taken. My navigator, a man of great experience and knowledge,

Danishly accurate and efficient, he immediately delved into checking the calculations and fixed his eyes on his instruments.

Meanwhile, there was very little left to the goal. The enemy's anti-aircraft guns had already discovered us and greeted us with still chaotic, but very strong fire. In the clear frosty air, like lumps of cotton wool, then

and white clouds of smoke appeared from the explosions of anti-aircraft shells. Every minute there were more and more of them. The eyes did not have time to notice the countless flashes of fire.

The tension was enormous. Despite the severe frost, my mouth was dry, and sweat poured out like hail. I remember it got out from under the helmet

a strand of hair on the forehead. Instantly becoming wet, it soon froze and turned into a prickly icy tuft, along which, like a gutter, droplets of sweat began to flow down onto the leather jacket.

But that's the goal. Now she will be under us. It's time to bomb.

I glance impatiently at the navigator and, to my horror, discover

I assure you that he is still deep in his calculations... I shouted at him. He raised his calm eyes to me and slowly answered:

I apologize, comrade commander, but for some reason I don’t like the approach. Allow me to visit the target again.

While I was adjusting the unfastened microphone to swear

and suggest dropping the bombs as soon as possible, the target was already left behind. There is nothing to do - we go for the second approach. We make a half circle over the target area. It takes fourteen minutes. Fourteen minutes under continuous, furious fire. I look back. Not otherwise, I think there are already downed cars. But amazing luck

a: the leader reports on the radio that all the planes are intact. They walk in formation, along the lines, slightly stretched out.

But then a turn - and approach to the target. This time the course is laid out absolutely precisely. The command to bomb was given.

We rush over the Finns, stunned by our audacity, and throw them off with complete e

effect on the targeted objects with its bomb load.

We return in a great mood. Although we carry a lot of holes in our vehicles, we all go together, without losses... The Belofinsky lair is broken, there are many fires.”

In the spring of 1940, Corps Commander Spirin was appointed head of the 2nd High school shtur