ALSIB (or the Northern Trace) was the Soviet Union portion of the Alaska-Siberian air road receiving Lend-Lease aircraft from the Northwest Staging Route. Aircraft manufactured in the United States were flown over this route for World War II combat service on the Eastern Front.Lebedev pp.44-49
Routing
United States ferry pilots delivered aircraft to Ladd Army Airfield in Fairbanks, Alaska. There each aircraft was serviced by USAAF personnel in preparation for Soviet inspection. After Soviet inspectors accepted the aircraft, five regiments of ferry pilots conveyed aircraft from Fairbanks to Soviet pilot training facilities near Krasnoyarsk. Each regiment was assigned to a specific segment of the route to become familiar with navigation and weather within that segment. Single-seat Bell P-39 Airacobra and Bell P-63 Kingcobra fighters flew in groups with a pair of multi-engine North American B-25 Mitchell or Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers. The lead bomber navigated for the flight and the trailing bomber watched for stragglers. Bombers and Douglas C-47 Skytrains might fly independently, and C-47s transported ferry pilots east for new aircraft.
1st regiment Soviet First regiment pilots accepted the planes at Fairbanks and flew over the Bering Strait via St. Lawrence Island. Ladd Army Airfield Galena Airport Marks Army Airfield Gambell Army Airfield Uelkal
2nd regiment Second regiment pilots flew from Uelkal to Seymchan. Uelkal Anadyr Markovo Seymchan Airport
3rd regiment Third regiment pilots flew from Seymchan to Yakutsk. Seymchan Zyryanka West Airport Susuman Airport Oymyakon Khandyga Ust-Maya Yakutsk Airport
4th regiment Fourth regiment pilots flew from Yakutsk to Kirensk. Yakutsk Aldan Olyokminsk Bodaybo Airport Vitim Airport Kirensk Airport
5th regiment Fifth regiment pilots flew from Kirensk to Krasnoyarsk. Kirensk Ust-Kut Airport Krasnoyarsk Northeast
See also North Atlantic air ferry route in World War II South Pacific air ferry route in World War II West Coast Wing (Air Transport Command route to Alaska) Crimson Route (Planned route from N America to Europe, later abandoned)
Notes
Sources
External links "ALSIB – The Route of Courage: Voice of Russia." Ruvr.ru. Retrieved 19 July 2012 Map of the route from gcmap.com