Russia Returns Lend-Lease WWII Bomber Debris to US

RIA Novosti ^ | April 3, 2014 | Andrei Marmyshev

[Navy Patriot]

KRASNOYARSK, April 3 (RIA Novosti) Andrei Marmyshev - Fragments of a US bomber that crashed near the Russian city Krasnoyarsk in southern Siberia during World War II have been delivered to San Francisco, where they will form part of a memorial commemorating pilots who lost their lives in the war, a historian in Krasnoyarsk told RIA Novosti.

"San Francisco is planning to set up a memorial to pilots who died during the Second World War. The fragments of the Boston bomber will also be used," said Lt. Col. Vyacheslav Filippov, an aviation officer and historian.

"For example, they are going to use the plaque from the plane's cockpit that carries its serial number and production date," Filippov said.

The A-20B Boston bomber was sent to the Soviet Union by the US for their common fight against Nazi Germany under an allied wartime military equipment program, called Lend-Lease. The plane arrived via a secret route across the northwestern Pacific known as the Alaska-Siberia air road.

[Navy Patriot]

WWII tidbit.

[AppyPappy]

My dad flunked out of A-20 school. He went back to building airfields

[PAR35]

San Francisco is building a memorial for Russian pilots?

[Navy Patriot]

A-20’s are not particularly easy to fly, but this particular Russian supply route was one of the most difficult and dangerous in the world.

[Navy Patriot]

San Francisco is building a memorial for Russian pilots?

No, for WWII Allied aircraft and all those that crewed them.

[NonValueAdded]

So it’s only fair that we return the remains of our Boston Bombers to the Russians in return.

[RitchieAprile]

no GPS in those days, and what good was a compass that far North. Siberia seems the most desolate land on the planet save Antarctica.

[Navy Patriot]

So it’s only fair that we return the remains of our Boston Bombers to the Russians in return.

Well, it would be fair to return 'em to Chechnya.

[Navy Patriot]

Siberia seems the most desolate land on the planet save Antarctica.

For a very short period each year, Siberia is acceptable.

If we ever do have any of that Globull Warming crap, Siberia will become a serious resource.

[jttpwalsh]

IMHO Siberia will become a resource for China - they have the people, and Russia doesn’t. Eventually, China will grab Siberia. China and Russia are natural enemies - Nixon was a foreign policy marvel, to have played them off of each other, as he did, in the 70’s. Maybe in our lifetimes, we will have a leader who figures this out, and turns them back against each other, while we watch, on the sidelines. Thank you.

[Navy Patriot]

Russia is expecting competition from China, she has already claimed the sea floor under the North Pole, reopened, populated and serviced with Naval Bases - Ports, the Northern Passage, and is offering escorted trade routes directly from Chinese Pacific ports to Western European ports.

Additionally, she has secured Arctic oil in agreement with Norway on ownership.

Likely there will be more negotiation than unilateral action, but you're right, Chinese citizens will be substantially involved in opening Siberia.

[Navy Patriot]

Actually, I'm not well informed on who paid us back what, but I think Russia got a deal.

Somebody, maybe Norway, paid us every dime.

[Navy Patriot]

... but the claim is Finland...

Yeah, Finland sounds right, but that's all I got to go on.

[Navy Patriot]

A nice looking aircraft, funny for a submarine sailor to have a thing for aircraft.

P-51 Mustangs are my favorite.

[jttpwalsh]

I tend to agree - demographics being the key - China has them in her favor, Russia, negative. I was in the former U.S.S.R. years ago, the Russians absolutely despised The Chinese. Two totally different ethnic groups, with no history of tolerance. Something’s gotta give. Thank s for your reply.

[Navy Patriot]

...the Russians absolutely despised The Chinese. Two totally different ethnic groups, with no history of tolerance.

Yes, but both have matured a great deal, and are continuing to do so at an even more rapid rate now.

The Chinese have solved how to build manufacturing towns in Africa and make them safe for the workers, and not piss anybody off doing it. Quite a feat.