American Weapons in Russian Army

American planes in Russian army 1

During World War 2 America helped Soviet Russia a lot with different weapons. Trucks, jeeps, military and cargo planes - all sorts of technical equipment was sent to Russia.

In this post we’ll have some unique photos from WW2 by Russian soldier who participated in such missions to America for this help. He was a pilot and their squad was taking American planes to Russia during the war. According to his son’s stories this visits to USA left a big impression upon minds of Russian soldiers, but they were desperate to help their country to win the war and none of the decided to seek a refuge in States.

They usually were taking B-25 heavy bomber planes and P-53 “King Cobras” lighter fighters. It’s interesting that the Red Stars, the emblems of Soviet Russian Army were printed on the planes right in the US and they were flying those Red Star marked planes above USA freely on their way to Russia. Those were the only times I guess when Russian military planes were above the States. Though those Red Star logos were afterwards wiped out in Russia because they were paintedon a white circle, according USAAF standards and were not exactly what Stalin and other Russian chief commanders wanted to see on Russian planes.

It were not only the military planes of American origin that can be seen on those photos. For example on the photo #14 there is an American “Flying Boat Catalina” parked somewhere in Siberia at Russian river Lena - it was also a part of technical help from USA. Also there were a lot of Willis jeeps during WW2 in Russia, they were the real hit among Russian soldiers for their durability and exterior look. When the war has ended many Russian army commanders wanted to leave them for themselves but they couldn’t because according to the terms on which this help was shipped to Russian army they had to return or destroy all the remains of the technical equipment that was left. People tell stories how thousands of those Willis jeeps were brought to Murmansk and other Russian ports and there they were smashed by large press machines into a useless steel pads under the strict supervision of American observers. Oh what a pity.





American planes in Russian army 2

American planes in Russian army 3

American planes in Russian army 4

American planes in Russian army 5

American planes in Russian army 6

American planes in Russian army 7

American planes in Russian army 8

American planes in Russian army 9

American planes in Russian army 10

American planes in Russian army 11

American planes in Russian army 12

American planes in Russian army 13

American planes in Russian army 14

American planes in Russian army 15

American planes in Russian army 16

American planes in Russian army 17

American planes in Russian army 18

American planes in Russian army 19

American planes in Russian army 20

American planes in Russian army 21

American planes in Russian army 22

American planes in Russian army 23

American planes in Russian army 24

American planes in Russian army 25

American planes in Russian army 26

American planes in Russian army 27

via dkw-rus

Tags: , , , , , ,

Tip: To get daily entertaiment news like this one, bookmark englishrussia.com or get if it's more convinient for you.


Our friends write:




Bloggers, send your links!

See more of English Russia:
      Ellipse Wings
      Towing a Plane
      Planes Crashing Into Trucks
      Destruction!
      Russian Flying Fortresses
      Ameros Lunaros
      Burn Out on Moscow Streets
      Soviet Foreigh Police Cars
      Museum of Long-Range Aviation
      Soviet Tank-Planes
      Old Crash Site
      Planes and Houses
      Monuments of Russian Aviation






    Back to English Russia Main Page for more articles like this


    4:44 pm


    63 Responses to “American Weapons in Russian Army”

    1. Demi Moore says:

      Fascinating. Can’t wait to show Bruce.

    2. What a great series of photos and memorabilia. Yes, flights of P-63s with Soviet markings were often seen enroute from the Bell Aircraft factory in New York to Ladd Field, Alaska. No one gave it a thought because Russia and the U.S. were allies. The great Soviet ace, Aleksandr Pokryshkin achieved many victories against the Luftwaffe in Bell P-39s and P-63s.

    3. mattheus says:

      They say that evem much more important were american raw materials like cloth, ruber and things like boots and trucks which gave Red Army much needed mobility. Very important part of it came with naval convoys to Archangelsk, Soviet history books of course deny it. Only one convoy were really almost lost and they always take this convoy as example. There are claims that Red Army used in Poland even armored personel carriers with american markings - white pentagram’s and US - polish interpretation was something like “ubju suki” - people with slavic language skills can understand.

      • Alex says:

        America provided a lot to Russia and England during the war, but the reality is that it was NOT for free! Unlike the impression given in the introduction at the beginning of the page.

        USA made incredible amounts of money staying out of the war till late stages (profiteering) and manufacturing artillery and supplying raw materials to Britain and Russia.

    4. My great city of Tehran was meeting place for three Allied leaders in 1943, when Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill met to have some quality time together. They relaxex with hot tea and sweet pastries, and then divided up Eastern Europe.

      My grandfather was in charge of the men who gave relaxing massages. He told me when I was a little boy sitting on his knee that Stalin was the only real strongman. Roosevelt was a closet communist and invalid, and caved in to Stalin’s demand for territory after Stalin threatened to roll Roosevelt’s wheelchair down the mountainside. Churchill tried to save Eastern Europe from Stalin but Stalin told him, “You are just a big fatty and if you are not careful I will send my horde of soldiers to rape and pillage England, too.”

      That is the real story of how the Cold War began.

      • Actually Stalin told to Churchill “You are a baldy fag!”.

        And only _after_ that he mentioned possibility of turning Britain into another Eastern Prussia and sticking Winston’s cigar into the place where Sun never shines for make benefit of all progressive mankind.

        Stalin was verry, verry cultivated man…

        • Meanwhile, the French were still trying to decide which side of the war they were on.

          • D says:

            Dude, you have to be the biggest loser on this planet. First, you make some stupid little story because you think you are funny in some way, but your humor is made for children. Then you answer your own post under a different name to make it look like someone actually cares what you have to say. You are one loney, pathetic, sad, clueless, dumb person, and your posts are so stupid they make me wanna puke.

            O haha… a joke about his wheelchair… hilarious… who writes your material? O wait I get it… fatty because churchill was overweight… genius!

            What is the point of your posts? Any retard with half a brain can write these but they serve no purpose, you only amuse yourself….. and annoy me.

          • oldzed says:

            Thats what the French always do

    5. corpser says:

      lol?

      I wonder when we see russian weapon goods in the USA - 2025?

      ;)

    6. Domo says:

      Unfortunately, history has always been a very fragile subject…

    7. Well suit yourself. [You know what to do Murdock.]

    8. And all this time the French were still trying to decide which side of the war they were on.

    9. Roma Dakota says:

      This found aircraft should be of interest.
      http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/sheppard/p39/index.htm

      My Grandmother remembers the aircraft being parked and ready for delivery (she remembers them being lined up and all had red stars of course). The Russian pilots would pilot the planes from there upward to Alaska from Great Bend Montana.

    10. Roma, thank you for the link, wonderful find. Condolences of course to the decendant family of the pilot. A true Hero.

    11. Sean says:

      Good Link, shows a small amount of the Military Goods given to the Soviets during 1942-45.

    12. Andrew says:

      Some of American’s don’t know the truth about WW 2.I am Russian!Are trying to say America won WW 2??Oh, fuck!Are you jocking?World War 2 was between Russia(forget about USSR) and nazi from Germany!!Or maybe G.Bush wrote new world history?

      • Gerry says:

        [No, Andrewska, my Russki friend, Americans are/were focused on the Western European part of the war. That's where Americans conducted their European part of WWII and where they were the deciding force towards the end. The Brits (especially), the Canadians, ANZACS and some others, especially in the North African campaign and in Greece, were really necessary.
        Some Westerners do not realize, probably, just how overwhelming Russki forces were in beating the Germans into the Eastern mud. But, I'm afraid most Russkis don't know anything about the War in the Pacific against the Japanese (Soviets took no part at all). That was the 'other half' of WWII.
        Let's just say that the USA and the the Western allies won 60% of WWII. snd Rossiya and China won the rest. If you don't understand that, get back to me after you can overcome your Great Russki Marco/Fascist Nationalism in order to study the history of this war period from other than Stalin's perspective. I'm serious. Get back to me when you've done your lessons. G]

        • Rowlat says:

          2Gerry
          Interesting version of history.
          Though it not correct in its main points.
          1. “War in the Pacific against the Japanese (Soviets took no part at all)”. Incorrect.
          After the war in Europe was over, it was the USSR who eliminated about 1 MILLION Kwantoon army in Manchuria. It was quite hard comparable to Iwojima, wasn’t it?

          2. “the USA and the the Western allies won 60% of WWII.”. VERY Controversial.
          The most adequate percentage depends on what was estimated: meconomical and/or moral damage inflicted to enemy, area freed from enemy, number of personnel/armament involved, own losses etc.
          So it is a tricky question, and statistics should be used to judge on it.
          One of statistics is that 2/3 of German troops were fighting against Soviets, and the rest 1/3 were in Western front.
          So I would say it was 50/50 victory unless exact numbers and certain criteria are used.

          3. To the whole topic - USA armaments was not HELP for free to USSR. USSR had to paid for it, and payments were going on until 70-s.

          4. Finally: history is written by winners.

        • Canuck says:

          Polarized view’s limit your knowledge . Countries that supplied Russia after it’s peace ,with the German’s and Japanese mwere not apreciated then or NOW by Russian’s .
          As a Canadian I have alway’s been amazed at how the contribution of smaller countries are totaly ignored . Alot of Canadian Goods and food helped the Sovirt’s get to Berlin. The same goes for alot of other countries.
          As to Brittish help to YOUR great Soviet machine they gave , even when they were they themselves fighying for thier own being.

        • Ian Graham says:

          You all have valid comments on the participation of the allies during WWII but you have to remember it was an allied victory. Russia paid more for victory in lives than any other nation while relying on food, weapons and raw materials supplied by other allied nations. Countries such as the United States, Canada and Great Britain (and her Empire) funded most of the supplies, weapons and food. Russia traded real estate and human lives for time while they and the other allies ramped up their production capacity and military recruitment. While Russia suffered horrendous losses (due to Stalin’s incompetence) in the European theater the other allies bottled up Germany’s best field commander in Africa (and later France)while losing enormous amounts of shipping due to Hitler’s U-boats trying to supply Great Britain and Russia with the materials needed to fight. The United States then went on to fight a two front war in The Atlantic and the Pacific keeping the Japanese from advancing any farther into the Asian continent. The British/Aussies/Kiwi’s allies also suffered severe losses during the early part of the Pacific war in Indonesia and the Indian Ocean in an attempt to keep Japan from taking the raw materials for military conquest…let’s not forget the Philippines who suffered brutally under the Rising Sun as well. The Pacific war freed up the Soviet Union to fight Germany and her allies in the European war while leaving minimal (compared to their immense military as a whole) forces to protect their eastern border. Starting in 1943, after the miraculous and brave victory of Stalingrad, the United States started their daylight aerial campaign to eliminate the production capacity of the Axis powers (as well as sinking numerous capital ships of the Japanese Empire (Midway in June 42′) thereby limiting her ability to continue her military conquests). Not to diminish the night bombing by Great Britain and her empire forces Canada, Australia, New Zealand and numerous others such as the displaced Eastern European troops but it wasn’t until 1943 with the combination of both day and night bombing that Germany (and the victories in Africa/Sicily/Italy (and the bravery of the island of Malta and it’s brave defenders) started to feel the effect of the allied might from the air. This kept many needed supplies from reaching the Russian front and bottled up many of Germany’s best troops in France and Italy. Final victory came in view when the allies landed in Normandy while the Russian forces were making tremendous strides in Eastern Europe with both domestic and allied supplied equipment in 1944. Not discounting the massive naval build up used to finally island hop Japan back to her home islands and eventual defeat (The United States Navy had become larger than everyone else combined by this time). If you want to quibble over percentages of victory or glory for WWII try looking at it from this perspective: Russia gave more in lives (some estimates as high as 30 million) than anyone else while a great deal of the labor was provided by America/Canada/Great Britain for material. None of the Allies could have achieved victory without the others suffering and participation. Russia suffered heavily, just at Europe and the Jewish people in particular did and it was the innovations and technical ability of the other allied nations that came together to rid the world of Nazi’s and Fascism. All paid dearly, all were brave, and all worked together for victory for without each other we may all be speaking German or Japanese and ruled by dictators rather than enjoying the freedom of democracy and Constitutional Republics.

      • blank says:

        I agree! America wasn’t even involved!

    13. Henry Ford says:

      How can anyone do that?? Support the commies. They should have bombed the shit out of them!

    14. we Americans know how many Russian men and women died during the war and realize that without Russia all of Europe would be speaking German today.

    15. sadly we not only gave them airplanes we built their heavy transport factories, amongst other things. personally america or amelikans are dummies times 2. same damn techniques got us into both wars and they were really none of our business and or wouldnt have affected us who ever won. albeit germany is preffered over stalin and churchhill themurderous lush.also roosenvelt the tool of the bankers as most american presidents are.pishwaaa.

    16. Another interesting EnglishRussia, but it sure seems to bring out the asshats.

    17. OMGLOL says:

      I heard somewhere that the abbreviation USA was understood by russian soldiers as “ubivat sukin adolfa” :)

    18. RgrF says:

      They’d of done it better and faster if not for the friggen union bosses.

    19. sergei says:

      Everyone helped. America had the nuclear bomb. If Germany never attacked Russia, America would have used the BOMB over Berlin like they did at Nagasaki. Threat of the bomb stopped the Chinese during the Korean war.

      • Patrick says:

        My Aunt flew P53’s I believe to either upper Canada or Alaska, where Russian pilots picked up the planes. I remember stories of lipstick, nylons, and chocolate being crambed into the planes (not sure if that’s true or not). After the war she never piloted again, and if I am not mistaken, she didn’t even have a drivers license to drive an automobile, yet she was a pilot.

    20. Ian Graham says:

      Loved the B-24 Liberator pic (#21 I believe) and the B-25 MEDIUM bombers as well as the P-39’s and P63’s. One other interesting picture was that of the Douglas A-20 manual. This latter aircraft, I understand, the Russian Air Force really loved and praised! I actually met the sons of a P-39/P-63 pilot and they told me their father wished it was Russian (because he was so proud of it and it’s 37mm nose gun). They said it’s rugged construction saved him many times and allowed him to return to base after being shot up during his ground attack missions. Thank You for these wonderful pictures and memories!!

    21. Xpltivdletd says:

      One place the PB-Y “Catalina” flying boat…

      http://englishrussia.com/images/american_weapons/14.jpg

      (and pic #15; 16) was built during WW2 was in the Consolidated-Vultee plant at New Orleans, Louisiana. An ancestor of mine worked there. In pictures like these it’s hard to believe this was a plane designed in the 30s.

      I never knew any of these went to Russia. That’s fascinating. Best regards.

      • WymanV says:

        Not just a PBY. It’s a PBN Nomad, the best version of the Catalina. It had a clipper bow, redesigned hull and wingtip floats to make takeoff faster as well as the tall tail of the PBY-6a. Photos are rare as almost every single one made went to the Soviet. It’s cool to see more-thanks for sharing!

    22. [...] weapons in Russian Army. Another site worth a look. English Russia » American Weapons in Russian Army [...]

      • jacques says:

        Russia could won the war without usa - but amercia did end the war more quickly and help britian and france and russia . usa did give russia alot of equipment but the russia was using there men . usa only enter the war becuase pearl harbour . usa mostly went at war with japan ( the did help with d day . what country raise the flag over berlin - RUSSIA DID - but the one in the picture standing on a statue isnt the real one 1 hour ago before he did . a another group did raise the russia flag ( put in THE END OF BERLIN in youtube and it will tell you got 5 video of it the lsat one show you ) that all i got to say for now and if you think i am russian i am not

    23. WTF says:

      WTF?? are we fighting a war over who won the war? come on losers!! it took all 3 of us to beat the germans! The USSR was getting geared up to shift their focus on the japanese after a 90 day “catch a breather”. yes, russia lost MILLIONS of their citizens to the war and DID pay the highest price. ( I am hard-core american, but i also believe in giving credit where credit is due). Without us, the russians would be speaking german. Without us, europe would be NAZI(including russia) Without us, the UK would be NAZI, and america would stand alone.

      Without russia, the only protection america would have is the oceans. without russia, the full might of the NAZI and JAPS would be turned on america, i dare say we would still be fighting that war, here in the usa, if it where not for the russians.

      there is a saying….

      England provided the war….
      russia provided the blood…
      USA provided the weapons…

      i will close by reminding ALL OF THE REST OF THE FUCKING WORLD that WW 1 and WW 2 where started in europe…we wanted nothing to do with it, but u all left us no choice. if you dont like the powerhouse of industry and destruction the USA is, you have no one to blame but yourself. YOU STARTED THE WARS!!!!

    24. paulipi says:

      We have one p-39 with soviet markings in our local air museum in Finland.

    25. Cigarettes says:

      I didn’t know that USA and Sovietics coalaborated.

    26. jacques says:

      i think russia could win the war by them self’s

    27. [...] weapons in russian army English Russia » American Weapons in Russian Army __________________ ray [...]

    28. [...] American aircraft in Soviet service: link Some really great photos that I’ve never seen before English Russia American Weapons in Russian Army [...]

    29. UnderM says:

      Hi for everybody. You talking here who payd more in WWII. As people taking, who starting, paying most. So Soviet Union. Soviet union was in deal with Nazi Germany - Germany got from Soviet Union oil, grain etc. In soviet union was built tanks, planes for Germany. They were best friends. But it was’nt enough for Stalin & Co. They want to rule more. First they deal with Germany Europe (Molotov-Rippentrop pakt with secret adds). Soviet Union and Germany deal Poland. Soviet Union take Bessarabia, attacked Finland, but didn’t got what he want. Then Soviet Union made plans, how to attack Finland again. At 1941 Soviet Union prepering to attack Nazi Germany. And after that rest of Europe. All europeans must thank Adolf, and realize that without Germany all of Europe would be speaking Russian today.

    Leave a Reply