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Project Zebra
Our program today is about Project Zebra — one of many lend-lease projects established in late 1943 after the Allied leaders met in Teheran to plan their cooperation in the war against the Nazi troops. One of those involved in it was Prince Grigory Gagarin, a descendant of a noble Russian family that emigrated to the United States in the 1930s. During the Second World War Lieutenant Gagarin served with the U.S. Navy. Here’s what Prince Gagarin told our correspondent during a telephone conversation:
“In March 1944, the Soviet Union sent flight crews and supporting staff to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, for training and ferrying of 25 new-type PBN-1 sea planes to the Soviet Union. A total of over 80 men, under the command of Colonel V.N.Vassilyev arrived to the coast guard air base. The American Navy established a special group, named Project Zebra, under Lieutenant-Commander Stanley Chernack reporting to Admiral P.L.N.Bellinger, commander of all Navy flight operations of the Atlantic fleet. Since none of the Soviet crews were familiar with this type of plane, three months were spent in flight training, learning the use of the new radar, armament, bomb-sights, radio navigation, translation of maintenance manuals and so on. I made many flights sitting on the floor of the cockpit between the American and Soviet pilots with a microphone in hand, translating instructions between English and Russian.
“The first flight of four planes on their way to the Soviet Union took off at the end of May 1944 for Gander, Newfoundland – the first refueling stop – a 12-hour flight. The routes agreed upon by the Allies for these flights, namely, Gander – Reykjavik – Murmansk, used British facilities at the two intermediate stops. Therefore, since the Soviet crews were not familiar with the procedures and the English language, they were supplemented by three officers from the Royal Air Force Transport Command – the pilot, navigator, and flight engineer, all of whom had flown this Trans-Atlantic route many times – a real international crew.
“Colonel Vassilyev commanded the last group of five planes, taking off from Elizabeth City in late July 1944. Three planes left Reykjavik on schedule, but Colonel Vassilyev and Captain Boychenko stayed an extra few days due to engine problems with one of the planes. On their way to Murmansk, off the coast of Norway, they encountered severe storms and could not see each other. Due to the German occupation of Norway they kept radio silence to avoid detection. Only Captain Boychenko arrived in Murmansk – Colonel Vassilyev and his crew were lost and never recovered.
“These planes worked well against the Germans and an additional 50 aircraft were authorized. Delivery from the factory continued, but we had to wait for the return of the crews from the Soviet Union to fly them over.
With the next returning group, in the summer of 1944, Colonel Maxim Chibisov arrived as the new commander of the ‘special aviation group’. It took him a few days to learn the procedures established under Colonel Vassilyev, and by that time the Northern Trans-Atlantic route was closing due to winter approaching and the danger of severe icing conditions in flight. So, a route was planned through the Caribbean to Brazil, across the south Atlantic Ocean, to the west coast of Africa – Morocco – Tunisia – and on to the Caspian or the Black Seas and Russia. It took an average of 40 days to deliver planes via this route. In addition the crews had to be flown back to the United States for the next trip. In general each crew made at least three trips via this route, the last being in the spring of 1945. One plane crashed on take-off from Elizabeth City, but 49 arrived safely.
“After the ‘summit meeting’ in Yalta in January of 1945, an additional 50 aircraft were authorized. This time they were designated PBY-6A, amphibian — capable of operating from land or water. The first delivery of these was to assist the Soviet Pacific Fleet against the Japanese and thus help the United States in its war against Japan. Twenty-five of these new planes were flown by U.S. crews from Elizabeth City to Kodiak, Alaska, where the Soviet crews joined them on returning from the Soviet Union. The last plane left Kodiak at the end of May 1945, and all arrived safely in Vladivostok with refueling stops in Anadyr and Magadan.
“Since it took some time for the crews to return to the United States, the last 25 planes were flown again via the southern route, with the last group arriving in the USSR about October 20, 1945 – well after the end of the war. The last group was commanded by Colonel Chibisov and included all the staff who were permanently based in Elizabeth City.
“Colonel Chibisov, who later was promoted to Major General, Aviation Forces, was an excellent commander, very cooperative with us, Americans. His men appreciated the discipline he invoked, and we all enjoyed each other’s company. The Soviets and the Americans, including me, were housed in the same buildings – two to a room. We ate in the same dining hall. When needed, the Soviet crews were treated by the Navy medical staff the same way Americans were.
“Before the end of the program, Admiral Bellinger invited Colonel Chibisov and two of his staff to lunch at his quarters in Norfolk, Virginia. He thanked Colonel Chibisov for the efficiency in the operation of this project.
“The Soviet crews were allowed to go into the town of Elizabeth City when not occupied on the base. There the citizens of the town welcomed them, and some were invited to their homes. We all became good friends and were sorry to part in October 1945,” said Prince Grigory Gagarin, a United States Navy veteran, with his recollections about the Allied Project Zebra during the Second World War.