A-20 “Boston” Bombers and Other US Aircraft Prepared for Lend-Lease Delivery to USSR, Iran 1942

August 31, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

American A-20 Boston bombers and other Lend-Lease aircraft prepared for Soviet acceptance at Abadan Field, Iran, 1942.

American A-20 Boston bombers with P-39 fighters and AT-6 trainers at Abadan Field, Iran, prepared for Soviet acceptance under Lend-Lease, 1942.

This World War II photograph shows American A-20 “Boston” bombers, with P-39 Airacobra fighters and AT-6 Texan trainers in the background, prepared for transfer to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. The planes are parked at Abadan Field, Iran, in 1942, awaiting inspection by a Soviet acceptance commission before their delivery to the Red Army Air Force.

The strategic port of Abadan, located on the Persian Gulf, became a vital hub of the Persian Corridor—the supply route through which the United States and Britain delivered war matériel to the USSR. From this airbase, Soviet pilots and technicians received thousands of aircraft, which they then ferried to the Soviet frontlines.

The A-20 “Boston” proved especially valuable in Soviet service. Fast, reliable, and versatile, it was used for low-level bombing, ground attack, and night missions. Together with P-39 fighters and other Lend-Lease aircraft, it significantly bolstered the Soviet Air Force during the hardest years of the war.

This photograph illustrates the scale of international cooperation during World War II. Abadan Field was not just a transfer point, but a symbol of the Allied commitment to ensure that the Soviet Union could continue resisting Nazi Germany. Every aircraft prepared here carried with it a part of the global effort to secure victory.

Technical photo data:
📝 Source: National Museum of the United States Air Force
📍 Location: Abadan Field, Iran
📅 Date: 1942
📷 Photographer: Unknown