Soviet Pilots Arrive at Abadan Field, Iran, to Ferry Lend-Lease Aircraft, 1942

August 31, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet pilots arrive by DC-3 at Abadan Field, Iran, to receive and ferry Lend-Lease aircraft to the USSR, 1942.

Soviet pilots arrive at Abadan Field, Iran, aboard a Douglas DC-3 transport to receive Lend-Lease aircraft for ferrying to the USSR, 1942.

This World War II photograph captures the arrival of Soviet Air Force pilots at Abadan Field, Iran, in 1942. They traveled aboard a Douglas DC-3 transport aircraft to take delivery of American Lend-Lease planes and ferry them to the Soviet Union.

The Abadan base, located on the Persian Gulf, was a key hub of the Persian Corridor supply route. Here, Soviet acceptance commissions worked alongside Allied personnel to inspect and formalize the transfer of aircraft such as A-20 Boston bombers, P-39 Airacobra fighters, and AT-6 trainers. Once accepted, Soviet pilots ferried the planes along the demanding route northward into Soviet territory.

On their return journey, the aircrews often landed in Tehran, where a large Soviet Air Force inspectorate was stationed to coordinate logistics and ensure smooth operations of the Lend-Lease program.

The presence of Soviet pilots at Abadan illustrates not only the logistical complexity of Allied cooperation, but also the determination of the Red Army Air Force to strengthen its aerial capabilities during the critical years of the war. Each flight from Abadan represented another step in the massive effort to sustain the Eastern Front against Nazi Germany.

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