From Alaska to Krasnoyarsk – Introducing the “Warplanes to Siberia” Project

The Lend-Lease policy is something that many of you will be familiar with from World of Tanks. However, towards the end of World War II, another Lend-Lease programme was of equal importance. As part of Wargaming’s ongoing commitment to making history come alive, you are invited to join Wargaming and its sponsors in commemorating one of the greatest acts of co-operation in the history of military aviation.

The Warplanes to Siberia project is dedicated to the memory of the policy that saw Allied aircraft cross the Bering Straits to aid the countries of the Soviet Union. 

To commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II, Wargaming, in partnership with the BRAVO 369 Flight Foundation (USA) and Rusavia (Russia), will recreate this historic Alaska to Siberia (ALSIB) route with the help of historical aircraft and experienced pilots from Canada, the U.S.A. and countries of the former Soviet Union.

Starting in two days’ time on 18 July and culminating on 25 August, our crews will experience the perilous journey, some 6,500 kilometres (4,000 miles), as it was during World War II. While the city of Krasnoyarsk was the terminus for the ALSIB operation, the 2015 team will continue on to Moscow to take part in the international air show MAKS-2015.

You can follow the team’s progress via the special event portal (English and Russian only):

Joining the team on this journey will be Wargaming military specialist Nicolas “The Chieftain” Moran who will station himself at key North American air sites on the route. Catch him giving a speech at the following airports: Great Falls International Airport (Montana, USA), Edmonton International Airport (Alberta, Canada) and Fairbanks International Airport (Alaska, USA). More information about this will be made available via the official event portal, so stay tuned and be sure to bookmark the link in the button above.

For fans of historic aviation, this event is a fantastic opportunity to highlight an often overlooked part of the Second World War. It gives us great pleasure to be able to continue our dedication to telling such great stories and, as always, focusing on the machines that define them.

See you in the skies!