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Arctic Triumphs and Tragedies
Photo by I. Shagin.
The crew of N-209, photographed on 12 August 1937 before their attempted transpolar flight to
the United States. From second left to right: N. Kostaneyev, S. Levanevskiy, G. Pobezhimov,
N. Godovikov, V. Levchenko.
By the middle of the day, reporters, numerous cameramen, and well-wishers had
arrived. A crowd of reporters surrounded Levanevskiy. Bolkhovitinov, with dark
circles under his eyes from sleepless nights, was discussing something with
Kastanayev and brushed aside the reporters.The anxious Godovikov argued with
a group of factory engine mechanics and designers. I headed over to the airplane
on the slope, intending to hand over to Godovikov or Galkovskiy the flashlights
that had been tossed out along with other, supposedly unnecessary, baggage.
A tall serviceman was strolling near the airplane. He held a little boy about nine
years old by the hand and, pointing to the airplane, explained something to him.
As I drew closer and saw the four diamond-shaped insignias on his gorget patches,
I finally realized that it was Alksnis. The meticulous reporters sensed something,
but none of them approached and annoyed the RKKA Air Force Commander-in-
Chief with questions.
After saying good-bye to the crowd, the first to approach the airplane was
Godovikov. He appeared perplexed.When he saw me, he took the package, but he
didn’t seem to hear what I said about the flashlights.
“Now you see it, now you don’t,” Godovikov uttered his favorite saying, and
after shaking hands, started climbing into the airplane. 12
12. Author’s note: “Now you see it, now you don’t” is a saying originating from Chinese magicians who
used to wander throughout pre-Revolutionary Russia doing sleight of hand tricks with a ball. In aviation slang,
it refers to a defect that appears and then suddenly disappears.This never became part of rocketeer slang. It was
a different time.
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