American flyers at new U.S. air base in Russia. Three American flyers of the U.S.

American flyers at new U.S. air base in Russia. Three American flyers of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces chat with a Russian officer at one of the newly established American air bases in Soviet Russia where a row of U.S. Mustang fighter planes stand spotted on the airfield. The arrival, for the first time, of American planes at the Russian bases, on June 2, 1944, was announced by Major General John R. Deane of the U.S. Military Mission to Russia after a force of Flying Fortresses, escorted by American Mustangs and Russian Yak planes, roared down to a landing on Russian soil after dropping tons of bombs on German installations in Rumania. The establishment of these bases completed the encirclement of Hitler's European fortress by Allied air power and market the first large-scale collaboration of the air forces of America, Russia and Great Britain.