Mystery Plane

[Mojave Jack]

OK, fellow plane nerds, I found this mystery photo in some of my files at work, and can't identify the plane in the photo. Apparently it was taken here at March Field, and there are a few cars in the background that will help to identify the period.

It appears to be an aluminum body with a closed canopy, but possibly with fabric-covered wings. The serial number NO25-1 indicates that it was the first of its type ordered by the Army Air Service. According to the USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present Site, serial number 25-1 is a rebuilt Curtiss JNS. This doesn't look much like a Jenny to me!

1922-1929 USAAS Serial Numbers

Any info would be appreciated!

Here are links to larger versions

Mystery Plane 1

Mystery Plane 2

 

[Dixon Cannon]

That's the Soviet ANT - 25 aircraft .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_ANT-25

Tupolev ANT-25
(Russia)
This long-range aircraft became best known by a flight from Moscow to San Jacinto in California, over the pole: 10148km. The ANT-25 was also used to set a closed-circuit flight record with a flight of 56hrs and 20min. As might be expected, the ANT-25 was a clean monoplane with an extremely long wingspan. The wing had corrugated metal skinning, covered with fabric for smoothness. About 20 were completed as DB-1 long-range bombers.
Type: ANT-25-1
Function: experimental
Year: 1933 Crew: 3-4 Engines: 1 * 700kW Mikulin M-34R
Wing Span: 34.98m Length: Height: Wing Area:
Empty Weight: Max.Weight:
Speed: 246km/h Ceiling: 7000m Range: 13000km

http://www.aviastar.org/air/russia/ant-25.php

Now, watch it fly!.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh9f5WN-eQ4

 

[Mojave Jack]

That's the Soviet ANT - 25 aircraft .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_ANT-25

Tupolev ANT-25
(Russia)
This long-range aircraft became best known by a flight from Moscow to San Jacinto in California, over the pole: 10148km. The ANT-25 was also used to set a closed-circuit flight record with a flight of 56hrs and 20min. As might be expected, the ANT-25 was a clean monoplane with an extremely long wingspan. The wing had corrugated metal skinning, covered with fabric for smoothness. About 20 were completed as DB-1 long-range bombers.
Type: ANT-25-1
Function: experimental
Year: 1933 Crew: 3-4 Engines: 1 * 700kW Mikulin M-34R
Wing Span: 34.98m Length: Height: Wing Area:
Empty Weight: Max.Weight:
Speed: 246km/h Ceiling: 7000m Range: 13000km

http://www.aviastar.org/air/russia/ant-25.php

Now, watch it fly!.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh9f5WN-eQ4

Well, feed me a flannel sandwich! Thanks, Dixon!

There was a question at work wondering if it was "the Russian plane that crashed here." Any more detail on the flight?

 

[Fletch]

The ANT-25s are credited with 2 long range, nonstop flights:
-Moscow to Vancouver, WA, June 18-20, 1937. 9,130 km / 5,673 mi. 63h 25m.
-Moscow to San Jacinto, CA, July 12-14, 1937. 10,148 km / 6,306 mi. 62h 17m.

Here's a possible conspiracy kook site claiming that the flights were hoaxes abetted by the War and State Departments, and that the 2 ANT-25s built were actually heavily modified Dewoitine D-33s, 2 French planes that had crashed in Russia during a Paris-Tokyo attempt in 1931!

Conspiracy theories are nothing new of course, but it's unusual to see one set this far back in time!