Darius ir Girėnas (1933)

Documentary (rare footage) about Lithuanian-American pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas and their historical flight across the Atlantic Ocean with airplane called “Lituanica“ (Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker). After successfully flying 6,411 km, plane crashed, due to still undetermined circumstances, 650 km from its destination, Kaunas, Lithuania. After taking off from Floyd Bennett Field in New York on July 15, 1933, 6:24 AM EDT, Darius and Girėnas successfully crossed the Atlantic, only to perish on July 17, 0:36 AM (Berlin Time) by the village of Kuhdamm, near Soldin, Germany (now Pszczelnik, near Myślibórz, Poland). Content. First aviation day organized by captain S. Darius and pilot S. Girienas in US. Fund raising for the flight in US. The preparation to the flight. The farewell. Christening of the plane by S. Darius mother at Chicago airport. Farewell celebration. The pilots and other people in front of the plane. Take off to New York at May 6th, 1933. Farewell celebration in New York. Pilots are giving an outline to the press just before the final take off on July 15th 1933. The crash of the plane in the forest, near Soldin. People in the place of the crash moving the wreckage of the plane “Lituanica“. The first Lithuanians arrived are led by the German officials to pay tribute to the fallen pilots whose bodies were laid in Soldin chapel. The Aviation Day in Chicago to raise the funds for the Chicago monument for two Lithuanian-American pilots. Public gathering in Bridgeport of Chicago, (on the corner of 33rd and Auburn avenue) in official ceremonies for renaming Auburn avenue to Lituanica avenue in honor and memory to the late transatlantic flyers, 1st January, 1934 (started on 2 PM). Attendance - more than 4000 Lithuanians. Sound tracks: 1. “Saulė tekėjo“ by DONIS 2. “Tai gražiai gieda lankštingalėlė“ (intro) by DONIS Originalo saugotojas - Lietuvos centrinis valstybės archyvas.