The flight was conceived in order to break the world record for the flight distance in a straight line, which at that time was 9104.7 km (set in 1933 by French pilots P. Kodos and M. Rossi). There were barographs sealed by sports commissioners on board the aircraft, the readings of which were supposed to prove that the ANT-25 did not make intermediate landings. The gas tank necks were also sealed, which guaranteed the impossibility of refueling in the air (by that time such a technique was already in practice in aviation). On June 20, at 19:30 Moscow time, the plane made a safe landing at the airfield of the Barracks military base in the American city of Vancouver (the State of Washington, USA).

The monument was designed as part of the architectural project of the metro station "Chkalovskaya", which was also opened in 1997. The bust is located at the entrance to the ground lobby of the station on Chkalovsky Prospect, named in 1952 in honor of the famous pilot. A copy of the bust of Chkalov, presented in 1997 by the Russian Government in honor of the anniversary of the flight of the crew of the aircraft, is installed on the square in Vancouver (USA).

Opened on September 15, 1997.