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Back in Moscow
experience. RNII has obviously botched its aircraft design. As soon as we get
started with our firing tests, Shakhurin is going to visit us and we will discuss the
idea of combining RNII with our factory, with new management of course.We
will not be under Kostikov!”
Isayev returned to Khimki full of enthusiasm about creating our own
production and testing base for liquid-propellant rocket engines. He could not
conceal from his friends the secrets revealed to him by the higher-ups in confidential
conversations. He and Bereznyak had taken part in Bolkhovitinov’s
meeting with Shakhurin. In Isayev’s words, the patron assured him that the fate
of RNII had been decided beforehand.The institute would switch to aviation,
and it would have new management—from aviation. Shakhurin frequently met
with Stalin and would select a suitable moment to raise the issue. It was almost
certain that he would receive Stalin’s approval for the reorganization of
RNII–NII-3.
inspired by such a prospect,I once again began to work with NISO. Smirnov
and Losyakov drove me to the Central Airfield. A Pe-2 aircraft shrouded by a
tarpaulin was standing at the edge of the flight field where the United State Political
Directorate (OGPU) separate special purpose division (ODON) camps had
once been located. 4 When, after much effort, we managed to find a crew, dismiss
the guard, and uncover the aircraft, I saw that it was covered with the most random
assortment of antennas sticking up all over it. Having sworn me to secrecy in my
dealings with radio specialists from other organizations, they told me that they
were testing a decimeter-range onboard radar developed at NISO based on the
ideas of Gerts Aronovich Levin.
Meanwhile, there were two problems. The first was weight. If the radar was
installed on the aircraft, the ammunition reserves would have to be reduced by 500
kilograms.The second problem was the “key effect.”When the radar was activated,
if someone came near the aircraft with a bunch of keys in his pocket, then the
displays started to flicker!
“Well, that’s good. It means your radar is highly sensitive,” I hastily complimented
the inventors.
“It’s too sensitive,” explained Smirnov. “The thing is, if you put your hand in
your pocket and start to jingle your keys, then it’s impossible to understand what’s
going on with the displays.That’s the ‘key effect’!”
After spending the entire day on my boyhood home turf of Khodynka, I realized
that this development would not yield a system for our BI in the foreseeable
future. Sensing my pessimism, Sergey Losyakov cheered me up by saying that he
4. The OGPU—Obyedinenoye Gosudarstvennoye Politicheskoye Upravleniye (United State Political Directorate)—existed
between 1924-34, and then mutated into several intermediate agencies before becoming the
KGB in 1954.
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