It is still disputed when or where the FED NKAP 'Red Flag' cameras were produced.
FED was given the Red Flag award in September 1945. At least some may have been assembled in Berdsk from January till September 1946, as the first series of FED cameras produced after WWII. According to Princelle, a passport for camera #201280 was issued in Berdsk on August 18th, 1946. In September 1946 FED returned from Berdsk to Kharkov.
However, other sources report that the cameras were produced in 1948 when the FED factory resumed operations in Kharkov.
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ФЭД НКАП-СССР Ордена Трудового Красного Знамени Завод им. ФЭДзержинского
(FED NKAP-USSR Order of the Red Banner of Labor factory named after F.E.Dzerzhinsky)
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These cameras seem quite rare and distinguishing originals from fakes can prove challenging. Apart from the engraving on the top plate there seem to be no common features which can be found on all cameras. It appears that whatever parts available were used for assembly, resulting in a mix of Type d and e, f and in some cases even b and c features, but it remains unclear whether these are truly original.
Fact is that FED equipment were transferred from Berdsk to KOMZ in late 1942. There were no left over parts to produce cameras in Berdsk, production in Berdsk was started from scratch. Also, according to our member Zoom, there was a fire in the FED management building in summer 1944 and all documentation was lost.
Some cameras deemed original show a distinct milling pattern on the wind and rewind knobs, a different stretched style of vulcanite pattern and a shutter cage made of brass
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Note that 1f parts should not be possible on these cameras (1f were made later, from 1948).
For the "probable fake" in the listing below, please see the discussion:
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Serial number range: #200000 to 2018xx
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Known serial numbers:
#Cam ___ #Lens _______________ Owner/Source ________ Remarks
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3216 ____ 158001______________ Jacques M. ___________ Probable fake (big letters)
3232 _________________________ net ________________ Probable fake (big letters)
3245 _________________________ hylee617 ____________ Probable fake (big letters)
200000 __ ? ___________________ Alfa2 ___________ seen on photos, it's in bad condition
200006 __ ? ___________________ hylee617 _ Probable fake (small letters) _ notched viewfinder
200026 __ ? ___________________ ussrcameras.ru
200036 __ 0268 ________________ private
200043 __ ? ___________________ commiecameras.com
200068 __ 106455 ______________ Jacques M. ___________ Probable fake (small letters)
200114 __ 123548 ______________
200146 __ ? ___________________ fotoua type-10
200161 __ ? ___________________ Princelle
200164 __ 138611 ______________ ebay 2016
200170 __ ? ___________________ private
200202 __ ? ___________________ hylee617 _____________ Probable fake (small letters)
200209 __ 75885/59/7 __________ Jacques M. ____________ stretched vulcanite
200214 __ 566 _________________U.Witte________________ top cover original, 1f body, 30.XII.49 scratched on shutter
200333 __ ? ___________________ sovietcams.com
200347 __ ? ___________________ A.Nikitin
200478 __ ? ___________________ private
200535 __ ? ___________________ A.Nikitin
200543 __ ? ___________________ private
200593 __ ? ___________________ private
200595 __ 69714 _______________ French coll. ___________ stretched vulcanite
200600 __ ? ___________________ Alexander K.
200616 __ 090/117 _____________ private
200680 __ 2686711 Sonnar f2 ____ DVD
200682 __ ? ___________________ private
200720 __ ? ___________________ private
200760 __ 12 __________________ net 2020. _____________ Fed 1b shutterbox.
200786 __ ? ___________________ private
200804 __ 0518 ________________ private
200854 __ 156830 ______________ private
200863 __ ? ___________________ French collector
200898 __ 117836 ______________ Jacques M. ___________ Fed 1d parts.
200908 __ 0485 ________________ Molotok 2011
200911 __ 6998 ________________ ebay 2018 ____________ later lens and release button.
200977 __ 0804 ________________ Jacques M. ___________ Lens added. Stretched vulcanite.
200990 __ ? ___________________ Fedka
201035 __ ? ___________________ private
201085 __ ? ___________________ private
201110 __ ? ___________________ private
201123 __ 0589 ________________ private _______________ stretched vulcanite
201194 __ ? ___________________ eBay 2015 and 2018
201280 __ 0867 ________________ Princelle ______________ Passport 19/08/1946 Berdsk confirmed (stretched vulcanite).
201297 __ ? ___________________ facebook.com USSRphoto _ stretched vulcanite
201301 __ 8875 ________________ eBay
201332 __ 2326 ________________ private
201336 __ 0787/102 ____________ eBay
201347 __ ? ___________________ "from Russia with a click".
201425 __ ? ___________________ photolubitel.com
201476 __ ? ___________________ private
201509 __ 0902 ________________ private
201547 __ 4608 ________________ seen on the net, dec-2018.
201550 __ 0954/82 _____________ private
201552 __ 0920/14 _____________ private
201657 __ 01000/132 ___________ eBay
201668 __ ? ___________________ Aidas ________________ stretched vulcanite
201669 __ 153 _________________ private
201702 __ ? ___________________ DVD _________________ 1c parts, younger top plate
201750 __ 01083 _______________ private
201759 __ ? ___________________ private
201760 __ ? ___________________ ebay 2015
201776 __ ? ___________________ private
201799 __ 8087 ________________ ebay _________________ later release button.
201880 __ ? ___________________ aukro 2015 according to A.Nikitin
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