Found FED-1 announcement in Soviet Photo Magazine

Announcement of first FED-1 cameras in February 1934 Soviet Photo magazine. Translation: "Kharkov labor commune F.E. Dzerzhinskiy started serial production of photographic equipment under brand name "FED" type of "Leica" with 1:3.5 lens. In 1933, 30 units of prototype cameras were released and but those 30 had a fault that the rangefinder was decoupled from the lens. In 1934 the labor commune will release more than 6000 of such new Soviet "Leica" cameras..

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1992012_FED_Announcement_Feb_1934.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1992012_FED_Announcement_Feb_1934.jpg

A great find.

Great!

About the first 30 prototypes, it seems none of them reappeared. And by other pictures (in the JLP), they did not have any rangefinder. In fact, they were like Leica I (A), with a bow as infinity lock.

Am I wrong?

Merci, Vlad! Jacques.

Very Nice!

Pictures of the prototypes exist, maybe they where upgraded in the factory afterwards. I wish that one of them will show up some day!

Jacques, I think you are absolutely correct.
I would translate article sentence
"..... Âûïóùåííûå â 1933 ã. ïåðâûå 30 îòûòíûõ ôîòîàïïàðàòîâ èìåëè òîò íåäîñòàòîê, ÷òî äàëüíîìåð â íèõ áûë îòäåëåí îò îáúåêòèâà ...."
like
".....Assembled in 1933 first 30 try-out cameras had shortcoming because they did not have rangefinders....."
So this article indefinitely proved that at list 30 first FED cameras was made without rangefinder, like Leica I.
Also to mention that article title say "6000 thousands FED cameras this year!". Title should say "6 thousands FED cameras this year!"

Jacques, Okynek, I tend to agree. It does seem that the rangefinder was externally attached on the first 30, and those were the "flat-top" versions shown in JLP book.

Cheers,
Vlad