Examining a 1950 Jena Contax II

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Originally posted by Jacques M.

I don't see what is false in his very brief abstract...

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What is false? This:

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after the failed attempt by the Russians to start production from components/tooling recovered from Dresden, Carl Zeiss Jena were tasked with producing parts and tooling plus complete cameras before the new facilities were moved to Arsenal

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"The camera was originally to be called 'Volga'" -- indeed. But this camera was not for Arsenal.
Sorry my English is very poor and bad to write more...

Hi Zoom,
Your English is very good! But, if the "Volga" was not planned to be made at Arsenal, then where was it planned to me made?

Regards, Bill

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Originally posted by nightphoto

Your English is very good!

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Do not flatter me. ;) I began to forget the language. Can't link more than two words without an online help. :(

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Originally posted by nightphoto

But, if the "Volga" was not planned to be made at Arsenal, then where was it planned to me made?

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Plant number 237 in Kazan, of course (better known as KOMZ) -- Volzhskiy opticheskiy zavod (it's its first 'open' name: Volzhsky, Volga optical plant). So: "Volga". The decision to change the factory from KOMZ to Arsenal was taken November 28, 1946.

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after the failed attempt by the Russians to start production from components/tooling recovered from Dresden, Carl Zeiss Jena were tasked with producing parts and tooling plus complete cameras before the new facilities were moved to Arsenal

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There was no attempt. Everything was planned in advance: pre-production, production of pilot batches in Saalfeld, etc. Of course, not everything was easy*, but, please, do not think that idiots controlled Soviet industry...

*) -- Few people know that the Zeiss Ikon has worked in the Basic shaft system, but Soviet industry in the Basic hole system. That was The Problem, as you understand...

Zoom,
Believe me, compared to any Russian I have learned, your English is very good! Thanks very much for writing with the correct information. Very important and helpful. I think it is very obvious that those who controlled Soviet industry were very intelligent and did a most amazing job of reviving and improving the Soviet camera factories and their production.

Regards, Bill

Hi Zoom,

Why was the decision changed?
It is interesting to note that Bernd K. Otto gives too the date of november 1946 for the apparition of "Kiev", as the name of the future Russian Contax. If I understand well (it's in German!)...

But why Arsenal rather than KOMZ?

Jacques.

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Originally posted by Jacques M.

Why was the decision changed?

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You have erased the question: who? The name is known: Nikita Khrushchev as a mover of this alterations.
Why? This is a more difficult question.
He wanted one thing, then wanted another, and the narkomat/ministry (NKV, MV — vooruzheniy, weapons) was forced to redraw all the plans. In the end he was called as "a voluntarist" and sent into retirement, as you know.
This story has already been discussed here -- in a discuss about FED-Arsenal.

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Originally posted by Jacques M.

But why Arsenal rather than KOMZ?

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Why rather then? Later then...
At first Khrushchev wanted to make FEDs in Kiev (not in Arsenal). Therefore, he requested to transfer FEDs from Kazan (KOMZ) to Kiev.
To this end, a new optical factory was organised: Arsenal in Kiev.
Then he wanted to make Exaktas in Arsenal instead of FEDs. But managed to get only the blue prints...
Then he wanted to transfer Contaxes production line to Arsenal.
Also he wanted to restore production of FEDs on the FED plant...
And all of this is contrary to the state and Narkomat/Ministry's plans, GKO orders, contrary to common sense, not caring at all...

Yes, we had already discussed a part of this story.
Thanks for your explanations, Zoom. Impressive!

Jacques.

A very important information Zoom!
FED cameras made in Arsenal factory under Krushchev's order.
That means that most of Arsenal FEDs are authentic and not fakes
as once considered.
Regards
LP

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Originally posted by Zoom

Then he wanted to make Exaktas in Arsenal instead of FEDs. But managed to get only the blue prints...

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In addition:
"Exakta" = Kine Exakta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kine_Exakta)
"blue prints" = the full drawing set (without lenses), this set was fully assembled and ready to send April 1, 1946.
But Krushchev needed the working production line, rather than any drawings. So then he turned his attention to Contax. Therefore, he twisted Ministry's arms (it took about six months) and as a result the line redirected to Kiev, instead Kazan.

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Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo

A very important information Zoom!
FED cameras made in Arsenal factory under Krushchev's order.

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This story has already been discussed here (see the FED-Arsenal thread http://ussrphoto.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2884). I thought that everyone already knows it... ;)

That FED-Arsenal thread should be simplified. I just read it (third time I think) and still it is hard to get a complete picture of how things went.

Best regards,
Juhani

Would be great if someone who knows the real story could pull it together into a web page. There are so many threads and accounts of what happened. Maybe some of the Zeiss Historica folks and Zeiss Ikon Collectors Group could assist as well?

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Originally posted by SteveA

Maybe some of the Zeiss Historica folks and Zeiss Ikon Collectors Group could assist as well?

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Unfortunately, judging from the open published materials, they do not have accurate information about everything that is connected with the USSR.

(For me, if a "published" information is not free -- is like the information is not published at all.)