The thirties and forties

  • The first national high-strength steel “Chromansil” (30KhGSA) was developed and introduced into practice in aircraft building industry; this steel was ahead of foreign similar products by 25 years, which made it possible to eliminate foreign deliveries of molybdenum and nickel.
  • The first aluminum alloys of duralumin and magnalium series were developed and mastered up for airframes of all-metal airplanes.
  • A process of multiple-stage nitriding of large gears for aircraft engine was developed and implemented in the industry.
  • Aircraft armor for IL-2 strike fighter was developed (Stalin Prize, 1942). 
Штурмовик Ил-2
IL-2 strike fighter
Нагрудный знак лауреата Сталинской премии
A badge of laureate of the Stalin Prize
Орден Ленина
The Order of Lenin
  • A high-strength wood composite material (impregnated modified wood), a basic structural material for fighters (IL, MiG, LaGG) was developed.
  • New technologies for making high-strength structural steels in Martin furnaces instead of electric furnaces remaining in the occupied territory were developed and introduced into practice (Stalin Prize, 1943).
  • The foundations of the multielectrode structural metal corrosion theory were developed.
  • An original high-productive technology to manufacture riveting wire for combat airplanes was developed and implemented (Stalin Prize, 1944).
  • Protected fire-proof fiber tanks providing an enhanced survivability of combat airplanes were developed.
  • Indecipherable, camouflage lacquer-and-paint coatings for combat airplanes were developed.
  • In 1945 the institute was awarded the Order of Lenin for its contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War.
  • A high-performance technology for combined welding of IL-2 and Yak-7 aircraft structural elements made of tampered steel was developed (Stalin Prize, 1946).
  • Heat-resistant cladding alloys without cobalt, which was in a very short supply, were developed for aircraft engine valves designed by A. A Mikulin and V. Ya. Klimov (Stalin Prize, 1946).
  • A monograph “Theory and methods of metal corrosion researches” was published (Stalin Prize, 1946).
  • A transparent armor for IL-2, Yak-2, Yak-9, La-5, La-7 airplanes was developed; for the first time an idea of composite armor was offered and implemented in the design of this armor (Stalin Prize, 1949). 


Aircraft repair operations in combat conditions, 1942..