Soviet THE SOVIET QUIZ - 2011 - QUIZ CLOSED

[Christophe]

Hi,

And congrats to both of you !!!

But, Harvey is the winner !!!!

He is Artem Mikoyan !!

(From Wikipedia) :

"Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan (5 August 1905 — December 9, 1970) was a Soviet Armenia aircraft designer of Armenian descent. In partnership with Mikhail Iosifovich Gurevich he designed many of the famous MiG military aircraft.

Mikoyan was born in Sanahin, Armenia.His older brother, Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan, would become a senior Soviet politician. He completed his basic education and took a job as a machine-tool operator in Rostov, then worked in the "Dynamo" factory in Moscow before being conscripted into the military. After military service he joined the Zukovsky Air Force Academy, where he created his first plane, graduating in 1937. He worked with Polikarpov before being named head of a new aircraft design bureau in Moscow in December 1939. Together with Gurevich, Mikoyan formed the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, producing a series of fighter aircraft. In March, 1942, the bureau was renamed OKB MiG (Osoboye Konstruktorskoye Büro), ANPK MiG (Aviatsionnyy nauchno-proizvodstvennyy kompleks) and OKO MiG. The MiG-1 proved to be a poor start, the MiG-3 was misused[clarification needed] and the MiG-5, MiG-7 and MiG-8 Utka were effectively research prototypes.

Jet Aircraft Designs

Early post-war designs were based on domestic works as well as captured German jet fighters and information provided by Britain or the US. By 1946, Soviet designers were still having trouble in perfecting the German-designed, axial-flow jet engine, and new airframe designs and near-sonic wing designs were threatening to outstrip development of the jet e

ngines needed to power them. Soviet aviation minister Mikhail Khrunichev and aircraft designer Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev suggested to Joseph Stalin that the USSR buy advanced jet engines from the British. Stalin is said to have replied: "What fool will sell us his secrets?" However, he gave his assent to the proposal, and Artem Mikoyan, engine designer Vladimir Klimov, and other officials traveled to the United Kingdom to request the engines. To Stalin's amazement, the British Labour government and its pro-Soviet Minister of Trade, Sir Stafford Cripps were willing to provide technical information and a licence to manufacture the Rolls-Royce Nene centrifugal-flow jet engine. This engine was reverse-engineered and produced in modified form as the Soviet Klimov VK-1 jet engine, later incorporated into the MiG-15 (Rolls-Royce later attempted to claim £207m in licence fees, without success).

In the interim, on April 15, 1947, Council of Ministers issued a decree #493-192, ordering the Mikoyan OKB to build two prototypes for a new jet fighter. As the decree called for first flights as soon as December of that same year, the designers at OKB-155 fell back on an earlier troublesome design, the MiG-9 of 1946. The MiG-9 suffered from an unreliable engine and control problems.

The I-270, a prototype based on German concepts, developed into the I-310 in the USSR and into F-86 Sabre in the States. With the Klimov version of the British Nene jet engine, this design became the MiG-15, which first flew on December 31, 1948. Despite its mixed origins, this aircraft had excellent performance and formed the basis for a number of future fighters. The MiG-15 was originally intended to intercept American bombers such as the B-29 Superfortress, and was even evaluated in mock air-to-air combat trials with interned ex-U.S. B-29 bombers as well as the later Soviet B-29 copy, the Tupolev Tu-4. A variety of MiG-15 variants were built, but the most common was the MiG-15UTI (NATO 'Midget') two-seat trainer. Over 18,000 MiG-15s were eventually manufactured, then came the MiG-17, and MiG-19.

The MiG-15s were the jets used during the Korean War by Communist forces, and "MIG Alley" was the name given by U.S. Air Force pilots to the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River empties into the Yellow Sea. During the Korean War, it was the site of numerous dogfights between U.S. fighter jets and those of the Communist forces, particularly the Soviet Union. The F-86 Sabre and the Soviet-built MIG-15 'Fagot' were the aircraft used throughout most of the conflict, with the area's nickname derived from the latter. Because it was the site of the first large-scale jet-vs-jet air battles, MIG Alley is considered the birthplace of jet fighter combat.

Later work

From 1952 Mikoyan also designed missile systems to particularly suit his aircraft, such as the famous MiG-21. He continued to produce high performance fighters through the 1950s and 1960s.

He was twice awarded the highest civilian honour, the Hero of Socialist Labor and was a deputy in six Supreme Soviets.

After Mikoyan's death, the name of the design bureau was changed from Mikoyan-Gurevich to simply Mikoyan. However, the designator remained MiG. Many more designs came from the design bureau such as the MiG-23, MiG-29 and MiG-35 and variations.

He was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow."

As an anecdote, he is the grand-father of a good friend of mine, living today in Moscow...

Again, Harvey, congrats !!!

Your turn, now....

Cheers.

Ch.

[JimZ]

The score now stands as follows:

14 points - JimZ

12 points - Harvey

8 points - Hauptmann

3 points - Valter

2 point - kapten_windu

2 point - Gunner 1

2 point - Christophe

Question 43 belongs to Harvey!!!

Jim

[JimZ]

Hi Harvey,

Is there any chance that you will manage to ask the next question some time today ot tomorrow? Just keeping things going...

Regards,

Jim

[Harvey]

Ah, Jim, I'm sorry for not posting the next question for the quiz - I've been quite overwhelmed with issues at work these last several.

Would someone else be so kind as to post the next question while I sit it out for a bit?

[JimZ]

No worries Harvey. I'll probably have to do the same in a few weeks time as work is piling up and I am heading into deadline period! If you can just sit out the next question.

In the meantime, the floor is open to any member who wants to ask the next question.....

If nobody does, I will come up with something myself......

Jim :cheers:

[Mervyn Mitton]

My one and only question - what was the name of the Russian ship that paid a state visit to the UK - who were the joint Russian presidents - and, what was the name of the British commando officer that was killed at the mooring of the ship ?

[Hauptmann]

Name of the ship: Soviet cruiser Ordzhonikidze

I'm assuming you meant the two Soviet leaders on board the ship at the time: Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin were on a diplomatic mission to England at the time.

Name of the British Commando Officer/Diver: Lionel "Buster" Crabb OBE, GM (28 January 1909 – presumed dead 19 April 1956) was a British Royal Navy frogman and MI6 diver.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Crabb

Dan :cheers:

[JimZ]

Hi Mervyn....welcome to the Quiz!!

I'd be surprised if you did not have a wealth of questions to ask so do feel free to join in the fun....and thanks for asking this one.

We'll wait for you to confirm Dan's reply

Jim :cheers:

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thankyou - it is nice to be a contestant for a change ! Thank goodness that Dan knew the answers - I couldn't remember the name of the cruiser.

So, all of the qustions answered. Should I ever think of another one I will 'sneak-it in'!

[JimZ]

Hi Mervyn,

This incident was a rather interesting one and I was not aware of it. Please do join in whenever you want to. If its a hassle to reply to questions, do know that there are situations when questions get passed on. I like to leave them open for grabs to get as many new participants on board and to keep the quiz going. So wheneve a question is up for grabs, you are more than welcome!

Following Mervyn's question, the score now stands as follows:

14 points - JimZ

12 points - Harvey

9 points - Hauptmann

3 points - Valter

2 point - kapten_windu

2 point - Gunner 1

2 point - Christophe

Question 44 belongs to Hauptmann!!!

Herr Hauptmann...if you please....

[Hauptmann]

Question 44:

My name is Alex but I was called Ivan when my story was told. I'm not giving last names here as it will give me away. I was totally loyal and had absolute faith in my master till he died then realized the error of my ways. I lost my friends, my wife and much of my life to this man... but gained a daughter in the process.

Who am I (give both names)?

Who did I work for?

What organization did I have to join in order to work for him?

What did I do for him?

My story was told in two ways... what were they?

Good luck!

Dan :cheers:

[Valter]

Due to the first part of the question, my answer would be Alexander Isayevich Solzhenitsin. The world heard for his story for the first time in his a short story "One day of Ivan Denisovich", which is largely autobiographic. BUT he didn't have a daughter, but three sons.

[Hauptmann]

Sorry... incorrect. I'll say this... our man was not a leader.

Dan :cheers:

[JimZ]

Hi Dan,

I think you need to give a few more hints as I for one have no idea where to start searching. "He gained a daughter" echoes somewhere in my head but is not ringing any bells.....and yet I think I might know this one.

Jim :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Clue #1: Getting this new job gave me lots of perks and benefits, although there were a few nervous moments. I worked for my "boss" throughout WW2 and into the early 50's.

Dan :cheers:

[JimZ]

TIme for daily clues Dan. The question remains way too wide and no attempts are being made at replying to it.

Jim :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Perhaps after this the projections for this question being answered will improve.

Dan :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Dan :cheers:

[JimZ]

Looks like we're stuck on this one and the clues are of no help to me.

As a wild guess and perhaps to get things moving - are we perhaps talking of Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein - those seem like exerpts from some film or other but I am hardly well acquainted with Soviet film or theatre to attempt anything other than a wild guess!!

If not the right answer (and I am sure it is not!!) please narrow the question down.

Jim :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

I honestly thought the projections for someone coming up with the answer would have at least risen by now. No one is really reading these clues. I've already all but given it away.

Let's see if these help. Perhaps the projections of someone giving a correct answer will go up with these clues.

Good luck,

Dan :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Well the projections for a correct answer seem unchanged. Honestly folks... read the clues... look at the pictures. I've given it to you, lock stock and barrel. Do this or we'll come full circle and still have gotten nowhere.

A couple more clues to make it so easy even the animals in my house could get it!

If no one gets it in short order now... then I think ya'll are napping or have gone into coma's. Just read the clues carefully, look at the photos... with a bit of looking you'll find it fairly quickly. I'm actually shocked that no one got it fairly quickly to begin with. Glad I went with my inner muze and picked this one as it's really been more of a challenge than I ever thought it would be.

I've given tons of clues and all you need to do is connect the dots.

I'll even sweeten the pot... for an additional bonus point tell me just how clever I've been with my clues. If you list all the keys I've given in same and explained their meaning then I'll award you the bonus point. But you have to give all of them.

Dan :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Oh, I hereby propose that if no one gets this then I get awarded two points for coming up with such a good question that no one can answer. :jumping: How bout it Jim... sound good?

Dan :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

I'll add that it's all on the web for all to see. No tricks... again I'm astounded that no one has gotten this one.

I should probably get two points just for having it take this long given the number of really good clues I've provided.

Dan :cheers:

[JimZ]

Oh, I hereby propose that if no one gets this then I get awarded two points for coming up with such a good question that no one can answer. :jumping: How bout it Jim... sound good?

Dan

I think that you'll get two points deducted for slowing the quiz down instead

We're going to kick ourselves in the backside when someone finds the answer!!! And I still like think its a film director!

Keep looking guys!

Jim :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Incorrect but... you're so hot you're starting to have flames coming off your shoes! Let's just say it involves part of your answer. Again read the clues! I'm doing everything but shouting out the answer. In fact I've given the answer in a way. I've laid it all out for you folks... I know ya'll are smart. You've likely seen or read this... if not you'll learn something new.

Come on! Reach into your inner brain and pull out the answer. Otherwise this will just keep going in a circle.

Jim, you of all people should be picking up on what I'm doing. Go back to your post #107:

Posted 27 July 2011 - 07:51

When I used to participate in the quiz in previous years, I use to love to ask my questions in this format.....hiding subtle hints that lead you onto a treasure hunt.

They usually sound more complicated than they are, but then if you take them apart and sprinkle some some common sense onto my words, the answer is usually staring you in the face :-) Only problem is that these questions tend to be tougher for those whose first language isn't English.

Good luck!

Dan :cheers:

Edited September 13, 2011 by Hauptmann