Naum Kravets

This is a photo of me as a student of Moscow Aviation Institute.

The picture was taken in Moscow in 1954.

After the war, I read an announcement about a job opening in a design bureau for radar experts. I was offered a job immediately and was assigned to the flight test laboratory.

In the 1970s the bureau was turned into the corporation Phasotron-NIIR Scientific Research Radio Institute. The corporation still exists, and I'm still working there.

My job was connected with travel. I left for Moscow to the training area for three months to test new facilities. Then, I spent 10-15 days in Moscow and then I was off for another trip.

I had worked there for a year and then Kuniavskiy, the chief designer of the aviation plant, came for testing works. Apart from the work at the plant he taught at Moscow Aviation Institute.

He said he would assign me to an accelerated 3.5 year course at the Radar Location Department of the Aviation Institute. I was content with my life, and didn't want to study.

I had a good salary. I was paid additional money for each test flight. I was providing for myself and my mother without any higher education.

Kuniavskiy didn't want to listen, and said that such a job required only an expert with higher education. I had to yield. I graduated from the institute in 1958 and obtained a diploma of an engineer on radar location.

After graduation Kunyavskiy promoted me and I was assigned the director of the test stand. My salary wasn't as high. I didn't have test flights, so I wasn't paid an additional premium.

But I was a go-getter. I was promoted again and again at work. I became chief engineer and then leading project engineer.