RR Nene for a game of billiards??

[Aerohack]

I didn't see the programme, but I'd take the billiards story with a pinch of salt (or shot of Stolichnaya, as you will). As I understood it, the Labour government of the day (SSD's spit seconded) offered the Nene to Russia in September 1946 under the terms of a trade agreement. Ten engines were shipped immediately, followed by a further 15 in March 1947 and more later. The first engines were stripped, 'reverse engineered' (the Russians were very good at that, remember the Tu-4 Superfortress clone?) and production drawings issued to Klimov, whose Nene lookalike VK-1PO had previously been destined for the MiG-15. The Nene went into production, without such niceties as licences or royalties, as the RD-45. Klimov had reportedly been confident of being able to produce the Nene even without the compliant Labour government via data gathered by Soviet intelligence sources. In the event they didn't need it.

Part 2: Now that I've checked, rather than relying on faded brain, I can add a little more.The deal came about after Russian aviation minister Mikhail Krunichev and his deputy Aleksanr Yakovlev asked Stalin to make a direct request to the British Government to buy R-R Derwents and Nenes. Stalin is supposed to have retorted along the lines of, "What kind of fool would agree to sell his country's secrets?" Step forward Sir Stafford Cripps, who was so anxious to please his chums in Moscow that he readily agreed, and a Russian party, including Artyom Mikoyan, was in London and Derby within the week, and actually took the first ten Nenes back with them. You couldn't make it up. Why, it's almost as daft as suggesting that a government might allow terrorists into the country under the guise of 'asylum seekers', provide houses for them, give them pocket money courtesy of taxpayers, and even appoint people to ensure that they were getting all their 'benefits' and 'human rights'. Maybe this should be on 'Jet Blast', which come to think of it is exactly what Labour gave the Russians, and trimmed 18 months off the development cycle of what was to become the MiG-15.