Vasili Vasilyevich Nikitin was architect who taught himself to design and fly aircraft. Worked under Grigorovich, Polikarpov and, finally, as deputy to Kamov. In 1930—39 produced series of successful prototypes. NV-1 small sporting monoplane (September 1933) improved into MV-2 (1935). NV-2bis enlarged and more powerful (1939), 200 ordered by VVS as fighter trainers but believed no production. NV-4 2-seat biplane amphibian (1936). MU-4 and -5 training biplane amphibians designed with N.G. Mikhelson. NV-5/U-5 led to series of U-5 biplane trainers (1937). LSh was more powerful U-5 (1942), prototype made over 600 front-line flights as staff transport. NV-6 (December 1940) tiny aerobatic biplane. IS-1 (6 November 1940) fighter took off as biplane, flew as monoplane, landed as biplane. Led to more powerful IS-2 (early 1941), but 447-mph IS-4 is believed to have been abandoned on evacuation of bureau. These folding-wing fighters often ascribed to Nikitin-Shyevchyenko, because original studies made by Nikitin’s test pilot V.V. Shyevchyenko.