Thanks for the reply...
A few things though

Quote:
Aircraft production: in OTL aluminium production fell sharply because electric power fell. Here there is no reason why electric power is to fall before Barbarossa-42 and then the Wehrmacht is not to enter so deep so deeply in Soviet Territory. Now, you have to know that soviet industry substituted other materials to aluminium in OTL (and could have done that quite easily in FFO). On the other hand, aluminium production WAS increasing fast in 1937-1940 and would also have increased later in FFO.


Oh I am aware of this. The production of aluminum I was talking about is from before the war. Russia's aluminum came from basically 4 plants, 2 had to be relocated, production in 1941 dropped ( depending on if you use USA numbers, league of Nation number or USSR numbers ) between 40% and 56%. They made Primary aluminium and secondary aluminium for the aircraft industry. Production was restored to pre war levels by mid 1942 and by mid 1943 was producing about 140% more. The interesting thing about the increases in the aluminium production from 1937 to 1940 was that as it increased so to did the amount of aluminium needed to build aircraft ( aircraft became bigger). Just the aluminium Britain diverted to Russia in 1941 monthly was equal to 75% of the USSR's peak monthly production before the war. This does not change the fact that the USSR could not in a peace time economy that she was in support production of more than 10000 aircraft without diverting resources from other area of industry in 1941. Also if she did divert all her aluminum, including increased levels of secondary aluminium, could build no more than 16000 to 18000 planes per year. It is possible that she could have purchases some aluminium from Germany for extra oil in FFO but highly unlikely.


Quote:
Tank production: production problem with the T-34 were solved by spring 1941 and monthly rate were over 300 when Germany attacked in OTL. This is "peacetime" rate. Switching to wartime after may 42 would induce a very step increase of production. Note too a strong "learning by doing" effect. Even discounting simplification when producing T-34 at 500 unit a month the Soviet industry used 35% less time and materials than when producing the same tank at 150 unit/month. This is a clear vindication of post war K. Arrow paper "The economics of learning by doing"


Again I agree, but in papers from both Chief of the GABTU Y.N.Fedorenko and Chief of the GAU G.I.Kulik in spring 1941 they still wanted the T-34 production suspended and the BT-7's resumed. That issue would not have gone away.
As for the production capacity of the USSR factories...that's not an issue. Even the relocation really wasn't an issue. Its the supplies of the materials required to feed the factories that is. Case in point Factory #183
Quarter 1 2 3 4
1941 385 450 695 55*
1942 440** 1380 1774 2090
1943 1600 2835*** 2009 2022
...
* Plant relocated
** First of UK strategic materials arrive, US and Canada's arrive over the next 4 months
*** New turret design and arrival of extra materials plus previous months materials.

Again, production wasn't the issue, supply of materials is. The 2nd quarter 1943 numbers seem to indicate that there was even more potential at the factories if enough materials were available. Also all this production came at the loss of production of cars, locomotives, rail lines etc... Also, first quarter production in plant #183 was inflated due to the fact that it was getting resources from the STZ factory as it was having issues setting up her production line.


Well that just some thought..

Russ / Roller007