Tony, I can't speak for the kinds of tubes you related, here, but I can
relate that I purchased a $30k consignment of hydrogen thyratron tubes
to be used in US weather radar systems. The only manufacturer, at the
time, was English Electric Valve. We got the shipment and had a 100%
rejection rate. The supplier (a noted commercial NY tube vendor) had
re-marked and re-branded some horrible Soviet old-style thyratrons. I'm
sure the practice is done at all levels.