This reminds me of an article [0] I read in the German brandeins magazine some years ago about the improvisations Sowjet Union cosmonauts had to do in orbit (English translation [1]). So whereas US astronauts were not as free (or forced to be as free) as their Sowjet counterparts, they still had their skill set by hand. These were fascinating times.

[0] http://www.brandeins.de/magazin/wir-rechnen-mit-allem-die-ku...

[1] http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&...