Russian Cokoa pn 204

[Davewantsone]

Whilst the snooker was on (my wife loves it!). I found this old Cokoa pn 204 Russian radio that had been in my shed for quite a few years. I managed to download a circuit diagram off the internet. I quickly deduced that the fault was the RF,+ Osc transistor, VT1. All the voltages on VT1,2 and 3 were incorrect. This transistor is a silicon PNP and is the same as VT2 and 3. Just for faultfinding reasons I soldered a BC557 in place of VT1 and the voltages on VT2 and 3 went right. I turned up the volume and R4 on LW was coming in loud and clear switching over to MW and R5 loud and clear. I then noticed that I had reversed the E and C connections. I unsoldered the leads and connected them correctly but then the radio did not work.. Reversing them again back came R5! I then removed VT2 and put a BC557 in its place. Radio still working OK. Put VT2 in VT1 place radio dead again! Reverse C and E still dead!. Put this transistor back in VT2 and connect BC557 back in VT1 position with reversed C,E leads radio works again.
Can anyone explain how this is happening?