biography Kalashnikov Mikhail Kalashnikov represents a certain image of the Soviet dream.His life - it is the way of a man who, as one of a large family of children, the price of their labor, and design talent has created a name for themselves in their own country and around the world.
Mikhail Kalashnikov.Biography.Childhood and adolescence
Mikhail Kalashnikov was the seventeenth in a row child of a peasant from a small village in the Altai Territory.It happened in November 1919.Subsequently, all of the children survived only eight.When Misha was only ten years old, his family has been recognized by the Soviet authorities and exiled kulak even more deaf village in the Tomsk region.From an early age the future designer fond of technology, geometry, physics.Many succeeded in doing at school.Already as a teenager going on his first acquaintance with the weapon when he examines his own gun American-made "Browning".
Mikhail Kalashnikov.Biography.Army service
After school, the young man while working in the railway station, but in the age of nineteen, in 1938, drafted into the Red Army.Here he takes an army of junior commanders course and get special tank driver-mechanic.His service was held in the Kiev Military District.It was here in the prewar years, he begins to exhibit outstanding inventive abilities.For example, he developed the inertial counter counts the number of shots of tank gun, it was also widely used then perfected pistol "TT".
Mikhail Kalashnikov.Biography.During World War II
young officer by chance it was one of those who was destined to be in the military service as a time when German aggression (among these children were born in 1918-1922 was subsequently recorded the largest share of the victims, because they first offace unprepared the army had to hold back the onslaught of Blitzkrieg).In the first months of the war Sergeant was a member of a tank division.However, the protection of Bryansk in autumn 1941 received severe wounds and was wounded.But even staying in the hospital, he found the opportunity to contribute to the liberation of the country.Here he conceived and, while in the rear, implemented the construction of a new sub-machine gun.Unfortunately, although the sample was made, but never entered service.However, the undoubted talent Kalashnikov was sufficiently manifested.Since 1942, he serves on the Central Research range of small arms at the Main Artillery Directorate.In particular, in 1944 he developed a self-loading rifle, which later formed the basis for the world-famous machine.
Mikhail Kalashnikov.Biography.The postwar years
In 1947, appears the first version of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, which immediately becomes the best on the results of field tests of competition among similar projects.By 1949, the machine was finally completed and entered service with the Soviet Army.Mikhail Kalashnikov, whose biography was an eloquent example of dedication and work for the good of the motherland, was deservedly charge of the Stalin Prize of the first degree.And his offspring in 1950-70-ies gained tremendous popularity around the world, becoming one of the main symbols of the power of the Soviet state.Designer and worked on optimization and improvement of small arms.In particular, a Kalashnikov for half a century has gone through several major upgrades.And its creator was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist.Labor (1958 and 1976), the Order "For Services to the Fatherland", "Andrew" (1999) and many others.
