Happy Birthday komrad Mikhail T. Kalashnikov

Lieutenant General Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov
(Russian: Михаи́л Тимофе́евич Кала́шников, Mihail Timofeevič Kalašnikov)
(born November 10, 1919)
Is a famous Russian small arms designer, most famous for his AK-47, frequently called the Kalashnikov.

Early life

Kalashnikov was conscripted into the Red Army in 1938, and became a tank driver-mechanic, achieving the rank of senior sergeant (tank commander) serving on the T-34s of the 24th Tank Regiment, 12th Tank Division[1] stationed in Stryi before retreating, with the regiment after the failed counterattack at Brody, and eventually being wounded in combat during the defence of Bryansk and released for six months recuperation due to illness. During this time Kalashnikov began designing a submachinegun while in hospital after being wounded in the Battle of Bryansk. Although his first submachinegun design was not accepted to service, his talents as a designer were noticed. From 1942 onwards Kalashnikov was assigned to the Central Scientific-developmental Firing Range for Rifle Firearms of the Chief Artillery Directorate of RKKA. In 1944, he designed a gas-operated carbine for the new 7.62 x 39 mm cartridge; this weapon, influenced by Garand self-loading rifle, lost out to new Simonov carbine which would be eventually adopted as SKS; but it became a basis for his entry in assault rifle competition in 1946. His winning entry, the "Mikhtim" became the prototype for the development of a family of prototype rifles.

This process culminated in 1947, when he designed the AK-47 (acronym for Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947). In 1949, the AK-47 assault rifle became the Soviet Army's standard issue rifle; after that, the design became Kalashnikov's most famous invention.

Later career

After WWII, as General Designer of small arms for the Soviet Army, his design subordinates included the Germans Hugo Schmeisser and Werner Grüner (of MG 42 fame) and a pioneer in sheet metal embossing technology in the 1950s.

Later in his career he developed a squad automatic weapon variant of the AK-47, known as the RPK (Ruchnoi pulemyot Kalashnikova - Kalashnikov light machine gun), and also the PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova - Kalashnikov machine gun), which used the full-power rifle cartridge of the Mosin-Nagant rifle. The cartridge was belt-fed, not magazine-fed. These designs were adopted for their roles, while the AK-47 remained the Red Army's primary infantry weapon.

Since 1949, Mikhail Kalashnikov has lived and worked in Izhevsk, Udmurtia.

He told Reuters Television, "I've always wanted to improve and expand on the good name of my weapon by doing good things."

The legacy of Kalashnikov's rifles as the most popular assault rifles has prompted him to state that.

"I'm proud of my invention, but I'm sad that it is used by terrorists," he said on a visit to Germany, adding: "I would prefer to have invented a machine that people could use and that would help farmers with their work - for example a lawnmower."

Mikhail Kalashnikov was twice named Hero of Socialist Labor. In 1998, he was awarded an Order of Saint Andrew the Protoclete (orden Svyatogo Andreya Pervozvannogo). He holds an advanced degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences.

Despite estimates of some 100 million AK-47 assault rifles circulating, General Kalashnikov claims he has not profited and that he only receives a state pension.

*source: en.wikipedia.org

Mikhail Kalashnikov Famous Quotes

"I had to gain experience as I did not have a technical education."

"I have continued to work at different things, and rebuilt my home all by myself. I did it for the sake of satisfaction at doing something. I did it because I happened to be where I was."

"I made it to protect the motherland."

"I shot with it a lot. I still do now. That is why I am hard of hearing."

"I tried a dozen different modifications that were rejected. But they all served as a path to the final design."

"I wanted to invent an engine that could run for ever. I could have developed a new train, had I stayed in the railway. It would have looked like the AK-47 though."

"I was probably born with some designing abilities."

"I was trying to perform as best as possible. I was a boy at the time, but worked well with the sickle."

"I'm proud of my invention, but I'm sad that it is used by terrorists."

"Life can make you do many things, even kiss a man with a runny nose."

"Life is composed of different inventions."

"Man keeps inventing things all the time."

"Terrorists also want to use simple and reliable arms."

"The negative side is that sometimes it is beyond control."

"We had grain but no mills, so I designed a special mill of wood so we could make flour."