Mikhail Kalashnikov (михаилтимоевичкалаш) Kalashnikov's representative works include Kalashnikov rifle series, RPK light machine gun and PK general machine gun series.
Kalashnikov was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan. 1938 enlisted in the army and began to learn mechanical technology, showing his ability in mechanical design. 194 1 On June 22nd, 2008, the Soviet-German war broke out. As a tank commander in the army, he was seriously injured in June 194 1. When Kalashnikov was healing in the hospital, the wounded often talked about the automatic weapons used by the Germans at the front. So he had the idea of designing automatic weapons, and he also asked the nurses to read all the books about light weapons in the hospital library. One of them, Fedoroff's book The Evolution of Small Arms inspired him greatly. He designed the first submachine gun while recuperating at home, which attracted the attention of the authorities. 1943, he was recommended to enter a regular school and was assigned to a weapons testing ground as a technician (instead of a mechanic as usually thought).
1944, Kalashnikov designed a carbine based on a 7.62× 39mm M43 medium-power bullet ... The locking mechanism he designed will become the core of the future Kalashnikov series of guns. 1947, he improved the assault rifle on the basis of this carbine, that is, the famous AK47 (from "AVTOMAT Kalashnikov Model1947"), and the sample gun showed high reliability and effectiveness in the comparative test. 1949, AK-47 assault rifle became the standard weapon of the Soviet Union. Kalashnikov is 28 years old.
Kalashnikov was transferred to the Izhevsk military factory, which produced AK-47 rifles, and continued to design light weapons, and successively developed a series of light weapons to equip the Soviet army. He improved the AK-47, finally finalized it as AKM, and began to equip the Soviet army in 1959. On the basis of AKM, he developed a series of rank machine guns, including the famous RPK (Ruchinoi Pulemyot Kalashnikov a- a light machine gun for Kalashnikov) and the PK general machine gun designed according to the working principle of AK-47 assault rifle (Pulemyot Kalashnikov A-a machine gun for Kalashnikov), all of which used large-capacity cartridges, but the cartridges used belts to transport bullets. In Kalashnikov's later career, his AK-74 small-caliber assault rifle and RPK-74 once again became the standard weapons of the Soviet Union.
Since 1947, Kalashnikov's AK-47 automatic rifle has become a legendary weapon. First of all, its output is huge, ranking first in the world. In contrast, there are only100000 Israeli Jane Pride submachine guns in the world, and only 7 million FAL series light weapons of Belgian FN company. German Hechler Koch automatic rifle and American M 16 automatic rifle are also roughly the same. Secondly, AK rifles are popular because of their simplicity, durability and high operational efficiency. It has armed the armies of more than 50 countries, and terrorists and special forces fighting against it love it. Even the American troops in Iraq like the AK rifles they handed in.
In the1990s, Karasnikovsky invented a shotgun instead of a military weapon. He designed a semi-automatic SAIGA shotgun based on AK rifle, but Izhevsk still introduced SAIGA's combat shotgun. In addition, Kalashnikov's son also became a gun designer.
For more than 50 years, a series of light weapons designed or led by Kalashnikov have become a complete "gun family". Any car with the letter "K" is named after the abbreviation of his surname. So far, AK gun family is one of the most complete and effective gun families in the world. Kalashnikov's name has almost become synonymous with the guns equipped by Soviet 1950- 1970 squadron. The former Soviet government awarded him many honors and medals for his great contribution. Kalashnikov's gun system has influenced the design style of guns in many countries. He is known as the "gun king of the world".
The former Soviet government once spoke highly of Kalashnikov: "Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov has made great contributions to strengthening the Soviet national defense force." Kalashnikov was awarded the title of socialist labor hero twice in 1958 and 1976 (the second time was for designing AK-74), won the Stalin Prize in 1949, won the Lenin Prize in 1964 and in197. 1980, Kalashnikov was awarded the title of honorary citizen by his hometown of curia, and a bronze bust was erected for him. 1987 was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Izhevsk (AK-47 manufacturer is Izhevsk Machine Factory). After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Kalashnikov still received the attention of the Russian government. 1994, Russian President Dmitry Yeltsin made a special trip to Izhevsk to participate in 1 10 "Celebrating the 75th birthday of the world-famous weapons designer Kalashnikov" with the leaders of the Minister of National Defense and the Director of the Federal Anti-Spy Service.
In 200 1 year, German national television station 1 station and German public television station * * * filmed a feature film about Kalashnikov, introduced the development process and application of Kalashnikov weapon, and quoted a large number of previously unpublished Soviet experimental fragments about AK-47. The film also introduces Kalashnikov's personal life. Kalashnikov is still working now, mainly explaining the principle of firearms to the maintenance and design personnel of firearms in various military regions (mainly soldiers in military uniforms). Speaking of AK-47, Kalashnikov is as proud as his son. Moreover, Kalashnikov was extremely proud of his experience in the Great Patriotic War.
Kalashnikov still lives in Udmurt Autonomous Republic. In the past 20 years, he was the representative of the Supreme Soviet of this Republic. After formal retirement, Kalashnikov still lived a poor life. Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Kalashnikov himself has received cooperation invitations from many well-known companies around the world. Everyone wants to make money with the world-famous name "Kalashnikov". Despite living in poverty, Kalashnikov refused. Gu Jia doesn't want the honor he won in his life to be polluted by copper. After retiring with the rank of Lieutenant General, Kalashnikov still lives with his wife in a two-bedroom old house in Izhevsk. According to Russia's current income level, Kalashnikov adds up his pension, various subsidies and bonuses, and the total is only14,800 rubles.
The trouble of "piracy" of a generation of famous guns
For the authentic manufacturer of AK-47, Izhevsk Machinery Factory, AK-47 not only makes it proud, but also gives it a headache. During the Soviet period, many socialist countries obtained the production technology of this kind of gun, but either illegally produced it or without a license. At present, only one country, Venezuela, has purchased a production license from Russia, and other countries are "pirating". At an Indian weapons exhibition, a soldier approached the Russian weapons booth and complained that his Kalashnikov submachine gun was not working well. The Russian representative asked which country it was made in, and at first glance he knew it was copied from Romania. Once there is a problem with the quality of this gun, users will complain about Russia, because everyone only knows that it is a Russian gun, which makes Russians laugh and cry.
Kalashnikov became a brand.
Kalashnikov's Russian surname does not need to be translated into any language. It has become a world brand and an unofficial symbol of Russia. Its carrier is no longer limited to AK series automatic rifles, but also extends to commodities such as alcohol. 1995, the first batch of "Kalashnikov" vodka was delivered in Glazov. Later, an English-made wine was given the same name.
In 2002, designer Kalashnikov signed an agreement with Munich International Expo Group to authorize the use of "Kalashnikov" as the trademark of a series of goods. At the end of 2002, 84-year-old Kalashnikov signed a commercial contract with a German company named MMI (Marken Marketing International Company), authorizing the company to use the name Kalashnikov as a trademark to produce a series of products. According to the contract, Kalashnikov himself will take 30% (plus 33% and 35%) from the sales profits of famous companies' products as legal naming rights. It is said that the company headquartered in Zoellingen, Germany is going to use "Karasnikov" as a famous trademark to produce umbrellas, razors, perfumes, military daggers and even chocolate candy. In September, 2002, German MMI company finally persuaded Kalashnikov's grandson, Iger, and mobilized Kalashnikov's family to go to Germany. Here, Kalashnikov learned about the company's business plan and cooperation conditions in detail. Finally, under the lobbying of shrewd German businessmen, Kalashnikov was finally tempted, so Kalashnikov finally signed the authorization contract of MMI company, allowing Germans to produce a series of products in the name of Kalashnikov.