Mikhail Kalashnikov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mikhail Kalashnikov
|
|
|---|---|
| Михаил Тимофеевич Кала́шников | |
.jpg) |
|
| Born |
Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov
10 November 1919 Kurya, Altai Governate, Russian State
|
| Died | 23 December 2013 (aged 94) Izhevsk, Udmurtia, Russia
|
| Nationality | Russian |
| Occupation |
|
| Known for | Designer of the AK-47, AKM, AK-74, RPK, and PK |
| Spouse(s) | Ekaterina Viktorovna Kalashnikova (née Moiseyeva; 1921–1977; her death) |
| Children | 4, including Victor |
| Awards |
|
Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov (1919–2013) was a famous Russian inventor and military engineer. He is best known for creating the AK-47 assault rifle and its improved versions. He also designed other important weapons like the RPK and PK machine gun.
Kalashnikov taught himself many things. He combined his natural mechanical skills with studying weapons. This helped him design guns that became very common around the world. Even though his weapons were used in many conflicts, he was proud of his inventions. He always said his rifle was "a weapon of defense," not for attacking others.
Contents
Early Life
.jpg)
Mikhail Kalashnikov was born in a village called Kurya in Russia. He was the 17th of 19 children in his family. In 1930, his family's property was taken away, and they were sent to another village far away.
When he was young, Mikhail was often sick. He loved all kinds of machines. But he also enjoyed writing poetry and dreamed of being a poet. He wrote six books and continued writing poems throughout his life. After his family was sent away, they had to farm and hunt. This meant Mikhail often used his father's rifle. He kept hunting even when he was in his 90s.
Becoming an Inventor
After finishing seventh grade, Mikhail left his family to go back to Kurya. He walked almost 1,000 kilometers to get there! In Kurya, he found a job working with machines at a tractor station. People noticed how skilled he was with his hands. He was then sent to work at a weapons design office.
In 1938, he joined the Red Army. Because he was small and good with machines, he became a tank mechanic. Later, he became a tank commander. While training, he came up with his first inventions. These were for tanks and small weapons. A famous general, Georgy Zhukov, even gave him a special watch for his ideas.
Kalashnikov was hurt in battle in 1941. While he was in the hospital, he heard soldiers complaining about their rifles. They said their guns often jammed and were not reliable. This made him want to design a better rifle for the Soviet military.
Creating the AK-47
After leaving the hospital, Kalashnikov started working on his ideas. He first designed a type of gun called a submachine gun. Even though this first design was not chosen by the army, his talent was clear. From 1942, he worked at a special center for designing firearms for the Red Army.
In 1944, he designed a carbine, which is a shorter rifle. This weapon was not chosen either, but it helped him enter a competition in 1946. His design, called "Mikhtim," won this competition. It became the first version of his famous rifle.
In 1947, he finished designing the AK-47. The name "AK-47" stands for "Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947." This means "Kalashnikov's Automatic Rifle, model of 1947." In 1949, the AK-47 became the main rifle for the Soviet Army. It quickly became Kalashnikov's most famous invention.
When he was developing the AK-47, Kalashnikov competed with more experienced designers. But everyone agreed that his AK-47 design was the best.
His Later Work
From 1949, Mikhail Kalashnikov lived and worked in a city called Izhevsk. He earned a special degree in technical sciences. He was also a member of many important groups.
Over his career, he kept improving his basic design. He created a whole family of weapons. The AKM was an improved version of the AK-47. It was lighter and cheaper to make. He also developed the RPK, which is a light machine gun.
He also designed the PK machine gun. This gun uses a more powerful type of bullet. It is fed by a belt of bullets, not a magazine. This allows it to fire many shots without stopping. All of Kalashnikov's weapons are known for being simple, strong, and easy to fix. They work well in all kinds of weather, from deserts to cold snowy places.
By 2009, about 100 million AK-47 rifles had been made. The AK-47 is used by the armies of 55 countries. It is so famous that it has even appeared on national flags, like the flag of Mozambique.
Kalashnikov always said he was motivated by serving his country, not by money. He did not make a direct profit from the weapons. However, a company run by his grandson sells items with the Kalashnikov name, like vodka and knives.
His Legacy and Death
After a long illness, Mikhail Kalashnikov passed away on December 23, 2013, at the age of 94. He died in Izhevsk, the city where he lived and worked for many years.
A letter he wrote six months before his death was published. In the letter, he shared that he felt "spiritual pain." He wondered if he was responsible for the deaths caused by the weapons he created. He asked, "if my rifle claimed people's lives, then can it be that I... a Christian... was to blame for their deaths?"
The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, wrote back to him. He thanked Kalashnikov and said he was "an example of patriotism." The Patriarch explained that the church supports weapons and their creators when the weapons are used for the defense of the country.
Mikhail Kalashnikov was one of the first people to be buried in the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery.
Family Life
Mikhail Kalashnikov's father was a farmer. His mother could not read or write. They had 19 children, but only eight lived to be adults. Mikhail was the 17th child.
In 1930, his father's property was taken by the government, and most of his family was sent away. Mikhail Kalashnikov was married twice. His second wife, Ekaterina Viktorovna Moiseyeva, was an engineer. She helped him a lot with his technical drawings. They had four children: Nelli, Elena, Natalya, and Victor. Victor also became a well-known designer of small weapons.
Weapons He Designed
During his career, Kalashnikov designed about 150 different types of small weapons. Some of the most famous ones include:
- AK-47
- AKM
- AK-74 / AKS-74U / AK-74M / AKS-74
- AK-101 / AK-102
- AK-103 / AK-104
- AK-105
- AK-12
- RPK / RPK-74
- PK / PKM / PKP
- Saiga semi-automatic rifle
Awards and Honors
Mikhail Kalashnikov received many awards and honors for his work.
- In 1998, he was given the Order of St. Andrew, a very high award.
- On his 90th birthday in 2009, he was named a "Hero of the Russian Federation." The President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, praised him for creating "the brand every Russian is proud of."
- In 2012, the Izhevsk State Technical University was named after him.
- In 2017, a 9-meter (about 30-foot) statue of Kalashnikov was put up in central Moscow.
He also received many awards from the Russian Federation and the Soviet Union, including:
- Hero of Socialist Labour (twice)
- Order of Lenin (three times)
- Stalin Prize
- Lenin Prize
Many other honors were given to him, including:
- Being named "Honorary Citizen of the Altai Territory."
- A diamond weighing over 50 carats was named "designer Mikhail Kalashnikov."
- A cadet school and a museum were named after him.
- The companies that make Kalashnikov rifles were merged and renamed Kalashnikov Concern in his honor.
See also
In Spanish: Mijaíl Kaláshnikov para niños
