Maybe Izhevsk would never have appeared on the map of Russian Empire if it weren’t for the construction of an ironworks in that area. The future factory became one of the three that were planned to be built in the Kama River area. Several years before the official date of foundation of Izhevsk, by order of Empress Elizabeth of Russia, the first stone was laid in the foundation of the factory. Mining engineer Moskvin who supervised the construction strongly recommended to Count Shuvalov, Her Majesty’s right hand, to build a factory on the bank of river Izh, a place with thick forests and unoccupied lots of land.
The urban quarters of Izhevsk started as narrow streets of the village built near the factory. The village became home to factory workers. Six years after the start of the construction, first products were manufactured. However, the new factory did not last long. In the middle of the 1770s, rebels headed by Pugachev captured Izhevsk, plundered the factory and executed all the factory managers who were about 50 in number.
For over 30 years after the invasion of Pugachev’s troops, the factory was abandoned. At the beginning of the 19th century, during the reign of Alexander I, an armament factory was created at the territory of the former ironworks. The plant was now subject to the military department, instead of the mining one, and started actively producing hunting weapons. At the end of the 19th century, mass production of Sergey Mosin’s three-line rifle in all its existing versions started.
Mikhail Kalashnikov put into practice his first construction ideas in Kiev, during his service in the Soviet Army. At that time, Kalashnikov invented several important devices for small arms and cannons, which was communicated to Georgy Zhukov that was at the head of Kiev military district at the moment. The prototype models of Kalashnikov’s inventions passed the tests. Mikhail first became interested in the mechanisms of armament while studying at school, when he assembled and dismounted a pistol. Later, his work at the railway and his acquaintance with people of technical professions strengthened his desire to become an engineer.
During the war against the fascist Germany, Mikhail Kalashnikov got enthusiastic about the idea of creating a machine pistol. He started putting his idea into practice right after the end of the war. Two years later, his machine pistol won an arms contest and was sent to mass production. A test lot of AK-47 machine guns was produced at the Izhevsk motorcycle plant where the engineer went to organize and supervise the production process. With his experience of the war, Kalashnikov created an ideal weapon for private soldiers. While developing its design, he consulted military men, engineers and other experts in the weapons area. As a result, the machine gun turned out efficient, easy and infallible under any conditions.
Kalashnikov himself used to say that oftentimes, it is more difficult to make a simple thing than a complex one. In the spring of 1949, first 1.500 machine guns passed the tests and were approved for usage. Mikhail Kalashnikov was awarded the Stalin Prize and the Order of the Red Star, and his life became forever associated with Izhevsk.
The urban quarters of Izhevsk started as narrow streets of the village built near the factory. The village became home to factory workers. Six years after the start of the construction, first products were manufactured. However, the new factory did not last long. In the middle of the 1770s, rebels headed by Pugachev captured Izhevsk, plundered the factory and executed all the factory managers who were about 50 in number.
For over 30 years after the invasion of Pugachev’s troops, the factory was abandoned. At the beginning of the 19th century, during the reign of Alexander I, an armament factory was created at the territory of the former ironworks. The plant was now subject to the military department, instead of the mining one, and started actively producing hunting weapons. At the end of the 19th century, mass production of Sergey Mosin’s three-line rifle in all its existing versions started.
Mikhail Kalashnikov put into practice his first construction ideas in Kiev, during his service in the Soviet Army. At that time, Kalashnikov invented several important devices for small arms and cannons, which was communicated to Georgy Zhukov that was at the head of Kiev military district at the moment. The prototype models of Kalashnikov’s inventions passed the tests. Mikhail first became interested in the mechanisms of armament while studying at school, when he assembled and dismounted a pistol. Later, his work at the railway and his acquaintance with people of technical professions strengthened his desire to become an engineer.
During the war against the fascist Germany, Mikhail Kalashnikov got enthusiastic about the idea of creating a machine pistol. He started putting his idea into practice right after the end of the war. Two years later, his machine pistol won an arms contest and was sent to mass production. A test lot of AK-47 machine guns was produced at the Izhevsk motorcycle plant where the engineer went to organize and supervise the production process. With his experience of the war, Kalashnikov created an ideal weapon for private soldiers. While developing its design, he consulted military men, engineers and other experts in the weapons area. As a result, the machine gun turned out efficient, easy and infallible under any conditions.
Kalashnikov himself used to say that oftentimes, it is more difficult to make a simple thing than a complex one. In the spring of 1949, first 1.500 machine guns passed the tests and were approved for usage. Mikhail Kalashnikov was awarded the Stalin Prize and the Order of the Red Star, and his life became forever associated with Izhevsk.
