In the center of the museum hall, there is a diorama ‘Fire at the Factory Building on July 8, 1942’ created by Tambov artist Viktor Pribytkov. The artist depicted the tragic events of the summer of 1942, based on eyewitness stories and an old photograph from the museum’s collection.

After an air raid on the night between July 8 and 9, 1942, the gunpowder factory caught fire. The walls of many factory buildings still show shell holes from that night. The air raid claimed the lives of 33 employees who were later buried in a collective grave at the municipal cemetery.

After the frontline moved further away, Kotovsk became a home front town. In 1943, the gunpowder factory was asked to increase the output. The employees worked day and night, to fulfill and exceed the state plan. They worked two 12-hour shifts and sometimes stayed at the factory for several days in a row. The employees had to repair all partial damage of buildings and shop floors immediately — despite the regular air raids, the factory needed to ensure an uninterrupted supply of gunpowder and ammunition to the frontline.

In 1985, the Tambov Gunpowder Factory was awarded Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class, for its achievements in supplying the Red Army and the Soviet Navy with ammunition. In July 2012, a commemorative plate was installed at the factory — it contains the names of factory employees who died during the Great Patriotic War.