The picture features Soviet designers: front row, left: Sergei Simonov (1894–1986), Boris Shpitalny (1902–1972); back row, left: Mikhail Kalashnikov, David Bolotin (1917–1996). The picture was taken in the wake of the defense of a doctoral thesis by David Bolotin.
Time and again, Mikhail Kalashnikov mentioned his luck to have his fate bring him to the meet people, who taught, mentored and assisted him in many ways. And he considered it to be a treasure, granted by God. Going through the names of his mentors, Mikhail Kalashnikov said that he would not have become ‘the famous Kalashnikov’, but for all of them.
Sergei Simonov was a famous weapons designer. Brought up in the family of peasants, at the age of 16 he had to take up working at a blacksmith’s shop. Having mastered the craft, he then switched to a plant. Thanks to the expertise gained there, Sergei Simonov could take part in development and adjustment of the Fedorov assault rifle. Sergei Simonov passed all phases of professional development from a rank and file worker to a foreman. He contributed to the development of a light machine gun and an assault rifle.
During the war, Sergei designed a self-operated anti-tank gun, which proved to be very good in winning multiple engagements. He also came up with the famous semi-automatic carbine, recognized all over the world. 20 countries were licensed to manufacture the weapon, resulting in an aggregate total of 15 to 20 mln. pieces produced.
David Bolotin was a professor and arms historian. He was the author of multiple research papers and theses. Born in a small city in Belarus, Bolotin and his family moved to Leningrad when he was still a child.
This helped him receive good training in history. David Bolotin finished the Working Department of the Leningrad Institute of Railway Engineers and continued his training in the Philosophy Section. At some point, he switched to the Department of History, where he successfully defended his theses.
Boris Shpitalny was a famous weapons designer. Having spent his childhood in Rostov-on-Don, his family moved to the capital in 1908. Boris Shpitalny was the head and chief designer of the Design Bureau No.15 for a while, but then joined the Moscow Institute of Engineers of Geodesy of Aerial Photography and Cartography as a professor.
Boris Shpitalny’s aircraft machine guns earned him real fame. During the Great Patriotic War, the designer was tasked with a crucial mission of developing aviation guns.
Time and again, Mikhail Kalashnikov mentioned his luck to have his fate bring him to the meet people, who taught, mentored and assisted him in many ways. And he considered it to be a treasure, granted by God. Going through the names of his mentors, Mikhail Kalashnikov said that he would not have become ‘the famous Kalashnikov’, but for all of them.
Sergei Simonov was a famous weapons designer. Brought up in the family of peasants, at the age of 16 he had to take up working at a blacksmith’s shop. Having mastered the craft, he then switched to a plant. Thanks to the expertise gained there, Sergei Simonov could take part in development and adjustment of the Fedorov assault rifle. Sergei Simonov passed all phases of professional development from a rank and file worker to a foreman. He contributed to the development of a light machine gun and an assault rifle.
During the war, Sergei designed a self-operated anti-tank gun, which proved to be very good in winning multiple engagements. He also came up with the famous semi-automatic carbine, recognized all over the world. 20 countries were licensed to manufacture the weapon, resulting in an aggregate total of 15 to 20 mln. pieces produced.
David Bolotin was a professor and arms historian. He was the author of multiple research papers and theses. Born in a small city in Belarus, Bolotin and his family moved to Leningrad when he was still a child.
This helped him receive good training in history. David Bolotin finished the Working Department of the Leningrad Institute of Railway Engineers and continued his training in the Philosophy Section. At some point, he switched to the Department of History, where he successfully defended his theses.
Boris Shpitalny was a famous weapons designer. Having spent his childhood in Rostov-on-Don, his family moved to the capital in 1908. Boris Shpitalny was the head and chief designer of the Design Bureau No.15 for a while, but then joined the Moscow Institute of Engineers of Geodesy of Aerial Photography and Cartography as a professor.
Boris Shpitalny’s aircraft machine guns earned him real fame. During the Great Patriotic War, the designer was tasked with a crucial mission of developing aviation guns.
