The Kalashnikov Museum Virtual Tour: Part 7 - military Museum of Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of AK-47, Hall of Fame, Pt.1

Pic.7-5 This picture features Mikhail Kalashnikov holding the highest ranking order of Russian Federation - Order of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle. In October 1998 Kalashnikov was awarded with the Order of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle �2. Few facts: - The order was instituted by Peter I The Great 300 years ago. - Tsar Peter I The Great became 7th knight of the order in 1703 as "bombardier-captain Petr Mikhailov distinguished for his bravery and craftsmanship". - Among the Order knights was Alexandr Suvorov, a Russian Generalissimo, reckoned one of a few great generals in history who never lost a battle. He was famed for his manual The Science of Victory (by the way - Kalashnikov's most favorite book), and noted for the saying "Train hard, fight easy." - There were number of foreign citizens awarded with Order of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle - for their "sympathy for Russia". In 1807, 5 years prior to invading Russian in 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte was awarded with the order on account of signing The Tilzit peace treaty. - In 1815 Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, often referrer to as the Conqueror of Bonaparte, was awarded with the order on account of defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. - In 1917 Bolsheviks discontinued it but on July 1st, 1998 Boris Eltsin, first President on Russia, re-instituted it. - Nobel Prize-winning writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Soviet dissident, author of The Gulag Archipelago) turned down the Order of St. Andrew in December 1998, saying he was unable to receive an award from the authority that had "brought Russia to its present state of ruin" - never before such a denial occurred in the order's 300 years history. - In January 2002, President Vladimir Putin has conferred the Order of St. Andrew the First Called on Valery Shumakov, Director of the Moscow Research Institute of Transplantation and Artificial Organs. Shumakov was the first in Russia to perform heart transplantation. Pic.7-6 Star and sign on the chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle. Pic.7-7 Sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle, against the Order blue band. Pic.7-8 Star of the Order of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle. Pic.7-9 Tsar Peter I The Great pictured wearing the blue band and the star of the Order of St. Andrew Pic.7-10 Alexandr Suvorov, reckoned one of a few great generals in history who never lost a battle. Among other insignia pictured is the blue band and the star of the Order of St. Andrew (topmost). Pic.7-11 Napoleon Bonaparte Pic.7-12 Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, the Conqueror of Bonaparte. You can see in the picture the blue band (half covered by pink band) and the star of the Order of St. Andrew (rightmost, in the shadow). Pic.7-13 Nobel Prize-winning writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Pic.7-14 Valery Shumakov, Director of the Moscow Research Institute of Transplantation and Artificial Organs. He's wearing sign on the chain and star of the Order of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle.

Pic.7-15 Pic.7-16 Close-up of the showcase Pic.7-17 Close-up of the showcase Pic.7-18 Close-up of the showcase Pic.7-19 Close-up of the showcase This showcase is dedicated to publications about Kalashnikov in Russian and foreign press. Pic.7-20 Kalashnikov visited China in 1991. This picture taken during press conference after visiting Chinese factory which makes licensed AK-47s. Pic.7-21 Gift set of two AK-47 40th anniversary medals given to Kalashnikov by gunsmiths of Izhevsky Mekhanichesky Zavod. Pic.7-22 Gift set of medals featuring famous izhevskian hunting rifles.

Pic.7-25 Pic.7-23 : Kalashnikov's Deputy of the USSR Supreme Soviet identification card and his Deputy sign Pic.7-24 Group photo of delegates of Udmurt Republic. Kalashnikov is first on the left in the lowest row. Moscow, Kremlin. Pic.7-26 Kalashnikov's favorite lamp. Pic.7-27 Reconstruction of Kalashnikov's favorite place to work at home Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov had been actively involved in social and political activities, more than once he was elected to serve as a Deputy of the USSR Supreme Soviet as a representative of Udmurt Republic. He authored three books - "Memoirs of Small Arms Designer", "Trajectory of Destiny" and "From a Stranger's Doorstep to the Kremlin Gates" (latter available in English). Further you can see partial reconstruction of Kalashnikov's favorite place to work at home. It features his old good lamp. You can see the original lamp displayed in that showcase, as well as saber - one of many gifts received by Kalashnikov from people worldwide.

Pic.7-28 Pic.7-29 : Kalashnikov-Stoner summit ad signed all over by Stoner, Kalashnikov and other participants Pic.7-31 Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov with the inventor of the Uzi submachine gun, Uziel Gal of Israel. Pic.7-30 Kalashnikov shakes hands with Stoner Pic.7-33 the gift set of cartridges given to Mikhail Kalashnikov when he was visiting SAKO munitions factory in Finland There are interesting photos in this showcase. In upper left corner - photo of Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov with Eugene Stoner, designer of M-16 assault rifle. Below is samurai sword Kalashnikov was presented with when visiting Spain; this oriental robe - the gift from Kazakhstan (former Soviet Republic), quiver with arrows - the gift from Bashkortostan (a body within Russian Federation). Pic.7-32 Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov with Bill Ruger                      Few facts of interest: - In 1949 (about the time AK-47 was adopted by Soviet Army), a young inventor named William B. Ruger approached a young financier named Alex Sturm with a prototype of a new .22 rimfire semi-auto pistol. The pistol was a soundly designed piece that was inexpensive to produce and reliable (doesn't this sound similar to AK appraisals ?). Ruger had the original design and the manufacturing knowledge to make it a reality, but he needed the venture capital required to start his company. Sturm, a young aristocrat with a love of sport shooting, invested $50,000, and Sturm, Ruger & Co. began a journey that would lead to the company becoming the largest and most respected manufacturer of sporting firearms in the U.S. - Ruger's .22 auto pistols have been in continuous production throughout the life of the company, and millions have been produced to date (here goes another nod to AK-47). - New examples of .22 auto pistols could be bought for as little as $250.00, which is about as cheap as one can get AK-47 in the U.S. (information credit: http://www.Gunblast.com - The Online Gun Magazine) - Bill Ruger has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Alliance of Sporting Gun Dealers. Ruger was only the second person to receive this prestigious award. Doesn't this fascinating story have much in common with AK-47 success ? Upon reading Kalashnikov's bio, our editor has mentioned: "I always like those stories where raw genius is able to succeed by dint of hard work and persistence. They give me hope that those of us from lowly backgrounds can actually amount to something!" - these words may apply to Bill Ruger's story, too.

Pic.7-34 Other side of the showcase with Stoner photo Kalashnikov recalls: "Once we were offered to meet third world and Warsaw Pact army officers who attended Red Army advanced training courses. There was a Minister for Defense of People's Republic of Mozambique talking - and then he suddenly turned my way and addressed me with following: - Dear Sir, are you, being such a respective designer, aware what our flag bears silhouette of your gun ? Kindly accept this gift flag of People's Republic of Mozambique. There are three symbols embroidered on the banner - wide open book which symbolizes fight against illiteracy, hoe which symbolizes liberated labor, and assault rifle of your design - which symbolizes liberation from oppression of foreign imperialists."     Take a look at these pictures featuring current National Symbol and Flag of People's Republic of Mozambique. Current flag is somewhat different now from what's displayed in the Museum - however, the gun silhouette on the flag is distinctively Kalashnikov. However, the National Symbol of People's Republic of Mozambique features the gun which looks like a mix of AK and M-16. It might be designer's fault or might be done knowingly - we don't know. Another four pieces off Kalashnikov's collection of edged weapons: Pic.7-38 Pic.7-39 Pic.7-40 Pic.7-41 : Knife of Kingdom of Judah