Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, whose full biography is described in this article, was an outstanding designer of small arms, the head of an experimental workshop of an arms factory. He is a doctor of technical sciences, Hero of Socialist Labor, and since 1940 - a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Creator of a light machine gun, called MT and replacing the Vickers.
Parents
Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, whose date of birth is the fourteenth of June 1871, was born in the Don region, Mechetinsky (Egorlyksky) village. Vasily, his father, was left an orphan at four years old. He and his sister were sheltered by a maternal uncle. When Vasily reached adulthood, he married Efimier, his niece.
Childhood
Fedor spent all his childhood in his native village. He grew unsociable, stingy with words, quiet. His only passion was design. Already at the age of seven he was able to make a small plow. And at the age of eleven he performed any work in the forge.
Education
In 1887, Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, whose photo is in this article, entered the Novocherkassk military art school. There, his mentor was the famous master gunsmith Chernolikhov. After graduating from school in 1891, Tokarev acquired the specialty "gunsmith". Then he entered the cadet academy. He graduated in 1900. In 1907 he continued his studies at the officer shooting school in Oranienbaum. In her workshop and at the training grounds, new small arms were tested.
Service
After the Novocherkassk school, Fedor Vasilievich served as a gunsmith in the 12th Don Cossack Regiment in Volyn. After graduating from the academy, he remained in the service in the same regiment as a weapons manager. He rose to the rank of coroner. In 1914, the First World War began, and Tokarev was sent to the Donetsk District, where he was appointed to the regiment. At the front, Fedor Vasilievich fought for almost a year and a half. He was the commander of the Cossack hundreds and received six military orders.
Arms and design career
At the Officers' School, Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, Soviet designer, redid the Mosin rifle. The result was a sample of a new automatic weapon. This innovation was approved by the weapons department of the Artillery Committee. Tokarev was sent to the Sestroretsk plant, where the production of automatic rifles began. Fedor Vasilyevich personally engaged in the manufacture of the most critical parts. And at the same time he was developing new types of weapons.
Just at that time, a competition was held for the best new model of an automatic rifle. And Tokarevskaya successfully passed all the tests. Fedor Vasilievich received an award from the Military Ministerial Office for this.
Tokarev designed and tested the next model of the new weapon in 1912. Fedor Vasilievich continued to improve, and the third modified version turned out to be better than the previous ones. The manufacture of the first twelve rifles began. There was only assembly and debugging left, but the outbreak of the First World War prevented this.
In 1916, Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev returned to the factory. He was appointed to the post of head of the department of inspection and assembly of finished products. At the same time, he took up those twelve rifles that they did not have time to finish in 1914. The October Revolution followed, followed by a mass of repressions. But they did not touch Tokarev. He was appointed assistant factory director. And until 1921 he worked in this position.
Talent disclosure
Then Tokarev went to work at the Tula Arms Plant. It was here that his talent was fully revealed. First, Fedor Vasilyevich modernized the Maxim machine gun. And in 1924 he was adopted by the Red Army, having received a new name - MT.
Two years later, an even more advanced version of the machine gun appeared. It was created specifically for aviation. And having successfully passed all the tests, he replaced the English Vicker. In 1927, Tokarev created the first domestic machine gun pistol. It was adapted for revolving cartridges.
Fedor Tokarev developed the TT pistol and won the competitions for the creation of new weapons more than once. In 1930, a special commission led by V.F. Grushetsky tested new pistols. It turned out that the Tokarev sample has clear superiorities over the others not only in technical characteristics, but also in use in extreme situations. It was approved and gained fame as a TT. This gun is still appreciated, despite the fact that new and more modern models have long appeared.
In 1938, another Tokarev sample was adopted - a self-loading rifle. In 1940, it was finalized and received the name SVT-40. It was used until the end of World War II. Based on it, Fedor Vasilyevich created a self-loading sniper rifle, and then an automatic (and the first in the country) AVT-40. When Germany attacked the Soviet Union, Fedor Vasilievich He began to work for almost 24 hours, upgrading weapons and attracting all the specialists he could find.
In 1948, Tokarev constructed the FT-1 panoramic camera. It was released in small quantities at the Krasnogorsk plant. After modernization, the device became known as FT-2 and was mass-produced from 1958 to 1965.
Personal life
Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev was married. Has a daughter and grandchildren who lived in a communal apartment for a long time. But according to his character, Fedor Vasilyevich considered it uncomfortable to ask for better housing even for his family. At home, he often worked until three in the morning. Wife always said that he would work while breathing.
Awards
The works of the Soviet designer are appreciated. Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev was awarded the orders:
- Lenin (four).
- Suvorov Second degree.
- Red Star.
- World War One.
- Labor Red Banner (two).
He was also awarded several medals. He received the title of Hero of Labor and Socialist Labor. He was awarded a doctorate in technical sciences. He ran for deputies twice. Tokarev also received the title of honorary citizen of Tula.
Death
Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev died unexpectedly. He was admitted to the hospital for a routine examination. Still, age made itself felt. At that time he was already ninety-six years old. But until the next birthday Tokarev did not reach just a week. He died in a hospital on June 7, 1968. He wrote the testament of burial in advance. Therefore, now he rests in the Tula All-Holy Cemetery. There he erected a monument. And at the factory where the weapons designer worked, and in the house where he lived, memorial plaques were opened.