Mikhail Kalashnikov Dies

[mthrockmor]

What Ripley said. The Soviets copied everything they possibly could. The AK is simply a slightly improved STG44. They knocked off plenty of things. They knocked off a German jet design that was to follow up the Me-262, which became the Mig-15. They knocked of the British Rolls Royce Pegasus jet engine, to power the Mig-15. They knocked off the American B-29, which became I believe the Tu-4. The concept behind the RPG, shaped charge forming a heated projectile core was designed on the German Panzerfaust.

There is no shame in admitting designs are borrowed. Countries have done this since cavemen started picked up sticks. It is funny that only the Soviets bristle at the most obvious examples of it. Kind of funny how the debate lives well after the Soviet Union died of rot.

In any case the designer of the weapon that represented the greatest threat to the American and NATO serviceman, and was the iconic symbol of tyranny, murder and rape worldwide passed.  <S>

boo

[Rich46yo]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The inventor of nukes thought he would end all wars in doing so. Instead he just brought global fear and enormous suffering to a few hundred thousand people.

Had we not invented it and taken the morale high ground the Soviets would have and we'd all have been under their thumb. People forget what a monstrosity the Soviet union was. Also we would have incurred hundreds of thousands of casualties invading Japan and putting an end to that rotten regime. Which was every bit as evil as Nazi Germany was.

No, this cant be put on inventors. The entire human race shares the blame. As it does with the AK and all wars.

[Karnak]

What Ripley said. The Soviets copied everything they possibly could. The AK is simply a slightly improved STG44.

That just happens to have completely different mechanics?  Please.  That is like saying the B-29 is based on the He111 because they both have glass noses.

Yes, the guns look similar visually, but the way they work is entirely different.  Kalashnikov said, and based on the way they work I believe him, that the M1 Garand was an influence, not the MP44.

[ReVo]

[ReVo]

StG44

[mthrockmor]

Completely different mechanics? Please...haha

It's Christmas so not interested in getting into a 'to do' but the design and mechanics are completely obvious. And the Soviet history of economic, technology and military espionage with plenty to demonstrate it....why is the AK-47 different?

And yes, the Tu-4 is a known knockoff of a B-29 that landed at a Soviet field after being forced there after a mission to Japan.

boo

[mechanic]

I wasn't blaming him for anything. Just noting the irony

[Karnak]

And yes, the Tu-4 is a known knockoff of a B-29 that landed at a Soviet field after being forced there after a mission to Japan

Who said anything about the Tu-4?

The Russians never claim it is anything other than a copy of the B-29.

[bigsky]

My fav

[Kenne]

(Image removed from quote.)

StG44

and the SVT40 had this in 1938!

so do you wish to keep saying Siminov copied it for the SKS45?

[Kenne]

Am I the only one who sees the extreme irony in the creator of the weapon that is responsible for more human death and suffering than any other single weapon in existence lived to such a ripe old age?

what about Henry Ford?

while he did not 'invent' the automoble, he made it avail to everyone..and now a century later..how many people have been
killed by its design?

[mbailey]

what about Henry Ford?

while he did not 'invent' the automoble, he made it avail to everyone..and now a century later..how many people have been
killed by its design?

And as quoted above, Batty was just pointing out the irony......not blaming him for anything.....and yes Bat...i see it....irony at its best....

[GScholz]

From an earlier discussion: The gas system is similar to the STG, but the rest is very different mechanically. There's some M1 Garand in there, some Browning. The folding stock on the AKS is from an MP40. The action is based on Kalashnikov's earlier carbine design, strongly influenced by the Garand, that lost to the SKS for service with the Red Army. To say the the AK-47 is a copy of the STG44 is just pure bollocks. That the STG influenced Kalashnikov's design layout is obvious.

The STG44's most direct descendant is the H&K G-3 series, even if the design moved away from gas operation to roller-delayed blowback.

[B3YT]

AK family are nothing like the STg44 . It's like saying the  M4 carbine and MP5 are the same as they are of similar length and are both black . 

[Meatwad]

Received this off the news wire
MOSCOW — Russia has announced funeral arrangements for Lt. Gen. Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, inventor of the AK-47 assault rifle.
“Comrade Kalashnikov will be buried in a pit of mud with full military honors,” said General-Major Saiga Molot, a spokesman for the Russian army. “After a week, we will exhume his body, clean it off, and put him back to work. We expect that there shall be no issue with his functions.”
Kalashnikov died of complications from a liver transplant operation. The liver Kalashnikov received was allegedly Romanian, but turned out to be a substandard Albanian version.
“It was a successful substitution, but it made him inaccurate and prone to blockage,” said his son, Victor.
While praised for his simple operation and ruggedness, Kalashnikov is also being remembered for his contributions to over 300 insurgencies, 524 known terrorist groups and at least 18 hostile regime changes.
“We will always be grateful to General Kalashnikov for giving us the inspiration for Kevlar,” said DuPont President and CEO Ellen Kullman.
An outpouring of support came from some unexpected areas, including Hollywood, which gave him a star on the walk of fame for his contribution to action films which “helped the audience identify the bad guys without further visual or audio cues” as well as the music industry.
“You can rhyme about a MAC-10 or Uzi, but they know you’re serious when you start pulling out that AK,” said rapper Banana Clip. “Think of what rhymes with 47 – heaven, um… Devon? 7-11? Yeah.”
Kalashnikov is survived by 21 major variants and 31 national operators in addition to several unknown and unidentified versions.


Read more: http://www.duffelblog.com/2013/12/mikhail-kalashnikov-dead/#ixzz2oVXCy1Cp