Fedor Tokarev: full biography

Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, whose full biography is described in this article, was an outstanding designer of small arms, the head of an experienced workshop of the arms factory. He is a doctor of technical sciences, Hero of Socialist Labor, since 1940 - a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The creator of an easy hand-held machine gun, named MT and replacing Vickers.

Parents

Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, whose birth date - June 14, 1871, was born in the Don region, the Mechetin (Egorlykskaya) village. Vasily, his father, remained an orphan at four. He and his sister were sheltered by their maternal uncle. When Basil reached the age of majority, he married Efimye, his niece.

Childhood

All his childhood, Fyodor spent in his native village. He grew insolate, stingy at the words, quiet. His only passion was design. At the age of seven he was able to make a small plow. And at eleven years he did any work in the smithy.

Education

In 1887, Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, whose photo is in this article, entered the Novocherkassk Military Craft School. There his mentor was the famous master-gunsmith Chernolikhov. After graduating from school in 1891, Tokarev acquired the specialty of "gunsmith". Then he entered the cadet academy. He graduated in 1900. In 1907 he continued his studies at the courses at the officer's shooting school in Oranienbaum. In her workshop and at the test sites, new small arms were tested.

Service

After the Novocherkassk school Fedor Vasilievich served as a gunsmith in the twelfth Don Cossack regiment in Volhynia. After graduation, the academy remained in the service in the same regiment as the weapons manager. Rise to the rank of cornet. 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 Fyodor Vasilyevich fought for almost a year and a half. He was commander of the Cossack hundred and received six military orders.

Weapons and engineering career

In the Officers' School, Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev, a Soviet designer, Remade Mosin's rifle. The result was a sample of a new weapon, automatic. 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 details. And at the same time he was developing new weapons.

Just at this time a contest was held for the best new sample of an automatic rifle. And Tokarevskaya successfully passed all the tests. Fedor Vasilievich received for this award from the Military Ministerial Chancellery.

The next sample of the new weapon Tokarev designed and gave for testing in 1912, Fedor Vasilievich continued to improve, and the third modified version was better than the previous ones. The production of the first twelve rifles began. There was only assembly and debugging, but this was prevented by the First World War that began.

In 1916, Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev returned to the plant. Received appointment to the post of head of the department for inspection and assembly of finished products. He also tackled those twelve rifles that did not finish in 1914. The October Revolution followed, followed by a mass of repression. But they did not touch Tokarev. He was appointed assistant director of the plant. And until 1921 he worked in this position.

Disclosure of talent

Then Tokarev moved to work at the Tula Arms Factory. It was here that his talent was revealed completely. First, Fedor Vasilievich modernized the machine gun "Maxim". And in 1924 he was accepted for service in 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 English "Vicker". In 1927, Tokarev created the first domestic machine-gun. It was adapted for revolving cartridges.

Fedor Tokarev developed a TT pistol and more than once won contests for the creation of new weapons. In 1930, the special commission, which was headed by VF Grushetsky, tested new pistols. It turned out that Tokarev's model has obvious superiority over the others not only in terms of technical characteristics, but also in use in extreme situations. It was approved and became known as TT. This pistol is still appreciated, despite the fact that new and more modern models have appeared for a long time.

In 1938 another Tokarev model was taken into service - a self-loading rifle. In 1940, it was finalized and received the name SVT-40. It was used until the end of the Great Patriotic War. On its basis, Fedor Vasilyevich created a sniper self-loading rifle, and then an automatic (and the first in the country) AVT-40. When Germany attacked the Soviet Union, Fedor Vasilyevich Began to work almost daily, modernizing weapons and attracting all the specialists he could find.

In 1948, Tokarev designed a panoramic camera FT-1. It was released in small quantities at the Krasnogorsk plant. After modernization, the device became known as FT-2 and was produced serially 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 the nature of his character, Feodor Vasilievich considered it inconvenient to ask for better housing, even for his own people. At home, he often worked until three in the morning. The wife always said that she would work while she was breathing.

Awards

The works of the Soviet designer are appreciated. Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev was awarded orders:

• Lenin (four).
• Suvorov Second degree.
• The Red Star.
• The Patriotic War of the First degree.
• The Red Banner of Labor (two).

He was also awarded several medals. He received the title of Hero of Labor and Socialist Labor. He was awarded a doctoral degree in engineering. Twice he ran for deputies. Tokarev also received the title of honorary citizen of Tula.

Death

Fyodor Vasilyevich Tokarev died unexpectedly. He was put in hospital for a planned examination. Still, the age made itself felt. At that time he was already ninety-six years old. But until the next birthday Tokarev did not last only a week. He died in the hospital on June 7, 1968. The will for burial was written beforehand. Therefore, he now rests on the Tula All-Svyatsky cemetery. There he installed a monument. And at the plant where the weapons designer was working, and in the house where he lived, memorial plaques were opened.