Georgi Shpagin
Encyclopedia
Georgy Semyonovich Shpagin was a Russia
n weapons designer. He is best known as the creator of the famous PPSh-41
submachine gun
.
o, in what was then the Russian Empire
. He attended school for three years, before becoming a carpenter at the age of 12 (in 1909). He was drafted into the Russian Army in 1916 to fight in World War I's Eastern Front
. He was assigned to work on repairing artillery the following year.
, and worked as a gunsmith
in Vladimir Oblast
. After 1920, he worked in a workshop designing weapons in the same area, working with Vladimir Grigoryevich Fyodorov
and Vasily Degtyaryov.
heavy machine gun, after a decade and a half of unsuccessful attempts at weapon creation. It is still in use as an anti-aircraft gun to this day. About 8,000 of them were made during the second world war. In 1940, he came up with his most accredited design, the PPSh-41
sub-machine gun, which became the staple automatic weapon of the Red Army
during the second world war. It was cheap to produce and easy to maintain. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
in 1944.
during the war, in 1941, 1943 and 1945, in addition to the Order of Suvorov
in 1945 and the Order of the Red Star
in 1938.
He became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1946 to 1950. However, he became seriously ill with stomach cancer
and it was of this which he died in early 1952.
is named for him. In both Kovrov
and Vyatka
there are large public monuments to him.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n weapons designer. He is best known as the creator of the famous PPSh-41
PPSh-41
The PPSh-41 was a Soviet submachine gun designed by Georgi Shpagin as an inexpensive, simplified alternative to the PPD-40. Intended for use by minimally-trained conscript soldiers, the PPSh was a magazine-fed selective-fire submachine gun using an open-bolt, blowback action...
submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
.
Early life
Shpagin was born in 1897 to a peasant family in Klyushnikovo close to KovrovKovrov
Kovrov is a city and the administrative center of Kovrovsky District of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, situated on the right bank of the Klyazma River . Kovrov's population as of the preliminary results of the 2010 Census was 145,492; down from 155,499 recorded in the 2002 Census, and further down from...
o, in what was then the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. He attended school for three years, before becoming a carpenter at the age of 12 (in 1909). He was drafted into the Russian Army in 1916 to fight in World War I's Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
. He was assigned to work on repairing artillery the following year.
Russian Revolution
During the Russian Revolution, he became a member of the Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, and worked as a gunsmith
Gunsmith
A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds firearms. This occupation is different from an armorer. The armorer primarily maintains weapons and limited repairs involving parts replacement and possibly work involving accurization...
in Vladimir Oblast
Vladimir Oblast
Vladimir Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Vladimir, which is located east of Moscow...
. After 1920, he worked in a workshop designing weapons in the same area, working with Vladimir Grigoryevich Fyodorov
Vladimir Grigoryevich Fyodorov
Vladimir Grigoryevich Fyodorov was a Russian and Soviet scientist, weapons designer, professor , lieutenant general of a corps of military engineers , founder of the Soviet school of automatic small arms, and a Hero of Socialist Labor .In 1900 Vladimir Fyodorov graduated from Mikhailovskaya...
and Vasily Degtyaryov.
Creations
In 1938 his workshop released the DShKDShK
The DShK 1938 is a Soviet heavy machine gun firing the 12.7x108mm cartridge. The weapon was also used as a heavy infantry machine gun, in which case it was frequently deployed with a two-wheeled mounting and a single-sheet armour-plate shield...
heavy machine gun, after a decade and a half of unsuccessful attempts at weapon creation. It is still in use as an anti-aircraft gun to this day. About 8,000 of them were made during the second world war. In 1940, he came up with his most accredited design, the PPSh-41
PPSh-41
The PPSh-41 was a Soviet submachine gun designed by Georgi Shpagin as an inexpensive, simplified alternative to the PPD-40. Intended for use by minimally-trained conscript soldiers, the PPSh was a magazine-fed selective-fire submachine gun using an open-bolt, blowback action...
sub-machine gun, which became the staple automatic weapon of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during the second world war. It was cheap to produce and easy to maintain. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
in 1944.
Post-war
He was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labour on 16 September 1945, for "creation of new types of weapons and raising the combat power of the Red Army". He was awarded three Orders of LeninOrder of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
during the war, in 1941, 1943 and 1945, in addition to the Order of Suvorov
Order of Suvorov
The Order of Suvorov is a Soviet award, named after Aleksandr Suvorov , that was established on July 29, 1942 by a decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This decoration was created to award senior army personnel for exceptional leadership in combat operations...
in 1945 and the Order of the Red Star
Order of the Red Star
Established on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
in 1938.
He became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1946 to 1950. However, he became seriously ill with stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
and it was of this which he died in early 1952.
Posthumous recognition
A street in VyatkaKirov, Kirov Oblast
Kirov , formerly known as Vyatka and Khlynov, is a city in northeastern European Russia, on the Vyatka River, and the administrative center of Kirov Oblast. Population: -History:...
is named for him. In both Kovrov
Kovrov
Kovrov is a city and the administrative center of Kovrovsky District of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, situated on the right bank of the Klyazma River . Kovrov's population as of the preliminary results of the 2010 Census was 145,492; down from 155,499 recorded in the 2002 Census, and further down from...
and Vyatka
Kirov, Kirov Oblast
Kirov , formerly known as Vyatka and Khlynov, is a city in northeastern European Russia, on the Vyatka River, and the administrative center of Kirov Oblast. Population: -History:...
there are large public monuments to him.