Leonid Kurchevsky
Encyclopedia
Leonid Vasilyevich Kurchevsky (September 22, 1890, Pereslavl-Zalessky
– November 26, 1937 (January 12, 1939?)) was a Russia
n/Soviet weapons designer.
Leonid Kurchevsky was born into a family of a drawing teacher in Pereslavl-Zalessky. He was a student at the Department of Physics and Mathematics of the Moscow State University
for two years. In 1916-1918, Leonid Kurchevsky headed the design bureau of the Moscow Defense Industry Committee (Конструкторское бюро Московского военно-промышленного комитета). In 1918-1920, he was put in charge of a laboratory of the VSNKh Inventions Committee. In 1921-1922, Leonid Kurchevsky served at the Acoustical Intelligence Commission. In 1922-1924, he headed the workshop/motor vehicle lab of the same Inventions Committee.
Leonid Kurchevsky is known for his work in the field of recoilless guns, which he began in 1923. In 1924, he was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for an alleged embezzlement
of state property and funds, used to construct a helicopter
. Kurchevsky served half of his term at the Solovki prison camp. While imprisoned, Leonid Kurchevsky continued his inventive work and designed a development model of his recoilless gun. He was released from prison in the early 1929. In January 1930, Leonid Kurchevsky was appointed chief designer at the Experimental Design Bureau #1 of the Chief Directorate of Artillery (Опытно-конструкторское бюро - 1 Главного Артиллерийского Управления, or ОКБ-1 ГАУ). In the early 1934, they organized Special Projects Commissary Directorate (Управление уполномоченного по специальным работам) especially for Kurchevsky. Leonid Kurchevsky and his team designed a score of recoilless guns (Dinamoreaktivnaya pushka, or динамореактивная пушка in Russian
) with the caliber
ranging from 37 to 420 mm, including the so called 76-mm battalion gun (батальонная пушка БПК), aircraft recoilless gun (авиационная пушка АПК), etc. In his experiments with recoilless guns, Leonid Kurchevsky strived to cover a wide range of artillery weapons. Besides their work on field artillery
, his team also constructed a special fighter aircraft
armed with 76-mm recoilless guns (1935), mounted a 305-mm howitzer
on an automobile, a 305-mm recoilless gun on a destroyer
, a 152-mm recoilless gun on a torpedo boat
, etc. Leonid Kurchevsky enjoyed the support of Mikhail Tukhachevsky
and Sergo Ordzhonikidze in promoting his projects. Among his other inventions were a prototype of a grenade launcher
, an all-terrain motor boat for polar conditions, a three-axis all-terrain wheel-mounted and tracked vehicle, a winged torpedo, and a special hydroplane.
Most of Leonid Kurchevsky’s experimental guns had too many irreparable defects and their technical specifications did not correspond to those declared. In 1937, Leonid Kurchevsky was arrested, charged with designing poor weapons systems at the request of Mikhail Tukhachevsky, and then sentenced to death on November 25, 1937. The exact date of the execution is still uncertain: various sources claim it to be either November 26, 1937, or January 12, 1939. In the late 1930s, Kurchevsky’s recoilless guns were removed from operational status and were almost all destroyed. His gun systems were never used in the German-Soviet War and all work on recoilless artillery in the USSR was stalled for a long time to come.
Leonid Kurchevsky was rehabilitated
posthumously in 1956.
Pereslavl-Zalessky
Pereslavl-Zalessky or Pereyaslavl-Zalessky , is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow on the main Moscow Yaroslavl road and on the shores of Pleschevo Lake. It was called Pereyaslavl until the 15th century. The town is located on the southeastern shore of the Lake...
– November 26, 1937 (January 12, 1939?)) was a Russia
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/Soviet weapons designer.
Leonid Kurchevsky was born into a family of a drawing teacher in Pereslavl-Zalessky. He was a student at the Department of Physics and Mathematics of the Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
for two years. In 1916-1918, Leonid Kurchevsky headed the design bureau of the Moscow Defense Industry Committee (Конструкторское бюро Московского военно-промышленного комитета). In 1918-1920, he was put in charge of a laboratory of the VSNKh Inventions Committee. In 1921-1922, Leonid Kurchevsky served at the Acoustical Intelligence Commission. In 1922-1924, he headed the workshop/motor vehicle lab of the same Inventions Committee.
Leonid Kurchevsky is known for his work in the field of recoilless guns, which he began in 1923. In 1924, he was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for an alleged embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
of state property and funds, used to construct a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
. Kurchevsky served half of his term at the Solovki prison camp. While imprisoned, Leonid Kurchevsky continued his inventive work and designed a development model of his recoilless gun. He was released from prison in the early 1929. In January 1930, Leonid Kurchevsky was appointed chief designer at the Experimental Design Bureau #1 of the Chief Directorate of Artillery (Опытно-конструкторское бюро - 1 Главного Артиллерийского Управления, or ОКБ-1 ГАУ). In the early 1934, they organized Special Projects Commissary Directorate (Управление уполномоченного по специальным работам) especially for Kurchevsky. Leonid Kurchevsky and his team designed a score of recoilless guns (Dinamoreaktivnaya pushka, or динамореактивная пушка in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
) with the caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
ranging from 37 to 420 mm, including the so called 76-mm battalion gun (батальонная пушка БПК), aircraft recoilless gun (авиационная пушка АПК), etc. In his experiments with recoilless guns, Leonid Kurchevsky strived to cover a wide range of artillery weapons. Besides their work on field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
, his team also constructed a special fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
armed with 76-mm recoilless guns (1935), mounted a 305-mm howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
on an automobile, a 305-mm recoilless gun on a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, a 152-mm recoilless gun on a torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
, etc. Leonid Kurchevsky enjoyed the support of Mikhail Tukhachevsky
Mikhail Tukhachevsky
Mikhail Nikolayevich Tukhachevsky was a Marshal of the Soviet Union, commander in chief of the Red Army , and one of the most prominent victims of Joseph Stalin's Great Purge.-Early life:...
and Sergo Ordzhonikidze in promoting his projects. Among his other inventions were a prototype of a grenade launcher
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
, an all-terrain motor boat for polar conditions, a three-axis all-terrain wheel-mounted and tracked vehicle, a winged torpedo, and a special hydroplane.
Most of Leonid Kurchevsky’s experimental guns had too many irreparable defects and their technical specifications did not correspond to those declared. In 1937, Leonid Kurchevsky was arrested, charged with designing poor weapons systems at the request of Mikhail Tukhachevsky, and then sentenced to death on November 25, 1937. The exact date of the execution is still uncertain: various sources claim it to be either November 26, 1937, or January 12, 1939. In the late 1930s, Kurchevsky’s recoilless guns were removed from operational status and were almost all destroyed. His gun systems were never used in the German-Soviet War and all work on recoilless artillery in the USSR was stalled for a long time to come.
Leonid Kurchevsky was rehabilitated
Rehabilitation (Soviet)
Rehabilitation in the context of the former Soviet Union, and the Post-Soviet states, was the restoration of a person who was criminally prosecuted without due basis, to the state of acquittal...
posthumously in 1956.