During the service in army he devised an inertia revolution counter to register the number of actual shots from a tank gun, made a special appliance for the "TT" pistol to enhance fire effectiveness through tank turret slits and designed a tank running time meter.

In June, 1941 Mikhail Timofeevitch with his last invention was directed by the Commander-in-Chief general G.K. Zhukov to Leningrad to implement his recent invention. With the beginning of The Great Patriotic War senior sergeant M T. Kalashnikov participated in battles with fascists as a commander of the tank. In October, 1941 in fierce battles under Bryansk he was heavily wounded and shell-shocked. While in hospital, Mikhail Timofeevitch conceived the idea of a submachine gun. Later while on a six-month sick leave he arrived at the station Matai. He carried out his idea in depot's workshops with the help of the leadership and comrades. When the submachine gun was ready M T. Kalashnikov was directed to Moscow Aviation Institute, which had been evacuated to Alma-Ata.

In June, 1942 the second model of a Kalashnikov submachine gun was developed in workshops of the institute. This very model was sent for a reference to Dzerzhinsky Ordnance Academy. The outstanding soviet scientist in the field of shooting arms A. A. Blagonravov took an interest in the Kalashnikov submachine gun. Though he didn't recommend the submachine gun for service, the talent of the inventor, originality in the decision of a lot of technical questions were highly estimated by him and as a result Blagonravov made everything to direct the self-taught-designer to study. Since 1942 M. T. Kalashnikov served in Central Research Small Arms Range of the Main Ordnance Directorate of the Red Army.

In 1944 Kalashnikov developed an experimental model of the self-loading carbine, it's main units became the base for a creation of a new submachine gun in 1946 which gained a brilliant victory in difficult competitive tests. In 1949 after completion the automatic device was adopted by the Soviet Army, and senior sergeant M.T. Kalashnikov was awarded by the Stalin Price First Class.

Since 1949 Mikhail Timofeevitch has been living and working in Izhevsk. He went through a way from a self-taught-inventor up to the General Designer of small arms in the Soviet Army.

A range of the unified models of automatic small arms developed by Kalashnikov was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1950.

The Government highly estimated M. T. Kalashnikov's services to the country. He was twice honored as Hero of Socialist Labor (1958 and 1976) and became Stalin Prize (1949) and Lenin Prize (1964) laureate. In 1969 he was given the rank of Colonel and in 1971 awarded degree of Doctor of engineering science. M. T. Kalashnikov was decorated with three Orders of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner of Labor, Order of the Great Patriotic War of the First Class, Order of the Red Star and many medals.

Since 1980 M. T. Kalashnikov has been a citizen of honor in his native village of Kurya. His bronze bust was placed there as he was twice awarded Hero of Socialist Labor. In 1987 he became a honorable citizen of Izhevsk.

The President of Russia B.N. Eltsin personally decorated the outstanding designer M. T. Kalashnikov with the Order "For Distinguished Services for the Motherland" Second Class and promoted him to Major-General to his 75th anniversary.

The submachine guns of the Kalashnikov system are widespread all over the world. Some countries have included its image in the State Emblem. Under the items of information available in the literature to the midst of 1990 there were made about 70 millions units of Kalashnikov submachine guns of various modifications both in our country and abroad including those made under license and practically (till nowadays the invention has not been patented).

Since 1949 Mikhail Timofeevitch has been living and working in Izhevsk. He went through a way from a self-taught-inventor up to the General Designer of small arms in the Soviet Army.

A range of the unified models of automatic small arms developed by Kalashnikov was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1950.

The Government highly estimated M. T. Kalashnikov's services to the country. He was twice honored as Hero of Socialist Labor (1958 and 1976) and became Stalin Prize (1949) and Lenin Prize (1964) laureate. In 1969 he was given the rank of Colonel and in 1971 awarded degree of Doctor of engineering science. M. T. Kalashnikov was decorated with three Orders of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner of Labor, Order of the Great Patriotic War of the First Class, Order of the Red Star and many medals.

Since 1980 M. T. Kalashnikov has been a citizen of honor in his native village of Kurya. His bronze bust was placed there as he was twice awarded Hero of Socialist Labor. In 1987 he became a honorable citizen of Izhevsk.

The President of Russia B.N. Eltsin personally decorated the outstanding designer M. T. Kalashnikov with the Order "For Distinguished Services for the Motherland" Second Class and promoted him to Major-General to his 75th anniversary.

The submachine guns of the Kalashnikov system are widespread all over the world. Some countries have included its image in the State Emblem. Under the items of information available in the literature to the midst of 1990 there were made about 70 millions units of Kalashnikov submachine guns of various modifications both in our country and abroad including those made under license and practically (till nowadays the invention has not been patented).