Vladimir Andreevich Artemyev is a Soviet designer, one of the creators of the legendary Katyusha. His work was awarded two Stalin Prizes. He is a holder of the orders of the Red Banner of Labor and the Red Star.
Vladimir Andreyevich was born into the noble family of St. Petersburg on June 24 (July 6) in 1885. His father managed to take part in many battles, as he was a military man. Immediately after graduating from high school in 1905, Vladimir went to the front as a volunteer.
Choosing a Life Path
In battles, the recent high school student showed considerable courage. He was awarded the St. George Cross and the rank of junior non-commissioned officer. The young man decided after the war to get a military education. The father was categorically against such a career as a son. Relations after choosing a young man with a parent have become very strained. Artemyev Sr. did not accept the choice of heir.
In 1908, Vladimir, with the rank of second lieutenant, graduated from the Alekseyev Military School. After completing his studies, the young officer in the rank went to serve in the Brest-Litovsk fortress. In 1911, Artemyev was promoted to lieutenant. For four years, Vladimir Andreyevich was in charge of the outfit laboratory of the fortress. There, a young man became interested in rockets.
He began his first experiments with lighting rockets. The engineer was able to change the design of the lighting rocket in such a way that several samples could be replaced.
Experiments have noticed. The management considered the contribution of the young scientist to the development of military equipment to be significant. In 1915, it was decided to send a promising young scientist to the Main Artillery Directorate of Moscow.
There he continued his service until the 1917 revolution. After October, Vladimir Andreyevich remained in the Soviet Union. He continued his research activities.
In the early twenties, Artemyev met with the specialist and inventor Nikolai Tikhomirov who worked in the same direction. He was engaged in the development of rockets.
Almost no one believed in the success of the work. Research engineers continued together. Smokeless rockets were called fiction. However, the developers firmly believed in success.
Research and Invention
They kept the workshop for work enthusiastically. In order to survive, scientists simultaneously engaged in the manufacture of toys for children, accessories for bicycles.
Researchers were able to obtain smokeless sintered powder on TNT. This was an unprecedented breakthrough. As a result, the invention formed the basis for subsequent achievements in the field of domestic rocket science.
In 1922, at the end of September, Artemyev was arrested. The investigation into his case lasted longer than six months. On June 10, 1923, the inventor was sent to the Solovetsky camp for three years.
After his release and return home, Vladimir Andreevich continued joint research with Tikhomirov. After three years of hard work in 1928, on March 3, successfully tested a new rocket.
The command of the Red Army, the experiments of scientists were encouraged. They were allocated funds for the equipment of the Gas-dynamic laboratory. Tikhomirova was appointed its first leader. At the post he was replaced by Peter and Paul.
After combining the laboratories with the Reactive Institute in 1933, prior to putting into service, Artemyev was engaged in improving the reactive charges of the RS-82 and RS-132.
During this period, Vladimir Andreyevich was engaged in the construction of a deep-sea jet bomb. He was directly involved in the creation of the Katyusha mortar.
Katyusha
Artemyev got the design of shells for the legendary installation. Multiply charged Katyusha became a real headache for the enemy.
The BM-13 was adopted literally just a few before the start of World War II. On July 14, 1941, she launched the first salvo at the enemy.
The Orsha railway junction occupied by the Nazi troops was firing at a battery of seven Katyushas. The enemy was so frightened by the power of the weapon that he considered it was as if artillerymen with a hundred guns came out against them.
Thanks to the unprecedented strength and power of rockets, rockets flew to a distance of over 8 km, and the temperature of the fragments reached eight hundred degrees.
The enemy has tried repeatedly to capture new miracle patterns. However, the Katyush crews received clear orders not to give the weapon into the hands of the enemy.
In critical situations, it was recommended to use the self-liquidation mechanism available in the installation. The whole history of modern rocketry is based on those legendary jet Katyushas.
