Alexey Sudayev
Alexey Ivanovich Sudayev (Russian: Алексе́й Ива́нович Суда́ев; 23 August 1912 – 17 August 1946) was a Soviet firearm designer. He created the PPS submachine gun and the AS-44 assault rifle.
Alexey Ivanovich Sudayev | |
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![]() Sudayev's grave at Vagankovo Cemetery | |
Born | Alexey Ivanovich Sudayev August 23, 1912 |
Died | August 17, 1946 33) | (aged
Alma mater | Gorky Industrial Institute |
Occupation | inventor, engineer |
He lived in Leningrad, and participated in the defense of the city. The PPS was developed to be mass-produced for the defense of Leningrad.
Sudayev designed one of the first Soviet assault rifles for the new intermediate cartridge 7.62×39mm, the AS-44. The first prototype was tested in 1944, and found to function adequately by the Soviet army, though it was considered too heavy at 5.6 kg. Sudayev then worked on a second, lighter prototype that weighed only 5.35 kg. However, the second prototype had accuracy and reliability problems, which needed to be resolved.[1] Unfortunately, Sudayev became seriously ill and died in 1946 (a week before his 34th birthday) before his design could be finalized.[2]
References
- Сергей МОНЕТЧИКОВ, РУССКИЕ ОРУЖЕЙНИКИ: Жизнь, оборвавшаяся на взлете Archived 2018-02-12 at the Wayback Machine БРАТИШКА, October 2002 issue
- John Francis Nejez Bradley (1977). Sydney L. Mayer (ed.). The Russian war machine, 1917-1945. Chartwell Books. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-86124-379-2.