Do you know who the author protivotankogo "hedgehog"?

For years, this military fortifications was read product soldier creativity. And no one thought that the "hedgehog" is the author, who had thoroughly work to create an effective barrier against German tanks. The name of this person, Michael L. Gorriker.







Michael L. - member of two world wars, at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War - Major General technical forces, head of the Kiev Tank School.





So what's the genius of the "hedgehog"? The simplicity of its design. Profile rails and cut into roughly equal pieces. Then the cut pieces were welded to each other in the form of the letter "F". And yet, insurmountable barrier to the German technology is ready.



However, in this case it required a precise calculation of welding. "Hedgehog" is not supposed to be above the top front plate of armor. Its height is 80 cm. The tests proved that the "right hedgehog" could withstand the impact of tank weighing 60 tons. The next phase was the defense of the effective installation of fences. Line of defense of the "hedgehogs" - four rows of staggered - turned into a serious problem for the tanks. The meaning of the "hedgehog" in the fact that he had to be under the tank, and the tank - be reared. As a result, the armored car finally stopped, "hovering" above the ground, and could knock out of anti-tank weapons. "Asterisks Gorrikera" as some documents were called boom, turned into as many "perfect" in the future did not require revision. This invention became one of the symbols of the Battle of Moscow in the winter of 1941. Only in the defense of the capital near the borders of the USSR were placed around 37,500 "hedgehogs". There is a monument in Khimki antitank hedgehogs, but there are no names of their creator.





Film director Vladimir Gorikker, son of a general, made great efforts to Moscow there was a plaque in honor of his father. "The first days after the attack on the USSR, the Nazis, I remember well. Father was appointed to command the defense of Kiev, which was approaching the enemy. The works were many, but when he returned home late at night, Dad, instead of a little rest, "requisitioned" I toy models of tanks, which previously presented himself, and almost all night poring over them, moving on the table together with some designs of matches connected with glue or plasticine. To me, the kid, the purpose of these gizmos were unclear. I even think that a father, so, trying to escape, struggling with insomnia. But once he returned earlier than usual, literally radiant, and almost from the doorstep enthusiastically shouted: "We screwed two tanks !!!". These are on! The family also knew how closely it relates to conservation techniques, it gives scolding, even for minor offenses, which can cause damage to the tank, and then - does not hide the joy at the failure of two war machines ... Only much later I realized the significance of the event, that happened that day at the site of the Kiev Sirec tank and Technical College "- says the son of the famous military engineer.



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Here is an excerpt from an act of tests conducted by 3 July 1941. "The Commission as part of the Secretary of the CC CP / B / C of mashinostreniyu comrade. Bibdychenko, Head. Oboronnnoy Industry Department of the Central Committee comrade. Yaltanskogo, Secretary of CPC comrade. SIDA, the Chief of the Kiev Garrison Major General Comrade. Gorikkera, director of the factory Bolsheviks - tov.Kurganova 225 comrade. Maximov, Lenkuznya comrade. Merkureva and representatives KTTU colonel and military engineer Rajewski 2 rank Kolesnikova tested the anti-tank obstacles - 6 ultimate star made of scrap rail, the supply of major general tehvoysk comrade. Gorikkera.

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The conclusion of the test, trial

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Tank forced to stop as Fang [boom] was between the drive wheel and caterpillar crawler and canine star third line fence, resting at the bottom of the bow of the tank and lifted into the air last. This provision is without external assistance does not give the opportunity to continue the movement. Stop the tank on the fence is the most effective thing for the execution of his artillery on a pre-sighted sections of the established barriers.

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Conclusion: The Commission considers that the anti-tank obstacles, six-pointed star is an effective anti-tank barrage, a kind of boom can be widely applied to the district level, catwalk and important directions ».

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In early September 1941, General Gorikker was recalled to Moscow, where he served as Head of the Main Department of Road Transport and Road Service of the Red Army, the Chief of the Leningrad Front avtoupravleniya, chief of inspection Main motor control of the Red Army. After the war - in command of Automobile School, died in Moscow in 1955. By the way, the idea of ​​our "hedgehogs" and later used in the defense of the Germans in 1944-1945.

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