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    THE SOVIET QUIZ - 2011 - QUIZ CLOSED


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    Dang it, Dan - now look who got beaten just by a matter of minutes!

    For the record, the four who are alive today are Viktor Kulikov, Sergei Sokolov, Vasily Petrov, and Dmitri Yazov.

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    Excellent Dan!!! Congratulations!!! You could not have given a better answer.

    What was the most useful clue? I thought the number 41 should be the most helpful hint pointing you in the direction of Marshals and then its just a question of finding which one had committed suicied....

    .... but then again you never know which hints work best!

    Jim :cheers:

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    Dang it, Dan - now look who got beaten just by a matter of minutes!

    For the record, the four who are alive today are Viktor Kulikov, Sergei Sokolov, Vasily Petrov, and Dmitri Yazov.

    LOL Harvey!! What goes around comes around. Interesting how sometimes, dwelling on replying correctly those few minutes more makes the difference between a hit or a miss! Well done nevertheless Harvey!!! :beer:

    Jim :cheers:

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    The score is presently as follows with Haputmann Dan asking the next question i.e. question 10.

    Dan is also presently the leader! :beer:

    3 points - Hauptmann (Dan)

    2 points - Harvey

    2 points - JimZ

    1 point - Valter

    1 point - kapten_windu

    Regards,

    Jim :cheers:

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    Thanks guys! :beer:

    "What was the most useful clue? I thought the number 41 should be the most helpful hint pointing you in the direction of Marshals and then its just a question of finding which one had committed suicied....

    .... but then again you never know which hints work best!"

    Actually Jim, this one at first hit me as a tough one. A group of 41... could have been a graduating class... a unit... Lord knows what. I had to pick it apart line by line and read between the lines.

    "Some of us had grand careers, though others were executed!"

    That was one of the keys. I thought, who had the grandest careers in the Soviet Union... the Marshal's of course! Didn't really realize there'd only been 41 of them, but I found the list on Wiki, counted them and sure enough 41. Then went through to see how many alive... sure enough, four and one who had committed suicide. So just knew this had to be it. The rest is history as they say!

    Such a sad end. He looks like the sort of guy who if you knew him you could easily be friends with him, go out for a drink, etc.

    Anyhoo, I've got another question in mind... a "bit" more specialized but hopefully not too bad. Will pop it up in just a bit. :P

    Dan :cheers:

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    Yeah, I saw your question a few hours after you posted it (it's still early here in California) and immediately guessed it to be the Marshals, due to the low number (4) and the fact that several of them had been executed by Stalin, while others had enormously successful careers (Zhukov, etc.). I was in the process of gathering the info on Akhromeyev when Dan beat me to the punch!

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    When I used to participate in the quiz in previous years, I use to love to ask my questions in this format.....hiding subtle hints that lead you onto a treasure hunt.

    They usually sound more complicated than they are, but then if you take them apart and sprinkle some some common sense onto my words, the answer is usually staring you in the face :-) Only problem is that these questions tend to be tougher for those whose first language isn't English.

    Yes - a very sad story. And to think that he may easily have moved on to be a Marshal of the Russian Federation, were it not for him becoming totally disillusioned by the collapse of Communism. Think of how many individuals, whose credo was communism must have felt the same (and even gone the same way).

    Anyway, well done to both Dan and Harvey once again!!!! :beer:

    Jim :cheers:

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    My family started in 1891. I've been a warrior ever since although I enjoy hunting as well when I'm not fighting wars. I'm not nearly as famous as one who came after me and whose family sees more action these days as I'm getting on in years.

    I've seen the ebb and flow of history. I've seen the fall of the Tsars and the coming of the new age of the Soviets, seen that fall as well. I've seen war on all fronts, in heat and cold and been the constant and loyal companion of soldiers throughout it all.

    How did my family get started? What am I? What is my history? Who is the one who came after me?

    Good luck! :beer:

    Dan :cheers:

    Edited by Hauptmann
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    Would have almost said this was a backgammon set but that is way older than 1891:-)

    What am I

    Moisin-Nagant... a warrior and hunter and not as famous as Kalashnikov (AK series). Yes, not as famous as Kalashnikov (take the AK47) but I am sure, in some remote region of the world it still sees action.

    1891 means that it saw the fall of the Tsars and the rise of the Soviet empire, used on all fronts.

    And here I use wiki....

    How did my family get started:

    The 3-line rifle, Model 1891, its original official designation, was adopted by the Russian Military in 1891. There have been several variations from the original rifle, the most common being the M1891/30, which was designed in 1930. Some details were borrowed from Nagant's design. One such detail is the attachment of the magazine spring to the magazine base plate. In Mosin's original design the spring was not attached to the base plate and, according to the Commission, could be lost during cleaning). Another detail is the form of the clip that could hold five cartridges to be loaded simultaneously into the magazine.

    The other is the form of the "interrupter", a detail in the feeding mechanism preventing stoppages due to feeding two cartridges at the same time. The initial rifle proposed by Nagant lacked an interrupter, leading to numerous failures to feed. This detail, as well as the new configuration of the feed mechanism, was introduced in the rifle, borrowing from Mosin's rifle. Although the form of the interrupter was slightly changed, this alteration was subsequently borrowed back by the Commission for the Model 1891 Mosin Nagant.

    During the modernization of 1930 the form of the interrupter was further changed as the part had turned out to be one of the least reliable parts of the action. Only the clip loading cartridges and the attachment of the magazine spring to the magazine base plate in subsequent models were designed by Nagant. Considering the rifle could be easily loaded without using a clip, one cartridge after another, the magazine spring attached to the magazine base plate is the only contribution of Nagant to all rifles after 1930.

    My history:

    Despite the failure of Nagant's rifle in the patent trial he claimed he was entitled to the sum the winner was to receive. It also appeared that Nagant was the first to apply for the international patent protection over the "interrupter", although he borrowed it from Mosin's design initially. The reason why Mosin could not apply for a patent was that he was an officer of the Russian army and the design of the rifle was owned by the Government and had the status of a military secret. A scandal was about to burst out with Nagant threatening he would not participate in trials held in Russia ever again and some involved officials proposing to expel Nagant from any further trials as he borrowed the design of the "interrupter" after it was covered by the "secrecy" status given in Russia of that time to military inventions and therefore violated Russian law. Taking into consideration that Nagant was one of the few producers not engaged by competitive governments and generally eager to cooperate and share experience and technologies, the Commission paid him a sum of 200,000 Russian roubles equal to the premium that Mosin received as the winner. The rifle did not receive the name of its real inventor Mosin in order not to provoke further debates with Nagant. This turned out to be a wise decision as in 1895 Nagant's revolver was adopted by the Russian army as the main side weapon. However for the same reason and because of Nagant's attempts to use the situation for publicity the "Mosin-Nagant" cliche appeared in the western literature (the rifle was never called this in Russia). The cliche is deficient from the legal point of view (taking into consideration the legal provisions of Russian law at that time, i.e. the law of the country to adopt the rifle) and from technical point of view as none of the borrowings from Nagant's design even if removed would prevent the rifle from firing. Moreover from the technical point of view the rifle that can be called "Mosin-Nagant" (or "Nagant-Mosin") is the design proposed by Mosin, as further amended by Mosin with some details being borrowed from Nagant's design.

    Production of the Model 1891 began in 1892 at the ordnance factories of Tula Arsenal, Izhevsk Arsenal, and Sestroryetsk Arsenal. An order for 500,000 rifles was placed with the French arms factory, Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Châtellerault.[2]

    By the time of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, approximately 3.8 million rifles had been delivered to the Russian army. Initial reactions by units equipped with the rifle were mixed, but any adverse reports were likely due to poor maintenance of the Mosins by infantrymen more familiar with the Berdan who were not properly trained on the Mosin-Nagant.

    Between the adoption of the final design in 1891 and the year 1910, several variants and modifications to the existing rifles were made

    USSR Variants include:

    - Model 1891 Infantry Rifle

    - Dragoon Rifle

    - Cossack Rifle

    - Model 1907 Carbine

    - Model 1891/30

    - Model 1938 Carbine

    - Model 1944 Carbine

    - Model 1891/59 Carbine

    Now I am either spot on....or this is something else and I am completely off....LOL!!! I still have not figured which part of the rifle this might be though......

    !!!

    Jim :cheers:

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    We have a winner! Congrats Jim! Wow but you ARE good!!!! :jumping: :jumping:

    That went a "bit" quicker than I expected... but one never knows. I even had pics of other parts set up and ready to go for hints if needed. Scanning, resizing, etc., all that took longer than it did to get the answer. :cheeky:

    The part is on the underside of the stock just a bit in front of the magazine base. It's very distinctive and I have never seen the same on any other rifle. It's one thing I love about it... almost like a bit of artistry built into it... along with several small silver (I think they are silver... they look like it) dots... at least on mine there are three towards the rear and three towards the front of the upper wood guard over the barrel. Mine also has the hexagonal breech area which I think also adds to the effect.

    Well, it's back to you for the next one... WELL DONE! :beer:

    Dan :cheers:

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    Thanks Dan.... The hunting comment threw me on the right track and I knew that what I had to look was a rifle..... but that detail!!!

    Do you have a full pic or is that the only one...I've been searching Moisin Nagant pics for the last half hour trying to find that detail but Zilch!! :speechless:

    I would daresay that the Moisin Nagant was one of the most popular and I dare say, reliable sniper rifles!! Deadly in the hand of a good sniper.

    Jim :cheers:

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    The score is presently as follows with JimZ asking the next question i.e. question 11.

    3 points - Hauptmann (Dan)

    3 points - JimZ

    2 points - Harvey

    1 point - Valter

    1 point - kapten_windu

    Soon guys.....let me get some inspiration!

    Jim :cheers:

    Edited by JimZ
    : SPELLING!!!
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    Thanks Dan.... The hunting comment threw me on the right track and I knew that what I had to look was a rifle..... but that detail!!!

    Do you have a full pic or is that the only one...I've been searching Moisin Nagant pics for the last half hour trying to find that detail but Zilch!! :speechless:

    I would daresay that the Moisin Nagant was one of the most popular and I dare say, reliable sniper rifles!! Deadly in the hand of a good sniper.

    Jim :cheers:

    Ask and ye shall receive:

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    A-ha!! Thanks Dan. I was looking for that detail towards the butt not the stock!!! That explains it.

    That yours Dan?

    Jim :cheers:

    Edited by JimZ
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    Question number 11

    I was a Soviet pilot and I have done what no other pilot like me has, although in doing so, I lost my life.

    My better half was also a pilot dying in combat two years later.

    Who am I? What was my rank/title? What did I do that was so unique?

    Again, I'll let you look around for a while and if it turns out to be tough, I'll drop some hints.

    Jim :cheers:

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    Ok.... no takers so far..... a hint.... here is my pic.... handsome eh!!! :)

    I'll wait for a few attempts on your end before I drop another one...perhaps this may not even be necessary.

    Jim :cheers:

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    I'm not sure about the wife, but being I pilot that done what noone (before) him did, it should be

    Captain Nikolay Francevich Gastello (Николай Францевич Гастелло, 6.5.1908 - 26.6.1941).

    His exceptionally did was "ognyenny taran" ("fire ram") - he was a pilot of a bomber, and when his plane was hit by German AA, he didn't jump with parachute to save his life (and probably end as a prisoner), but deliberately rammed with his burning plane in the middle of german troops.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Gastello

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    Very good try Valter..... but he is not our subject.

    Did not know this particular story so thanks for posting it. Glad to see he was awarded the Hero of Russia, albet somewhat delayed (HSU no longer existed by then!!) He probably realised he was better off in flames than being taken a prisoner of war, which was considered as an act of treason by Stalin!! But a brave act, no matter what the motivation was.

    You're on the right trail though....think outside the box.....

    Jim :cheers:

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    Is the man Captain Alekseei Stepanovich Khlobystov who carried out three tarans (some reference say four) and died in aerial combat on 13 December 1943? Gunner 1

    Edited by Gunner 1
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    Hi Gunner1,

    Welcome to the quiz!! The answer is (regrettable) No once again, Captain Khlobystov is not our pilot.

    Think outside the box gentlemen :-)

    Regards,

    Jim

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    Kапитан Григорий Яковлевич Бахчиванджи - died testing the first Soviet rocket fighter, the БИ-1? He certainly was thinking 'outside of the box'! I have seen that face before but just can't place it and it is way past my bedtime. Gunner 1

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    OK..lets add another hint to limit the time of death and provide some more direction....

    I died during the Great Patriotic War. Recognition for my action resulted in a later posthumous award.

    Jim :cheers:

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