FLEET VASILY SMIRNOV
Smirnov Vasily Alexandrovich
Fitters Baltic plant named after S. Ordzhonikidze, twice Hero of Socialist Labor
Not every one of us is able to build even a simple pleasure boat. A friend of mine, an engineer with the skillful hands, smashed in a "pot" three leaves and a lot of weekends. You should have seen him on the day of descent boats on the water: as happy as a little boy, excited as a young mother who was proud, as if sent to the path of the spacecraft.
By the evening of our Shipwright seriously argued that the piece of plate is a diminutive derived from the word "vessel". In general, it has become as it were taller and much greater in their eyes than it was in the morning, "piece of plate" rested on the water.
For some reason I remembered that my friend, when stocks Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad in the din of metal very close to hear a short whistle valiant. I looked around for whistler, but did not find it. All fitters are far away and do their thing, and stood next to one of their team leader, a man venerable for years, and as a solid reputation, which it suspected of whistler was not even embarrassed. "Someone from the team gave a whistle, and the metal denounced echo"-I decided.
But then a whistle was repeated. I froze in amazement. Now I not only heard but also seen: pursed lips, whistled, the foreman. And then the wave of the hand called for a brigade. Puzzled me at the moment Vasiliy Smirnov, one of the most famous work of the country, twice Hero of Socialist Labor. Serious, honorable man, is at the Leningrad Communists Party congresses, the Central Committee of the CPSU, decides matters of state, traveled in the Soviet delegations abroad, and indeed my grandfather've already ... and whistles, like a boy.
And what do the foreman, if you need to click in the din of metal and electric crackle? Run, scream? Get a megaphone? Of course, the whistle-easier and you can imagine.
Baltic Shipyard Ordzhonikidze Smirnov gave forty years. In the shipbuilding industry is an epoch. For Vasily Alexandrovich it started with a "grandfather" of the Russian icebreaker fleet, the legendary "Ermak". In 1938 it was decided to send a veteran of the famous quartet papanintsev to remove them from a drifting ice floe. But before it was necessary to repair the ice-breaker, to prepare to sail. The owners of the British firm, on whose shipyards "Ermak" has been built on the drafts of Admiral Makarov, have agreed to repair the ship for three to six months. To take such time the Soviet government, of course, could not. And then prepare to navigate the ice-breaker, it was decided to implement in Kronstadt the dock, and all of the shipbuilders to instruct the Baltic Shipyard. Term and a half months. Inspired by the confidence of the Baltic Fleet decided to meet with the repair, and two weeks. Among the repairmen was sixteen and a student of school FZO Smirnov. Of course, we did not, still a boy, then did the weather at the dock - says the foreman. - We help the senior and shared with them the difficulties of hard work. It did not stop all day, all the repairmen were sleeping and eating right on the icebreaker. In those days, we, the students first experienced the great power of association and labor enthusiasm. We felt ourselves as members of a powerful workforce. Renovation was completed in ten days, and the breaker went out at sea. Allowed to swim several miles to the "Ermak" and our boys,-as a reward for the work of a shock.
But since then, Vasili Alexandrovich did not have more sail on ships that are built. Short-lived and the joy associated with the termination of construction of the next ship: the trace of a sad moment of parting comes with a ship that ever left the slipway.
Our court for us, as children, who leave home in the independent life-recognized-Smirnov I lap all compartments plowed until cooked this ship. The seam of seam made him in the heat and cold. So say goodbye. Of course, we are proud that this is another vehicle coming off ... And in the heart-a sense of loss. So many ships built, and can not get rid of him.
I figured that if all the granite embankments of the Neva River main channel to turn to the piers, and even then near them barely enough space for the mooring of vessels in the construction of which was directly involved VA Smirnov. More than a hundred vessels of all kinds of purposes, a fleet of shipping company, riveted and welded together with his comrades in Leningrad shipwright!
Timber carriers, ore carriers, icebreakers, tankers, reefer vessels ... science-types of ships built at the Baltic Shipyard, of course, is easier to list than to remember an infinite number of names. But the ship's name in the list are those who are proud of the domestic shipbuilding industry, and sometimes the "hallmark" of the country. The tanker "Sophia," research vessel "Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin," nuclear icebreakers "Arctic" and "Siberia", they are all descended from the pile, VA Smirnov.
The history of the Baltic plant is closely linked with the history of domestic technological progress. On this metal Shipbuilding Yard was born in Russia, there was launched the first Russian ship with armor protection. Balts have built the first domestic steam turbine, and then the steam engine to the world's first airplane Mozhaisky.
In 1895, plant engineers have completed the design and working drawings of the future revolution of the cruiser "Aurora". In the 20s of this century, the Soviet Baltic Fleet built the first electric locomotives, diesel locomotives, marine engine of 2400 hp Then there were a series of timber ships, "Ermak", large tankers ... These works Balts asserted their industrial authority of Russia.
Continuing the glorious tradition, today's generation of Balts build such ships, which did not know the world. And at the forefront of the famous names of the Leningrad shipbuilders for many years is the name of VA Smirnov. The spirit of innovation found in the very essence of the profession shipbuilder. After all, every new ship lay people the latest achievements of science and technology, the freshest ideas. And that's fitters on the stocks start to this ordinance becoming engineering designs into the metal of the original.
I must confess, did not immediately make out creativity in the ship assembly. Work hard, it's true: under the hands of multi-ton steel section of the ship, which, without a sledge hammer and scrap can not approach. And the working day, especially in winter, often begins with a procedure that is at work cleaning up the workplace. A slip away is not what the machine, then drifts of snow cloth is not smahnesh not sduesh: shovels and brooms are required.
In short, the role of hard work, experience and skill on the stocks immediately visible. And what about the "creative spark" I honestly expressed his doubts Vasili Alexandrovich.
- I understand, readily accepted the call Smirnov.-work of thought in any case hard to spy. It's all happening inside, each in its own way. We were on the stocks to think makes the metal. He is capricious, as the Leningrad weather: in the heat, rain, frost behaves differently. That malleable, it is stubborn. This metal can be warm, that it is impossible. Hit with a sledgehammer and then first thought necessary. And what a welding mode to choose how to accurately and quickly cut off the edge? Not on the cloth after work ...
Microns, of course, did not catch, but the 100-ton unit with millimeter precision to place planting. The level and spirit level are not fooled. A welding seam more x-rays and control will pass. Here and accuracy and durability are needed. Moreover, it is necessary not just to collect the ship, and assemble quickly, as soon as possible. ' And here, without wit can not do. And we do not begin with the drawings, and from studies on the technology of the new order. I am now forty ships ranks, and still several times a year, listening to lectures of experts. As a perpetual student. And then rent exams. On the stocks. The whole "student's record-book" in the ships. Smirnov, in fact younger, venturesome becomes even when he speaks of the fitters.
In the postwar years was a time when the fitters are embraced despair and helplessness: the plant went from riveting to welding of housings.
- In a welder for us then was a lot of mystery. We looked at him as a magician's electric. And there-on, take it "derzhak", insert the electrode and lead the seam, rash spark itself. Used to weld a few inches of metal and then naperezhivaeshsya. And then just abandon the riveting, completely welded body-to a long time we could not decide - recalls Vasili Alexandrovich and does not stand up, smiling.
In fact, the long-standing fear of the unknown profession, which had to master fitters, these days it seems funny. Because now is the same manual welding is going on the stocks in the past, it is replaced automatically. And do it all the same fitters who have mastered to the same professions scriber, an electrician, burner, technologist, working with pneumatic tools.
Naturally, such a wide range of professional fitters allows them to actively influence the improvement of production processes. A number of innovative proposals on the technology team leader Smirnov construction of new ships is marked with two gold medals and a diploma ENEA Research Institute named after AN Krylov.
In meetings with high school students, with students factory vocational school Smirnov often talks about the changes in the profession fitters, that satisfaction which it brings. Apparently, he managed to interest the young: the guys from the school compete for the right to work in his team.
But ... are still on the stocks hammer and scrap remains in heavy manual labor for the assembly operations of ships. And Vasili Alexandrovich tries to attract the attention of specialists to solve this problem. He stands at the production meetings and party meetings, the press and in the Leningrad Council of innovators shipping industry, which is headed. "The ship alone can not build", likes to remind Vasili Alexandrovich. In the creation of nuclear-powered icebreaker "Sibir", for example, involved more than 100 research institutes and design organizations, about 350 production units. The labor of tens of thousands of people concentrated in this unique vessel, which did not know the history of world shipbuilding.
A corps of "Siberia" as the "Arctic", gathered a team of Smirnov. When you select a group of shop fitters leaders relied on high skill teams Smirnov - builders had to reinforce the most complicated and quite unknown nuclear submarine hull configuration. But I had to not only be able to do the job, but also meet the very tight deadlines for the construction of an icebreaker. And the pace of shipbuilding sets this hull shop. We had a team Smirnov, a special experience.
More than 20 years ago, the advanced workers have initiated a movement for a communist attitude to work. Among them was the foreman and fitters from the Baltic plant Vasily Smirnov.
Built on the Baltic while the largest at the time the Soviet tanker, and this is a new technology, new technology, a new level of responsibility for the work. And earlier in the workshop said many times that can not be achieved this success without an increase in knowledge and mastery of technique, culture, and now this problem has got an edge. Then the team decided to take such Smirnov socialist obligations, which would provide for and study of all team members, and their participation in public life.
Smirnov's first brigade then took up the development of related professions. This has allowed only one building berth shop burner to reduce the number of seventy-five to twenty people and make unnecessary elektroprihvatchika profession. It is not affected: the giant tanker was built ahead of schedule. Then the brigadier he parted with his brigade, which at that time won the title of communist labor brigade, and moved to the lagging. And then they gathered ahead of time building a new tanker.
Personal example in his work, the quality of organizational VA Smirnov in 1960 were awarded the title Hero of Socialist Labor. "This is an advance on future", modestly assessed his services team leader at the award presentation.
Much has changed since that time in the life of the brigade. It. composition has changed, it passed through a whole generation of fitters. But the main thing remained unchanged: the responsible attitude, taught by the foreman.
- I think I was lucky with the foreman, says fitters VP Vasiliev, who works in the brigade Smirnov six years. - The master of his craft, fair and patient teacher. He not only taught me to work, but recommended to the party. I graduated from college, is now studying at the institute and, probably, will soon move on to the engineering work. Very sorry to part with the team, but the vital principles of Vasily Alexandrovich stay with me.
Sometimes the foreman overcome complex feelings: happy or upset care of the boys team, which, as in ships, and put part of their soul and skill? He himself encouraged the study of Volodya Vasilyev, helped him to understand the technology sudosborki, and now grown up and the guy can be proud of. Of course, just to say goodbye to them do not have: a diploma shipbuilder Vasiliev, will no longer stack, but not from the factory.
But with Ivan Grishanova foreman has said goodbye. How long is it seems to be only a few months ago was presented to him, a graduate of technical school at the plant, it is the tool bench in the Komsomol conference in the Tauride Palace ... Do you like this guy Smirnov and during work experience in the brigade, and an exam at a vocational school, which Vasili Alexandrovich took him along with the teachers. But it's time to become a fellow soldier. Both parted with regret. Will there be a meeting?
But maybe nothing is going through the foreman? After he returned the same 15 years ago in the team after serving in the army of Alexander Fedotov. His Smirnov also fostered by the school FZO. He came back and remained on the stocks for good. Sasha was the highest level fitters, loyal assistant Smirnov, in all its affairs, the deputy team leader Alexander Mikhailovich Fedotov.
So, the team tasked to build the first Smirnov nuclear icebreakers. It was a new technological frontier.
On the first atomic icebreaker ship fitters working with metal, which is the strength and thickness is much superior to the usual parameters. To build the multi-ton sections of this protivoledovoy armor had to make special tooling and parts to fit the team has at its disposal a new pneumatic jacks and tie, which also did not work before. Unknown thing become an assembly and welding of massive slabs of biological protection. There was a real piece of work: the surface of plates in the central compartment of nuclear-powered ships brought to the mirror clean.
- Every day new. Standard solutions were no longer valid-that was the main problem of all participants in the construction, "the Arctic" and "Siberia", - said Vasily Smirnov.
Baltic Fleet in the months ahead carefully calculated his forces, taking socialist pledges to pull the "Siberia" on the water ahead of time, the eve of the XXV Congress of the CPSU. But one thing they could not take into account: the vagaries of the weather. It was in those days, when stocks began the most critical work, generally mild winters Leningrad descended on the town a truly arctic frosts.
Especially got from them, and rastochnikam installers who need to work directly on the stocks. Fitters were in a better position: freeze-depart warm, and its main job they had to pass before the frost. Few people have seen the dedication with which to work on the stern of machine operators. But Smirnov seen. And then, when two years later came a holiday date icebreaker sailors, he has not forgotten frost watch their comrades. By changing his usual restraint in the estimates, it is at the grand rally called their work a feat.
Born on the stocks of the Baltic shipyard nuclear icebreakers of the second generation, as they call these ice warriors, already serve the country, working in the Arctic routes. One of them carried the cherished dream of Russian and Soviet researchers achieved a world first in the ice of the North Pole voyage. On that August day in 1977 the crew of "Arctic," the joyful telegram sent to Leningrad, the creators of the ship, with gratitude for their safe operation. Survived the ordeal and the housing nuclear-powered, hand crafted from the brigade fitters Smirnov. A year later, in September 1978, Vasili Alexandrovich for participation in the construction of the nuclear icebreaker "Sibir" was awarded a second gold medal of Hero of Socialist Labor.
Smirnov has said that for some industrial achievements, even outstanding, he would not give the awards. In addition to skill, a man must be an ideological belief, desire and ability to be useful to society.
And Vasily Alexandrovich trust not only to collect marine corps. Leningrad Communists elected him a delegate to the last four Congresses of the Communist Party, he was thirteen years in a row was a candidate member of the Central Committee and a member of our party. He is a member of the USSR People's Control Committee since its inception, a member of the party and trade union committee of the plant, a member of the presidium of the Leningrad oblsovprofa.
It is difficult, of course, everywhere and throughout time to get to the core business. The working day Smirnov painted by the minute. Even on weekends it has mandatory meetings and urgent matters.
Smirnov's waiting, his opinion is interesting to others ... But it was not seven as a genius this man! And the day it is not longer than the others! How he manages to justify but the wait?
"Hold on to your factory pipe, will not perish, 'he says in such cases, Vasili Alexandrovich, whether true interests of the working group." He singled out for themselves a certain number of issues in the decision which is involved and which are close to him, excite him. This is the problem of educating the working generation, frugality, and questions of organization, discipline. This is not theoretical, but the questions of life from the practice of which he understands the working group, no matter what the scale, and the industries they are not concerned. A rationally and usefully divide their time after school to help his knowledge and experience of a statesman, he had acquired over many years of active public life.
"Extremely conscientious man, who was distinguished by an active party's position, a high sense of responsibility, broad erudition," says a VA Smirnov Party secretary of the Baltic Shipyard E. Koshelev.
A professor at the Leningrad Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after Repin, Honored Artist of the RSFSR V. Pimenov was familiar with Smirnov few months. In shops and on the stocks Baltic plant he sought an expressive type for a portrait of the Leningrad shipbuilder. The image of the future hero was formed hard, until the artist is not acquainted with the foreman Smirnov. "That's it I'm going to write" - ended question Pimenov.
Long hours of sessions they became friends. They were in no hurry to leave, and when the portrait was finished: visited each other, walking on the quays of Leningrad. "It's amazing man of integrity in their attitude to work, to life values, is not a secret sympathy for his hero artist. - It is said that the portrait was a success. If so, I fully share the success with Vasili Alexandrovich, his sincerity, he had, without knowing it, inspired me. This is a real working man! "
