Petrov, Fedor

Born Mar. 3 (16), 1902, in the village of Doktorovo, now in Venev Raion, Tula Oblast. Soviet artillery designer; lieutenant general of the engineers (1966). Hero of Socialist Labor (1944), doctor of technical sciences (1947). Member of the CPSU from 1942.

Petrov began working in 1916 as a laborer on the railroad. After graduation from the military-mechanical division of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute in 1931, he worked in industry and design. In 1942 he became chief designer at a plant. In the prewar years the first Soviet models of long-range army artillery, new howitzers of various calibers, and other types of artillery weapons were built under Petrov’s direction. During the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), Petrov worked on the technology and organization of mass production of artillery. During that time, several powerful tank, self-propelled, and field artillery weapons were built under Petrov’s direction. In the following years a series of new artillery systems was developed under his guidance and adopted.

Petrov was a deputy at the second and fourth convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He received the State Prize of the USSR in 1942, 1943, and twice in 1946, as well as the Lenin Prize in 1967. Petrov was awarded three Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of Kutuzov First Class, the Order of Suvorov Second Class, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and various medals.