Admiral Nakhimov (armored cruiser). List of cruiser officers captured after the Battle of Tsushima

The cruiser Admiral Nakhimov should join the fleet in 2018. Its modernization began in 2014 and is planned to last four years. Then it will be the turn of another ship - the Peter the Great, the flagship of the Northern Fleet, built according to the same Orlan project No. 11442. These giants can serve far from their native shores, providing a military presence in any area of ​​the World Ocean. Combat naval units were created in accordance with the Soviet military doctrine of the first half of the 80s of the last century, they cost the USSR state budget a tidy sum (a total of four of them were launched), and now this inheritance must be properly managed. The extent to which these types of ships are needed and their possible effectiveness in the event of an armed conflict should also be assessed.

General purpose

From a macroeconomic point of view, any costs must be incurred in accordance with specific feasibility. A state that does not have the opportunity to defend its interests on a global scale is doomed to peripheral vegetation. Despite the abundance of international agreements and the presence of international supranational structures that monitor compliance with established rules, in many cases militarily strong countries use aviation, navies and ground forces, violating all written and unwritten laws to ensure their regional dominance. There is a UN Security Council resolution - good, but if it is not received, the “big stick” is always ready. To counter threats of this kind, there are such giant nuclear-powered ships as the Admiral Nakhimov. The cruiser is designed to provide powerful cover for an entire squadron performing missions at great distances. In military parlance this is called "stabilization." In essence, such a ship is the core of a naval force, deprived of the opportunity to receive support from its own or friendly coastal bases due to its great distance and being under the threat of hostile armed influences. Atomic missile cruiser“Admiral Nakhimov” is expected to be able to open a kind of “umbrella” consisting of anti-aircraft, anti-missile, anti-submarine and other systems, repel attacks, and, if necessary, deliver a crushing blow in response.

Ship architecture and Stealth technology

In the early eighties, the Soviet military-industrial complex was a developed industry that included thousands of enterprises and scientific institutions. The successes of domestic developers of defense systems were ensured by generous funding. When creating new models, the latest achievements in the field of offensive weapons of the military-industrial complex of countries were taken into account - probable opponents. An example is the ship "Admiral Nakhimov". The cruiser was built on the principle of low visibility of its hull for radars. The outlines of the superstructures are made in the form of pyramids consisting of inclined planes, the surface part has “filled up” sides, there are practically no right angles. For painting, a special technologically impeccable substance was used, which bears the meaningless name “varnish” and does not differ in appearance from the usual ball coating of warships, but has an important unique property absorb high-frequency radiation, minimizing their reflection. Experts debate how effective efforts to make a 250-meter-long object low radar signature are, but the science behind it is valuable in its own right for its future applications. Indeed, such a large ship can be seen not only on radar screens, but also from a satellite, not to mention reconnaissance aircraft. Stealth technology is important for the possible misleading of guidance units. The “spot” of illumination on the screen will become smaller, and the cruiser can also project false targets using electronic missile defense systems.

Modernization opportunities

Over the past almost three decades, almost all technical means and the ship's weapons systems are outdated, and now only the huge hull, equipped with a powerful nuclear power plant, is of value to the fleet. However, the cost of this “platform” is such that it should not be neglected. Example careful attitude the expensive materiel may be used by the American navy. All large-tonnage US ships are initially built with possible modernization in mind; power supply cable channels and installation dimensions are made in such a way that replacing any equipment - in the event of a more modern one - is not a problem. The repair of the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, which formally began in 1998, was delayed precisely because there was a need for a huge number of design changes necessary for effective modernization. TARK "Kalinin" (under this name the ship was laid down in 1983 and served until 1993) could not satisfy the conditions of naval combat at the beginning of the third millennium. The restructuring project was entrusted to the Northern Design Bureau (St. Petersburg), and 21 months were allocated for its development. The documentation estimate amounted to almost 2.8 billion rubles. It is expected that the entire modernization of the ship will cost tens of billions. There were immediately critics who argued that for that kind of money it was possible to build several new combat units of the frigate or corvette class, which together had greater combat capabilities. This opinion, of course, has a right to exist, but light class ships are not designed to perform the tasks for which the Admiral Nakhimov was built. The cruiser has a larger operational radius and lasts much longer than a destroyer or BOD, so in general its modernization is economically justified.

About the name

Sailors are not only brave people, but also quite superstitious. They try to avoid leaving the port on the thirteenth under any pretext, believe in various omens and do not like unlucky names. Unfortunately, there are reasons for concern in this case.

Armored cruiser The Admiral Nakhimov was sunk by its crew to avoid its capture by the Japanese in 1905 during the Battle of Tsushima. The sailors fought heroically, sank several enemy destroyers, seriously damaged the cruiser Iwate and in no way disgraced the glory of the Russian fleet. The Varyag, which perished under similar circumstances, passed on its formidable name to the modern ship.

Less known is the fate of another “Nakhimov” - a merchant steamship of the ROPIT company, which sank off the Turkish coast in 1897 during a strong storm.

In 1941, during the heroic German aviation, the ship “Chervona Ukraine”, previously (before the Civil War) called “Admiral Nakhimov”, was sunk. The cruiser sank, receiving many holes.

In 1960, another ship bearing the name of the famous naval commander was withdrawn from the Black Sea Fleet. The story turned out to be mysterious: the missile cruiser was only fifteen years old, and there is an assumption that it was used to study the effect on the hull of an underwater wave generated by a nuclear explosion.

In 1973, another Admiral Nakhimov sank. Ironically, the wreck of the research vessel happened in the place where the great Russian naval commander achieved one of his most brilliant victories - in Tsemes Bay. The ship suddenly became icy and sank to the bottom right next to the pier.

Due to severe damage received in a collision with a submarine, the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Nakhimov was written off. A cruiser (Tsushima), a scientific ship, another cruiser (Sevastopol), a merchant ship (northern coast of Turkey), the Republic of Kazakhstan (50 kilometers from the southern coast of Crimea) - to this martyrology one cannot help but add one of the worst maritime tragedies in the entire history of shipping. The cargo ship “Peter Vasev” and the steamship, which at the time of launching bore the name “Berlin”, took part in it. In 1986, two large ships could not miss each other in the Novorossiysk Tsemes Bay. After the Victory, the captured "Berlin" was named "Admiral Nakhimov". The disaster claimed the lives of hundreds of passengers and crew members.

How can you not believe in evil rock, pursuing an unlucky title?

And yet, why “Nakhimov”?

The tragic episodes outlined above are no secret to the leaders whose responsibilities include choosing the name of the ship. And if the decision, despite such sad statistics, is nevertheless made, then there are good reasons for this. In addition, with a more detailed and impartial analysis, one can come to the conclusion that the warships that bore the name of the famous naval commander are, for the most part, worthy of good memory, and their fate evokes pride in their native country and its valiant sons. The armored cruiser Admiral Nakhimov and its crew repeated the feat of the proud Varyag; in 1941, another ship fought the enemy until the last shell.

Their death cannot be called accidental or ridiculous; it was heroic.

As for the other two cases, the withdrawal from the fleets occurred without casualties, due to insurmountable circumstances or by decision of the command.

Admiral

Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov went all the way as a Russian officer, starting his career as a cadet at a naval school and accepting a heroic death from an enemy bullet on the bastion of Sevastopol with admiral's epaulettes on his shoulders. At the age of fifteen, he took part in a long voyage to the shores of Denmark and Sweden, receiving the rank of midshipman, and took a position in the 2nd naval crew of the St. Petersburg port (1818). In 1822 he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, IV degree, for his participation in the circumnavigation of the world. He commanded the deck battery on the cruiser Azov during the Battle of Navarino and the legendary frigate Pallada, which was part of F. F. Bellingshausen’s squadron. He served in the Black Sea Fleet since 1834, commanding the battleship Silistria. He took part in operations in the Caucasus, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, III degree. In October 1852 he received the rank of vice admiral.

The heroic Sevastopol epic deserves special words. High quality naval commanders manifested themselves most clearly in her. The memory of such a person deserves that the most powerful and modern missile cruiser bears his name. Admiral Nakhimov is a Russian national hero.

Beginning of modernization

After final approval and acceptance of technical documentation, it was time for real action. To begin with, it was necessary to free the ship from the entire cargo of equipment subject to write-off and disposal. This work, although labor-intensive, is rewarding. A significant part of the cost of modernization work will be offset by the extraction of a large mass of valuable metal. The nuclear cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" became a source secondary resources with a total weight of 878 tons, of which 644 are ferrous (cast iron), aluminum and copper alloys (168 tons), as well as alloyed high-quality steel with a high carbon content (66 tons). In addition, precious metals contained in electrical and electronic equipment must also be recycled. Only 20 million rubles were spent on the disassembly and sorting process, which is significantly less than the cost of the resources received.

In addition to its utilitarian value, the process of dismantling all unnecessary equipment also had another goal: maximum lightening of the object to reduce its settlement. It is not so easy to bring such a large watercraft into a dry dock (batoport) - this requires pontoons attached to the hull (there are six of them in total). Two of them were already ready, they were assembled for the repair of the aircraft-carrying cruiser Vikramaditya, previously purchased by India. The experience gained during the execution of this order was also useful. The manufacture of pontoons, their testing and fastening required both time and material costs. Currently, the nuclear cruiser Admiral Nakhimov is inside the dock, its hull has been cleared of all unnecessary things, and the nuclear fuel has been removed from the reactor. Modernization has begun.

Modernization goals

The main goal of the expensive work is to give the combat unit of the Northern Fleet the desired combat effectiveness. This requires not only a complete replacement of equipment and weapons systems that have become obsolete since 1980, but also ensuring the possibility of further modernization in accordance with the requirements of the coming decades. Electronic equipment, missiles and control systems lose relevance quite quickly, and the mistakes of the designers who built the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov in the eighties should not be repeated. Modernization, inevitable in a few years, should be less painful and cost much less.

Among the most labor-intensive tasks assigned to Sevmash shipbuilders, in first place is the replacement of inclined silo launchers intended for 3M45 missiles with universal UKSK 3S14 vertical launch complexes. Perhaps the inclined design will still not be abandoned (many details of the project are kept secret), but the launch will no longer be carried out from flooded positions (the need for this was dictated by the “submarine” origin of the obsolete 3M45). There were 20 mines in total, the same number will remain, but each of them will house a modular system with four missiles. In total, the number of anti-ship missiles will increase fourfold and amount to 80.

What they will be like is anyone’s guess, most likely “Onyx” or “Turquoise”. The cruiser's reputation as an "aircraft carrier killer" suggests the possibility of equipping strike weapons special charges (nuclear). This a large number of missiles in Nakhimov’s arsenal are dictated by the “swarm” method of their use. It is almost impossible to repel a group attack by anti-ship missiles.

In addition to the main caliber, the TARK will presumably be armed with 3M14 subsonic weapons intended for ground-based coastal targets. fight with submarines the crew will be guided by the Package-NK complexes (it is possible that the well-proven and not outdated Vodopad-NK will remain in the armament composition). RBU-6000 rocket launchers will replace "Boas-1", capable of providing reliable protection against torpedo attacks.

Air defense

It would be naive to believe that the Sevmash Design Bureau will not take care of how to protect such a large naval target as the Admiral Nakhimov from a possible attack by aircraft and missiles. The cruiser, despite all the means used to ensure its secrecy, remains a very visible object, and in the event of a military conflict it will inevitably become a target for enemy anti-ship systems. Previously, the task of repelling an air attack was solved by the Fort S-300F air defense system, which is very good, but requires replacement given the high cost of the project and its long-term significance. It was assumed that the airborne air defense would be updated by installing below-deck launchers, similar in design and characteristics to ground-based complexes S-500. They will be of a cellular type, and not revolving, as before, and, due to their greater compactness, there will be more of them (there will be several hundred in the arsenal of air defense missiles). Of course, the matter will not be limited to one type. In addition to the S-500, the Pantsir-M missile and artillery complex is designed to control the sky over the flagship ship and its retinue. However, the naval leadership, for obvious reasons, does not disclose the details.

General characteristics of the ship and its prospects

Information has leaked to the press that the power plant, including the nuclear reactor, will undergo some modernization, but, apparently, the design changes will not be revolutionary in nature. Improving something good only spoils it, military experts say. “Admiral Nakhimov” is a cruiser, the performance characteristics of which are already considered unique, and has no equal in its performance characteristics. With a total displacement of over 26 thousand tons and a length of 251 meters, it has a power plant whose power (more than 100 MW) would be enough to power a city with a population of a quarter of a million inhabitants. In addition to the nuclear reactor, the ship has two reserve boilers. Its speed (as sailors call speed) is 32 knots. The cruising range is unlimited, full autonomy is two months. The crew consists of 630 sailors and junior officers and hundreds of officers.

When will the ship return to service in the Northern Fleet? According to the plan, this should happen in 2018. It is possible that some unforeseen difficulties will arise that will slightly prolong the modernization. But it will inevitably enter the ocean - the updated cruiser Admiral Nakhimov. His photo, published in periodicals, will delight the friends of our country, and, most likely, upset its enemies. And not just photos...

S. V. Suliga

Armored cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov"

(Marine collection - 2)

Supplement to the magazine "MODEL CONSTRUCTION"

Published since January 1995

COVER: 1st page - fig. A. Zaikina; 3rd page - V.Emysheva; 4th page - S. Balakina

All photos are given without retouching

DEAR FRIENDS!

Here is the second issue of the “MARINE COLLECTION” - a supplement to the “MODELIST-KON STRUCTOR” magazine. It is by this number that you can judge future monographs - such as “Garibaldi-class armored cruisers!”, “Lexington-class aircraft carriers”, “Giulio Cesare battleship” (Novorossiysk) and others in editorial preparation stage. All these publications are built according to the same scheme and will include detailed descriptions of the design and weapons, sections, diagrams, drawings general view, color projections and numerous photographs, the history of the creation and service of famous ships.

A special place in the editorial plans is occupied by the publication of thematic reference books on ship personnel, since the demand for such literature is significant. Currently, materials are being prepared on the ships of the First World War: “The British Navy 1914–1918”, “The German Navy 1914–1918”, “The Italian and Austria-Hungarian Navy 1914–1918”, “The Russian Imperial Navy 1914–1917”, as well as issues on other topics. In addition, from 1996 it is planned to prepare issues on the history of the fleet in the form of collections of articles by different authors. So we advise you not to miss your chance and become a subscriber to our magazine. In addition to guaranteed receipt of all issues, many of you will also save a lot of money - after all, the price of one subscription issue of the Marine Collection is today much cheaper than purchased at retail.

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The editors plan to organize a number of services for our subscribers - lovers of naval history and ship modellers. In particular, we plan to begin sending out sets of drawings and photographs of a number of ships and vessels for individual orders. For now, let us remind you that the creative laboratory “Eureka” offers the following developments:

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The armored cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" is one of the most interesting ships of its time. When comparing it with representatives of the same class in the Russian and foreign fleets, its significant superiority in artillery power was striking. In addition to the natural feeling of pride in domestic shipbuilding, there is also bewilderment - why such a seemingly successful ship did not become the ancestor of a whole series of tower cruisers with an armored belt along the waterline, which appeared in other fleets much later! Alas, Russia, having commissioned the Nakhimov, which was twice as large as its contemporaries in terms of the number of main caliber guns and the weight of the broadside, for some reason again returned to the construction of armored cruisers with a “standard” number of main artillery barrels, located like the middle guns. caliber, in deck side installations. As a result, when the war with Japan began in 1904, these cruisers turned out to be weaker than similar enemy ships in terms of artillery and artillery protection.

“Admiral Nakhimov” was very popular among Russian sailors. Here is the description given to him by the famous Russian and Soviet shipbuilder V.P. Kostenko: “With early childhood felt an attachment to this ship, which in its appearance gave the impression of strength and determination thanks to its strongly extended ram, one chimney ... and the proportional outlines of its relatively short hull.”

The cruiser was designed and built during the transitional period of development of the armored fleet, when ships coexisted with steam engines and sailing masts, breech-loading and muzzle-loading guns, torpedoes and pole mines, electrical firing systems and room lighting with oil lanterns. Admiral Nakhimov was no exception. It is remembered both for the fact that it became the largest sailing brig in the entire history of the Russian Navy, and for the fact that it was the first in Russia to use electric indoor lighting and anti-torpedo nets. The ship was the first to receive the new guns of the 1884 system, but retained the obsolete double expansion steam engines, modeled after those designed in 1880 at the Elder factory in Glasgow for the royal yacht Livadia. All subsequent Russian ships already had triple expansion steam engines.

After commissioning in 1888, Admiral Nakhimov immediately switched to Far East, where he spent most of his service. He participated in many events related to the strengthening of Russian positions in the Pacific Ocean. These include diplomatic missions, combat maneuvers, hydrographic work, and even “court service.” Among the first, the cruiser had to settle in Port Arthur - new base fleet.

The beginning of the war found the honored ship in Kronstadt. By that time, it had already lost its sailing spar and acquired more modern outlines, although it retained its outdated artillery. Given the shortage of new ships, Admiral Nakhimov was included in the Second Squadron of the Pacific Fleet. The trip to Tsushima became his last ocean voyage...

80 years later, it was in this ship that interest flared up with extraordinary force. Gold! The Japanese obtained information from somewhere that “Nakhimov” was carrying the “treasury” of the Russian squadron in gold bars. Underwater work carried out on a grand scale, however, did not bring the desired result. Many interesting and valuable things were recovered from the ship, but all the “ingots” turned out to be... lead ballast pigs. Thanks to an unconfirmed rumor, the Admiral Nakhimov remains the only examined ship among those killed in the tragic Tsushima battle for Russia.

The armored cruiser "Imperuse" is the prototype of the "Admiral Nakhimov". The original appearance and armor scheme after dismantling the sailing rig.

The task for the Marine Technical Committee (MTK) to design a new armored ship for cruising purposes, which should have been built within the framework of the 1881 program, was formulated by the head of the Naval Ministry, Vice Admiral I.A. Shestakov, on May 18, 1882 (hereinafter the dates are in the old style). At his request, the new ship had to have at least 10 inches (254 mm) of waterline armor (WL), 11 inches (280 mm) of main caliber artillery, a large supply of coal, a speed of at least 15 knots, and a draft of no more than 26 ft (7.92 m) and fully rigged. As possible prototypes, MTK considered the English armored cruiser "Nelson" built in 1874–1881 (7630 tons, 14 knots, 4 254 mm and 8 229 mm guns in the battery, an incomplete 254 mm belt along the overhead line and an armored deck at the ends, protection of main battery guns 229 mm); the Brazilian battleship "Riachuelo" (5610 tons, 16.7 kts, partial belt 280–178 mm, 4 234 mm guns in two turrets with 254 mm armor, 6 140 mm guns) and the English armored cruiser "Imperuse" under construction in England ", laid down in August 1881 (7400 tons, 16 knots, 4 234 mm guns in barbette mounts with shields and 10 152 mm guns in a battery, 254 mm incomplete belt along the overhead line, carapace armored deck at the ends). The latter, combining powerful weapons, good armor, high speed and a large supply of coal, attracted the attention of Russian specialists.

The same type "Imperius" and "Warspite" stood out sharply among modern English ships by the placement of artillery and the shape of the hull. To understand the reason for the appearance in the fleet of the “Mistress of the Seas” of such unusual ships, in which French influence was noticeably visible, one should go back to 1880, when the Admiralty Council recognized the need to lay down several 2nd class battleships for service in distant seas, where there is significant concern Russian armored cruisers could be delivered to England. Considering that during hostilities the new ships would have to fight not squadron battles, but single duels, they decided to use the “French” system of main battery placement - a diamond (one gun at the extremities and one on each side). In theory, this made it possible to concentrate the fire of three guns in any direction, whereas the traditional "British" system provided a broadside of four guns, but only two could fire fore and aft. Laid down in 1881, the Imperious and Warspite were officially listed as “barbette ships with steel armor,” but among English sailors they were considered “white elephants” (analogous to our “black sheep”). In addition to the unusual arrangement of guns for the fleet of the “Mistress of the Seas” and the shape of the hull with the sides piled up at the top, this pair strangely combined long-barreled breech-loading guns and full sailing equipment. British Admiral Sir John Commerell considered them "the most unfortunate of modern ships, poorly designed, poorly built and absolutely dangerous" ... to their own crew. Perhaps this was too harsh criticism, but not a single positive review of these ships was found in the documents of that time. After being reclassified as “protected cruisers” (as the British called their armored cruisers as opposed to armored cruisers), they were condescendingly called “useful flagships at distant stations.” The famous English historian O. Parke wrote: “The best that can be said about the Imperius and Warspite is that they could fire a broadside salvo of three 9.2-inch and five 6-inch guns at a speed of 16 nodes."

In the mid-70s, the Soviet Navy began implementing an ambitious project - the construction of Project 1144 Orlan nuclear-powered cruisers, which in size and displacement are quite comparable to battleships of the Second World War. With the help of these giants, the country's leadership intended to promote state interests in the most remote corners globe. In fact, these ships can be called the reincarnation of battleships in the nuclear missile era. They were originally conceived as a powerful anti-submarine defense tool, but then their armament was strengthened to counter enemy surface forces.

Today, in the domestic press, the cruisers of the Orlan series are often called “aircraft carrier killers.” During the creation of this project, it was planned that in the future the TARK would be accompanied by Soviet nuclear aircraft carriers, but they were never built...

For their exceptional size and combat power, NATO has allocated heavy nuclear-powered cruisers of Project 1144 into a separate class - Kirov-class battlecruiser, which translates as “battle cruiser”. In the Soviet navy these were the only surface ships that had a nuclear power plant, and in the World Ocean the only aircraft carriers were larger than them. For example, the American Virginia-class nuclear-powered cruisers have a displacement 2.5 times less than the Orlans.

The lead ship of Project 1144 TARK "Kirov" was laid down at the Baltic Shipyard in 1974. It was accepted into the fleet in 1980. In total, four cruisers of this series were built, the last of them - TARK "Peter the Great" - was laid down in 1986 and put into operation in 1998. She is currently the flagship of the Russian Northern Fleet. The fate of the remaining “Orlans” was not so successful. "Kirov" (since 1992 "Admiral Ushakov") is currently awaiting disposal. The second ship of the TARK series "Frunze" (since 1992 "Admiral Lazorev") has been in storage for many years, and its future prospects look rather vague. The third cruiser of the Admiral Nakhimov project, which was originally called Kalinin, has been undergoing modernization since 1999. Although, in fact, work on the ship really began only in 2014. Their completion dates have been repeatedly postponed, according to latest information from the Ministry of Defense, the modernization of Admiral Nakhimov will be completed in 2020, and it will enter service in 2021.

This year it is also planned to begin modernization of the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great, which will last until 2021. So by this time Russia should have not one, but two powerful ship, with significantly increased combat effectiveness.

However, before telling you what exactly the cruiser “Admiral Nakhimov” will look like after completion of work, I would like to say a few words about the history of this unique project, as well as give a description of the ships of this series.

How did the "Eagles" appear?

Work on the creation of a surface combat ship with a nuclear power plant (NPP) began in the Soviet Union back in the first half of the 50s. Several preliminary designs for the cruiser were created under the designation 63. However, this ship turned out to be so complex and expensive that it was decided to abandon its construction. Work was stopped by 1959.

However, in 1961, the Americans adopted the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Long Beach. It is possible that it was this fact that forced the Soviet leadership to resume work on creating heavy ocean-going ships with missile weapons and a nuclear power plant.

At that time, the main task of the USSR Navy was to fight enemy submarines, so large anti-submarine ships (BODs) and destroyers were built in large series. The 60s can be called an era of rapid growth of the Soviet Navy. The number of ships increased at an unprecedented pace, the country's fleet was actively exploring the oceans, preparing to carry out combat missions anywhere in the world. The need for ships that were capable of operating for long periods away from their bases became increasingly noticeable. The Cuban missile crisis showed even more clearly the obviousness of this need. A nuclear power plant was perfectly suited for such service. In addition, the growing fleet desperately needed an attack ship that would be “tailored” to solve anti-ship missions.

At that time, the USSR Navy had four small missile cruisers of Project 58, but these ships could not solve serious problems in the ocean theater. One way or another, but already in 1964, work began on creating the appearance of the first surface nuclear-powered vessel in the USSR. It was given the designation 1144 "Orlan".

Since solving anti-submarine missions was considered a priority at that time, the new ship with a nuclear power plant was initially conceived as a large anti-submarine ship. However, there was a problem here. It was clear that the enemy would not allow them to just float anywhere, detect and destroy their submarines, and the main danger to the future atomic BOD would come from the sky. That is, the ship needed to be reliably protected from attacks by enemy aircraft; for this, an air defense cruiser was needed to accompany the nuclear-powered ship. Initially, it was planned to use a Project 1126 ship for this purpose. However, according to the project, this cruiser had a boiler-turbine power plant, which immediately destroyed the tandem - because the future air defense ship (it was never built) simply did not have enough cruising range.

Therefore, another idea was born: to equip the escort ship with a nuclear installation (Project 1165 “Fugas”). As a result, it was decided to combine projects 1144 and 1165 and create a ship that could both fight enemy submarines and solve anti-ship missions. It was called the “nuclear anti-submarine cruiser”; the development of the project was entrusted to the Northern Design Bureau (Leningrad), which had experience in creating both anti-submarine ships and missile cruisers.

Equipping the ship with a powerful sonar system required an increase in its displacement, as well as an increase in the power of the power plant. A third-generation nuclear power plant was developed specifically for this project, and the designers built it taking into account the experience of emergency situations, which at that time Soviet sailors had more than enough.

Project 1144 is often called the favorite brainchild of the then Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy, Admiral Gorshkov, but despite this, its progress was quite difficult. The commander-in-chief personally demanded that the new cruisers be equipped with an additional liquid fuel power plant - at that time, nuclear reactors in the navy were still a novelty, moreover, they were not perfect, and the sailors did not have enough experience in their operation.

In addition, during the design, the question arose about the ship's armor protection. By that time, there were practically no specialist shipbuilders left who would thoroughly understand this issue - the era of battleships and battleships had long since sunk into oblivion. Therefore, the developers had to raise the drawings of the battleship "Soviet Union" and even the German cruiser "Lutzow". Of course, continuous and even citadel armor was not suitable for the Orlans - it simply did not allow displacement, then it was decided to cover the most important components and objects of the ship with armor.

Only in 1972 the project was finally approved and the documentation began to be transferred to the manufacturer - Baltic Plant No. 189 (Leningrad). The lead ship of the project, the future nuclear-powered heavy cruiser Kirov, was solemnly laid down in March 1974. At the end of 1975, a crew was formed for it. Despite the high complexity of the project, the construction of the ship proceeded quite quickly, and already in December 1977 it was launched. And on December 30, 1980 the ship was transferred to the navy and after successful completion of the test was included in its composition.

Even during the construction of the first ship of the series, a modernized project 1144.2 was prepared, which differed from the basic one in more modern weapons. It was planned that all cruisers following the Kirov would be built according to it. However, due to delays in the serial production of various weapons systems, there was some confusion: Project 1144.2 can include the Peter the Great TARK, which was built already in the 90s. “Admiral Nakhimov” and “Admiral Lazorev” occupy an intermediate position between 1144 and 1144.2 in terms of armament.

TARK "Frunze" (future "Admiral Lazarev") was laid down in the summer of 1978, and accepted into the fleet in October 1984. The ship was sent to the Pacific Fleet. Work on the third cruiser of the project began on May 17, 1983. It was accepted into the Northern Fleet at the end of 1988. In 1986, the Baltic Shipyard began building the last ship of this series - the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great. Camber Soviet Union delayed its construction; it was completed only by 1998. Currently, this ship is in service and is considered the most powerful attack ship not only in the Russian fleet, but throughout the world.

There were plans to build a fifth cruiser of this project, but due to political events the order was cancelled.

Heavy nuclear cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov": description of the ship

The total length of the Admiral Nakhimov's hull along the waterline is 252 meters, and its total displacement is 26,190 tons. The ships of this project have an elongated forecastle; the hull is divided into nineteen main compartments by watertight bulkheads. Thanks to the well-thought-out hull shape and large displacement, the Admiral Nakhimov missile cruiser has excellent seaworthiness, which is very important for a ship in the ocean zone.

Five decks stretch along the entire length of the hull. In total, the cruiser has 1,400 rooms for various purposes.

In the bow of the ship there is an antenna for the Polynom hydroacoustic complex, and in the stern of the cruiser there is an under-deck hangar that can accommodate three helicopters. There are also premises for storing aviation ammunition, fuel and spare parts. Helicopters are lifted onto the deck using a special lift. Also in the stern of the cruiser there is a towed hydroacoustic antenna and mechanisms for its lowering and raising.

The missile cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" has developed superstructures, most of its weapons are located fore and aft.

As mentioned above, Project 1114 cruisers are partially armored. In addition, they have anti-torpedo protection and a double bottom. The armor protects the cellars of the Granit missile system, the premises command post and combat information post, engine room. As well as an ammunition depot, a helicopter hangar, a fuel depot and a tiller compartment.

The power plant of the cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" consists of two water-cooled double-circuit reactors KN-3. The fuel assemblies they use make it possible to extend the service life of the core to 10-11 years. The ship's power plant can easily supply energy to a small city with a population of 100 thousand people. Its total capacity is 342 MW.

Orlan-class cruisers also have an additional power plant, which allows them to travel more than 1,300 nautical miles in the event of a reactor emergency.

The ship's crew consists of 727 people, including 97 officers.

The main anti-ship weapon of the Orlan project cruisers is the Granit anti-ship missile with a flight range of 625 km. This missile can accelerate to speeds of Mach 2.5 and carry combat unit weighing 750 kg, so it poses a serious danger even for large ships. Each of the Orlans had 20 Granit cruise missiles on board, their launchers are located on the upper deck of the ship.

The main anti-aircraft “caliber” of the cruiser “Admiral Nakhimov” is anti-aircraft missile system“Fort”, which is a naval modification of the S-300 air defense system. To destroy air targets at a distance of up to 15 km, the ship is equipped with an Osa-M air defense system. As an air defense system short range The Dirk complex is used.

The ship's artillery armament consists of one twin 130-mm AK-130 mount.

The cruiser's anti-submarine weapon system consists of the Vodopad anti-submarine missile, its launcher is located in the bow of the ship, and RBU-6000 and RBU-1000 rocket launchers. Also on board are ten 533 mm torpedo tubes.

Modernization of "Admiral Nakhimov"

“Admiral Nakhimov” was sent for modernization back in 1999. Its implementation was entrusted to specialists from Sevmash (Severodvinsk). However, this process dragged on for a long time; only in 2008 did the process of extracting waste begin. nuclear fuel from the reactor. In 2013, a contract was signed between the Moscow Region and the enterprise to carry out the necessary work. In 2015, the dismantling of the old ship equipment was completed, and the cruiser was prepared for the installation of new systems. How will the new Nakhimov differ from its “basic version”?

The Ministry of Defense says that all future changes to the ship's design have already been agreed upon. In order to accommodate all the planned weapons systems on board the cruiser, it will be necessary to rebuild its hull. First of all, this will concern the Nakhimov missile deck and its superstructure. The cruiser's reactor will not be touched, but the systems that ensure its operation will need to be updated.

The modernization will primarily affect the cruiser's weapons. It will receive universal shooting systems that will be capable of firing different types missiles depending on the tasks being solved. The ship will be equipped with a modern Poliment-Redut air defense system, capable of hitting air targets at distances of 150 km. It is planned to completely update the cruiser’s electronics; it will receive digital communication systems, new radars, and antennas.

Granit cruise missiles, Nakhimov’s main anti-ship weapon, will be replaced by the latest hypersonic Zircons, which will likely enter service in 2018. They also plan to place at Nakhimov cruise missiles“Caliber”, which will enable the cruiser to confidently “work” against ground targets. Thus, the Admiral Nakhimov will turn from a cruiser designed to combat enemy aircraft carrier strike groups and nuclear submarines into a universal one. percussion instrument, capable of hitting targets both on land and at sea.

Specifications

Below are the main characteristics of the Admiral Nakhimov TARK:

• Standard displacement - 24,300 tons;
• Length - 252 m;
• Width - 28.5 m;
• Height - 59 m;
• Powerplant - 2 nuclear reactor KN-3 and 2 additional boilers;
• Maximum speed - 31 knots;
• The cruising range is unlimited;
• Crew - 727 people.

The name of the most famous and beloved Russian admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov was not held in high esteem by anyone. royal families and their entourage, nor, paradoxically, among naval officials with admiral's shoulder straps on their shoulders. Apparently because... occupying one of the highest posts in the south of Russia, P.S. Nakhimov was never an official, but always remained a sailor and naval commander. Only thirty years after his death, a ship was named in his honor, to which this essay, supplemented by original documents, is dedicated.

How the armored cruiser “Admiral Nakhimov” was constructed*

How the armored cruiser “Admiral Nakhimov” was constructed

The cruiser's hull had a length along the load waterline of 101.5 m, a length between perpendiculars of 97.9 m, a maximum length of 103.3 m, a maximum beam of 18.6 m, a design draft of 7.54 m bow, 7.85 stern (average 7. 67 m) and was assembled from 138 frames (spread 1.22 meters). The frames provided lateral strength and complete formations (displacement coefficient of completeness 0.63, ratio of greatest length to width 5.55, width to average draft 2.43), inherent in all battleships of that time, and the double bottom between frames 4 and 134, 9 transverse and one longitudinal (from the inner bottom to the living deck) bulkhead between frames 36 and 102 divided it into many waterproof compartments. The outer skin of the hull in the middle part along a length of 61 m was made of sheets 14.3 mm thick and at least 4.9 meters long. Toward the extremities, the size and thickness of the sheets decreased somewhat. On top of the outer plating, to reduce algae growth, wooden and copper plating was attached, so typical for any cruiser of that time.

Longitudinal strength was provided by four stringers, the top of which also served as a shelf under the armor. The side keels ran for 48.8 meters at the level of the third stringer. They were intended to provide the ship with a smoother rolling motion. The stems, steering wheel and steering frame were cast from bronze.

The drainage system was similar to the drainage system of battleships of the “Ekaterina II” type (see the author’s book “Battleships of the “Ekaterina II” type,” St. Petersburg, 1994).

The ship had 2 main double expansion steam engines of the “compound” system with a total design power of 8000 hp. The cars were manufactured in 1886 at the Baltic Shipyard, which built the cruiser. Each machine had 3 cylinders - 1 high (152 mm in diameter) and 2 low (1981 mm in diameter) pressure and worked on its own propeller. The piston stroke was 1066 mm. The propellers of the then most common Gruffudd system had a pitch of 21 feet (6.4 m) and a diameter of 16 feet (4.88 m). But then the blades were replaced, and their diameter increased to 17 feet (5.18 m)

Steam was supplied to the mechanisms from 12 cylindrical fire-tube boilers (tube diameter 76.2 mm), designed for a working pressure of 5.2 atmospheres. The weight of the water boilers was 670 tons.

It should be noted that the machines and boilers served well for a long time, providing the ship with its design speed. Only 16.5 years after the production of the machines, in December 1902, the main steam pipe burst (a crack 419 mm long) with a diameter of 381 mm and a wall thickness of 6.35 mm appeared in it. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the accident.

The waterline armor consisted of a 149-foot (42.4 m) steel-iron armor belt extending from 32 to 106 frames. The belt was 7 feet 10 1/2 inches high, and the slabs were 9 inches (229 mm) thick, thinning to 6 inches (152 mm) at the bottom. The slabs were laid on a larch lining, the beams of which were placed horizontally. 9-inch (229 mm) armored traverses closed the waist armor fore and aft, thus forming a citadel in which all vital mechanisms were located.

On top of the belt was a living or armored deck. It was covered from bow to stern with half-inch steel sheets (12.5 mm). On top of these sheets, but only within the citadel, another row of 38-mm steel plates was laid, and the total thickness of the armored deck reached 50.5 mm. Outside the citadel, a 76.2-mm carapace deck extended forward and aft to the stems. From 12 to 32 frames in the bow and from 106 to 130 in the stern it ran horizontally at the waterline and then descended and reached the stems.

The barbettes of each tower were protected by 8-inch, 7-foot (2.13 m) vertically standing slabs. The slabs were laid on a larch base consisting of 8-inch (203 mm) vertical beams. The caps, which protected the turret crews from shrapnel and small-caliber artillery, were lightly armored and rotated along with the barbette tables.

In the area of ​​the bow and stern barbettes, the living deck was reinforced - 12.5 mm steel sheets were additionally laid on it. Under each barbette, ammunition supply pipes with a diameter of 0.762 m ran down to the armored deck. The pipes had a 76-mm armor cover.

The 152 mm guns also had some armor: the side was reinforced to 37 mm, and the guns themselves were separated by 11 mm bulkheads. The conning tower with a diameter of 1.9 m was protected from 203 mm plates.

The main caliber artillery consisted of 8 8-inch (203 mm) guns with a bore length of 35 calibers, mounted in 4 barbette installations and 10 6-inch (152 mm) guns with a bore length of 35 calibers, standing on the battery deck. Their ammunition consisted of 100 shells and charges for each 203 mm and 160 shells and 240 charges for each 152 mm gun.

To repel attacks by destroyers, the bridges were equipped with 6 47-mm, 4 37-mm five-barrel guns of the Hotchkiss system, 4 4-pounder guns and 2 2.5-inch (63.5 mm) landing guns of the Baranovsky system on wheeled carriages.

The mine armament (as of January 1, 1889) included 2 side rotary and 1 stern torpedo tube, designed to fire 19-foot Whitehead mines. Torpedoes could be fired using either compressed air or powder charges. To arm the boats, the cruiser had 2 torpedo tubes for 15-foot mines. These devices fired only powder charges.

In addition to these devices, 2 rowing boats had pole mines, and 2 steam boats each had one launching apparatus for non-self-propelled torpedoes. The combat reserve consisted of 9 torpedoes of the 1886 and 1887 model and 6 throwing mines. In addition to them, 40 spheroconic barrage mines, which were installed from boats, were stored in a special mine cellar. To pump compressed air into the apparatus cylinders, the ship had 2 “air supply” pumps of the Schwarzkopf system. The compressed air was stored in two cylinders or, as they were called then, “air retainers,” just over 2 meters long and 381 mm in diameter.

Admiral Nakhimov

Historical data

Total information

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Booking

Armament

"Admiral Nakhimov"- the first armored cruiser (frigate) of the Russian Imperial Navy with turret artillery. It became the largest sailing brig in the entire history of the Russian fleet. In terms of the number of main caliber guns and the weight of the broadside, it was twice as large as its contemporaries. He spent most of his service in the Far East. He died in the Battle of Tsushima on May 28, 1905. According to legend, it contained the “treasury” of the Russian squadron in gold bars, thanks to which the cruiser remains the only examined ship of those lost in the Battle of Tsushima.

General information

Admiral Nakhimov, Pavel Stepanovich

Prerequisites for creation

Russian specialists from the Naval Technical Committee at that time were fascinated by the excellent design data of the British cruiser, which, by the way, was built in order to possibly counteract Russian armored cruisers in distant seas. It was assumed that he would have to fight not a squadron battle, but single duels. Also, Russian engineers were attracted by the “French” system of arrangement of the main caliber - a diamond (one gun at the ends and one on each side). This made it possible to concentrate the fire of three guns in any direction, and the spacing of the main caliber guns far from each other increased the survivability of the ship. In addition, the presence of full sailing weapons along with wooden and copper plating of the underwater part of the hull, which at that time were considered mandatory for Russian cruisers, made it possible, due to the lack of coal and repair bases outside the metropolis, to make long passages without docking and additional loading of coal. All this served as the basis for choosing a prototype.

Design

The initial design of the armored cruiser Admiral Nakhimov with 229 mm guns in barbette mounts.

According to the requirement set out in the assignment for the design of an “ocean armored cruiser of the Imperieuse type”, this is how the ship was then called in office correspondence. The armor along the waterline had to be at least 254 mm. The ship had to have main caliber artillery of 280 mm, a large supply of coal, a speed of at least 15 knots, a draft of no more than 7.92 m and a full sail rig.

The design of the new cruiser was carried out in the drawing room of the Shipbuilding Department of the Marine Technical Committee. Compared to the English prototype, the diameter of the barbettes was increased by 1.5 m so that they could accommodate the 229 mm guns of the Obukhov plant. Due to the desire to preserve the double expansion steam engines and cylindrical boilers used at the Baltic Plant, the location and size of the engine and boiler rooms changed.

This entailed lengthening the armor belt. The absence of watertight bulkheads in these compartments reduced the survivability of the ship. However, moving closer to the stern of the engine room made it possible to get by with one chimney. By 1.5 times compared to the prototype, the increased coal reserve and additional total load raised the design displacement to 7782 tons. The length of the hull and draft increased by 1.83 and 0.1 m, respectively. According to calculations, the weight of the empty hull without armor was supposed to be 2937.4 tons. 974 tons or 12.5% ​​of the design displacement were allocated for armor.

The theoretical drawing and hull specification were approved at a meeting of the Marine Technical Committee on December 1, 1882. On January 25, 1883, a commission chaired by Major General K.V. Levitsky examined 9 submitted drawings with the location of the ship’s boilers and mechanisms. At the same meeting, the dimensions of the spar and the area of ​​the sails were determined. The cruiser had to install two masts and a bowsprit; the total sail area was 3025 m². The next day, these drawings were approved by the Adjutant General I.A., the head of the Naval Ministry. Shestakov. After the preparation of construction drawings, on March 30, 1983, the Admiralty Council resolution No. 1683 was issued on the actual start of work on the construction of the ship.

Construction and testing

The Navy Department signed a contract for the “construction of an iron hull with final finishing and fully armed» new cruiser with the Baltic Iron, Shipbuilding and Mechanical Society on May 10, 1883.

Until the end of November, work was underway at the plant to prepare for slipway work. On December 1, 1883, a contract was also concluded with the Baltic Plant for the production of steam engines and many auxiliary steam mechanisms. Construction of the building began on December 20, 1883 in a factory boathouse specially made for this purpose. On April 15, 1884, an order was sent from the Main Naval Headquarters to the fleet, which stated that:

Launching of "Admiral Nakhimov"

Captain 2nd rank K.K. was appointed commander of the ship. De Livron. The official laying ceremony was held in July 1884 so that Russian Emperor Alexander III, who was vacationing in Peterhof, could visit it.

Launching of an armored frigate "Admiral Nakhimov" took place on Monday, November 3 (October 21, old style) 1885. The imperial couple arrived at the plant's pier on boats, accompanied by the Grand Dukes, court officials and generals. In addition, almost all the admirals of St. Petersburg and Kronstadt, a large number of officers and a midshipman company of the Naval Corps were present at the ceremony. Alexander III, having come on board, received a report from the ship's commander, Captain 2nd Rank De Livron, inspected the ship, after which at 11:50 he ordered the descent to begin. The whole ceremony took about 20 minutes.

During the construction process, changes were made to the cruiser design. For example, it was considered advisable to replace a lowered chimney with a permanent one. Instead of a structurally complex steel bowsprit with a retractable jib, a bowsprit of a traditional design was installed. The dimensions of the spar and the area of ​​the sail rig were reduced. The height of both masts was reduced by 0.38 m and additional sails - foils - were abandoned. But the cruiser's artillery underwent the most serious changes. Due to delays in the development of a modern short-recoil mount for 229 mm Model 1877 guns, it was decided to install two 203 mm Model 1884 guns in the barbettes. The placement of the guns remained the same, which noticeably increased the overall rate of fire and the weight of the broadside. New drawings of barbette installations, reduced to 7 m in diameter, were developed by naval engineer Colonel N.A. Samoilov.

Launching

At the end of 1885, on a ship standing near the factory wall, they began testing bulkheads by pouring water into the compartments. By spring, machinery, boilers and almost all auxiliary mechanisms were installed on the cruiser, and the installation of a chimney began. Only on July 7, 1888, the cruiser entered a “private factory test of vehicles”; the tests were delayed due to the repair of the hull, which was damaged in the summer of 1887 at the entrance to the Merchant Harbor of Kronstadt. With a displacement of 7785 tons and a draft of 7.62 m, the cruiser showed the highest speed of 16.67 knots. The maximum power of the machines was 8012 hp. During official tests on September 22, 1888, with a displacement of 8259.7 tons and an average draft of 8.03 m, the ship developed a power of 7508 hp over the sum of four runs per measured mile. and an average speed of 16.09 knots.

Description of design

Frame

Theoretical drawing of the case

The cruiser's hull was made of Siemens-Marten sheet steel produced by the Putilov plant. The steel sheets were joined with iron rivets. A vertical internal keel made of 13-mm steel sheets ran along the entire length of the hull; a horizontal keel made of the same sheets, but in two layers, was attached to it with angle steel. The stem and sternpost were made from bronze castings. The stem above the battery deck continued with an iron structure, and at the height of the ram it turned into a horizontal breach, which was firmly connected to the armored flooring of the lower deck.

The hull was built using a longitudinal system, which had four stringers made of steel sheets on each side. Between the stringers there were ten frames, of which were waterproof. Between frames 22 and 114 there was an internal waterproof bottom that reached the fourth stringer. Along the center plane of the ship in the engine and boiler room, from the inner bottom to the living deck, there was a longitudinal waterproof bulkhead with a thickness of 7.9 to 9.5 mm. Flank bulkheads with a thickness of 5.56 mm between frames 36 and 102, of the same height, ran from the outer and inside coal pits. There was a corridor between the outer bulkhead and the side plating, which made it possible to inspect the fastenings of the belt armor plates.

The underwater part of the cruiser had a two-layer wooden paneling. The first internal vertical layer is made of pine beams, the second horizontal layer is made of larch boards. On top of the wooden paneling, the bottom was upholstered in two layers with copper sheets with tarred paper between the layers. A wooden keel made of teak was attached to the steel lining with angles. The false keels and side keels, 49 m long, were made of larch and covered with copper sheets. The side keels were attached at the level of the third stringer.

Booking

Booking scheme

The armored belt ran between frames 32 and 106 and had a total length of 42.4 m. At the ends of the belt, the hull was covered with armored traverses, forming a citadel, inside which were all vital elements. The upper edge of the belt rose 0.876 m above the water. Its armor plates were attached to the skin through a gasket of horizontally laid larch beams 254 mm thick. The total height of the belt was 2.4 m, its upper part, 1.22 m high, was made of slabs 229 mm thick, and the lower part - 152 mm. The traverses had a thickness at the top of 229 mm and tapered towards the bottom to 152 mm.

The top of the citadel was covered with an armor or living deck, which went over the armor belt. From bow to stern it was covered with steel sheets 12.5 mm thick, and in the citadel area it had a second layer of slabs 37.3 mm thick. Both layers were made of mild steel, all joints and grooves for sealing were hammered. At the waterline level, bow from 12 to 32 and aft from 106 to 130 horizontally, and then descending and reaching the stems, there was a carapace deck. It also had two layers with a total thickness of 76.2 mm. The upper deck had a steel deck made of 7.9 mm steel sheets, on top of which 76 mm thick pine boards were laid. The battery deck along the battery of 152 mm guns had a steel deck made of 6.4 mm sheets, which did not reach the center plane by 2.75 m. Under the side barbette installations, the battery deck was made of 12.7 mm steel sheets in two layer. On this deck, 88 mm thick pine and oak boards were laid alternately on top of the flooring.

In fact, sails turned out to be more of a nuisance than a useful addition to steam engines. When sailing economically with a tailwind, the sails added only 1 knot of speed. With a wind of 3-4 points, when sailing only under sails in gulfwind, the speed was less than 4 knots due to the resistance of the propellers. In addition, a very problematic maneuver was the tack.

Auxiliary equipment

Ship's dynamo

The steering device included one simple unbalanced rudder. The steering frame with rudder post, hinges and hooks was cast from bronze, the steering wheel was sheathed in wood with copper bolts and copper sheets. The steering gear was ordered in England.

Steam auxiliary mechanisms were widely used on the ship: a machine for turning propeller shafts, winches for lifting slag and ash, devices for silently removing excess steam from boilers to refrigerators, Baxter spiers, two locomotive boilers for driving a large two-cylinder fire engine with two centrifugal pumps. It was located in the engine room, and fire hoses were carried into each deck. To drain water from the hold, two centrifugal pumps of the J. Gwin system were used, each with its own machine without a refrigerator, and two ejectors of the Friedman system.

Electricity was generated by four Gramm dynamos with a power of 9.1 kW each, driven by separate steam engines. Two of them stood in the middle part of the battery deck, two more - in the middle part of the living deck. The decks and combat stations had only electric lighting with 338 incandescent lamps, a first for a warship.

The cruiser was equipped with two 13.7-meter mine boats with torpedo launchers. Two 10.4-meter steam launches, two 20-oar longboats, two 14-oar rowing boats, two whaleboats and two 6-oar yawls. Boats and longboats were lowered and raised from the water by a cargo boom mounted on the mainmast.

Crew and habitability

The ship's crew during training in their specialty

The ship's crew initially consisted of 31–33 officers and 541–607 lower ranks. Each crew member had 2.5 m² of space and 5.16 m³ of living space.

The supply of provisions was calculated for five months of autonomous navigation, fresh water- for 6–7 days. To replenish its supplies, the ship had two powerful desalination systems. One Zotov system, the other English system Fraser. Locomotive boilers for driving desalination plants also served to heat the premises.

Armament

Main caliber

Longitudinal section of a barbette installation

The main caliber artillery consisted of eight 203-mm Brink cannons produced by the Obukhov plant with a barrel length of 35 calibers. The guns were mounted on Vavasseur turrets in pairs in four barbette mounts. These machines were of the central pin type. The gun rolled back along the inclined beds of the rotating frame, and rolled up under the influence of gravity; hydraulic compressors were used as a rollback brake. The barbette installations themselves, with an internal diameter of 6.5 m, were located on the ship in a diamond shape and protruded 0.46 m above the upper deck. The armor walls of the barbettes were assembled from 203 mm plates on 203 mm vertical larch beams. Inside there was a rotating platform with guns, which were protected by a light circular structure in the form of a tower with a wall thickness of 19 mm. Inspection slits were made along the entire circumference of the walls. The top of the installation was covered with a 12.7 mm roof with a diameter of 6.9 m. Between the overhang of the roof and the barbette armor there was a pocket attached to the walls of the turret. It contained bunks rolled into tight cocoons with cork mattresses, providing additional anti-fragmentation protection. Commander's turrets were mounted on the roof of the bow and stern installations.

In the stowed position, the guns with their mountings rolled back and up along the frame, so that the barrels protruded only a meter from the embrasures. The guns were rotated using a manual drive; the time required to rotate 140° with the help of two people was 59 s. Ammunition was supplied to the guns through pipes that had 76 mm armor. The ammunition was transferred to the ammunition supply pipes of the on-board installations along a longitudinal corridor on the lower deck by carts.

Another ten 152-mm Brink guns of the 1877 model with a barrel length of 35 calibers, which were located in batteries of five on each side. These guns were mounted on Dubov mounts, similar in design to the 203 mm gun mounts. In the stowed position, the guns could roll away along the frame from the side and unfold along it, completely hiding behind the gun ports. Transferring the gun from the traveling position to the combat position and back took about 5 minutes. Ammunition was supplied to the guns manually: through special wells inside the citadel to the lower deck, then through similar hatches. The total amount of ammunition consisted of 100 rounds per barrel for 203 mm guns and 160 shells and 240 charges for each 152 mm gun.

Auxiliary artillery

37 mm Hotchkiss revolver gun

To combat destroyers and mine boats, six 47-mm and four 37-mm five-barrel (revolver) guns of the Hotchkiss system, four 4-pound (87-mm) guns of the 1877 model and two 63.5-mm landing guns were installed on the cruiser's bridges Baranovsky.

The 37-mm and 45-mm revolver guns were manufactured at the Tula plant, and the barrels for the 47-mm guns were made by the Obukhov plant. These guns had the same design: five barrels were assembled into a single “bundle” using two copper disks. For 37-mm guns, the barrels were rotated by the gunner, and for 47-mm guns, a different crew number was used, and the gunner aimed using the shoulder stock. To install the guns, conical pedestals with an inclined axis were used. The 37-mm guns had several types of steel and cast-iron shells weighing about 0.5 kg; the ammunition load of the 47-mm guns included several types of steel and cast-iron grenades weighing about 1.1 kg. The practical rate of fire of the guns was 8 shots per 6 s.

Baranovsky landing gun on a wheeled carriage

The 4-pounder guns were mounted on iron pedestals with a hydraulic recoil brake and a spring knurl. The guns had a screw lifting mechanism for vertical aiming. The guns themselves had a cylindro-prismatic wedge lock. Their ammunition included cast iron shells with two copper belts: a grenade and shrapnel weighing 6.86 kg each, buckshot weighing 6.65 kg, containing 102 bullets with a diameter of 23.6 mm, each weighing 50.1 g. Firing control was carried out visually. The maximum firing range for a grenade is up to 6470 m, for shrapnel - up to 3400 m.

Baranovsky's 63.5-mm landing guns with a barrel length of 19.8 calibers had a piston breech and cartridge loading. The gun mounts were equipped with a hydraulic compressor and a spring knurl. Guidance was carried out by screw lifting and rotating mechanisms using an optical sight designed by Kaminsky. The machine was installed on a special stand, attached with three bolts to the deck. To move the swinging part of the gun from the ship's pedestal to the wheeled landing carriage, it was necessary to unscrew just one bolt. When transporting guns on boats, the wheels were removed. The gun's ammunition included: a cast iron grenade weighing 2.55 kg and shrapnel weighing about 3 kg, containing 56 bullets. The firing range was 1830 m, the rate of fire was up to 5 rounds per minute.

Mine and torpedo weapons

On "Admiral Nakhimov" As torpedo armament, two onboard rotary and one stern torpedo tubes were installed at the level of the living deck. The torpedoes were fired using a powder charge or compressed air. To pump compressed air, the ship had two “air supply” pumps of the Schwarzkopf system. Compressed air was stored in two “air retainer” cylinders with a length of 2 m and a diameter of 381 mm. To arm standard mine boats, the cruiser had two more torpedo tubes for firing shortened torpedoes. They could only be fired using a powder charge. The steam boats each had one apparatus for launching mines. The cruiser's ammunition included 381 mm 19-foot (5.73 m) Model 1876 and shortened 15-foot (4.58 m) Model 1880 Whitehead torpedoes, for a total of nine pieces and six throwing mines.

The ship’s special mine cellar contained 40 spheroconic anchor mines designed by Hertz, model 1876, which were installed from boats. There were pole mines on two of the cruiser's rowing boats. All mine and torpedo weapons were serviced by 1 officer, 1 conductor (mine keeper) and 32 sailors.

Modernization and refurbishment

"Admiral Nakhimov" after modernization

During repairs in Kronstadt from October 1898 to September 1899, the cruiser's boilers and dynamos were replaced. The sail spar was finally removed. There was only one light yardarm and one-staff topmast left on the masts. Instead of wooden ones, a small battle top was installed on each mast. New desalinators of the Krug system were installed. The 47mm revolver and 8-pounder guns were dismantled. Instead, 12 new 47 mm single-barrel Hotchkiss guns were installed. Baranovsky's guns were retained only for the landing. Two three-line machine guns were installed on the combat mars. The onboard torpedo tubes were replaced with bronze ones in apple hinges with a scoop. The devices were intended for 381-mm torpedoes of the “L” type, model 1898. The installations of 203-mm guns were covered with round shields with a diameter of about 6.9 m with a wall thickness of 63.5 mm and covered with tarpaulin, which is why they took on the appearance of real towers.

Service history

Armored cruiser " Admiral Nakhimov" from the moment he was enlisted in the fleet, he was a member of the guards crew, that is, it was staffed with the best sailors and officers. Its first commander was Captain 2nd Rank Karl Karlovich De Livron.

The first "semi-circumnavigation"

At 6:15 a.m. October 6 (September 23 old style) "Admiral Nakhimov" went to sea on his first long voyage. He had to go around Africa and cross Indian Ocean and, having arrived in Singapore, join the Russian squadron, becoming its flagship. During the passage the ship visited main base German fleet - Kiel, French port of Cherbourg. Due to the need for minor repairs, he made an emergency call to Plymouth. Next, the cruiser visited the islands of Madeira, Cape Verde and St. Helena, and called at the harbors of Kapstadt and Port Louis. After which, having passed through the Strait of Malacca, four and a half months after the start of the voyage and having traveled about 15,000 miles, he arrived in Singapore.

The cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" in the dry dock of the port of Nogosaki, 1890

In Singapore, the flag of the commander of the Pacific squadron, Vice Admiral V.P., was raised on the cruiser. Schmidt. Then the ship, calling at the ports of Batavia, Manila, Chemulpo and Nagasaki, proceeded to Vladivostok.

On July 17, 1889, at the entrance to Novik Bay on Russian Island, the cruiser sat bottom down on a reef. After unsuccessful attempt After independently leaving the reef, all the shells and coal were unloaded onto an approaching barge within two days, and part of the artillery was dismantled. After this, the ship was pulled into open water by gunboats. "Manchu" , "Korean" , "Sea lion" and the Voluntary Fleet steamship "Vladivostok". For repair "Admiral Nakhimov" I had to go to Yokosuka. The bottom of the ship was deformed, the flora of several frames in the area of ​​the boiler room was bent, and the plating between frames 50 and 52 was torn. The wooden false keels and outer cladding acted as a kind of buffer, preventing more serious damage. At the dock, the hole was covered with an overlay steel sheet, and the waterproofness of the wooden and copper cladding was restored. To return the body to its previous contours, the depression in the bottom was filled with wood. At the same time, the underwater part of the hull was cleaned and the armor belt was covered with seven layers of Japanese varnish. At the beginning of September, the cruiser returned to Vladivostok.

Until the end of the year "Admiral Nakhimov" spent on voyages visiting the ports of Korea and Japan and squadron exercises. In November, a meeting took place in Nagasaki with the prototype - the flagship of the Chinese station of the British fleet, an armored cruiser. HMS Imperieuse.

Our “Admiral Nakhimov” is here simply to the glory of our fleet! When we met Interpuz, its commander from the very first words asked permission to inspect us and for this purpose first invited us to inspect him. Even the cruise cells were opened to us. There is such a difference between Interpuse and Nakhimov, as if the first of them was built 15 years earlier than the second, and not one year... Not a single foreign ship leaves here without its commander asking permission to inspect the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov ", they send midshipmen to us to watch and learn From a letter from one of the cruiser's officers, written during his stay in Japan.

"Admiral Nakhimov" in parade formation

In mid-December 1889, Vice Admiral V.P. Schmidt left the ship, and in March of the following year, Captain 1st Rank Fedotov took command of the ship. On August 29, 1890, the squadron left for Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to take part in the annual celebrations in memory of the heroic defense of the city from the British and French in 1854. From November 1, the ships of the squadron supported the sea voyage of the heir to the throne, Nikolai Alexandrovich, to the Far East. After completing this mission in June 1891, Admiral Nakhimov was ordered to return to the Baltic for repairs.

Passing through Singapore, Colombo, Suez Canal and the Cherbourg cruiser arrived in Kronstadt in September 1891. Having made another short trip to Copenhagen, the ship arrived at the Konstantinovsky dock on November 10 for restoration work. In January 1892, Captain 1st Rank Fedotov, Captain 2nd Rank Rodionov and other cruiser officers received the highest awards for sailing with the Tsarevich. According to the first official classification introduced by order of the Maritime Department on February 1, 1892, "Admiral Nakhimov" became a cruiser of the 1st rank.

After the completion of the repair work, on July 15, 1892, the cruiser was removed from the dock. A few hours later, a significant leak was discovered in two compartments, in the area of ​​the boiler rooms. The rising water prevented it from being fixed by caulking, so it was necessary to fill the leakage areas with cement. A week later, a leak appeared in the area of ​​frames 24, 28, 52 and 60 and already occurred in five compartments, as captain 1st rank Fedotov reported in his angry reports to the Marine Technical Committee and the Chief Commander of the Kronstadt port.

Second long voyage

Off the coast of America 1893

On my second long trip "Admiral Nakhimov" left Kronstadt on June 3, 1893 under the command of captain 1st rank Vasily Lavrov. He had a unique and very honorable mission to accomplish.

The cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" entrusted to Your Eminence has been assigned to the Pacific Ocean squadron, but temporarily it must join the Atlantic Ocean squadron located in the United States of North America... Every opportunity should be taken to collect information on naval matters. To collect and develop all this information, it is necessary to involve cruiser officers, instructing them to inspect fortifications, ships, etc. You must take measures to ensure that all orders given to the cruiser and related to naval affairs are not made public."General Admiral" and armored corvette "Bell", which went to the USA to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of the opening of the Chicago Industrial Exhibition, dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. Until August 10, the squadron stayed in American ports, visiting Newport, Boston and New York. The next day after entering the ocean, at the admiral’s signal to “go to their destination on their own,” the ships separated. "Admiral Nakhimov" headed for Gibraltar with a call at Azores, and from there to the Spanish port of Cadiz - the meeting place and formation of the Mediterranean squadron. From the harbor of Cadiz, the squadron headed to Toulon on a return visit to the visit of Kronstadt in 1891 by the French squadron. An armored cruiser joined the squadron at the latitude of Barcelona “Memory of Azov” Russian squadron enters Toulon painting by Paul Jabert However, as a result of the accident at "Admiral Nakhimov" the bowsprit was broken. The damage was considered not so serious as to warrant returning the cruiser to the Baltic, and the ship continued its journey without him. The visit ended successfully; the French government awarded the commander of the ship, Captain 1st Rank Vasily Lavrov, and the senior officer, Captain 2nd Rank Alexander Stemman, with the Order of the Legion of Honor. The remaining officers of the ship were awarded other, less significant orders and medals. The Russian squadron then crossed the Mediterranean Sea, spending about two months in Greek waters. January 29, 1894 "Admiral Nakhimov" accompanied by a corvette "Bell" separated from the Mediterranean squadron and went to the Far East through the Suez Canal. The ships arrived in Vladivostok on May 25. Until the end of the summer, the cruiser was under repair, during which a short single-tree bowsprit was installed on the ship and the spars and rigging were reduced. The topmasts, topmasts and gaffs were removed from the ship, and short flagpoles were installed in their place. In November 1894, Captain 1st Rank Lavrov handed over command to a new commander, Captain 1st Rank A.P. Kasherininov. Sheathing damaged by ice. Dock in La Spezia 1900. After completing repair work on the morning of November 23, 1899, the cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" began the transition to Revel to prepare for the third long voyage under the command of Captain 1st Rank S.S. Vsevolovsky. During the passage near the island of Gotland, the cruiser saw a coastal defense battleship that had been involved in an accident "Admiral General Apraksin", which was reported in the evening of the same day upon arrival in Revel. Due to difficult ice conditions, the cruiser was able to go to sea only on February 8, 1900. After leaving the port the ship entered the strip solid ice and was able to continue the further journey only with the help of an icebreaker "Ermak". However, the body "Admiral Nakhimov" The casing was damaged and water began to flow inside. In Kiel, the first foreign port on the cruiser’s route, the commission that examined it recognized that the ship could continue its further journey. In May, upon the cruiser's arrival in La Spezia, "Admiral Nakhimov" embarked on a two-month repair of damaged skin and bent propeller blades. After repairs, the cruiser continued its journey to the Far East without incident. In the Far East, the cruiser took part in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion in China as part of an allied squadron. Until early 1903 "Admiral Nakhimov" served in voyages and exercises, after which in January 1903 he again went to Kronstadt for repairs. The cruiser was intended to undergo a major overhaul with the replacement of artillery and machinery, but due to the heavy workload of the St. Petersburg shipyards, it was necessary to limit itself to routine repairs. Back to the Far East

... to immediately begin all work with that. so that they are manufactured by the deadline appointed for the departure of the squadron, by July 15 from order No. 1887 of the Main Naval Staff

The squadron set out on October 15, 1904 on its unprecedented and difficult 220-day voyage across three oceans, about 18,000 miles long, without having a single base of its own along the way.

Battle of Tsushima Island

On the night of May 14–15, 1905, the 2nd Pacific Squadron entered the Korea Strait. Cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" moved at the rear in the wake of the main forces. The artillery crew rested in places provided for by the combat schedule. When the flagship is a squadron battleship "Prince Suvorov" opened fire "Admiral Nakhimov" was 62 cables away from the nearest enemy, and his shells could not reach the target. As soon as the distance was reduced, the cruiser's guns joined the general cannonade. After failure "Prince Suvorov" The Russian squadron, which did not have a battle plan, was doomed to defeat. Valiantly fighting the Japanese, the ships tried to make their way to Vladivostok. At 16:20, thickening fog forced the battle to end, the Japanese ships temporarily lost sight of the Russians, and the squadron continued to move north. When the sun set, Admiral Togo led his armored ships north to the island of Dazhelet. He sent destroyers for night attacks against the Russian squadron.

During the day's battle the cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" received almost 30 hits from shells with a caliber of 76 to 305 mm, its superstructures were destroyed, several guns were disabled, 25 people were killed and 51 were wounded. However, the ship managed to avoid fatal damage and remained combat-ready.

It is not possible to list all the shells that hit the cruiser, since there were too many hits, and there was no time for such an inspection and counting of them. All speaking pipes were broken. The fragments scattered throughout the cruiser; a huge number of them were visible above the vehicle, where they lay on armored grates. The entire deck was riddled with exploding shells and their fragments. A lot of fragments were lying around the traverses made before the battle, and many of them were stuck in the traverses themselves. In general, it is impossible to list all the damage inflicted on the cruiser by the enemy. From the report of the commander of the 1st rank cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov"

Death

Location of the torpedo hole. Drawing provided by Midshipman Engelhard.

On the evening of May 27, the remnants of the 2nd Pacific Squadron headed for Vladivostok. "Admiral Nakhimov" walked at the rear of the column, and was used to repair combat lighting damaged in battle. By the time repairs were completed and the searchlights were turned on, the cruiser immediately attracted the attention of Japanese destroyers, and between 21:30 and 22:00 received a torpedo hit on the starboard bow. The generators failed again due to the shock, the bow of the cruiser began to sink into the water, and the stern began to rise, exposing the propellers. The ship lost speed, and the squadron went ahead. The lighting on the ship was quickly adjusted, but attempts to place a patch under the hole were hampered by waves and wind. Finally, the patch was able to be applied, but it did not completely close the hole. A huge sail was also brought under the hole, but the trim and list continued to increase, the entire bow up to the watertight bulkhead along frame 36 was already flooded. If she had not withstood it, the bow boiler room would have flooded, which threatened the ship with a boiler explosion. At the suggestion of the chief engineer, the commander turned the cruiser around and continued moving in 3-knot reverse gear, which relieved the water pressure on the bulkhead.

In the morning, the shore of Tsushima Island appeared on the horizon, and by order of the commander, boats began to be lowered and the wounded carried into them. By that time, the longitudinal bulkheads had collapsed under water pressure and water flooded the left side cellars. The ship sank even further with its bow, but the roll decreased noticeably. The evacuation accelerated after the appearance of a Japanese destroyer IJN Shiranui, and a little later an auxiliary cruiser Sado Maru. Approaching the cruiser at 810 cables, the destroyer raised a signal offering surrender. The commander of the cruiser decided to blow up the ship, a demolition charge was placed in the mine cellar, and the ignition cord from it was taken out into the boat standing next to it.

Sinking "Admiral Nakhimov". Photo from the auxiliary cruiser Sado Maru

Sado Maru approached while lowering boats with the captured crew. Only the navigator, Lieutenant V.E., remained on the sinking cruiser. Klochkovsky and commander Captain 1st Rank A.A. Rodionov, who gave the signal. But there was no explosion; the galvanizers setting the charge violated the order and did not connect the fuse, deciding that the cruiser was sinking anyway. At 7:50 on May 28, 1905, the Japanese captured crew boarded "Admiral Nakhimov" and it quickly had a Japanese flag on it. However, the trophy hunters soon received orders from Sado Maru