The battleship tsesarevich. Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich". Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich" in Qingdao. Starboard
Appendix No. 2: Squadron battleships Retvizan and Tsarevich
(From the archive of V.P. Kostenko)
A series of battleships of the "Peresvet" type was built according to the main shipbuilding program of 1895, according to which 5 battleships were planned for construction. The last two ships of this program differed sharply from the "Peresvet" and belonged to two completely different types, although with the same artillery armament and approximately the same tonnage. They were simultaneously ordered from two overseas factories in 1898 after an extra extraordinary appropriation for shipbuilding and were vivid exponents of two opposing trends in naval engineering and tactics of the late 19th century. These differences were based on different understanding of the naval battle situation.
The Russian Naval Ministry, giving an order abroad for 2 battleships to the best factories in France and the United States, sought to obtain two opposite technical solutions to the same tactical task: to obtain an exemplary combat ship for squadron combat, in order to then make a choice of project when building a series of 5 battleships under the program of 1898, which they decided to build already in Russia at the St. Petersburg factories. These two ships, with the same tonnage, artillery and speed, had completely different hull design, reservation system, artillery location, seaworthiness, height of the people's side and appearance.
Project "Tsarevich"
The battleship "Tsesarevich", which is the embodiment of the ideas of the French naval engineer Emile Bertin, was a completely different type of ship in terms of the design and location of artillery. In many respects, he was the spokesman for the new principles of military shipbuilding in matters of armor protection against artillery shells and torpedo explosions, as well as in matters of survivability and unsinkability.
The technique of further development of the type of a battleship assimilated and improved the new principles laid down in the "Tsarevich" project, applying them to ships created after the Russo-Japanese war on the basis of the combat experience gained. Thus, the "Tsarevich" turned out to be the ancestor of several subsequent generations of battleships, and many of its features, assimilated by subsequent ships, can be traced back to the era of battleships that entered the modern world war.
The project was developed by the chief engineer of the company " Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee"in Toulon by engineer M. Lagane. The main design features of the" Tsarevich "are a product of the gradual development of the French type of battleships from" Jaureguiberry "(1893) to the class" Republigue "and" Democratic "(1904)." Republigue "was designed by engineer Bertin at the same time with the "Tsarevich", but was finished building a little later.
Typical features of the "Tsarevich" that distinguished it not only from the "Retvizan", but also from all previous series of Russian battleships ("Petropavlovsk", "Peresvet") were the following characteristic design features:
a) Deck arrangement: 4 surface decks, including 2 armored decks along the entire length of the ship, namely: lower armored deck - 40 mm, battery or main deck - 50 mm, upper - 7 mm and a spark deck from stem to stern 1 2-dm ... towers. Freeboard with forecastle on forecastle - 7.8 m (26 ft.).
b) Seaworthiness. The high freeboard and the blockage of the outer skin above the armor belt ensured high seaworthiness in fresh ocean weather.
c) Reservation. There were 2 continuous armor belts along the waterline from the belt to the stern. The lower main belt had an upper edge 500 mm above the waterline. Lower shelf under the waterline by 1,500 mm.
Thickness of armor plates at the top edge: between 12 in. towers were equal to 250 mm, with a lower edge of 1 70 m, bow and stern from 12-dm. towers from 230 to 1 70 mm. The upper belt had 200 mm, in the nose from 12 inches. towers decreased to 120 mm, aft from 12-dm. towers up to 130 mm.
The total height of the waist armor: midships - 3.67 m, in the bow - 4.4 m, in the stern - 4.0 m.
2 armored decks: the main one covered the side armor along the entire length of the ship, 50 mm thick; the bottom - 300 mm above the waterline, consisted of 2 layers of 20 mm each (40 mm in total).
An anti-mine armored bulkhead at a length of 88.8 m at a distance of about 2 m from the side, of 2 layers of 20 mm each (40 mm in total) adjoins normally to the outer skin along the cheekbone and replaces the 5th stringer; connects along a radius of 2 m with the lower armored deck.
Towers 12-dm. guns: rotating part - 254 mm, shirt under armor -30 mm, fed pipes - 229 mm, shirt - 30 mm, roofs made of 3 layers of total thickness of 60 mm.
The conning tower is elliptical (dimensions inside the wheelhouse 3.85x3.25 m): vertical armor - 251 mm, roof - 45 mm, wire protection pipe - 1 27 mm
The total weight of Krupp's cemented armor, armored decks, mine bulkhead, wooden lining and armored sides is 4325 tons or 33% of the normal displacement.
d) Artillery location: 4 12-inch. guns in twin turret installations on the forecastle and poop.
The axes of the guns are 12-inch. bow tower - 9.6 m above the waterline.
12 6-dm. guns in 6 two-gun turrets, of which there are 4 towers on the spardek: 2 towers behind the bow 12-inch tower and 2 in front of the 12-inch aft tower, with shelling along the bow and stern, within an arc of 135 °.
On the upper deck amidships between the stokers there are 2 towers, each with shelling along the bow and stern in an arc of 180 °.
16 75-mm guns are placed: 8 guns in the central battery on the main deck, 2 guns in the stern on the main deck, 2 in the bow on the upper deck, 2 on the bow bridge, 2 on the aft bridge.
Fire directly at the bow and stern: 2 12-in., 8 6-in., 4 75-mm.
Fire directly along the traverse: 4 12-in., 6 6-in. and 8 75 mm.
e) The unsinkability scheme, "Tsesarevich" according to the system introduced by Bertin, was the first ship to receive a high armor belt from bow to stern of 2 rows of plates along the waterline, rising 2.1 7 m above the water level, and 2 continuous armored decks ...
The upper armor covered the belt armor, and the lower one descended to the lower edge of the belt by 2.5 m under the cargo waterline. The armored belt of 2 sides and 2 armored decks associated with it formed an armored box closed on all sides at the waterline level, or a kind of pontoon, divided into a large number of compartments by longitudinal and transverse bulkheads. This armored checkered layer at the level of the waterline was supposed to ensure the combat stability and buoyancy of the battleship with all artillery damage, and also reliably cover all living quarters below the waterline from penetration of both whole shells and shrapnel when a gap between the armored decks.
All the main transverse bulkheads were brought to the lower armored deck, firmly connected to it and did not have any doors. There were no similar shafts or openings from the lower armored deck to the holds. All mines, elevators and coal loading arms and ventilation ducts were taken either to the battery deck, or even higher to the upper one. In order to go down from the lower deck into the crew quarters or into the holds, it was first necessary to go up to the battery deck and from there descend down the vertical impenetrable shaft.
On the lower armored deck, isolated from the holds, watertight doors were arranged in the transverse bulkheads on the rear (near the centerline). With this arrangement of doors, they did not pose a threat to unsinkability, at the same time providing an extremely important communication along the ship, between 2 armored decks, completely protected by armor from high-explosive shells and fragments.
According to the combat schedule and the water alarm, the doors had to be kept battened down.
f) The principle of compartment autonomy. The rooms above the lower armored deck within the side protected by a mine-action bulkhead were divided by the main transverse bulkheads into autonomous compartments, which had all systems and pipelines not connected with adjacent compartments.
The main compartments, in addition to the 2 end compartments, were:
1. Nasal compartment 12-inch. towers.
2. Compartment 2 bow 6-in. towers.
3. Compartment of the bow boiler room.
4. Compartment 2 medium 6-in. towers.
5. Compartment of the aft boiler room.
6. Compartment 2 engine rooms, separated by a diametrical bulkhead.
7. Compartment 2 aft 6-in. towers.
8. Aft compartment 12-inch. towers.
Outside the mine bulkheads, there were two end compartments: a bow ram and aft helmsman. Each main compartment had its own independent hold systems: flooding, drainage, drain and bypass, fire and ventilation, as well as plumbing and meeting room.
No pipelines cut the transverse bulkheads below the armored deck and were enclosed with all pipe ramifications only within their compartment. Of the main compartments, 5 had their own cast 800-ton turbines, driven by electric motors. There were 8 turbines in total. Large compartments had two turbines. These turbines were supplied with bypass pipes with clinkets on transverse bulkheads from smaller adjacent compartments.
2 end compartments and 3 6-dm compartments did not have their own ebb turbines. towers (bow, middle and stern). For draining small amounts of water sludge from holds, side and double bottom compartments, there were 8 50-tonne fire bilge steam pumps installed on the cockpits of the respective compartments. The fire line ran along the entire ship along the lower deck under the 50 mm armored battery deck with vertical branches down to the pumps and up to the fire horns in each compartment.
On the battery deck, the side of which did not have armor protection, there were 5 transverse watertight bulkheads with doors, which were battened down by a water alarm.
g) Mine protection. On the "Tsesarevich", following the example of the French battleship "Jaureguiberry", an onboard armored bulkhead was arranged from two layers of sheets of 20 mm (total thickness of 40 mm), at a distance of 2 m from the outer skin. At that time, it was believed that such underwater protection was quite sufficient to protect the interior of the ship from the effects of an 18-inch explosion. Whitehead torpedoes with a charge of 80-120 kg of pyroxylin or barrage mines. The side armored bulkhead with its upper edge passed along the radius to the lower deck and was made of the softest shipbuilding steel, which allowed very significant deformations without rupture in the expectation that this would absorb the energy of gases during an explosion. The disadvantage of this design was the lack of a direct strong connection between the lower armored deck and the lower shelf of the main armor belt.
The connection of the belt and deck armor was carried out in the form of a horizontal stringer or a platform made of sheets 16-20 mm thick and up to 2 m wide, which served as the floor of the corridor behind the armor. However, with the explosion of torpedoes, mines and shells below the armor belt, this platform, covering the outer and inner side compartments, had to fall into the sphere of destruction, and therefore the water through the hole filled not only the side lower compartments, but also the upper body behind the armor, as well as the compartment on the lower deck if the rear bulkhead of the corridor has been damaged.
On ships of later construction, Russian-built battleships "Suvorov", "Eagle" and "Slava", as well as on 5 French battleships of the Republique series (1902) and 6 ships of the Danton series (1909), this deficiency was eliminated. The last French battleships of the "Danton" class were built taking into account the experience of the Russian-Japanese war.
h) Placement of coal pits.
Since the boiler rooms, engine rooms and bomb cellars were directly adjacent to the armored mine bulkhead on the inside, it was necessary to abandon the arrangement of onboard coal pits so as not to violate the integrity of the armored bulkheads by the device of doors or necks, which would create the danger of flooding the boiler rooms when a mine exploded from open necks for coal loading.
To avoid this danger, the Tsesarevich had to abandon the installation of side coal pits and leave the side compartments unused, and to store consumable coal, go to the transverse pits at the main bulkheads of the boiler rooms. Spare pits were placed on the lower armored deck along the corridors behind the armor. Therefore, the placement of coal pits on the "Tsarevich" sharply differed from the previous types of battleships "Petropavlovsk", "Peresvet" and "Retvizan", which had side pits. This location presented significant inconveniences:
a) coal in the side compartments played the role of an additional and rather effective protection during mine explosions due to the absorption of the energy of gases for crushing and pressing coal;
b) the side compartments remained unused for placing payloads, as a result of which the battleship lost a large underwater volume, amounting to 2 sides: 2292 m2, which was 13% of the normal displacement of the ship. This led to a great constraint in the placement of holds and a sharp reduction in the capacity of the pits, and, consequently, to a decrease in the navigation area.
The normal supply of coal was accepted at 800 tons, and the total capacity of all pits was 1370 tons, while on the battleship Retvizan, which was being built at the same time, the full supply of coal reached 2000 tons, and on ships of the "Peresvet" type even up to 2500 tons.
i) External view.
Due to its high freeboard, raised bed nets at the bulwarks and developed rostrum, 2-storey bow and stern bridges with deckhouses, heavy masts, huge pipes and a large number of towers on the backdeck, it was an excellent target for enemy shells.
In this respect, it was very similar to the French battleships of the nineties of the "Galouis" and "Suffren" types.
Advantages of the "Tsarevich" type over the "Retvizan" type
1) More developed armor protection of the waterline along the entire length and good cover of the extremities.
2) The presence of 2 solid armored decks.
3) Formation along the entire length of the ship of an armored checkered layer with a height of 2 to 2.9 m above the waterline and 1.5 m below the waterline.
4) Anti-mine side protection from armored bulkheads along the length of 3/4 of the ship.
5) Accommodation of the entire 6-dm. artillery in 2 gun turrets, protected by 6-inch. armor and strong fire in the center plane.
Comparison of battleships "Retvizan" and "Tsarevich"
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Name of elements |
"Retvizan" |
"Tsarevich" |
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Bookmark year |
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Launch date |
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Commissioning |
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Plant builder |
Cramp (Philadelphia) |
Forges et Chantiers (Toulon) |
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Normal design displacement |
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Travel speed |
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Mechanism power |
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Fuel supply |
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Coal pit capacity |
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Main dimensions in meters |
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Artillery |
4 12-in. / 40 cal. |
4 12-in. / 40 cal. |
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12 6-in. / 45 cal. |
12 6-in. / 45 cal. |
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Reservation: Lower armor belt |
9-dm. between main. towers |
10-inch from bow to stern |
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Upper Armor Belt |
9-dm. between main. towers |
8-dm. from bow to stern |
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3rd belt: casemates and battery |
5-dm. kaz. 6-dm. op. |
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Lower deck (horizon, part) |
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Lower deck: (bevels) |
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Main battery deck |
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Towers 12-dm. guns (vr. part) |
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Towers 12-dm. guns (under the pipe) |
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Towers 6-dm. guns (vr. part) |
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Towers 6-dm. guns (under. rough) |
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Casemates 6-dm. guns (upper) |
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Conning tower |
1. Hull (including mine bulkhead, wood parts, 5118.50 armor lining, internals and fittings)
2. Reservation 3347.80
3. Supply, including - 295.20
anchors and ropes (113,60)
mooring lines and tugs (10,00)
boats (65,00)
water tanks and desalination plants (12,00)
galleys (16,00)
tarpaulins, flags, navigational supplies (7,60)
miscellaneous supplies and supplies (71.00)
4. Masts with tops and rigging 43,00
5. Auxiliary mechanisms (steam and electric) 106.50
6. Machines and boilers with water 1430,00
7. Artillery with combat reserves of 1363.00
8. Mines and electricity 203.00
9. Normal fuel capacity 800.00
10. Crew with baggage 82.65
11. Provisions for 60 days 99.85
12. Water for ten days 20.50
13. Displacement reserve 200.00
Total: 13110.00
Steam mechanism weight
1. Main machines with accessories and refrigerators 442.00
2. Shafts 108.00
3. Propellers 25.00
4. Auxiliary mechanisms (circulation pumps and pump) 35.20
5. Pipeline and water receivers 56.00
6. Platforms and ladders of machines 17.00
7. Tools and spare parts 27.00
8. Machine fans 60.00
9. Boilers 14.00
10. Nutrient tanks 3.00
Total weight of mechanisms 787.00
Water in refrigerators and pipes 22.00
Total weight of mechanisms with water 809.20
Boiler weight
1. Boilers with masonry and economizers 366.50
2. Purifiers, expanders, tanks, 6.50
3. Donkey 9.50
4. Air blowers 6.50
5. Smoke vents and chimney 40.00
6. Platforms and ladders 15.00
7. Pipeline in stokers 36.00
8. Fans 14.00
9. Tools and spare parts 28.00
10. Nutrient tanks 16.00
Total weight of boilers without water 538,00
Water in boilers 49.00
Water in tanks 33.80
Total weight of boilers with water 620.80
Steel case (as part of the article "Case with devices")
1. Outer plating from keel to lower shelf 419.00
2. Shirt behind armor 170.80
3. Plating above the armored deck 84.20
4. Horizontal keel 20.20
4. Reinforcement of the outer skin 41.30
5. Planking of the upper armored deck 263.20
6. Battery deck planking 103.50
7. Upper deck planking 67,00
8. Mine bulkhead 769.90
Total steel hull 1939.10
Rotating turret shirt 85,00
Tower reinforcements 283.00
Wooden parts of the building 183,00
Armor pad and bolts 157,00
Internal devices 116.50
Good things on the body 333.00
Reservation
1. Lower armor belt 775.40
2. Upper armor belt 663.40
3. Upper armored (battery) deck 730.00
4. Armor commings 41.50
5. The conning tower with a communication pipe 62.50
6. Armor of 12-inch towers fed pipes 215.00
7. Rotating armor of 12-inch towers 288.00
8.armor of the supplied pipes of 6-inch towers 292.00
9. Rotating armor of 6-inch towers 280,00
Total booking weight 3347.8
Coal under normal load - in the hold 588.00 - on the lower deck 212.00
Notes.
The distribution of load items is given according to a handwritten copy from the collection of papers of the famous shipbuilder V.P. Kostenko, who in 1904-1905. performed the duties of an assistant builder of the battleship Eagle, which was being prepared for a cruise with other ships of the Borodino class as part of the 2nd Pacific Squadron. By the nature of his career, V.P. Kostenko had to constantly monitor the compliance of the design data of numerous articles of the design load of the "Eagle" with its actual values, as well as compare them with the corresponding parameters of the "Tsesarevich" - the prototype of the entire series of battleships of the "Borodino" class. to which the "Eagle" also belonged.
(Personal archive of V.P. Kostenko., Folder XVII -I).
Weights are given in metric tons (1 mt = 1000 kg)
Battleship of the Russian Imperial Navy of French construction. May 1898 - the beginning of construction. February 1901 - launched. August 1903 - entered service. 1925 - incapacitated (dismantled for metal).After entering service and sea trials in November 1903 he arrived in Port Arthur. With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, he received a torpedo hit from Japanese destroyers. A participant in the battle in the Yellow Sea (August 1904), where, when trying to break through to Vladivostok, having received numerous hits from large-caliber shells, he was forced to return to Port Arthur. However, due to a night attack by destroyers and severe damage, the ship lost the main part of the squadron and was interned in the German port of Qingdao, where it underwent a thorough repair. During the battle, the commander of the 1st Pacific squadron, Rear Admiral Wilhelm Karlovich Vitgeft, was killed on the ship.
After repairs, he returned to the Baltic, where the ship underwent a thorough modernization. The planned modernization in 1914 was prevented by the war. During the First World War, the already outdated ship received the task of protecting the coast of Finland and the Abo-Oland region from German raids.
After the October Revolution it was renamed "Citizen". In December 1917 he moved from Helsingfors (now Helsinki) to Kronstadt and never went out to sea again. In 1925, among many other obsolete ships, it was dismantled for metal.
Main technical characteristics: Normal displacement: 13,100 tons. Length: 121 m. Width: 23.2 m. Draft: 7.94 m. Engines: Two vertical triple expansion steam engines, 20 Belleville boilers with a capacity of 16,700 HP Speed stroke: 18.78 knots Cruising range: 5500 nautical miles (at 10 knots) Crew: 800 people.
Armament: 2 x 2 - 305 mm / 40 6 x 2 - 152 mm / 45 20 x 1 - 75 mm / 50 20 x 1 - 47 mm / 38 11 x 37 mm2 x 63.5 mm airborne guns 10 machine guns 4 torpedo tubes
About the model. The model was assembled from February to October. Collectability is excellent, there is no flash, no sinking either. The only upset was the external joining, which was mostly demolished. Of the additions, Aber barrels, needles for barrels less than 152 mm, etching included in the set and the Aurora hobby chain were used. This chain in the set turned out to be too thin and with large links. Rigging made of nylon thread. Acrylic painting Tamiya, Mr. Hobby. I tried to gently use a wash on some elements. I was afraid to use it on the case because of the shagreen (I have been using an airbrush for so long, but I avoid shagreen every other time). But on the deck I liked the effect very much. The neatness in some places is not a fountain, especially the "splash" from the glue on the hull. I noticed it already at the very end of the assembly of the model, but I didn't want to repaint it all over again. I put it next to the Dreadnought on the picture next to the Dreadnought as a visual representation of the next generation of capital ships. I treat criticism with understanding. Thank you for your attention.
On July 26, 1899, within the framework of the program for the construction of warships for the Far East, a new battleship was laid down at the Forge and Chantier shipyard in Toulon at the request of the Russian government, which received the name Tsesarevich. The ship had powerful weapons at that time (4 305 mm, 12 152 mm cannons of the Obukhov plant in two-gun turrets, 20 75 mm and 20 47 mm guns), 18-knot speed and good seaworthiness.
Its displacement was about 13 thousand tons. On February 10, 1901, the Tsesarevich was launched, and on August 21, 1903, it entered service with the Baltic Fleet. In early September, the battleship left Toulon and headed for Port Arthur. On the night of January 27, 1904, while parked in the outer roadstead of Port Arthur, the "Tsesarevich" was damaged by an explosion of a torpedo fired by a Japanese destroyer, but remained afloat and, after sealing the hole with the help of a caisson, was re-commissioned. After the death of the battleship "Petropavlovsk" with the squadron commander, Vice-Admiral S.O. Makarov March 31, 1904 "Tsesarevich" became the flagship of the squadron. On July 28, 1904, after a battle with the Japanese fleet in the Yellow Sea, he broke through to Qingdao, where he was interned by the Chinese government the next day. At the end of the Russo-Japanese War, in February 1906, the battleship returned to the Baltic and, after repairs, was retrained into battleships and included in the training sailing detachment. As part of the detachment, he spent several long voyages abroad. In December 1908, he took part in helping the earthquake-affected population of the city of Messina in Sicily. During the 1st World War, the battleship covered the raiding and mine-barrage operations of the light forces of the fleet. From 1916 he was a member of the Defense Forces of the Gulf of Riga. After the February Revolution, it was renamed "Citizen". From September 29 to October 6, 1917, together with the battleship Slava, he actively participated in the Moonsund operation. In December 1917, he made the transition from Helsingfors to Kronstadt, where he remained in long-term storage. During the Civil War, the ship's artillery weapons were used on river, lake flotillas and land fronts. In 1924, the Komgosfond was handed over for disassembly and on November 21, 1925, he was expelled from the RKKF.
The model is assembled almost completely "out of the box." and 47mm. from ZIP. Replaced all boats and boats with Kombrigovskie. Used native baiting and baiting from North Star, flag Begemod. First tried to glaze the wheelhouse, it turned out not bad. Paints Humbrol, Vallejo, Tamiya. Painted with air. The model was built for 8 months with breaks for BTT and aviation. Enjoy viewing! The model of the Tsarevich was built in 1904.
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I am publishing another article from old developments. This time it will be less alternative than usual. It is dedicated to two battleships at once, one of the best in the history of the Russian Imperial Navy and, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful - "Retvizan" and "Tsarevich".
Foreign experience
Even in the process of completing the Peresvet-class battleships, the MTK faced the question of designing the next series of battleships. At the same time, the idea of a qualitative superiority over a potential enemy persistently settled in the heads of the admirals. Along with the popular views in society that "a Russian manufacturer will not build a normal thing," this led to the fact that the ITC began to advocate ordering new battleships abroad. The emperor himself was a supporter of such a decision, however, who had his own reasons for this - the desire to compare domestic and foreign ships. After the construction of single samples abroad, it was planned to replicate these ships at domestic shipyards. In this situation, even the all-powerful naval minister Nevsky was not able to block such a decision - he could only minimize the damage from such a decision (the minister himself was completely confident in the domestic manufacturer, in the organization of which he had already invested a lot of time and money). As a result, instead of the original 6 battleships, it was decided to build 3 ships: one each in Germany, France and the United States. German firms immediately dropped out of the competition, and the foreign order was reduced to two ships. The winners were the French firm Forge and Chantier and the American Crump.
"Tsarevich" - a new experience, but not quite
The French project was a seaworthy battleship with a forecastle and the placement of all the artillery of the UK in the towers. This decision was already encountered in the Russian fleet on battleships of the "Poltava" type, and was rather controversial - the rate of fire and reliability of tower installations was inferior to casemates, even if it won the best firing angles and firing conditions. In fact, some "variation on the theme" of the "Tsarevich" was proposed even during the design of the "Peresvetov" - an option was proposed to further increase the size of the "Poltava" with the addition of 2 more towers with 152-mm guns, but the project was rejected, since it required a displacement of 14 , 5 thousand tons. The French project "fit" in 13 thousand tons with similar weapons, was protected by Krupp armor and, in general, had good characteristics. Its main feature was the presence of a constructive anti-torpedo protection in the form of armored bulkheads located at a distance from the sides in the underwater part. However, it also had drawbacks - because of the complex shape of the sides for the ports of 75-mm guns, whole gates had to be cut through, many elements were made according to French standards, alien to Russian shipbuilding. The project was defended by Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich, a former admiral general who lived in France after retiring.
According to the terms of the contract, the battleship was supposed to enter service a little more than 3 years after the laying, in fact, it was built for a year and a half longer. However, there were no fines - the delay was caused by the strikes of French workers, who paralyzed the work of the shipyard for a while. The battleship barely managed to enter service and arrive in the Far East before the start of the war with Japan. However, the customer was partly to blame for the protracted construction - during the construction, contrary to the established tradition, changes were made to the project, among which was the introduction of reloading turret compartments for the main battery turrets, which made it possible to increase the reload speed of the main battery guns to 45 seconds. In addition, immediately before commissioning, the first in Russia centralized Geisler control system of the 1900 model was mounted on the battleship, developed with the participation of the senior artilleryman of the coastal defense battleship "Admiral Ushakov" Grigory Golubev.
During the war, "Tsesarevich" showed itself well, including in terms of survivability. Despite the heavy damage received during the war, the battleship quickly recovered, having managed to take part in the most important battles with the Japanese. After the war, she remained one of the main battleships of the Pacific Fleet for a long time, and ceased to be part of the main forces of the fleet only after the first Pacific dreadnoughts entered service. Nevertheless, the "Tsarevich" was finally put out of action only in 1920, and after the Washington agreement it was scrapped.
"Retvizan" - classic is classic
The American battleship ordered by the Crump firm was more conservative than the Tsarevich. The artillery of the SK was located in the casemates, there was no mine bulkhead. In general, it was full of proven solutions, with the exception of boilers - Crump got permission from MTK to use Nikloss boilers, which were not distinguished by reliability. Nevertheless, the construction of the Retvizan proceeded much faster than the Tsarevich, and the battleship managed to enter service on time. As well as on the "Tsesarevich", on the Kramp-built ship, turret reloading compartments for the main battery towers were arranged, and later they installed the Geisler control system mod. 1900. Actually, "Retvizan" was the only ship in the entire Pacific Fleet, which by the beginning of the war with Japan had time to test new technology in practice - it is not surprising that it was considered by both belligerents to be the most combat-ready ship of the Pacific Fleet until mid-1904.
"Retvizan" survived the war and remained in the ranks for a long time. In 1907-1908, a major overhaul was carried out on it, replacing the Nikloss boilers with more reliable Norman-Shukhov boilers, which, in addition to a slight increase in displacement, also caused an increase in power - as a result, the battleship "ran" at 19 speed knots. During the First World War, the Retvizan was actively used to perform various tasks, survived the war and was scrapped along with other battleships of the Pacific Fleet after the conclusion of the Washington Treaty.
Result
Squadron battleship "Retvizan", 1902
Even during the beginning of the construction of the Retvizan and the Tsarevich, heated discussions began about which of the ships to take as a basis for the construction of new battleships at domestic shipyards. Some pointed out that "the classics are time-tested classics" and pointed to the very successful "Retvizan". Others, being supporters of seaworthy battleships, demanded to take for the prototype the "Tsesarevich", which had much better conditions for firing, albeit at the cost of a lower rate of fire of the SK towers. The final verdict had to be passed by the "higher authority" - the naval minister, who quite unexpectedly supported the Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich, who was in fact the main defender of the "Tsarevich".
The battleship Retvizan, undoubtedly, is already an outstanding ship on paper, but the power plant, alien to our fleet, has worse conditions of fire and relatively worse seaworthiness compared to the high standard laid down in Peresvet. In addition, the tower installations 152- mm guns more meet the requirements of the time, despite the lower reliability and rate of fire. Further work on the development of domestic battleships should be carried out on the basis of the "Tsarevich".
From the letter of the Minister of the Sea Nevsky to the representatives of the ITC
"Retvizan" was not even saved by Kramp's initiative to create a semi-lug version of the battleship - Nikloss's boilers and the casemate arrangement of artillery still put an end to the project. As a result, at the Russian shipyards in St. Petersburg, battleships of the Borodino type were laid down, which is an enlarged and modified Tsesarevich.
As for the "higher level of foreign shipbuilding", then the Western admirals were defeated. "Tsesarevich" and "Retvizan" turned out to be little better than the domestic "Peresvet" and its development projects, and the fact that the "Tsesarevich" was taken as a prototype for replication at his native shipyards is more likely a coincidence or correct calculation of the French designer Lagan than the superiority of the French design thought: battleships with a forecastle and SK turrets appeared among projects in Russia before. After ordering two battleships abroad, it was later decided to cope with the construction of a linear fleet on its own. Retvizan and Tsarevich remained the only foreign battleships in the Russian Imperial Navy.
In addition, the result of comparing foreign and domestic battleships clearly proved to Emperor Nicholas II the loyalty of the course taken by the Minister of Nevsky. After that, the naval minister's power in naval affairs became virtually unlimited, which had a positive effect on the development of the Russian Imperial Navy. The potential inherent in the policy of Nevsky will make Russia one of the most powerful maritime powers in the world for many decades to come.
What are we changing on "Tsesarevich"
Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich", 1903
1) We remove the 37-mm and 47-mm small caliber - -28 tons;
2) We put 4 57/50-mm guns - +8 tons;
3) Add turret reloading compartments for GK towers - +50 tons;
4) We increase the elevation angles of the gun, strengthening the structure will cost an additional +20 tons;
5) Slightly change the location of the 75-mm guns (space is freed up in the bow due to the use of rodless anchors).
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6) Colleague countryman pointed out that I had missed the mine barriers, which I usually remove from ships. There were, apparently, 20 of them in total - this gives about 15 tons of savings (taking into account the equipment of the cellars);
What are we changing on "Retvizan"
1) We remove small caliber - -32.8 tons;
2) We put 8 57-mm guns - +16 tons;
3) Add the turret compartment - +50 tons;
4) Increase the elevation angles of the guns, reinforcements +20 tons;
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5) In addition, we abandon the system of copper balls that pop up in the event of flooding of the compartments. This will not affect the weight loads. Submitted the idea Artem Goncharov;
6) We remove 45 min of the barriers, which gives about 34 tons of savings (together with the equipment of storage cellars);
7) Add 2 inches of thickness to the armor at the extremities. This will cost about 70 tons.
The performance characteristics of the battleship Tsesarevich
"Tsarevich" in a typical color of the Pacific Fleet, 1904
Displacement: 13 135 tons
Dimensions: 117.25x23.2x7.92 m
Mechanisms: 2 shafts, 2 PM VTR, 20 Belleville boilers, 16 300 HP = 18 knots
Fuel supply: 800/1350 tons of coal
Range: 5,500 miles (10 knots)
Armor (krupp): lower belt 160-250 mm, upper belt 120-200 mm, GK towers 250 mm, roofs of GK towers 63 mm, GK barbets 100-250 mm, SK towers 150 mm, roofs of SK 30 mm towers, SK 127 mm barbets, wheelhouse 254 mm, casings KO 19 mm, PTP 40 mm, deck 40-50 mm
Armament: 4 305/40 mm, 12 152/45 mm, 20 75/50 mm, 4 57/50 mm guns, 4 381 mm torpedo tubes
Crew: 29/750 people
The performance characteristics of the battleship Retvizan
Squadron battleship "Retvizan" in a typical color of the Pacific Fleet, 1904
Displacement: 13 005 tons
Dimensions: 116.5x22x7.6 m
Mechanisms: 2 shafts, 2 PM VTR, 24 Nikloss boilers, 16,000 hp = 18 knots
Fuel supply: 1016/2000 tons of coal
Range: 4900/8000 miles (10 knots)
Armor (krupp): belt 102-229 mm, upper belt 152 mm, bulkheads 178 mm, towers 229 mm, tower roofs 51 mm, barbets 203 mm, battery and casemates 127 mm, wheelhouse 254 mm, deck 51-76 mm
Armament: 4 305/40 mm, 12 152/45 mm, 20 75/50 mm, 8 57/50 mm guns, 6 381 mm torpedo tubes
Crew: 28/722 people
1) While back and forth, conjuring over the "Aurora" and drawing "Neva" (training cruiser), I suddenly realized who would be the successor of Nevsky as naval minister. The personality is quite real. I wonder if colleagues will guess who it is? I say right away - not Makarov.
2) Regarding the Geisler's MSA arr. 1900 - did not describe it in detail, but it is understood that this is an improved centralized system like the one on the Varyag. Taking into account the article on "Ushakov", the conclusion about the need for the introduction of centralized control could appear in 1898-1899, during the construction process - "Retvizan" and "Tsesarevich" could receive such a system when they entered service. "Peresveta" and "Poltava" will receive it right at the beginning of the RYA.
3) There are not so many articles left on RYAV. After that, I will immediately take up the dreadnoughts. So far, the list of articles looks like this:
Squadron battleships of the Borodino class (material ready);
"Neva" class I training cruisers (material ready);
I rank cruisers of the "Pallas" class (material ready);
Auxiliary cruisers of the III rank of the Vladivostok Volunteer Fleet (the material is almost ready);
Minelayers of the Amur type;
Collective article on destroyers, torpedo boats and submarines of the RYAV era (the material is almost ready);
About full-scale tests at the RIF in 1888-1907;
Development of the RIF under the Minister of the Navy Nevsky, analysis of the RYA and the changes of 1905-1907;
4) In the course of writing the article, "off-plot" alternatives were drawn:
Dreadnought a la "Michigan" from "Mikasa";
Battleship a la "Tsarevich" from "Poltava";
The semi-lug version of the Retvizan.
I haven’t decided to deal with them seriously or not - they will not be recorded in the "canon" anyway. Is that "Mikasa" ...
"Tsesarevich" at the wall - the holes were sealed, the mast was tied up with additional guy wires. after the battle they began to sway.
Upon arrival in Qingdao on the evening of July 29, the commander was in no hurry with orders to replenish coal reserves and to order materials necessary for repairs. Nor was he inspired by the example of Novik and Silent, who had come earlier and were already preparing to leave for a breakthrough. Worse, Captain 1st Rank Ivanov found it convenient to evade the recommendations that the Fearless commander, Lieutenant P.L. Trukhachev (1867-1916).
Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich" in Qingdao. Starboard
Arriving on the morning of July 30 with the "Merciless", he apparently believed that the ships that had broken through should go to Vladivostok together. Taking over the general command, accelerating with the help of his team the replenishment of the coal reserve on the destroyers, the "Tsarevich" could put a whole detachment out to sea. Depending on the situation, he could either make a breakthrough to Vladivostok or go south to wait for the arrival of the 2nd Pacific Squadron in hard-to-reach areas of French or even foreign colonies. It was not ruled out that a march to join the Vladivostok detachment of cruisers was also possible.
Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich" in Qingdao. Bow tower and starboard
All this was quite realistic given the presence of special cruisers of the Volunteer Fleet in the Russian fleet. After all, their operations already at the beginning of the war caused a great commotion among firms engaged in military smuggling. It was planned to widely develop cruising operations, which were quite realistic to associate with the fate of the ships that had broken through. Let's remember that S.O. Makarov considered a breakthrough in Port Arthur (and, possibly, in Vladivostok) of the battleship Oslyabya, captured by the beginning of the war in the Red Sea, to be quite real.
Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich" in Qingdao. Damage to the second chimney
But the commander of yesterday's flagship and his staff did not find the strength to fulfill their duty to the end and prevent disarmament in neutral Qingdao. The ships were left to their own devices and acted completely separately. "Novik", hurrying to leave before morning, and having not received help from the "Tsarevich", left the port with an incomplete supply of coal. This circumstance, as it soon became clear, played a fatal role in his fate. "Silent" made every effort so that in the shortest possible time, until the Japanese came to the port, to cope with the repairs and have time to go to the breakthrough. "Fearless", waiting for its readiness, hurried to accept the coal. For all this time, the Tsesarevich's assistance to the ships is not mentioned in the documents.
Having evaded all initiatives and quite pleased with the prevailing circumstances, the commander N.M. Ivanov with a sense of accomplished duty retired.
Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich" in Qingdao. Medium six-inch tower
On the morning of July 30, he went ashore to a German hospital, leaving his ship to solve the problems created by him, Ivanov, on his own. Admiral Matusevich was also there. But the ship, despite the strange behavior of its two most senior superiors, did not give up. The hope for the possibility of repair and subsequent breakthrough was aroused by the telegram of Emperor Nicholas II, sent to the ships on July 31, encouraging the crew "in the consciousness of a sacred and honorably fulfilled duty to the throne and homeland."
German orchestra on the handicap of the battleship "Tsarevich" in Qingdao, summer 1904
In a reply telegram from Admiral Matusevich to the manager of the Naval Ministry, there were expressed feelings of awe, with which everyone on the battleship and torpedo boats accepted the emperor's "merciful words", and expressed wishes for "bestowing health and prosperity on the beloved emperor and the high-born heir". Further, loyal feelings and the unanimous desire of the crews of the ships were expressed "to again carry our lives for the glory of the throne and the fatherland." Alas, reality did not confirm these lofty feelings of all-loyalty to the throne. The Germans, however, in order not to expose the ships to Japanese attacks from the sea, on July 31, transferred them to the inner basin, and the Governor on August 1 announced that the Tsarevich was allowed a 6-day stay. It was explained by the need to bring the ships to the state necessary for going to sea (but not for full combat readiness). On the day of their arrival, the "Merciless" was demanded to leave the port within 24 hours (as well as from "Novik" before that), and then, referring to the permission of the German emperor, the stay was extended until midnight from 3 to 4 August.
But on August 2, the attitude of the usually amiable German authorities suddenly changed. At 10 am, the commanders of all ships announced the order of Kaiser Wilhelm II immediately - by 11 o'clock to lower the flags and disarm. Everyone was at a loss as to the reason for such exceptional perfidy. After all, Russian ships in all the years preceding the war had become accustomed to the feelings of cordiality, hospitality, and even friendship that were constantly manifested by the German authorities (especially in Kiel). Germany in that war clearly sympathized with Russia, and German steamers with a cargo of coal were already preparing (according to contracts concluded with private firms) to accompany the campaign of the squadron of Z.P. Rozhdestvensky.
Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich" in Qingdao, summer 1904
But N.A. Matusevich, whether he was overwhelmed by the injury he had experienced or because of his excessive delicacy, did not even try to explain to the Germans the absurdity of their demands: ships that had begun repairs needed much more time to go to sea. He did not consider it necessary to use his right to be strong, which made it possible to simply ignore the dishonest German ultimatum. The authorities in St. Petersburg, as is often done in Russia and as just happened with the cruisers Petersburg and Smolensk operating in the Indian Ocean, preferred to simply disown their ships. The unprofessionalism of the supreme authorities again showed itself in all its ugliness.
In Qingdao
Without waiting for an answer from St. Petersburg to his urgent request, Matusevich ordered the ships to obey the German demands. The ships lowered their flags and on the same day began to unload ammunition ashore. We handed over to the Germans the locks from the 75-mm guns, parts from the locks of the large guns and two covers of the spool boxes for medium-pressure cylinders. They took all the guns and revolvers ashore, leaving only 50 for guard duty.
Squadron battleship "Tsesarevich" in Qingdao after arrival. At the side of the raft, from which the sailors close up the holes. A sun awning is installed on the bow.
On that day, as if already knowing what had happened, a Japanese destroyer appeared at the port. Quarreling with Germany was not part of the plans of the Japanese, and they did not attempt to seize the battleship. Satisfied with the information about the disarming of the battleship, the destroyer immediately left. The countdown of the imprisonment of the ships has begun.
"Tsarevich" with open stern ports of 75 mm guns.
With ease, with one stroke of the pen, to abandon the magnificent warship, the construction of which took five years alone, V otherwise, this decision cannot be called a crime. However, with "Diana" in Saigon they did even more magical. Despite the fact that the French authorities did not make any demands for disarmament and guaranteed to carry out all the repairs of the ship, the order for disarmament was sent here as well. And this happened on August 22, when the ship could, if desired, go to sea and already probably join the squadron of Z.P. Rozhdestvensky. In the name of the admiral-general, the order was given by the manager of the naval ministry, vice-admiral Avelan. And before the wisdom of this order, all that remains is to make a helpless gesture.
"Tsarevich" - broken pipes, traces of shrapnel hits on the hull and boats.
So the St. Petersburg rulers, it is not clear "" what they were thinking, easily "surrendered" all the ships that had broken through. For some reason, they were considered unnecessary for the war. Submitting to the will of the admiral-general, the "Tsarevich" also plunged into a new, now unadjusted, unhurried - for the whole war - repair work. Not having had time, as it was possible on the "Diana", to leave the ship in a group before disarmament, the officers of the battleship, together with the routine of the coastal repair service, began to comprehend the invaluable combat experience that had fallen to their lot. After all, he could still be useful. How, on August 1, 1904, the 2nd squadron of the Pacific Fleet began a campaign in Kronstadt.
"Tsesarevich" - sealing a hole in the side. To facilitate the foremast, the spar was removed and placed on the deck near the forward conning tower.
Fate did not leave the optimistic ship with its worries here either - it arranged so that one of the officers (the flag officer of the headquarters Lieutenant MA Kedrov), like the three officers of "Diana", had a chance to take part in the campaign "and the battle of the squadron Z. It is not known with what attention (and in general whether he considered it necessary) Zinovy Petrovich treated their experience, but Lieutenant Kedrov, who had the most information (flag officer of Makarov's and VK Vitgeft's staff), received an appointment that was far from the tasks of generalizing experience - an artillery officer on the cruiser (armed passenger steamer) "Ural." The system, as if set to destroy the fleet, remained true to itself.
"Tsarevich" - the ship's ladder was damaged in battle, so a German ladder with wheels was installed at the side.
The main question in the fate of the "Tsarevich" remains unanswered - why the ministry, without blinking, agreed to disarm the ship. What, it would seem, the most energetic efforts should have been made to save for the war the magnificent newest battleship with a fired command! Instead, an absurd disarmament order was issued, which caused general consternation.
"Tsesarevich" - a view of the deck with rowing ships. The stern tube is heavily damaged by hits from two large-caliber shells and, so as not to fall apart, is pulled together by additional cables.
The heroes of this dark story did not leave their explanations. Lt. A.N. Shcheglov (1874-1953). But there is no doubt that here, too, the result of the activities of the General Medical School was manifested, all military orders of which, in the opinion of A.N. Shcheglova, "were not substantiated and directly harmful." As a result, ”the fleet perished from disorganization, and this is entirely the fault of the General Naval Staff, which rightfully belongs to 90% of the failures of our fleet.” You can, without risking a big mistake, offer the following explanations of the fate of the “Tsarevich” in Qing-dao, which are quite consistent with by the "chaotic" nature of the activities of the headquarters, which is so frankly spoken of in the aforementioned work of Lieutenant Shcheglov.
"Tsarevich" in 1905 after repair - the foremast was completely removed and new chimneys were installed.
Turning to the motives that somehow made it possible to understand the decision of the St. Petersburg strategists, one cannot escape the feeling of their part or direct belonging to a certain virtual world, where the laws of logic and common sense do not work. For how else to explain that, being seemingly in a mortal battle with an extremely active, active and enterprising enemy, while suffering constant failures, having lost the first squadron in the most inept way and preparing the second for the campaign, they so carelessly abandoned the experience of the war and the two newest ones, like the air of the necessary battleships of its own, from "Glory", despite the opportunity to have time to put it into operation, and "Tsarevich", which could well have avoided disarmament. And at the same time - this is the plot for a gripping documentary detective - desperate, albeit deliberately doomed to failure (the whole deal could not take place without the knowledge of England, which was then allied with Japan), attempts were made to smuggle the notorious "exotic cruisers".
On the "Tsesarevich" during repair work
In front of the eyes of the whole world and to him to ridicule, for more than a year, a performance of multi-pass intrigues was played out with many flocked to a profit, promising to "arrange" the purchase of "intermediaries", in which the main role with a fake passport, in a wig and with a false beard was played by a familiar to us longtime adjutant of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich Rear Admiral A.M. Abaza. This venture could also be joined by the bluff of the emperor, who, despite his failures, continued to condescend or even contemptuously treat the enemy (it is known that in resolutions he allowed himself expressions like "macaque"). the breadth of the Russian soul and the endless possibilities of Russia, capable of crushing the enemy, regardless of the number of battleships.
The internal antipathy of the chief of staff to the battleship, which for so long caused his righteous anger and indignation, could also manifest itself. The withdrawal of the battleship from the game could somehow combine in the sick imagination of Zinovy Petrovich with the triumph over his opponents in the eternal undercover bureaucratic struggle. Who knows the truth now ...
1905 year. Internment in Qingdao. Russian destroyers (from left to right) - "Brave", "Boyky", "Merciless", "Fearless", "Silent". The mainmast "Tsesarevich" is visible in the background.
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