[REL] VAA soviet battleships

[Admiral Von Gerlach]

All Good points Hunter, thanks for your post you evidently know a lot about that era...it is hard to get information here on some of the details, tho i read quite a bit and found some interesting books on the subject back in teh 1970's, thanks for the details and your very interesting replies.

It was certainly a challenging time. My great respect to the Soviet and Russian naval tradditoin which was worked and fought for very hard for hundreds of years. The challenge of having to maintain fleets in such distance places as the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Pacific were immense and the challenges of the times, too, the tragedies of the Russo-Japanese war and the loss of some of the leading officers, the difficulties of the changing political situations, the turmoil after WWI, and the challenges of the Stalin era all were immense. And the incredible build up of the Soviet Fleet and the sad state of things now, with units rusting and sinking at anchor, ...what a story it has been. And thru it all tremendous courage and determination by the fleet and the command to keep going. It is a remarkable saga and one that commands great respect.

[keltos01]

Originally Posted by Admiral Von Gerlach

All Good points Hunter, thanks for your post you evidently know a lot about that era...it is hard to get information here on some of the details, tho i read quite a bit and found some interesting books on the subject back in teh 1970's, thanks for the details and your very interesting replies.

It was certainly a challenging time. My great respect to the Soviet and Russian naval tradditoin which was worked and fought for very hard for hundreds of years. The challenge of having to maintain fleets in such distance places as the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Pacific were immense and the challenges of the times, too, the tragedies of the Russo-Japanese war and the loss of some of the leading officers, the difficulties of the changing political situations, the turmoil after WWI, and the challenges of the Stalin era all were immense. And the incredible build up of the Soviet Fleet and the sad state of things now, with units rusting and sinking at anchor, ...what a story it has been. And thru it all tremendous courage and determination by the fleet and the command to keep going. It is a remarkable saga and one that commands great respect.

true

keltos

[Hunter]

Admiral Von Gerlach and keltos01,

Yes, history is my greates interest and hobby. And it is extremely complicated with all that events that took part in this part of the world within the last century. Thanks for your kind responds

[Admiral Von Gerlach]

It is great to have your posts and sharing, it is a subject that has long deeply interested me, and some of the little known Russian fleet enounters in WWI and after have long been a interest of mine. If only the Allies had been able to break the Dardinelles blockade and allowed the Black Sea Fleet to get out so many if onlys. Years ago i was able to read two very interesting books, one was the account of a Imperial Russian officer from a light cruiser after one of the major battles in the Russo Japanese war, very gripping and moving account of much heroisim and the other book was by a ordinary crewman on an Imperial Russian torpedo boat during and after WWI, and how difficult it had been to keep parts and ammunition and then to navigate the political seas....the crew and the boat managed to survive but it was an amazing tale. thanks for your sharing.

[GerritJ9]

I can highly recommend "The Russian Fleet 1914-1917" by René Greger...... if you can still find it, that is. My copy was published by Ian Allan in 1972- originally it was published in German. The book's SBN: 7110 0255 x.
It contains lots of photos, not only of the Dreadnoughts but also of the minor warships- destroyers, submarines, gunboats, minesweepers etc etc.
The text is limited, but it does contain useful info about the most important actions/activities of the Baltic, Black Sea and even Arctic fleets. Also tables of losses on both sides and more.

The "Gangut" design (and that of the "Imperatritsa Mariya") was actually quite similar to the Italian "Dante Alighieri", Italy's first Dreadnought. It would be more correct to say that the Russian designs followed the "Dante" design than the other way round, as the Italian ship came first.

[Admiral Von Gerlach]

Thanks Gerrit, will look up that title. Sounds very interesting.

That was a remarkable and quite revolutionary design, moving most of the top hamper belowdecks, and giving the main battery a clear field of fire. I am not sure where the train and aim stops were on the turrets amidship but i am sure they were much better than could be on some of the other contemporary ship designs. Of course probably the most bizarre and unique dreadnought design of that era was the HMS Agincourt, but that is another story

[trynnallen]

I can highly recommend "The Russian Fleet 1914-1917" by René Greger...... if you can still find it, that is. My copy was published by Ian Allan in 1972- originally it was published in German. The book's SBN: 7110 0255 x.
It contains lots of photos, not only of the Dreadnoughts but also of the minor warships- destroyers, submarines, gunboats, minesweepers etc etc.
The text is limited, but it does contain useful info about the most important actions/activities of the Baltic, Black Sea and even Arctic fleets. Also tables of losses on both sides and more.

The "Gangut" design (and that of the "Imperatritsa Mariya") was actually quite similar to the Italian "Dante Alighieri", Italy's first Dreadnought. It would be more correct to say that the Russian designs followed the "Dante" design than the other way round, as the Italian ship came first.

I would hope they looked like the Alighieri's. The Russians asked the Italians for help with the design and techinecal advise building them.

[GerritJ9]

"Dante Alighieri" was designed by Cuniberti, and the Russian Navy adopted the same arrangement (known as the "Cuniberti arrangement") for the heavy guns of the "Gangut", "Imperatritsa Mariya" and "Borodino" classes. The internal arrangements of "Dante" and the Russian ships differed considerably, however. "Dante" had two of her boiler rooms placed between the first and second main turrets, the forward boiler rooms were similarly located in the Russian ships. However, the Russians placed the remaining boilers between the second and third turrets, whereas "Dante" had her main turbines located there; her aft boiler rooms were placed between the third and fourth main turrets, in the space occupied by the main turbines in the Russian ships. "Dante" could therefore easily be recognized at a distance by the much wider spacing of her funnels; furthermore, she had four slim funnels whereas the Russian ships had two much larger funnels.

[seaplate hitman]

sorry i am sorry that the download link is not avaliable now . gentle man please give me an effective one ?