The Soviet cruiser Dmitry Donskoy. Cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy": project 65

Various modern historians examine the nature, background and consequences of the unrest that occurred during the Soviet era. Meanwhile, there is still a huge amount of unclear information. In a number of sources, for example, the cruiser Dmitry Donskoy appears. 1955 is the year of the uprising on the ship. As records indicate, it was brutally suppressed.

Reality and distorted facts

The level of secrecy in the Soviet years was very high. In this connection, there is not enough concrete information about the insurrection. The consequences of the event are different. For example, you can see such records:

• In Vladivostok, the uprising was engulfed by the Soviet cruiser Dmitry Donskoy. The excitement was suppressed.
• The Pacific Fleet brutally suppressed the uprising (cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy", 1955, Vladivostok). More than 50 people were shot.

A more detailed study of this information pops up a mass of questions. The difficulties in establishing the truth arise from the fact that many of the information was disseminated with significant distortions. Meanwhile, in other sources it is said that the Soviet cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy" in Vladivostok on the specified date was absent. The ship was listed in the Pacific Fleet, but at the turn of the 19-20 centuries. As factory records indicate, on August 31, 1951, cruiser Dmitry Donskoi was added to the Navy lists. At that time the USSR was solving the task of enlarging the fleet. In April 1953, the ship was laid at the factory. A. Marty, in Leningrad. At the end of September of the year, he was given the new name "Vladivostok". In the autumn it was launched and on pontoons towed to Severodvinsk. September 2, 1959, the cruiser was withdrawn from construction and excluded from the Navy's lists with a technical readiness of 28.8%. Thus, there could not be a ship in Vladivostok.

Prerequisites for construction

As was said above, after the completion of World War II, the country's leadership set the task of replenishing the fleet. In accordance with the order of the People's Commissar of the Navy in early 1945, a commission was formed. She was engaged in the preparation of materials on the main characteristics and type of future ships. Based on the results of the work of the commission, the General Staff developed plans for a ten-year period. In accordance with them, by 1955 the fleet was to include:

1. Fleet aircraft carriers in an amount of 6 units.
2. Destroyers - 358 units.
3. Linear ships - four units.
4. Small aircraft carriers - 6 units.
5. Heavy cruisers (40 units). Of these - equipped with 220-mm (10 units) and 180-mm (30 units) guns GC.
6. The submarine is about 500 units.
7. Light cruisers with 152-mm artillery guns - 54 units.

Such a number of ships assumed the effective use of naval forces in open and closed water areas. Despite the lack of production and financial resources, the logic in this regard was obvious. With its implementation, the capacity of the domestic fleet would surpass the figures of the British Navy. By its strength, he would have taken the second, and the number of submarines - the first place. The plan took into account the military experience. It was supposed to build a smaller number of battleships in comparison with the pre-war time. In addition, aircraft carriers were included as an integral element of the Navy's forces.

Changes to the plan

October 27, 1945 in the Kremlin held a meeting. It turned out that Comrade. Stalin had his own views on the further development of the forces of the Navy. In particular, he proposed to significantly reduce the number of battleships, and increase the number of heavy vehicles by raising their GC to 305 mm. Stalin considered it inexpedient to build aircraft carriers in the next decade. He did not see the need for the creation of cruisers with 180-mm guns. Along with this, Stalin gave his consent to the construction of light ships in the maximum amount. The final program was approved after discussing the proposals of the country's leader. The new plan assumed construction:

1. Heavy cruisers - 4 units.
2. Destroyers - 188 units.
3. Light cruisers - 20 units.
4. The submarine - 367 units.

The plan also provided for the laying of two battleships. The elimination of aircraft carriers from the program was conditioned by the unpreparedness of domestic industry. The new plan acted as a continuation of the pre-war. At the same time, the main emphasis was on building large artillery ships. This was not consistent with the experience of the recent war.

Development

In accordance with the order of the People's Commissar Kuznetsov, in the autumn of 1943 the development of a new light cruiser project began. In September, the first edition was approved. Unlike Project 68, the armament was doubled by 137-mm and 100-mm antiaircraft artillery pieces. In addition, new hydroacoustic and radar instruments were introduced. According to the plan, replacement of torpedo three-tube apparatus by five-tube apparatus, installation of 4 bombsets was supposed. As for the range of navigation, it should have been 8 thousand miles. The maximum speed was planned at 35 knots. The standard displacement in this case should not be above 10 thousand tons.

Second Edition

According to the plan for 1946-1955, it was planned to create 30 and lay 4 light cruisers. Initially, there were several stages in the implementation of the task. First of all, it was planned to complete the construction of 5 ships under the 68-K project, then the construction of 7 cruisers was planned for the 68-bis project. After that, it was planned to start the creation of a new series. Among them was to be the cruiser Dmitry Donskoy. Project 65 assumed better speed, lower displacement. It was planned to equip the ships with new power installations. In 1945, the operative technical task was issued. Savichev was chosen as the chief designer. Among the new requirements was the change in the composition of artillery anti-aircraft weapons. Instead of 37 mm twin 12 guns, four four quad 45 mm and 4-6 twin 25 mm submachine guns were to be installed. The plan was to increase the reservation and reduce the displacement to 8-8.5 thousand tons. As one of the requirements was the overall stabilization for the use of weapons in conditions of 8-point sea waves.

Difficulties

Before the construction of such a giant as the cruiser Dmitry Donskoi began, the project 65 has undergone many changes. In total, about 40 variants of it were proposed. For some of them, displacement was 13.5-15 thousand tons. In fact, these indicators corresponded to the parameters of large light cruisers. After some time the pre-design development was suspended due to the arisen problem of determining the proper technical appearance of the ship. It was supposed to have qualitative differences from its predecessors with an allowable standard displacement of no more than 15 thousand tons. At the suggestion of TsKB-17, the project was carried out in two versions. On the orders of Stalin, however, in 1947 the works were stopped. The efforts of the developers reoriented to the plans of 82 and 68 bis.

Cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy": project

In March 1949, in the pulp and paper mill-17, work on the sketch was completed. Without waiting for government approval, the designers began technical design. But in the autumn Stalin proposed to increase the speed of the ship to 35 knots and reduce the displacement to 36 thousand tons. Accordingly, in the shortest time, a project was developed at the pulp and paper mill. Until the end of the year, work on it was completed. During the process, the capacity of the power plant had to be increased by 30%, the anti-aircraft artillery and universal artillery were changed, vertical booking was reduced, etc. Due to the speed of the project 82, the need for the construction of light cruisers arose. In October 1950, an operational-tactical task was received. In accordance with it, it was planned to build a light cruiser 65 project, the speed of which was supposed to be 35-36 knots. For the conduct of subsequent work, two versions were approved with different weapons, displacement and armor. Pre-stage design was completed in 1951. But no further work was done.

Modification

March 16, 1976, the heavy cruiser Dmitry Donskoy was included in the Navy. In December 1982, he was transferred to the Western Face from Severodvinsk. In mid-September 1989, the ship went back. At the enterprise "Sevmash" modernization and overhaul was carried out. In late June 2002, the cruiser Dmitry Donskoy successfully passed the test. According to their results, he was again enrolled in the Northern Fleet.

Underwater cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy": photo, general description

The ship became one of six built and the only one remaining in the ranks. He fulfilled the role of a kind of bridge between the 3rd and 4th generation nuclear-powered ships. The cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy" was equipped with a new complex "Bulava". It was on this ship that an armament test was conducted. The missile cruiser Dmitry Donskoy is considered to be the largest in the world. Its full displacement is 49.8 thousand tons. The length of the ship is 172 meters, and the width is 23.3 meters. The nuclear submarine cruiser Dmitry Donskoy is capable of carrying 20 3-stage ICBMs with a starting mass of 90 tons in 1996-1997. Due to lack of funds, three ships of the same series, served only 12-13 years, were withdrawn from the Navy. Two more - TK-20 and TK-17 (Severstal and Arkhangelsk) remain in the ranks. The main ship in this series is the nuclear cruiser Dmitry Donskoy. For more than 10 years, he was under repair at the Sevmash enterprise. Here it was re-equipped and modernized.

Armament

Initially, the "Bark" complex was planned to be installed on the "Dmitry Donskoy" submarine cruiser. He was designed in the design bureau. Makeyev. The complex included rockets with warheads of a separating type. They had to be equipped with an inertial-satellite guidance system. It provided greater accuracy of fire. But four tests of the complex were unsuccessful. In this regard, the composition of weapons revised. As a result, it was decided to install the "Bulava-30" complex, made by the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering, on the armored cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy". He was supposed to have a significant superiority over the American analogue of "Trident II".

Completion of work

In 2008, the bulk of the planned re-equipment of the ship was completed. In December 2004, an act on the end of sea trials was signed. In accordance with the approved program from the side of the cruiser test launches of missiles of the Bulava complex were carried out. Currently, the ship is serving in the Navy.

Historical Background: Initial Design

As the founder of the very idea of building an ocean cruiser was Vice Admiral AA Popov. He commanded a detachment of corvettes and clippers. The experience that was accumulated during the creation of the first armored cruisers with hulls made of metal and the alteration of the ship "Minin", he embodied in two versions. Together with this, Popov requested a characterization of the latter's qualities from Admiral Aslanbegov. The essence of all proposals that have been collected, summarized as follows:

1. The artillery on the ship should have a larger caliber, but is installed in a smaller amount.
2. The cruiser must be made in the form of a frigate, not a corvette. It must have a closed battery.
3. It is necessary to increase the dimensions: length up to 91.5 m, width - up to 17.1 m.
4. The speed should be increased to 16-17 knots.
5. The power must be increased to 1000 nominal liters. from.
6. The number of torpedo tubes should be reduced to four.
7. From double marsa-re should be abandoned.
8. The coal reserve should be increased to 1.2 thousand tons.

Using a high position, Popov achieved approval of projects without coordinating them with the chairman of the technical committee. In early March 1880, the builder of the ship was appointed Lieutenant Colonel Samoilov. His assistant was Captain Potapov. In late May, preparatory work began, an order for materials was sent. Since December 18, the builder was Kuteinikov. On March 28, 1881, the cruiser received its name "Dmitry Donskoy". The ceremony of its official laying was held on May 9.

Some facts of construction

On the cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy" was installed steering steam drive. Suddenly, he approached him in size. Steering wheel was placed at the stern (traditionally). The machine telegraph was installed on the front bridge. To create the necessary working conditions for a screw in free water, a special tiller "parallelogram motion" was invented. It was quite a complicated technological task. But it was solved.

Testing

The cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy" was launched on August 18, 1883. During the final stage of the work, bureaucratic difficulties arose in connection with the conflicts between the two state ports. As a result, the events stretched for 2 years. In May 1885, tests and acceptance of technical equipment, mines and artillery began on board. Until August, the cruiser Dmitry Donskoi went to sea only three times. Its average speed was 16.16 knots, and the power of the cars was 5972 liters. from.

Service

In the autumn of 1885 the cruiser went to the Mediterranean Sea. For two years he headed a special detachment there. In 1887, the ship was included in the Pacific squadron, which was commanded by Rear Admiral Kornilov. By May, 1889, the "Donskoy" returned to Kronstadt. Here he went through a small re-equipment and on September 21, 1891, he went out again to the Mediterranean. Here he headed a detachment from the clipper "Zabiyaka", the frigate "Minin" and the gunboat "Uralets". In March 1892 the detachment was disbanded. The cruiser "Dmskoy Donskoy" was sent through the Sea of Marmara to Constantinople and further to the Black Sea. From July 1892 the ship was based in Vladivostok. Here he was the main force of the squadron. In February next year, the ship went to Port Said. Here, Captain Hessen was replaced by N. A. Zelena. The cruiser was to be led by a Russian detachment, invited by the American government to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. March 16 began swimming. Due to the unfortunate picture of the winds, Donskoy missed the collection of ships and entered immediately to New York. In September, he returned to his homeland. His boilers and machines were seriously worn out and required immediate repairs. By 1894 the works were completed. In 1895, the artillery was replaced on the cruiser by Kane's cartridge guns. By October 29, 1895, all the trials had been completed. The cruiser "Donskoy" entered the Mediterranean Sea together with the "Rurik". At that time, a conflict began over the Black Sea straits. On February 14, 1896, the ships were sent to the Far East. On April 9, they entered Nagasaki. This period of service lasted 6 years. In 1900, the "Donskoy" took part in the maneuvers of the army and navy near Port Arthur, which later went into real battle.

In 1901, December 12, the ship returned to Kronstadt. It was re-equipped for the Pacific squadron. In particular, 6 out of ten 120-mm guns were replaced with 75-mm guns. In 1903, the cruiser Almaz and Donskoi were to accompany a detachment of torpedo boats. However, the charges lasted longer than planned, and the ship joined a separate detachment commanded by Rear Admiral Wierenius. At the initial stage of the war, he was able to pass only the Red Sea and received an order to return.

Battle of Tsushima

Cruiser "Dmitry Donskoy" in 1904 was included in the 2 nd Pacific Squadron. The commander of the ship was Captain 1 rank Lebedev. Having passed with the squadron route around the m. Of Good Hope, on May 14, 1905 he entered the battle under the flag of Rear Admiral Enquist in the Strait of Korea. During the battle in one of the moments the cruisers "Vl. Monomakh" and "Donskoy Dmytroya" covered their sides with the Aurora, deprived of control. At the same time, they themselves were under the fire of Japanese shells. Russian cruisers could damage several Japanese ships. At this time, high-speed "Pearl", "Oleg" and the repaired "Aurora" came out of the battle, having developed the maximum speed. As a result, the Donskoy escort remained alone. Having managed to avoid the mine attacks, the ship waited for the night and went to Vladivostok with the lights off with nine lights.

Of all the cruisers of the 1st rank, only "Donskoy" was able to come closest to the ultimate goal of navigation. Do about. Even he stopped to remove the command from the "Destroyer" going to the bottom of the destroyer. At that time, the fast ships of Japan appeared on the horizon: Tsushima, Niitaka, Otava, Akashi, Takachiho and Naniwa. In addition to them, 4 destroyers were approaching the Donskoy. They quickly took the lonely ship into an entourage. The Russian command refused to surrender and continued to fire back on two sides. The cruiser crew managed to destroy two enemy ships (Otava and Naniwa). But the ship could not go further. He received such damage that the pumps could not cope with the water coming through the holes. At night, the crew was transported to the island and its mortally wounded commander. By the morning the cruiser Dmitry Donskoi sank without having lowered his flag. Ivan Nikolayevich Lebedev died a few days later in the Japanese captivity.

Conclusion

Apparently, the fate of the ship is quite complicated. In fact, he received a second birth at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. However, the lack of financing made it very difficult to restore it. Therefore, it was launched almost ten years later. Unfortunately, in many sources there is often unreliable information. However, a number of historians are actively investigating and clarifying the real facts. Today, the cruiser is the world's largest missile carrier. It is significantly modified, it has the latest weapons and equipment. The ship has passed all the necessary tests and is serving in the Navy.