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PSKR "Purga" project 52

The design of a frontier patrol ship, capable of operating in ice, began as part of the "large sea shipbuilding" program in 1936. The project was in 1937-1938. developed TsKB-32 (now - "Baltsudoproekt") by order of the NKVD Maritime Guard. On December 17, 1938, the ship was laid down at the Sudomekh plant (now the Northern site of the Admiralty Shipyards), and on April 24, 1941, it went afloat. Its entry into service was planned in the same year. But with the beginning of the war, the construction of the patrol, which had a readiness of 28%, was stopped, and the unfinished ship was mothballed. The construction was resumed only in 1951 and lasted for about five years. The icebreaking ship "Purga" entered service on March 31, 1957.

The project was based on the terms of reference approved by the Navy and the MMF. Draft study was not carried out; the technical project was preceded by the zero stage, which made it possible to identify the possibility of combining the requirements of the technical task.

As a result of the study, the main dimensions of the vessel were determined: length at design waterline - 62 m; width at design waterline - 17.5 m; board height - 8.3 m; draft - 5.5 m; displacement - about 2730 tons. The designers opted for an "American" type icebreaker with one bow rotor. Screw diameter: stern - 3.5 m; nasal - 2.7 m.

The towing and self-propelled tests of the model showed that the maximum speed in clear water should be 13.5 - 14 knots. The expected ice permeability was estimated at 60 - 70 cm of ice. The autonomy of the main mechanisms with full power - 18 days. Cruising range - 6800 miles at a speed of 13.5 knots.

Unsinkability was ensured when any one compartment was flooded. At a later design stage, measures were taken to ensure unsinkability when the two outer fore or aft compartments were flooded. The ship was divided into six watertight compartments and had a short forecastle, turning into a superstructure. The following compartments were located in the hold: 1st - bow trim; 2nd - compartment of the bow electric motor; 3rd - section of auxiliary diesel generators; 4th - department of main diesel generators; 5th - branch of aft electric motors; 6th - aft trim. The service rooms were on the lower deck. All living quarters were moved to the superstructure.

In the originally completed project, the control posts for electric propulsion and main diesel engines were carried to different rooms. In an additional version of the project, these posts were combined, and also provided for special mines, which made it possible, during repairs, to unload the auxiliary diesel engines completely and the largest parts of the main diesel engines.

Completion of personnel: for the ships of the Minmorflot - 39 people, for the ships of the Navy - 45 people.

The mechanical installation included three main diesel generators of the ZD100 type with a capacity of 1800 hp. each with twin-armature generators and three propeller motors. The auxiliary unit consisted of three diesel generators of 200 kW each, one parking generator for 100 kW and one emergency generator for 25 kW. The electric propulsion system provided for the possibility of transferring all power to the stern propellers. Power plant - on alternating current 220 V.

The strength of the ice belt was assumed to be sufficient to ensure accident-free operation in ice; the material of the skin of the ice belt is steel SKHL-4 and 09G2, however, in the final version, it was considered expedient to stop only at SKHL-4, thus adopting a single steel for the entire ice belt: 16 mm - in the middle part and aft and 18 mm - in nasal. For other, less critical structures, it was supposed to use steel grade ST4s. The roll system made it possible to get a roll up to 6 ° in 1.5 - 2 minutes; trim - trim more than 1 m in 12 minutes.

The ship's ice qualities were ensured by the increased strength of the hull (for example, the thickness of the skin of the ice belt is 25 mm), the shape of the stem, the presence of bow and stern trim compartments and side roll tanks. The propellers, as usual for icebreakers, were made of high quality steel and had removable blades.

In 1957 - 1959 the service "Blizzard" took place in the North. During this period, the border ship detained several foreign vessels engaged in illegal fishing. In the summer of 1959 "Blizzard" by the Northern Sea Route moved to the Far East and began to be based in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. During the service, the ship traveled 411,386 miles and detained 26 foreign border trespassers. On March 16, 1990, the flag and jack were solemnly lowered on the "Blizzard". Veterans of the Maritime Border Guard offered to organize a museum on board, but nevertheless the honored ship was sold for scrap abroad.

It was the successful experience in the design, construction and operation of the "Purga" that became the incentive for the creation of a series of Project 97P border patrol ships.