Project 69 Kronstadt class
Battlecruiser / Heavy Cruiser
The design of the heavy cruisers for the Soviet fleet began in the middle of the 1930s, simultaneously with the development of the designs of large (type "A") and small (type "B") battleships. In 1934-1935 the design bureaus of ship-building industry, the Research Institute of the military ship building of the administration of the sea forces [UMS] of RKKA (Workers' and Peasants' Red Army) and Italian firm "Ansaldo", which accomplished technical assistance in the creation of the light cruiser "Kirov", for the tasks carried out by several pre-draft projects of heavy cruisers with displacement from 15,500 to 19,500 tons and with the major caliber artillery from 240 to 280 mm.
In 1936-1937 domestic designers developed the preliminary designs of a battleship of the type "A" (Project 23) with 406-mm guns, and battleship of the type "B" (Projects 25 and 64, with 305-mm and 356-mm guns respectively) and heavy cruiser (Project 22) in several versions, with 254- mm and 280- mm by the instruments of main battery. From them the only direct continuation was work on Project 23, on which they finally placed four ships of the type "Soviet Union", whereas for a number of reasons work ended on the rest.
On November 1, 1937 industry was given the new operational requirements (TTT) for the heavy cruiser, affirmed by the chief of the sea forces of RKKA the Flag Officer of the Fleet 1st Rank M.V.Viktorovym. In them the following problems were posed: in the squadron battle - fight with the cruisers of enemy (in particular the heavycruisers); the support of light forces in the distant regions; independent operations on the communications of enemy.
The composition of the armament was 9 x 254- mm guns in three three-gun turrets, 8 x 130-mm guns into four twin turrets, 8 x 100-mm anti-aircraft guns into four twin tower installations, 4 quadrupled 37- mm zenith of automatic weapon (already after the beginning of design their quantity it was increased to six), 2 x 3-tubee 533-mm torpedo tubes, 80-100 minimum reload, and 2 aircraft. Standard displacement was 22,000-23,000 tons, the running speed was not less than 34 knots, cruising range by economic motion to 8000 miles, independence on provisions of 50 days. In TTT were indicated also the distances of battle and the caliber of the artillery of the ships of potential enemy for determining the thicknesses of vertical and horizontal armoring.
The design of the heavy cruiser, to which was appropriated the index "Project 69", carried out the association TSKB-17 {until January 1937 - TSKBS-1). The chief engineer of the bureau V.A.Nikitin led the work.
Already the first estimations showed that with the assigned composition of armament it was not possible to maintain limitation on the displacement. It was necessary to go to forced measures - to decrease a quantity of ammunition of main battery to 125 shots (instead of 150), to remove torpedo armament, to establish cruising range cruising (20 knots) motion to 4,500 miles (instead of 6,000). The Military Council of the Sea Forces of RKKA agreed with these proposals.
By June 1938 preliminary design of Project 69 was finished. Under the indicated TTT, the armament of the ship had a standard displacement of 24,450 tons and a speed 33.3 knots. Elements of the armor included main belt 140 mm, in the extremities 20 mm, beams 210 mm, the turret barbettes 210 mm, average deck 80 mm and lower deck 20 mm. In July V.A.Nikitinu stated "for the qualitative fulfillment of preliminary design" chief of the Glavmorproma of the People's Commissariat of Defense Industry declared appreciation, and entrusted a reward 1000 rubles.
However, by this time it became known that Germany was concluding the building of two ships of the Scharnhorst class. Their tactical-technical elements [TTE] occupied the intermediate position between battleships and heavy cruisers. They were higher-speed than battleships, and their main battery (280 mm) while inferior to battlecruisers [linkorovskomu], considerably exceeded the artillery "Washington" cruisers (203 mm). However, similar ships (of type "Dunkirk"), but with the more powerful artillery (330 mm), were built in France. This information was discussed in the Defense Committee with SNK USSR (Council of People's Commissars USSR) at the end of June 1938. Before the heavy cruisers of the sea forces of RKKA was set new task - fight with the Scharnhorst ships.
In accordance with the accepted solution about the need for the correction of task with respect to Project 69, the Navy flag officer of 1st Rank Ii.S.Isakov on 10 July 1938 affirmed the "basic tactical-technical tasks ([TTZ]) for the design of the heavy cruiser of Project 69". Now the main battery of artillery increased to 305 mm (with 100 shots of ammunition), a quantity of 130-mm ammunition was reduced to 150 rounds (instead of 200), 37-mm ammunition to 800 rounds (instead of 1800). Standard displacement was limited 31,000 tons. The running speed was established a 32 knots.
The new version of preliminary design was presented for consideration into the People's Commissariats of Naval Fleet and Defense Industry on October 20, 1938. In the conclusion of the Administration of Ship Building RKKF (Workers' and Peasants' Red Navy), it had a number of essential deficiencies. Therefore, for the evaluation of the results of preliminary design and making of a decision about its further fate, there was created a special commission under the chairmanship of the flag officer of 2 rank, the chief of the department of the tactics of Naval academy professor S.P.Stavitskiy, which examined the possible enemies of the heavy cruiser of Project 69 - German [Scharnhorst, French "Dunkirk", English "Hood" and "Repulse", Turkish "[Yavuz" (former German "[Goben"), Italian "Cesar", the Japanese "Kongo", which had speed 26-30 knots. The tasks of the projected ship were substantially refined.
Its basic purpose now was the stabilization to actions of light forces in all those cases, when there is no need for using battleships or when the latter do not answer task in their speed. They had particular tasks: the support of its patrol and the disturbance of the patrol of enemy; the support of the reconnaissance of light forces and the opposition to reconnaissance of enemy; the guarantee of light forces in the active barrage operations; the guarantee of output and return of its submarines; action on the communications the paralyzation of the activity of the cruisers of enemy on Soviet communications; the neutralization of the actions of the cruisers of enemy in the squadron battle.
Special tasks in the separate theaters were specially noted. On the Pacific Ocean - hit-and-run raids on the coast of Japanese islands and action on sea communications of Japan for the purpose of the suppression of its sea trade and abstraction of its forces from Okhotsk and Sea of Japan to Pacific Ocean. On north - hit-and-run raids into the northern part of the German (North) Sea and into Atlantic Ocean. On the Black Sea - creation of equilibrium in the ratio of our and Turkish forces (compensation for superiority "Yavuza" in speed over "Paris Commune" and in the artillery above Soviet cruisers).
For investigating the question about the tactical possibilities of the ship of Project 69 were carried out 8 tactical games under varied conditions. By the enemies of our cruiser of steel "Scharnhorst", "Dunkirk" and "Kongo". The sums of the games showed that the ship of Project 69 exceeded "Scharnhorst", it had advantages over the "Kongo" on the distances of battle of less than 90 [kabeltovykh] and it was inferior to "Dunkirk", and it also considerably exceeded the artillery of the "Washington Treaty" cruiser, though being inferior to them in speed.
In the fact-finding of the commission indicated that the ship of Project 69 answered basic tasks assigned to it, but for the successful pursuit of the light cruisers to it clearly did not have sufficient speed. The main battery (305 mm) in a sufficient quantity guns, rate of fire and range corresponds to tasks, but it was desirable to increase ammunition, after bringing it to 120 shots. However, 130 mm artillery was insufficient in a quantity for the reflection of the attacks of destroyers and it was small for the action against cruisers. Zenith armament in a quantity 100- mm guns had limited capabilities, and the 37-mm automatic weapons were completely sufficient. The cruising range of 8000 miles (with speed 17 knots) was superfluous. The Commission also noted that the actions of the heavy cruiser in remote locations, where it cannot accompany destroyers and cover the aircraft of base aviation, would be strongly hindered.
It was proposed to replace with 130-mm guns with the 152-mm, to strengthen armoring and anti-mine protection due to reduction in the cruising range and to leave without change the speed.
Since V.A.Nikitinm as the chief engineer of TSKB, answered for the entire technical policy of design bureau and for all developed projects, in February 1939 the chief designer of Project 69 appointed F.E.Bespolova, to participate in the design of destroyer escorts type "Hurricane", leaders of the type "Leningrad" and "Minsk", destroyers of the type "Angry", battleships of the type "B", the heavy cruiser of Project 22. The deputies chief designer became the young engineers N.K.Gorbatenko and T.L.Dzhelomanov.
With the preparation of the corrected [korrektirovannogo] preliminary design, the 130-mm guns were replaced by the 152-mm, they strengthened the armoring of conning tower, main turrets and anti-mine protection, grew the power of the propulsion machinery. There were insignificant increases in length, width and height of freeboard and, as a result, increase in displacement. Simultaneously TSKB-17 gave out orders to subcontracting enterprises for the development of engineering designs of the main turrets, anti-mine and zenith calibers, control instruments of shooting, equipment of the magazines, feed units of ammunition and other systems and mechanisms.
The preliminary design was examined by the state committee of defense and affirmed by its decision dated July 13, 1939. However, in the decision simultaneously was contained requirement about strengthening of the zenith [anti-aircraft] armament of cruiser due to an increase in the number 37-mm installations to seven.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
