Borodino class battleship

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Russian battleship Orel
Orel
Class overview
Built: 1899–1903
In commission: 1904–1917
Completed: 5
Lost: 5
General characteristics
Displacement: 13,516 tons designed
14,151 tons at Tsushima
Length: 397 ft (121 m)
Beam: 76 ft (23 m)
Draught: 26 ft (7.9 m)
Propulsion: 2 shafts, vertical triple-expansion engines
12 Bellville Boilers
15,800 hp (12 mW)
Speed: 18 kn (33 km/h)
Range: 2,590 mi (4,170 km)
Complement: 28 officers, 754 men
Armament: 4 × 12 in (305 mm) guns (2 × 2)
12 × 6 in (152 mm) guns (6 × 2)
20 × 75 mm (3 in) (20 × 1)
20 × 47 mm (2 in) (20 × 1)
4 × 15 in (381 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour: Krupp armour
Belt: 7.6 in (190 mm)
Turrets: 10 in (250 mm) max
Deck: 2 in (51 mm)
1 in (25 mm) anti-torpedo bulkhead

The five Borodino-class battleships (also known as the Suvorov-class) were pre-dreadnoughts built between 1899 and 1905 for the Imperial Russian Navy. Three of the class were sunk and one captured by the Imperial Japanese Navy in a decisive naval engagement during the Russo-Japanese War, at the Battle of Tsushima.

Historically, the Borodino-class battleships established two records that can never be repeated; under Russian Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky riding in his flagship, Kniaz Suvorov, he led the Russian battleship fleet on the longest coal powered journey ever conducted by a steel battleship fleet, a voyage of over 18,000 miles one way. Secondly, although sunk in battle, the Borodinos participated in the only decisive battleship fleet action ever fought. Lastly, what may be the most distinctive item of interest for the future, is the fact that the ships were constructed with tumblehome hulls, seemingly wider at the bottom then narrower towards the top. From Tsushima afterward tumblehome was discarded in all warships, as they were regarded as top heavy. Today, in the 21st Century, many nations, including the US Navy (see Zumwalt), are re-studying tumblehome hulls for its possible stealth qualities for use in the proposed Zumwalt DDX class 21st century destroyers, and probably other attributes as well. However, Tumblehome hulls have been called into question, with possible stability problems.[1] [2]

Contents

[edit] Design

The Borodino-class battleships were based upon the earlier battleship Tsesarevich, which had been built to a French design at La Seyne and fought as the Russian flagship at the Battle of the Yellow Sea in 1904. The Russian Navy agreed to buy Tsesarevitch under the conditions that they could construct 5 more of them and modify them to meet the standards of the Russian Navy; thus Orel, Kniaz Suvorov, Borodino, Aleksandr III, and Slava were built in Russian yards. Only Slava was not finished in time to participate in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05.

As did Tsesarevich, the ships suffered from instability having a high centre of gravity (made worse by overloading). The centre line bulkhead led to a danger of capsizing and a narrow armour belt became submerged due to overloading. The Japanese re-built Orel, which they renamed Iwami, by substantially reducing its top weight and removing the smaller guns. As such, some naval architects regard these as some of the worst battleships ever built (Preston 2002, World's Worst Warships).

The Russian battleship Orel
The Russian battleship Orel

[edit] Ships

  • Borodino (Бородино) was built by the Admiralty yard, St Petersburg. Laid down July 1899, launched September 1901, completed August 1904. This ship was named after the Battle of Borodino. Sunk at the Battle of Tsushima on 27 May 1905 with only one survivor.
  • Imperator Alexander III (Император Александр III) was built by Baltic Works, St Petersburg. Laid down July 1899, launched November 1903, completed August 1903. This ship was named after Tsar Alexander III of Russia. Sunk at Tsushima on 27 May 1905 with no survivors.
  • Orel (Орел, Russian: Eagle) was built by Galernii yard, St Petersburg. Laid down 1900, Launched July 1902, completed October 1904. Captured by the Japanese after sustaining heavy damage at Tsushima and extensively re-built. Served as Iwami in the Imperial Japanese Navy and scrapped in 1922.
  • Knyaz Suvorov (Князь Суворов) was built by Baltic Works, St Petersburg. Laid down July 1901, launched September 1902, completed September 1904. This ship was named after the great 18th-century Russian general Alexander Suvorov. Flagship at Tsushima, where it was sunk on 27 May 1905.
  • Slava (Слава, Russian: Glory) was built by Baltic Works, St Petersburg. Laid down October 1902, launched August 1903, completed June 1905. Completed too late to accompany fleet to the East. Served in the Baltic during World War I. Scuttled after sustaining heavy damage during the Battle of Moon Sound on 17 October 1917.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Antony Preston, World's Worst Warships (2002) Conways Maritime Press
  • Grant, R., Captain, DSO, Before Port Arthur In A Destroyer (1907) London, John Murray, Albemarle St., W.
  • S. McLaughlin, "Aboard the Orel at Tsushima", in Warship (2005) Conways Maritime Press - based on the memoirs of Lieutenant V. P. Kostenko, a Russian officer who survived the battle
  • Novifoff-Priboy, A, Tsushima (1936) London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd
  • Pleshakov, Constantine, The Tsar's Last Armada: Epic Voyage to the Battle of Tsushima (2002) ISBN 10-046505-7926
  • Semenoff, Vladimir, Capt., Rasplata (The Reckoning) (1910) London: John Murray
  • Semenoff, Vladimir, Capt., The Battle of Tsushima (1912) NY, E.P. Dutton & Co.
  • Warner, Denis and Peggy, The Tide at Sunrise, A History of the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 (1975) ISBN 0-7146-5256-3
  • Tomitch, V. M., Warships of the Imperial Russian Navy (1968) Volumne 1, Battleships
  • Hough, Richard A., The Fleet That Had To Die (1960) New York, Ballantine Books
  • Corbett, Sir Julian, Maritime Operations In The Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 (1994) Originally classified, in two volumes ISBN 1-5575-0129-7
  • Seager, Robert, Alfred Thayer Mahan: The Man And His Letters (1977) ISBN 0-8702-1359-8

[edit] External links


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Borodino class battleships