Peresviet class battleship

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The Peresviet-class were Pre-Dreadnought battleships of the Imperial Russian Navy. All three ships were lost by the Russians in the Russo-Japanese war. One ship was sunk at the Battle of Tsushima and two were captured after being sunk during the Siege of Port Arthur.

These ships were inspired by the British battleship HMS Centurion. They were designed as essentially enlarged armoured cruisers with good range and seakeeping, higher speed but weaker armour and armament than contemporary first class battleships.

Contents 1 General characteristics 2 Ships 3 Photos 4 References

[edit] General characteristics

• Displacement: 12,683 tons standard
• Length: 133 m
• Beam: 21.8 m
• Draught: 8 m
• Machinery: 3 shaft triple expansion steam engines, 32 Bellville type coal fired boilers, 15,000 hp
• Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h)
• Range: 3,500 nm, up to 2,100 tons coal
• Armament:
  • 4 × 10-inch (254 mm) guns (2 × 2),
  • 11 × 6-inch (152 mm) guns (11 × 1),
  • 20 × 75 mm guns (20 × 1),
  • 5 × 15-inch (381 mm) torpedo tubes
• Armour: mainly Krupp armour with some Harvey armour
  • Belt 9 inch,
  • Barbettes 8 inch,
  • Turrets 10 inch,
  • Deck 2.5 inch,
  • Casemates 5 inch
• Crew: 752

[edit] Ships

• Peresviet (Пересвет) - named after Alexander Peresvet, a Russian monk who was the champion at the Battle of Kulikovo - built by Baltic Yard St Petersburg. Based at Port Arthur as part of the Russian Pacific Fleet, fought at the Battle of the Yellow Sea. Subsequently sunk at her moorings during the siege of Port Arthur. Raised and repaired by the Japanese and incorporated into the Imperial Japanese Navy as the Sagami. Given to Russia in April 1916 and renamed Peresviet. She was due to be the flagship of the Russian Arctic flotilla but was sunk on route by mines laid by the U-73 outside Port Said, Egypt on 4 January 1917.
• Oslyabya (Ослябя) - named after Radion Oslyabya, a Russian monk who fought at the Battle of Kulikovo - built by Baltic Yard, St Petersburg. The ship was part of the Baltic Fleet and sailed with the Second Pacific Squadron to the Battle of Tsushima where she was sunk. 515 sailors lost their lives, 250 survivors were rescued.
• Pobeda (Russian: Победа (Victory)) - built by Baltic Yard, St Petersburg, laid down 1 August 1898, launched 24 May 1900, commissioned 31 July 1902. Based at Port Arthur as part of the Russian Pacific Fleet, fought at the Battle of the Yellow Sea. Subsequently sunk at her moorings during the siege of Port Arthur. Raised and repaired by the Japanese and incorporated into the Imperial Japanese Navy as the Suwo. Decommissioned in 1922 and scrapped in 1946.

[edit] Photos

Russian battleship Peresvet in 1901	Japanese battleship Sagami (ex-Peresvet) in 1906	Suwo (ex-Pobeda) in 1908	Peresviet sunk in Port Arthur
Oslyabya

[edit] References

• - Article in Russian language
• - Site in English with photographs
• Stephen McLaughlin, From Ruirik to Ruirik Russia's Armoured Cruisers in Warship 1999-2000. Conway Maritime Press