russian cruiser russian meaning armoured cruiser built imperial_russian_navy late 1890s designed long range commerce served russo japanese war war broke based sorties search japanese shipping conflict early months success armoured cruisers attempted rendezvous main portion sailing port arthur august fleet delayed squadron returned port return squadron encountered japanese squadron armoured cruisers blocking passage base japanese sank oldest russian ship damaged subsequent battle russian ships repaired months ran aground immediately completing repairs action months months damage grounding incident repaired struck successfully returned port armament reinforced repair saw action war transferred end war began lengthy refit completed inactive world war armament protection upgraded war placed reserve sold german company scrapping forced aground near storm route germany scrapped place design description originally intended repeat design modification thicker armour improved engines use hull design meant ships looked alike feet long overall maximum beam feet draught feet ship displaced long tons long tons designed wood copper reduce completed trimmed badly bow reduced speed wet forward loads shifted aft ballast added rear ship correct trim regarded good sea boat afterward easy rapid roll propulsion cruising engine centre shaft equally powerful vertical triple expansion steam engines designed total indicated horsepower developed ihp trials drove ship maximum speed knots mph thirty belleville water tube boilers provided steam engines carry maximum long tons coal gave radius action nautical miles knots mph armament main armament consisted inch calibre pattern guns forward pair mounted casemates forward main deck inch gun rear guns situated abreast protected gun shields guns depressed elevated fired pound projectiles muzzle velocity feet second gave range elevation secondary armament consisted sixteen inch pattern guns gun mounted forecastle stern gun fire remaining guns mounted casemates forward pair inch guns upper deck rest main deck pair mounted upper deck protected gun shields pivot mounts guns elevate fired pound pattern high explosive projectiles muzzle velocity feet second gave range maximum elevation rounds gun carried defence torpedo boats provided variety light calibre weapons millimetre caliber guns mounted upper deck protected gun shields gun fired pound shells range yards maximum elevation muzzle velocity rate fire rounds minute ship carried millimetre hotchkiss guns fired pound shell muzzle velocity rate rounds minute range yards ship carried millimetre hotchkiss guns fired pound shell muzzle velocity rate rounds minute range yards submerged inch torpedo tubes mounted broadside armour hoped increase armour thickness increase armour protection armament use hull design ministry hoped use new resistant krupp armour russian plants proven unable manufacture ordered harvey armour instead fact waterline belt reduced thickness inches older ship inches better protect guns belt shortened feet length feet reduced height inches total feet inches extended feet inches waterline feet waterline belt closed inch bulkheads fore aft casemates inches thick inch backs inch roofs inch thick transverse bulkhead fore aft protected fire armour deck inches thick flat inches thick sloped meet belt protective deck extended fore aft armour deck ranged inches thickness change machinery allowed armour necessary protect tops engine cylinders conning tower walls inches thick krupp armour funnel ammunition protected inches armour lower middle decks service built saint_petersburg construction began june formally laid ship launched transferred november finish fitting forced aground sea ice freed days later needed repairs left december route far_east stopped briefly kiel inspected plymouth officers visited devonport naval base represented russia granting constitution australia visiting sydney melbourne april visiting nagasaki july finally reached port arthur july remained pacific beginning russo japanese war voyage commanded russo japanese war time assigned command rear admiral ships armoured cruisers protected cruiser squadron number sorties japanese shipping early war reasonably successful june squadron sank carrying eighteen siege troops intended siege port arthur battle war bulk located port arthur blockaded japanese august ships port arthur attempted breakout turned battle admiral ordered rendezvous order delayed ships raise steam sortie evening august damaged earlier grounded sail squadron dawn reached island korea japan turned failed ships port arthur squadron miles north island encountered japanese squadron commanded vice admiral tasked patrol japanese force modern armoured cruisers squadrons passed night spotting reversed course light japanese ships russian route turned northeast spotted japanese followed suit albeit slightly course sides opened fire range metres japanese ships concentrated fire rear ship russian formation hit fairly quickly began fall astern ships turned southeast attempt open range blinded russian gunners rising sun prevented broadside guns bearing japanese turned starboard attempt reach korean coast allow rejoin squadron followed suit turned port opened range squadrons developed engine problems japanese squadron slowed conform best speed firing hit times stern flooding steering compartment steered engines speed continued decrease exposing japanese fire steering jammed port turn attempt ships japanese ship suddenly turn starboard increased speed passed ships japanese turned squadrons heading southeast parallel courses quickly turn headed opposing courses hit time knocked inch pounder guns killing wounding japanese squadron opened range turn port russians reversed course time attempt support fire fires extinguished minutes later south allowed russian ships north gave route despite turned ordered way turning north maximum speed knots mph time elderly protected cruisers approaching south arrival allowed pursue armoured cruisers new arrivals dealt fought running battle russians hour half scoring hits force speed knots mph engines broke chase replaced line japanese closed minimum metres opened range metres gunnery officer erroneously informed expended quarters ammunition turned minute rapid fire barrage wish leave thought use remaining ammunition time sunk closed metres order finish sunk receive message shortly japanese turned forced repairs suffered dead wounded far dead wounded captain policy ordering gun crews quick firing guns engaged lie contrast keeping light guns manned times hit times starboard hull seven times port plus hits funnels boats decks suffered fire caused excess charges despite number hits badly damaged waterline belt penetrated repaired months rudimentary facilities available immediately following repairs ran aground outside october ready sea february russians took opportunity reinforce armament inch guns mounted upper deck protected lightly armoured casemates armament rearranged foremost inch guns moved casemates forecastle inch guns moved forward room changes removing lighter guns retained nineteen guns received time testing new radio equipment struck near forward boiler room able return repairs took war interwar period returned war given lengthy refit finished engines boilers rear torpedo tubes removed forward inch torpedo tubes replaced inch tubes foremast removed replaced mainmast moved aft place installed platform mast inch sides inch roof built rear inch guns rear inch guns moved aft protected inch sides inch roof thickness upper deck casemates increased inches armoured towers fore aft built light armament reduced guns engine trials conducted late unsatisfactory delivering indicated horsepower trials run july satisfactory developed indicated horsepower reached knots mph world war served 2nd world war modified serve fast capacity mines engaged german battlecruiser der entrance august armament changed exchanged inch guns bow stern inch guns additions increased broadside inch inch guns remaining light guns removed received inch anti aircraft guns additions raised displacement long tons came control soviet red fleet september treaty brest required soviets evacuate base march interned newly independent finland frozen sailed known ice voyage placed reserve shortly arrival sold german company scrapping july ran aground near tow germany scrapped place
Russian cruiser Gromoboi