class cruiser class group armored cruisers built imperial_russian_navy beginning 20th century ships built france russian shipyards spare capacity lead ship built years earlier later ship participated early naval battles russo japanese war provided naval gunfire support struck trapped harbor subsequent siege port arthur sunk japanese artillery salvaged service imperial_japanese_navy served training ship converted ship sunk target sisters assigned ship lost russians world war sunk german submarine october surviving ships modified lay mines participated german invasion islands decommissioned sold scrap background class marked departure previous russian armored cruisers smaller ships designed serve scouts fleet commerce raiders authorized building program design french shipyard russian shipyards capacity negotiations began march contract signed ship delivery months navy reasonably pleased ship decided order cruiser start russo japanese war february russian shipyards unavailable navy decided simply order repeat minor modifications based war experience attempt minimize work load proved require attention planned contract signed april contract specified drawings turned allow construction identical ships newly available changes generally added weight armor reduced thickness compensate change harvey armor resistant krupp armor meant little actual loss protection description class ships feet inches long overall feet perpendiculars maximum beam feet inches draft feet displaced long tons ships crew officers men vertical triple expansion steam engines driving single propeller shaft steam provided belleville boilers designed total indicated horsepower intended propel cruisers knots mph engines actually developed indicated horsepower sea trials drove ships maximum speeds knots mph carry maximum long tons coal gave range nautical miles knots mph armament main armament class ships consisted inch caliber guns single gun turrets fore aft superstructure guns fired pound shell muzzle velocity elevation range yards ships caliber inch quick firing guns mounted casemates sides ship hull fired shells weighed pounds muzzle velocity range yards fired elevation number smaller guns carried close range defense torpedo boats included caliber millimeter model guns mounted casemates hull superstructure remaining guns located inch gun casemates pivot mounts gun shields gun fired pound shells range yards elevation degrees muzzle velocity class mounted millimeter hotchkiss guns later ships fired pound shell addition fitted millimeter hotchkiss guns fired pound shell muzzle velocity equipped submerged inch torpedo tubes broadside later ships inches size protection waterline belt class ships inches thick machinery spaces fore aft reduced inches upper armor armor protecting casemates inches thick thickness armored deck inches central battery single plate consisted inch plate inch plates gun turret sides protected inches armor roofs inches thick barbettes protected armor plates inch thick sides conning tower inches thick ships service assigned completion based port arthur end suffered minor damage beginning russo japanese war participated action april vice admiral successfully lured portion including vice admiral flagship battleship spotted japanese battleships turned port arthur struck minefield quickly sank detonated magazines bombarding positions july struck repair month subsequently trapped port arthur sunk japanese shells december ship refloated japanese engineers following year repairs replacement armament japanese weapons took complete japanese service initially served training ship converted decommissioned april renamed sunk target august submarine torpedoes later ships assigned baltic fleet completion admiral detached mediterranean times start world war month war captured german cruiser run aground torpedoed german submarine october lost hands wreck discovered surviving sisters modified lay mines shortly war began laid mines war provided cover ships laying minefields admiral fought inconclusive battles german ships war including mid defended moon sound german invasion islands late badly damaged guns removed replaced inch inch guns pair anti aircraft guns added admiral finland declared independence march forced evacuate frozen reached known ice voyage sisters decommissioned sold scrap
Bayan-class cruiser