Vladivostok class Armored Cruiser
Vladivostok class Armored Cruiser | |
---|---|
Class overview | |
Name | Vladivostok class Armored Cruiser |
Operators | Far Eastern Imperial Navy |
Planned | 2 |
Built | 2 |
Active | 1 |
Destroyed | 1 |
General Characteristics | |
Type | Armored cruiser |
Displacement |
|
Length | 146.6 metres (481 ft) |
Beam | 20.9 metres (69 ft) |
Draught | 7.9 metres (26 ft) |
Propulsion | 3 shafts, 3 VTE steam engines |
Power |
|
Speed | 19 kts |
Range | 8100 nm at 10 kts |
Complement | 882 |
Armament |
|
Armour |
|
Development
The Vladivostok class was follow-on to the earlier french-build Khabarovsk class. The design although made in Far Eastern naval technical institute, was heavily influenced by the French naval design philosophies. It was the first major modern warship designed by the institute under the leadership of Kiril Yurekov who had studied naval construction methods in France.
Vladivostok class was larger than its predecessors and featured prominent tumblehome hull. The 203mm guns were fitted in twin turrets fore and aft and secondary gun caliber was increased to 152mm and fitted in 6 twin turrets. Additionally one 152mm gun was fitted in the bow to fire directly into front sector. This was intended to be used against fleeing merchant ships against which the main 203mm guns would be superfluous. These ships alongside with their predecessors formed the main forces of the "Light Squardon", the main operational unit of the Imperial fleet prior the arrival of battleships. The Light Squadron participated in the capture of Philippines in the 1898 war against Spain and the subsequent Battle of Cavite where the Spanish fleet were destroyed. During the Far Eastern-Japanese war, The Light squadron was based in Vladivostok and although it attempted to harass Japanese sea communications it failed to cause severe interruptions to Japanese supply lines. Muravyov was sunk at the Battle of Ulsan in August 1904.
Ships in class
Name | Builder | Laid down | Launch Date | Entered Service | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vladivostok | Voenno-Morskoy Verf, Dalny | April 1894 | July 1895 | February 1897 | Extant in 1920 |
Muravyov | Voenno-Morskoy Verf, Dalny | April 1894 | July 1895 | April 1897 | Sunk in 1904 |