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Russian cruiser Rurik (1906)

Coordinates: 55°08′N 18°30′E / 55.133°N 18.500°E / 55.133; 18.500
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For other ships with the same name, see Rurik (ship).
Warning: Display title "Russian cruiser <i>Rurik</i> (1906)" overrides earlier display title "Russian cruiser<i> Rurik </i>(1906)" (help).
Rurik in 1913
History
NameRurik, Рюрик
NamesakeRurik
OperatorImperial Russian Navy
Laid downAugust 1905
Launched4 November 1906
CommissionedJuly 1909
Out of service1919
FateScrapped 1930
General characteristics
Displacement15,170 tons
Length529 ft (161 m)[1]
Beam75 ft (22.9 m)
Draught26 ft (7.9 m)
Propulsion2 shaft Vertical Triple expansion steam engines, 28 Bellville coal-fired boilers 20,675 hp
Speed21 knots (39 km/h)
Endurance1,920 tons coal
Complement899 officers and crewmen
Armament*list error: too many * at start of list (help)
    • 4 x 10 inch guns (2 x 2)
    • 8 × 8-inch (203 mm) guns (4 x 2)
    • 20 x 120 mm (20 x 1)
    • 4 x 47 mm guns,
    • 2 × 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armourlist error: mixed text and list (help)
Krupp armour,
    • Belt 6 inch max,
    • 8-7 inch turrets,
    • 8-6 inch barbettes,
    • 1.5 inch deck,
    • 3 inch casemates,
    • 8 inch conning tower

The Rurik (Рюрик) was an armoured cruiser built for the Imperial Russian Navy in 1906.

Design and construction

Rurik is unusual in that she was built by Vickers in Barrow in Furness, England. She was laid down in August 1905, launched on 4 November 1906, and completed in July 1909. The Russian Navy was not usually a customer of British shipyards. She was named in honour of Rurik, the semi-legendary founder of ancient Russia.

Unlike her previous namesake, Rurik (1892), she has been described as one of the best armoured cruisers built, with advanced sprinkler protection for the magazines. She was designed by KA Tennison and AP Titov, and the contract was arranged by Basil Zaharoff. The ship had a prolonged work-up while defects were rectified.

There was a plan to build two more ships in Russia, but this was cancelled after the first battlecruiser, HMS Invincible, entered service.

Armament

The main armament consisted of four 10-inch (254 mm) guns in two turrets,[2] and the secondary armament consisted of eight 8-inch (203 mm) guns[3] in four twin turrets located at the corners of the superstructure. These guns were built by Vickers. The anti-torpedo boat armament comprised twenty 120 mm guns in casemates. There were also four 1.85-inch (47 mm) guns and two 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes.

Gunnery trials revealed that the fastenings on the 10-inch (254 mm) and 8-inch (203 mm) barbettes were insufficiently strong and were deformed during firing. Vickers was forced to reinforce the turrets. The work was done in Kronstadt after delivery.

Protection

All plate was Krupp armour made by Vickers. The 254 mm turrets were protected by 8-inch (203 mm) plate, and the 203 mm turrets were protected by 7-inch (178 mm) plate. The main belt was 500 feet (150 m) long and extended to 5 feet (2 m) below mean water line. There was also an upper belt, 3 inches (76 mm) thick, which extended to the 120 mm gun battery. Each 120 mm gun had 1-inch (25 mm) armour screens and was separated by 1-inch armour from neighbouring guns. The forward conning tower was protected by 8-inch (203 mm) armour, and the after conning tower was protected by 5-inch (127 mm) armour.

Machinery

The power plant consisted of two four-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines and twenty-eight Belleville type boilers. On trials at the Skelmorlie mile she reached 21.43 knots, developing 20,580 hp.

Service

Rurik was commissioned in 1908. She carried out a deployment to the Mediterranean in company with the battleships Tsesarevich and Slava, where she represented Russia at the coronation of King Nicholas of Montenegro.

She was the flagship of the Baltic Fleet during World War I and saw much action, being damaged by mines on several occasions. The ship was worn out by 1918, she was hulked in 1922 and sold for scrapping in 1930.

Rurik at Reval (Tallinn) 1915-1916

Notes

  1. ^ Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships, 1860—1905 London Conway Maritime Press 1980 p. 191
  2. ^ http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_10-50_m1908.htm
  3. ^ http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_8-50_m1905.htm

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ryurik (ship, 1906).

55°08′N 18°30′E / 55.133°N 18.500°E / 55.133; 18.500

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