At the beginning, I thought of simply describing an episode from the combat path of the Ladoga flotilla, when, after being hit by a 250-kg bomb, the surviving crew of the Konstruktor TFR saved their ship, and then, in the monstrous conditions of the winter of 1941 in Leningrad, restored it from improvised means. The following year, the ship again entered the lake to carry out daily combat service. But, it turns out that the Ladoga flotilla of the Second World War, assembled and armed "from what it was", consisted of ships, the combat path of almost each of which was full of participation in many events that abounded in the first half of the 20th century. Traces of the former destroyer of the Baltic Fleet "Siberian Strelok", which later became the Ladoga TFR "Konstruktor", are found here and there in close connection with the era and are of interest not only as a ship's fate.

"BLACK CRUISER"
Among the ships that fought in 1941-44 on Ladoga as part of the Ladoga Flotilla, the patrol ship "Konstruktor" stood out for its pedigree and its black coal smoke.
The same age as the Aurora, ordered among 24 destroyers for operations in the Far East, the ship did not make it to Tsushima. Late for one war, he actively took part in the next, several times he had to die, but each time he was reborn, was loved by his crew, defended the northern capital more than once and served the country for almost half a century.

"VOLUNTEERS"


Destroyers General Kondratenko and Sibirsky Strelok, completion afloat in Helsinki. 1905-1906

“Siberian Strelok” - this was the name of this destroyer at first, it belonged to a series of mine cruisers (since 1907 they were called destroyers), the construction of which was financed by the “Special Committee to Strengthen the Navy on Voluntary Donations”. The name "volunteers" was assigned to the ships of this series.
The project was developed by the designers of the Vulkan plant according to the tactical and technical assignment of the chief ship engineer of the St. Petersburg port, Major General D.V. Skvortsov. The ship's hull was laid down in March 1905 at the shipyard of the Sandvik Ship Dock and Mechanical Plant joint-stock company in Helsingfors, launched on September 6 of the same year and became part of the Baltic Fleet in June 1906.

"Siberian shooter" in the sea on the move

The lead ship of the series was named "General Kondratenko" - in memory of the hero of the defense of Port Arthur, who died on the forts of the fortress in December 1904. Three others, with the personal approval of the Sovereign Emperor, were named in honor of the units of the Russian army that distinguished themselves in battles with the Japanese: "Siberian Strelok", "Hunter" and "Border Guard".

"In May 1907, on the days of the 204th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg, a detachment of 25 ships entered the Neva and anchored under the windows of the Winter Palace. For the first time after the gunboats, the fleet presented its new replenishment to the capital. "Unheard of mass invasion of crowds of Petersburgers. People with genuine interest and admiration inspected the ships, including the interior. The officers' watch kept order. Proud of their new ships, the sailors shamelessly and inspiredly exaggerated the characteristics of their equipment and weapons. There was no end to conversations and inquiries. Newspapers placed extensive reports and talked about the structure of the ships. This was an exceptionally successful step by the authorities, contributing to an unprecedented rise in the popularity of the people's ships and the entire fleet. "
The ship served in the detachment of mine cruisers, which in 1906-1908 was commanded by N.O. Essen.

WORLD FIRST
Having started the war as part of the 1st Mine Division, the ship was noted for its participation in several landmark operations in the Baltic, which was the reason for the filmmakers of Channel One to mention it in the naval battle scene with the participation of Kolchak (at that time he served in the headquarters of Essen) in the film of the same name.

Shot from the film "Kolchak"

Traditionally, artists see how they see, and in the film, the ship masquerading as Strelka is copied from a completely different type of destroyer from the times of Port Arthur, but in reality the destroyer could meet the cruiser SMS Friedrich Carl, perhaps in the form of the Flying Dutchman, since the aforementioned the German cruiser had been lying at the bottom since November 1914, blown up by mines laid by the destroyers of our Mine Division near Memel.
In total, from October 1914 to February 1915, 490 mines were set up, on which, in addition to the indicated Friedrich Karl, two transports and two enemy minesweepers were blown up and went to the bottom; several other ships, including hydro-air transport, were seriously damaged.

Special semi-division before the First World War off the coast of England. From right to left: General Kondratenko, Siberian Strelok, Okhotnik.

The moment the destroyers of the Baltic Fleet entered the war looked something like this:
“The minelayers and destroyers ready for laying mines already on July 14/27, 1914, took their starting positions in various sections of the skerries. Exactly at midnight from July 16 to July 17, 1914, a conditional radiogram repeated 9 times was given from the radio room of the cruiser: “Naval forces and ports. SMOKE, SMOKE, SMOKE. Stay where you are. Com. Mor. Force. Balt. Sea". This meant: "to begin mobilization. Open operational packages."
In the afternoon, the "Hunter", under the flag of the fleet commander, accompanied by the "Border Guard", arrived at the Porkalla-Udd roadstead, where a detachment of minelayers was concentrated with a load of mines, guarded by the 4th division. The admiral on each minelayer addressed the teams with a speech about the allied duty of Russia, which should support Serbia, and about the exclusivity of the task facing the minelayers. At 4 o'clock in the morning on June 18, a telegram was received from the commander-in-chief, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich: the barrier was allowed to be put up. At 11 o'clock. 20 minutes. the operation was completed. The path of the enemy to the capital of the empire was blocked by a powerful minefield of 2119 (according to other sources, 2489) mines. R.M. Melnikov "Volunteer class destroyers"

The Siberian Strelok, along with the rest of the destroyers of its division, took part in the battles for Moonsund. During the "Tserel wake-up" the destroyer received two hits from a 150-mm projectile. But fate saved the ship for the first time - with such serious hits, he managed to do without even losing people.
In the summer of 1916, the Russian fleet was preparing for a large landing operation in Courland, which the tsar eventually canceled. The destroyer practiced shooting along the coast on one of the islands in Moonsund.

Volunteers on the march

During the Ice crossing in 1918 of the Baltic Fleet from Helsingfors, the ship had to be rescued for the second time - it was covered with ice, it received damage to the hull and propeller shaft.

LADOGA
Having got into storage after the revolution, the former destroyer underwent a major overhaul in 1925 and was transferred to the Ostekhbyuro, becoming the Constructor experimental ship for testing new types of naval weapons. Several sources indicate the participation of the "Designer" in the Winter War of 1939-40.
With the outbreak of the Second World War in the coastal waters of Leningrad in August 1941, the former destroyer was reclassified into a patrol ship. And already on September 9, 1941, the "Designer", together with the gunboat "Vira" and the "sea hunter" MO-206, conducted a massive fire on the Finns landing in the battle for the island of Rahmansaari.

"Needs", i.e. there were only two large combat surface ships in the Ladoga flotilla not converted from civilian ships (both "watchdogs": "Designer" and the Soviet-built TFR "Purga"). In this capacity, the ship served on Ladoga until the very end of hostilities, doing, like all ships of the flotilla, literally everything: from towing and guarding barges for Leningrad, to shelling the coast, patrol and landing operations. Thick black coal smoke was the hallmark of the old ship, while on other ships of the flotilla, party meetings with organizational conclusions were convened for the very appearance of this unmasking sign.

TFR "Designer" as part of the Ladoga flotilla, 1943.

HARDLY WOUNDED BUT NOT DEFEATED
November 4, 1941 "Designer", standing on the roads near the Osinovetsky lighthouse, received evacuees from Leningrad - workers and engineering workers with their families. The "Designer" returned from a combat mission the day before - he fired at fortified positions near the village of Maryino, near Shlisselburg. At the exit from the harbor, the "Designer" received a direct hit by a 250-kg bomb from a German bomber. The explosion crushed the bow, all the crew members and civilians in it were killed. With heroic efforts, the crew managed to reinforce the bulkhead of the 2nd engine room and stop the flow of water. The ship was kept afloat and the refugees and most of the crew were evacuated. An attempt was made to tow it stern forward to Morya Bay, but already on November 25, the heavily damaged patrol boat was thrown ashore during the storm, and the bow was completely torn off. It would seem that the ship was lost, but the surviving crew members did not want to accept this.

“The crippled ship remained to spend the winter on the roadstead of Morier Bay. When the lake was covered with ice, at the insistence of the sailors remaining on the ship, preparatory work began in order to restore the ship’s combat capability, at least as a floating battery. The damaged bow was cut off under water, which was a pile of mutilated metal. Life continued on the ship.Combat crews were on duty at the gun, which opened fire on German aircraft that flew into the base.One boiler was kept under steam, fuel for it was firewood obtained from a forest growing on the shore.

The sailors persistently asked the flotilla command to allow them to restore the bow of the ship on their own and return it to the operational line. Shipbuilders believed that in the conditions of a coast not equipped with ship-lifting facilities, in the absence of the elementary necessary factory equipment, it was absolutely impossible to do this. And yet, at the end of December, the proposal of the sailors was approved.
At first, they thought to make the bow of a wooden one, like a barge. But this option was not to the liking of the sailors. In the end, at the suggestion of the commander of the electromechanical warhead, senior lieutenant P.A. replacement of the bow, in the spring of 1943 it was delivered to Osinovets), attaching it to the hull according to a temporary scheme.

Restored TFR "Designer" with a shortened tank.

After the tests, the patrol ship "Konstruktor" with the bow attached to the bolts, under the command of senior lieutenant M.F. Panteleev, made the transition to the main base of the Novaya Ladoga flotilla, during which he fired from the main caliber guns to test the ship's hull in its new capacity. At the Novaya Ladoga dock, the bolts of the temporary fastening of the bow were replaced with rivets with electric welding, after which the patrol ship "Konstruktor" entered service and, from the autumn of 1942, again took part in all combat affairs of the flotilla. Rusakov Z. G. Ladoga was our sea: Sailors of the Ladoga military flotilla in the battle for Leningrad. - L .: Lenizdat, 1989.

"Designer" in the late 1950s.

January 3, 1945 "Designer" was again disarmed and transferred to the experienced ships. On July 10, 1956, it was reclassified as the OT-29 boom heater, and on June 1, 1957, it was excluded from the lists of the Navy and scrapped. This is how the faithful campaigner ended his journey, who became a witness and an active participant in the events of the turbulent 20th century, who defended our city more than once.

In the fall of 2012, the anchor of the "Designer" was lifted from the bottom of Ladoga and transferred to the museum.

Improved "yachts" of the Vulkan factory ("General Kondratenko", "Siberian shooter", "Hunter", "Border guard")

Too big a gap between the wide design freedom assumed (with insufficient supervision) by the Special Committee, and the level of supervision clearly lagging behind it from the customer in the projects of a series of secret "yachts" of the Vulkan plant (or "counter-destroyers letter B") led to the already mentioned serious shortcomings. Even when ordering destroyers and cruisers of the 1898 program, a desire was discovered to achieve the high speeds stipulated in the contracts due to excessive narrowing of the ship hulls to the detriment of their strength and stability. In the department of the Grand Duke, this experience, of course, was not taken into account.

The irrational distribution of the communications of the hull of destroyers of the "Ukraine" type was also revealed, there were few hopes for the high seaworthiness of these overly loaded ships. Thus the abnormality of the entire system of orders through the Special Committee made itself felt. And now, in spite of the military situation approaching a denouement, the Special Committee was faced with the need to take into account the mistakes made in the order. This was also forced by the obviously advantageous (despite the lag in construction) in comparison with the "Ukraine" project of destroyers of the "Horseman" type (Germany plant in Kiel). Apparently, the task was set to surpass this project and prove that the ships of the Special Committee would still be better than the ministerial ones.

Other explanations of the situation are possible, including the initiative of the Vulkan plant, which, earlier than the Special Committee, realized its mistake and offered to compensate for it with a more advanced project. The documents do not contain direct explanations of what happened this time either. Thus began the history (contracts were signed on January 3, 1905) of four ships that really favorably differed from their peers. Received the names "General Kondratenko", "Siberian shooter", "Border guard" and "Hunter", which later made up the Special Destroyer Destroyer Division, which became widely known in the Baltic.

Jealously protecting his department from intrusion by the ministry, the Grand Duke had to allow his participation in the discussion of options for artillery and mine weapons. By virtue of the highest approved distribution of responsibilities between the two departments, it was attributed to the supply of the ministry. And this meant some involvement in the entire ship project. But the ministry, fearing to affect the grand ducal ambitions, did not dare to take the opportunity to influence the fate of the project.

Once a desperate destroyer enthusiast who made plans to defeat the fleets of the European powers (in 1890) "in a hopeless desperate destroyer attack", F.V. Dubasov, as chairman of the ITC (since January 1, 1901), proved himself to be a sophisticated courtier and a fully mature priest of routine. He missed the tactically quite motivated call of the captain of the 1st rank of the VA. Lillier (in a letter dated April 6, 1904), who proposed to turn the tide of the Port Arthur defense at the expense of motor torpedo boats. He did not attach due importance to submarines, about the need for a hasty acquisition of which, before the war, naval agents, captains of the 2nd rank A.G., tried to convince their superiors. Butakov (in the USA) and G.A. Yepanchin (in France). He did not heed the confidential letter addressed to him personally by an agent in England, Captain 1st Rank I.F. Bostrom.

On April 9, 1905, referring to the types of ships of the future shipbuilding program, he wrote to the admiral about the proposal of the head of the famous shipbuilding company A.F. Yarrow (1842-1932) to give him an order for an improved type of destroyer "River" - a class of 500 tons with a at a speed of 27 knots. At the same time, he was ready to offer a choice of projects with machines of the "ordinary alternate-return type or turbines with a combination for cruising." The company guaranteed the same conditions under which it had already built destroyers for the Austro-Hungarian fleet: "Having given the full working drawings, at that time build one model of a destroyer and a counter-destroyer."

The machines for them were proposed (for the purpose of interchangeability of parts) to use the same type - one for the destroyer project, two for the counter-destroyer. The company "would be happy to give people to organize the construction of ships, their mechanisms and boilers." Such an offer was made a year ago by Thornycroft's firm to an unknown representative of the Russian side, a certain Perelman. “Although the old truth,” wrote I.F. Bostrem, “but I dare to repeat it, that the uniformity of the ships of the detachment increases its strength several times, and therefore it is necessary, once having accepted the type of ship (even just 500 tons), to keep it for some time and build a series on it until the best type is found.

The main requirements formulated by D.V. Skvortsov, in the design assignment for the Vulkan company, was to eliminate all the already visible shortcomings caused by the extremely (and also unclear for what reasons) previously minimized 500-ton displacement. To do this, the width of the hull and the previously too insignificant coal reserves increased. At the heart of the project developed by the company for this assignment, there were the same, only slightly modified projects. The difference consisted in a slightly reduced (up to 1: 9) ratio of length to width and, most importantly, in an increase in the design displacement to 615 tons. This made it possible to accept coal reserves up to 190 tons. The contract speed remained the same - 25 knots, to maintain which the power of the machines (due to an increase in displacement) was increased to 7300 hp.

The biggest change was in the arrangement of the boilers, which, as the Shihau plant did, were combined into two groups, which made it possible to do without a third chimney. A number of other useful improvements were added - more reliable evaporators, the use of tinned tubes in refrigerators, the use of garbage ejectors that facilitated the work of stokers, and the lining of propeller shafts with a protective composition of Vilenius.

The decision to order the ships took place in January 1905. The order for the construction of four new ships was issued (dividing it equally) to the already mentioned firm "Sandvik Ship Dock and Mechanical Plant" and the well-known domestic plant of the company V. Creighton and Co. in Abo and in St. Petersburg. This company undertook to build ships according to the German project. Thus, the creative potential of its designers, who had repeatedly proposed earlier (and most recently during the construction of the mine cruiser Abrek in 1895) progressive solutions, was excluded from the execution of the order. The previous three-stage organization of work was also preserved, providing for the supply of mechanisms and boilers for all four ships by the Vulkan company with their subsequent surrender to the commission of the Special Committee.

The opportunity to influence the project, to propose the use of turbine plants in it, or to demand another way to increase the speed, presented itself to the Naval Ministry in March 1905, when the question arose of ordering artillery and mine weapons for ships. Two months earlier, the ITC raised the question of the need in the project of destroyers, designed at that time by the Krupp company (Germany plant), to increase the speed to 26.5-27 knots. It was still considered inconvenient to build ships, the speed of which was lower than that of ships previously built for the Russian fleet.

Then a member of the Special Committee (he is also an assistant to the chief ship engineer of the St. Petersburg port) K.P. Boklevsky, in a study presented at the MTC, showed that there are opportunities to increase speed. It is only necessary to use those reserves that can be allocated due to the weight of the hull, a partial reduction in coal reserves and an increase in the steam output of the boilers. On the possibilities of a strict revision of all components of the weight load of the project or, finally, an increase in displacement to add a weight load in favor of the energy sector (not to mention the turbine plant) K.P. Boklevsky, apparently unwilling to take the initiative, did not speak out.

Destroyer "General Kondratenko".

Once the author of a promising initiative destroyer project, a well-educated engineer, enriched by the practice of supervising the construction of the Bayan cruiser and the Tsesarevich battleship in France, who knew how to defend his views before his superiors, by the time described, he, apparently, had mastered the rules adopted in the ITC and the Special committee dictated by the routine rules of the game. They, as you know, consisted in the ultimate reduction in displacement in all projects under consideration. So for the purpose of "savings" it was instituted from above. For the sake of it, scandalously large construction overloads were then made, ship designs were disfigured, and contract speeds were not reached. Revolutionary proposals of this kind were not resolved even in the MTK itself, led by an intellectual with pretensions F.V. Dubasov.

The fatal unpreparedness of the structures and functionaries of the ministry and the Special Committee for a creative approach was also evidenced by the discussion on March 1, 1905 on the armament of destroyers on two projects - already being developed by Krupp (displacement 570 tons) and a new one just proposed by Vulkan (displacement 615 tons). The audience did not show any surprise as to why the two projects, which have exactly the same purpose and characteristics, differ so significantly in displacement.

Engaged, as always, with an in-depth discussion of the particulars of the weapons of these ships, the members of the shipbuilding, artillery and mine departments quite calmly passed by such an obviously important task of unification and complete uniformity of projects. The one that Captain 1st Rank Bostrem took for granted in a letter to Admiral Dubasov. But in the ITC, engulfed by some inexplicable eclipse, they thought differently. Throwing aside the global tasks of the projects, the specialists enthusiastically discussed the very "hot-tempering" problem of the difference in efficiency between modifications of 57-mm guns with a barrel length of 58 and 50 calibers that came from nowhere. The question arose because of the sponsors proposed for these guns (in the Krupp project).

The audience did not seem to hear the responses of the participants in the war, who unanimously insisted on the complete unsuitability for combat of all guns with a caliber of less than 75 mm. Yes, and these guns were recognized as fit only conditionally. They recognized only 120-mm caliber guns as a real combat weapon for destroyers. But even these opinions were not heard or did not want to hear in the MTK.

Destroyer type "Hunter". (Longitudinal section and upper deck plan)

Drawing provided by the magazine "Shipbuilding

1-75 mm gun. 2 whaleboat. Z-ventilation deflector of residential premises, 4-staff machine guns "Maxim". 5-45 cm single-tube mine apparatus, 6-cargo boom, 7-bar, 8-57-mm gun, 9 radiotelegraph cabin, 10 searchlight. 11 - conning tower, 12 - steam spire, 13 - katbalka, 14 - bow cockpit of the team. 15 mine cellar. 16-cartridge cellar, 17-tubes of the cartridge supply elevator, 18-Norman's boiler, 19-main steam engine, 20-officers' quarters, 21-stern cockpit of the team, 22-similar hatch, 23-additional machine guns, 24-neck of the coal pit, 25-rail track for supplying Whitehead mines, 26-ventilation deflectors for boiler rooms. 27 skylights in the engine room, 28 steering lines, 29 propeller outlets

As a result of a deep scientific discussion, it was recognized that guns of two modifications (50 and 58 caliber) should not be installed on the same ship. There will be too much inconvenience due to the use of two types of cartridges for them. Concern about the worthy armament of destroyers in 615 tons was shown in the fact that it was recommended to assign long-barreled (58 caliber) 57-mm guns without fail.

For the sake of such a "significant" increase in the combat power of these ships, it was recognized as justified to increase the load caused by them (in comparison with 50-caliber ships) by 7.5 tons. so that the cruisers are not weaker than the aforementioned Krupp ones. This is what the routine could do with very knowledgeable and qualified specialists, this is the insignificant level at which they made their conclusions. It is also remarkable that the issue has not yet been fully resolved. It was feared that the Krupp company might not meet the projected 570 tons of displacement and therefore it might be necessary to put 50-caliber 57-mm guns on these ships.

In the spirit of the same unrestrained academicism and complete unwillingness to engage in engineering and technical analysis of projects, they approached the question "of the desirability of arming new mine cruisers with guns of only 75-mm caliber." Those present confirmed that they supported such a decision "in principle". But here, too, the obvious need to increase the weight load and the difficulty of providing sufficient strength for reinforcements for gun mounts turned out to be an obstacle. D.V. took over the issue of strengthening weapons with the consent of the members of the ITC. Skvortsov. The study seems to have ended in nothing, and perhaps not at all. The ships remained in the future with the same armament originally set by the project.

Some glimmers of common sense tried to show the manager of the Naval Ministry. Imbued, apparently, with sympathy for the designers, but by no means daring to cross the taboo to increase the displacement, he proposed to reduce the weight load by eliminating one of the three mine vehicles. But even this proposal was not dictated by considerations of an obvious surplus of apparatus, but only by concern for increasing the "space on the deck." Using the instruction received to discuss this issue, the MTK could take the liberty of expanding the task and proposing a radical improvement in the project, bringing it at least to the level at which he developed a project for the Austro-Hungarian fleet.The famous destroyer "Hussard" with a displacement of about 400 tons promised a speed of up to 28-30 knots. But Austria with the Yarrow project (as I.F. Bostrem wrote about) was not a decree for the ITC. The chance to achieve an increase in speed for ships or more appropriate artillery weapons was buried by specialists of the MTC with conviction and full knowledge of the matter.

In a report drawn up on the sixth day after receiving the manager's instructions, Chairman F.V. Dubasov reported that mine armament for all four 615-ton destroyers had already been ordered and that it would be undesirable to reduce this armament on the projected "largest destroyers of our fleet." After all, "until now, they have been striving to install just such (out of three devices - R. M.) mine weapons." The option of replacing three vehicles with two pairs was also unpromising, "this will cause unnecessary costs for redesigning the vehicles and change the distribution of cargo on the destroyers, which will entail changes in the destroyers and a delay in their construction."

Okhotnik-class destroyer. (Theoretical drawing)

The technique, oddly used now by the MTC against the manager (and not vice versa, as always happened), worked flawlessly. Ashamed of his thoughtless initiative, F.K. Avelan expressed full agreement with the opinion of Admiral Dubasov not to change anything in the projects of the destroyers and "to leave them with three ordinary vehicles each." Thus, the recent destroyer extremist, and now the chairman of the ITC, committed the third act, confirming his commitment to routine. Standing up for the preservation of three tubes for Whitehead mines, he did not even begin to propose, as had already been done on the destroyers of the Cyclone type and on the first "people's cruisers", to switch, if not completely, to two-tube devices.

Such processing of only begun projects of devices did not constitute any difficulty. It's just that the bureaucracy, valuing its own paperwork above all else, did not want to take on the reworking of already signed and printed contracts and specifications. It is possible that the question was turned from a technical one into a political one. In insisting on changing the project, which was approved by the Grand Duke, ministerial officials had to take the risk of causing his august displeasure. And this was one of the confirmations of, to put it mildly, the inconvenience that the appointment of grand dukes to major administrative positions was for the good of the cause. Politicians in offices under the Admiralty Spitz knew how to achieve their goals, but the fleet had to pay for their peace.

"Redesign" still could not be avoided. Due to the increased width of the hulls of the 615-ton cruisers and the lack of rounding of the sides in the corner of the junction with the deck, there were fears that a mine, flying out when fired from the vehicle, could hit the tail section on the deck. Accordingly, it was necessary to lengthen the scoop of the apparatus. This made it difficult to turn it from side to side and made it necessary to increase the height of the platform of the device. Multiple "redesigns" also required the combination of changing devices with a really cramped general arrangement of mine weapons on the upper deck.

More than once or twice, Captain 2nd Rank P.P., responsible in the Special Committee for Mine Weapons. Azbelev, in detailed letters to the Vulkan plant, set out his requirements and comments on ensuring a convenient location and maintenance of mine weapons on ships. But the company, showing either a lack of understanding, or an arrogant German unwillingness to reckon with the requirements of the customer, continued to make mistakes in new drawings. In a word, the amount of work on coordinating all issues, including, in particular, the problem of the mismatch between the steam pressure used in the drive machines of air-injection pumps and the steam pressure in the boilers, far exceeded the imaginary difficulties of "redesign" that Admiral Dubasov feared.

Simultaneously with the assembly work that began in March 1905 on the stocks of construction plants and the manufacture of boilers and main machines in Stettin by the Vulkan company, orders were placed for the supply of mine weapons. On the basis of negotiations held by the GUKiS back in February 1905, the choice was made in favor of the Joint Stock Company of the Vyborg Machine-Building Plant and the Society of Shipbuilding, Mechanical and Foundry Plants in Nikolaev. Their representatives Otto Brunstrem and I.I. Idelson on March 23 and April 26 signed with Rear Admiral A.R. Rodionov contracts for the supply of devices.

The first plant supplied devices for three ships, the second for one. The delivery dates for both plants were set no later than August 1. The kit for the ship included three on-board single-tube rotary devices for 45-cm Whitehead mines of the 1904 model and two small Whitehead air pumps of the 1904 model. The devices were intended exclusively for firing black powder. The pumps served to pump compressed air into the torpedo tanks (Whitehead mines) at a pressure of 150 atm. They also brought the air pressure to the working 150 atm each time the mines were brought into combat condition (in other cases, the pressure was maintained at 100 atm).

Favorably differed new destroyers and advanced system of electrical ventilation. More rational than in the Shihau project, there were also drainage facilities, represented by nine centrifugal pumps ("turbines"), each supplying 80 tons / hour.

Their total supply (or productivity) exceeded the stipulated 560 t/h) on the "Ukraine" type. Electric lighting also became more complete, including 150 incandescent lamps, including signal lights and one pair of small lamps of the Tabulevich system. As in all projects, a special cabin for telegraphy without wires and full equipment with devices of the German Slyab-Arko system were provided.

By fully realizing the advantages of having its own prototype and serial construction, the Vulkan company ensured a short time frame for the main work on the hull and mechanisms. The hulls of the first two ships built by the Sandvik Dock were launched in August and September 1905. After Tsushima, the need for a hasty transfer of ships to the Far East disappeared, the strike movement that arose during the days of the outbreak of Russian unrest and, finally, the loss of incentives by the Vulkan company to the emergency readiness of the ships for a long time delayed their tests. The circumstances of these tests and their entry into service in the spring of 1906, in comparison with other ships, will be discussed below.

Destroyer "Siberian shooter".

HISTORICAL MELODRAMA

“ADMIRAL” (Russia, 2008)

Cast: Konstantin Khabensky, Elizaveta Boyarskaya, Sergei Bezrukov, Anna Kovalchuk, Vladislav Vetrov, Yegor Beroev, Nikolai Burlyaev, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Fyodor Bondarchuk.

Duration: 123 min.

The beginning of the last century. A turning point for the whole of Russia. A turning point in the life of naval officer Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak. In 1914, the team of the destroyer "Siberian shooter" under his command sinks the German cruiser "Friedrich Karl", many times superior to the Russian destroyer in terms of firepower. In August 1915, in Helsingfors, he met the wife of his colleague Anna Timireva, who was destined to become the only love in his life. Good luck on the battlefield, recognition of merit by the emperor, respect for friends and love for beautiful women ... All this was. And ahead of Kolchak there are many more trials, much more significant than he could have imagined ...

THRILLER

“ALIEN FOREST” (USA, 2007)

Cast: Josh Randall, Brianna Brown, Nick Searcy, Beth Broderick, Sasha Rosemann, T.W. Leshner, Branden R. Morgan, Ryan McGee.

Duration: 100 min.

Two young people, Michael and Cheryl, go to a national forest in western Virginia to retire in the bosom of nature. The local gamekeeper recommends that they follow the Donner Trail or head to the Willow Creek Bridge, but the couple prefer to follow the advice of a random adviser, Ida Forester, who describes the landscapes and waterfalls of a place called Timber Falls in all sorts of colors. An unfortunate incident with local hooligans gives Cheryl the idea to get rid of the cartridges that are loaded with Mike's revolver, allegedly in order "to not hurt anyone." In the evening, the couple sets up camp, and in the morning someone kidnaps Cheryl. Mike, who sets out to find her, discovers that his betrothed has been taken over by deranged members of a family of religious fanatics.

Refusing numerous attempts to improve their own gene pool with the help of incest, the kidnappers offered Cheryl to participate in the ennoblement of their family...

THRILLER

“FUN GAMES” (USA, 2007)

Directed by: Michael Haneke.

Cast: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet, Shavon Fallon, Devon Gerhart.

Duration: 107 min.

That ill-fated weekend began for George, Ann and their little son quite decently. Swim on a yacht, barbecue in the backyard, play golf with friends. All plans go to hell when two young people appear in front of the gate, whom the family, by a fatal mistake, takes for guests of their neighbors. Naphthalene-polite uninvited guests every second change mercy to anger and vice versa, demonstrating a clear example of uncontrolled aggression. Unable to cope with such mood swings of young people, the family is forced to play along with psychopaths - after all, their lives are at stake ...

HORROR/Sci-Fi

“ALIEN” (USA, 2002)

Cast: Patrick Muldoon, Theresa Russell, Billy Keane, Tamara Davis, Daniel Quinn, Lydie Denier, Curtis Armstrong.

Duration: 85 min.

Space scientists are ready to conquer Mars. Biologists have cultivated an organism capable of terraforming - on the Red Planet, it was decided to change the atmosphere in preparation for colonization by earthlings. As a result of the accident on the shuttle, the “alien” never made it to Mars. Moreover, another “reserve” individual escapes from its laboratory conclusion on Earth. It soon turns out that in addition to carbon dioxide, the monster is ready to eat organic matter with pleasure. And, as usual, scientists made sure that their offspring was practically invulnerable ...