The first combat submarine "Dolphin" served as a prototype for the further development of domestic ships of this class until 1917. The construction was experimental in nature and did not have great combat value, but was the beginning of the development of domestic underwater shipbuilding.
Submarines in the Russian Empire
The history of underwater shipbuilding in the Russian Empire begins with the attempt by the carpenter Efim Nikonov to create a "secret vessel" in 1718. A few years later, the prototype was tested in the presence of Peter I in the galley courtyard. When descending, the bottom of the submarine was damaged. The Admiralty Board ordered the work to be stopped, and the inventor sent to Astrakhan to work in a specialty.
In the next century, the construction of submarines was not carried out, but interest in underwater navigation remained. This is confirmed by the fact that in 1825 in the Moscow Telegraph magazine, under the heading "New Inventions and Discoveries," articles were published detailing the overseas inventors of submarines. In response to this, an article by V. Berkh “On the invention of submarines in Russia in 1719” appeared. This was the first printed work on the history of Russian underwater shipbuilding.
Submarine K. Schilder was built in 1843. The further period (before the invention of the Russian submarine project "Dolphin" by I. Bubnov and M. Beklemishev) was characterized by the exceptional interest of Russian society in the creation of the first submarines. Engineers and military officers, scientists, illiterate peasants, high school students, and foreign citizens turned to the engineering department and the Ministry of the Sea, and to high-ranking officials. Some ideas were subsequently realized, but of course there were more technically illiterate and untenable proposals.
The first Russian submarine
At the end of the nineteenth century, the military command and senior management of the Russian Empire came to the conclusion that it was necessary to introduce submarines into the fleet. We considered the option of buying weapons abroad or creating an underwater fleet with our own efforts. By that time, the companies of Lack and Holland had achieved success in the USA, in France several submarines were built by the inventors of Romatzotti, Gube, Zede, Italian submarines were being built. In Russia, there were no outstanding specialists in this field.
The most successful submarine designs in those years were in the United States. In 1900, the Russian government was negotiating the possible construction of boats for Russia by the American firm of John Holland. The Americans set a condition - the purchase of at least ten boats. This turned out to be unacceptable, so the intended cooperation failed.
Russian submarine development
In 1900, the Maritime Office organized a commission that dealt with the development of the project. Chief Inspector N. Kuteynikov included in the commission a senior shipbuilding assistant I. Bubnov, a senior mechanical engineer I. Goryunov, a lieutenant in electrical engineering M. Beklemishev. The commission needed to study foreign experience and develop an immersion vessel for coastal defense.
History of Design and Construction
Work on the prototype was carried out in the Experimental Shipbuilding Basin. The project was a secret. To reduce costs, engineers reduced the size of the boat whenever possible. The expected immersion depth is 50 meters with a high margin of safety. To ensure streamlining, a spindle-shaped design was chosen.
In May 1901, I. Bubnov reported on the completion of the development, and a few days later the committee reviewed the project and recognized that construction could begin immediately. The project commission was immediately transformed into the Construction Commission with the same composition. The order for the construction of the building was issued to the Baltic Plant in St. Petersburg.
The first submarine "Dolphin" was built on a specially equipped slipway of the Baltic Shipyard. Profile and sheet steel was delivered from the Putilov plant, cylinders (air) were manufactured by the Obukhov steel mill. Batteries and electric motors ordered in France.
The experience of foreign colleagues
An electrical engineer went on a business trip to the United States to get acquainted with the submarines being built at the Holland shipyard. He was granted permission to participate in a test dive. Upon returning from a business trip, Beklemishev reported that the Russian submarine "Dolphin" (photo above) is not inferior to foreign counterparts. Moreover, some Russian solutions have no analogues abroad.
Fleet enrollment
The crew was formed in early 1902 by selecting volunteers. It was decided to make the state similar to the submarines produced by Holland: the commander of the ship and his assistant, quartermasters (eight people), two helmsmen, two train drivers and four mine experts.
The Dolphin submarine was added to the fleet lists in March 1902. According to the results of trial tests, it became necessary to search for an alternative to the engine, for which the engineer visited a factory in France. The engine of the Daimler company was finally adopted. In the first sea trials, the Dolphin submarine developed a speed of five knots.
Design and specifications
The spindle-shaped hull of the Dolphin submarine was made of high-strength steel (8 mm thick) and was designed to a depth of 50 m. Three tanks were used for immersion: in the fore end, in the central part of the hull, and at the aft end. The drainage system consisted of a piston electric pump and a small hand pump.
The course was provided by a 300 liter gasoline engine. from. The total fuel supply reached 5.3 tons. A rowing electric motor with a capacity of 120 liters. from. placed coaxially with gasoline. Electric batteries were placed in the bow on special racks. Fifty elements were envisaged with a total capacity of 5 thousand Ah, but in fact sixty-four elements (3.6 thousand Ah) were installed.
Due to the cheapening of the design, the Dolphin submarine turned out to be very cramped. Comfortable living conditions for the crew were not an initial task. Wooden shields covering the batteries could serve as a resting place. In the bow there were three sockets for connecting an electric kettle, coffee pot and portable electric stove. The stock of drinking water is 20 buckets.
The main armament of the Dolphin submarine was external torpedo tubes of the 1898 model. Armament was placed in pairs, was directed at the direction of movement and was closer to the stern. Management was carried out using special drives from the inside.
Service in the Baltic, Pacific and North
In 1904, the Dolphin submarine officially received this name. Prior to this, the development was listed under the code name "Destroyer No. 150." During the first classes with the crew, the submarine sank near the wall of the plant. The reason for this was the untimely closure of the hatchway and the inadequate response of the crew to the ingress of water. Of the thirty-six people, twenty-four could not be saved. The accident happened due to design features.
The first exit to the sea after the repair took place in 1905. "Dolphin" patrolled the waters of the Pacific Ocean, but there were no meetings with Japanese ships. In May, ventilation was carried out to carry out repairs on the Dolphin, but an explosion occurred and the submarine sank. One soldier died. Repair of the Dolphin submarine ended after the end of the Russo-Japanese War.
In 1916, the submarine arrived in Arkhangelsk. Later, the Dolphin submarine was transferred to Aleksandrovsk. In September he arrived at the disposal of a fleet based on the Arctic Ocean, and was included in its composition. In 1917, the Dolphin submarine was enlisted in the squad of ships to patrol the Kola Bay.
In 1917, the submarine sank due to careless watchkeeping during a storm. In the same year, the submarine was disarmed due to the deterioration of most mechanisms. The case was handed over to the port for cutting metal. Parts of the submarine were finally disposed of only in 1920.
Submarines of project 667-BDRM "Dolphin"
Project 667-BDRM began to develop in September 1975. The general designer was S. Kovalev. The project used developments in the field of detection and control systems, weapons, noise reduction tools. Sound-absorbing and vibration-isolating devices have been actively used.
Project 667 submarine construction
Submarines of project 667-BDRM "Dolphin" in comparison with their predecessors (submarines of the project "Squid") have an increased height of the fencing of the arms mines, increased aft end and the length of the bow. In general, the project has a classic layout for submarines of this class. In the development, new propellers with improved characteristics were used. The flow of water was leveled by a special device.
As part of the project, several submarines were developed in different years, so the technical features differ. The surface speed of the Dolphin submarine is 14 knots, the underwater speed is 24 knots. The maximum immersion depth is limited to 550-650 meters, working - 320-400 m. Submarines are able to carry out autonomous navigation for 80-90 days. The crew is 135-140 people.
Armament: peaceful and military use
The new weapons were the R-29RS intercontinental missiles, which had an increased firing range. All missiles could be fired in one salvo. Submarines of the Dolphin project regularly took part in training firing and made campaigns. As a rule, exercises were carried out in the waters of the Barents Sea. The aim was the Kura training ground in Kamchatka (several hundred kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky).
From the submarines of project 667BDRM "Dolphin" two launches were made into near-earth orbits of artificial satellites. In 1998, for the first time in the world, the Tubsat-N satellite was launched from an underwater position.
Submarines of the Dolphin project: representatives
Submarines "Dolphin" (667) are the basis of the strategic nuclear triad Russia. Gradually, ships transfer this role to the submarines of the Borey project. Among the submarines of the project can be listed: K-51 “Verkhoturye”, K-64 “Moscow Region” (converted into a carrier of ultra-small submarines), K-84 “Yekaterinburg”, K-114 “Tula”, K-407 “Novomoskovsk”, K -117 "Bryansk", K-18 "Tula".
A submarine of the Verkhoturye project made a trip to the Arctic with military missiles on board, and surfaced at the North Pole. The K-84 submarine got its name after the patronage of the administration of the city of Yekaterinburg was established over it. The cruiser Bryansk became the thousandth among the submarines built at Russian shipyards. So, each submarine of this series has its own story.
Since 2012, the Dolphins are actively rearming. As of the current year, Bryansk is being re-equipped, while Karelia and Novomoskovsk are waiting in line. Soon it is planned to re-equip all submarines of project 667BDRM "Dolphin". Re-equipment will significantly extend the life of submarines (until 2025-2030). All operating cruisers of this class are now part of the thirty-first submarine division, based in Yagelnaya Bay.
RC submarine
The submarine "Dolphin" M10 is produced by companies producing children's toys. This is not a toy analogue of the Russian development. At the same time, the Mioshi Dolphin M10 submarine will be an excellent gift for a child (from six years old) interested in the submarine fleet. On the example of such a toy, you can tell the young designer the principle of movement of submarines and general design features. Perhaps the child will once reflect on the career of an engineer and make a discovery that is important to ensure the power of the Russian fleet.