After the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, the headquarters of the imperial fleet began a major modernization of naval warships. Particular attention was paid to the Black Sea basin - it was there that in the event of a world war, hostilities could erupt. The squadron battleship “Emperor Nicholas I” is one of the ships prepared by military engineers for large-scale naval battles.
Ship development
At the end of 1913, the General Directorate of Shipbuilding began to develop new principles for booking and distribution of combat load. Enhanced armor protection of the middle deck was envisaged - up to 63 mm of metal, conning tower and bevels. Measures were taken to strengthen the armor of deck artillery - the metal layer on it in vulnerable parts exceeded 300 mm. As a result of the modernization of the ship’s design, its total displacement increased to almost 28 thousand tons, its linear dimensions increased, its running characteristics improved - the “Emperor Nicholas I” (battleship) could reach speeds of up to 21 knots. These and other improvements were reflected in the project, which on March 12, 1914, was submitted for approval to the naval minister.
Nikolaev shipyards
In the early spring of 1914, the approved drawings of the warship with the draft specifications went to Nikolaev. In those days, the construction of large civil and military courts was carried out by the Russian Shipbuilding Joint-Stock Company. An accompanying letter was attached to the technical documentation, in which shipbuilders were asked to determine the time of construction of the ship and the total amount of costs. After a series of approvals, “Emperor Nicholas 1,” the battleship, was valued at 32.8 thousand rubles, and it took three years to build it. True, the battleship received its final name a little later.
In the process of considering the submitted drawings by the ship engineer V.I. Yurkevich proposed some changes that lowered the nasal wave, helped to reduce the load on engine installations. Subsequently, Yurkevich emigrated to France, where he was directly involved in the design of the French liner Moggaps Ne. Many nodes of this ship were developed by engineers of the Russian Admiralty.
Battleship Bookmark
On April 15, 1914, the solemn laying of a new warship took place on the open slipway of the Nikolaev shipyard. The ceremony was attended by Nicholas II himself. The preliminary name of the vessel was "John the Terrible." For approval, the emperor was offered two names - "Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir" and "Emperor Nicholas 1". The battleship was named for the ancestor of the ruling king - this is the decision made by the emperor. Perhaps this decision was dictated by the need to increase the morale of its own fleet.
In the documents, “Emperor Nicholas I,” the battleship, appeared only on June 2 of that year. This logical sequence was somewhat violated - you can’t enlist in the fleet the ship that was just laid down. Such a violation was dictated by the need to receive funds for its construction.
War and ships
The First World War introduced its own adjustments and significantly postponed the launch date of a military vessel. "Emperor Nicholas I" (battleship) needed various import components, but their delivery was delayed or stopped altogether. Hopes were assigned to domestic cars and mechanisms. But their installation required a review of some components of the warship. An additional bulwark from the first tower installation to the very nose was introduced into the project. This helped to improve the seaworthiness of the vessel. Final improvements were taken into account, and the ship was completed on domestic slipways with additional bulwarks. Then the ship’s name was finally established - “Emperor Nicholas I”.
1916 - the time of the height of the world war. Despite the difficult situation at the fronts, shipbuilders managed to complete the construction of the vessel - on October 5, the battleship came off the slipways and moored at the side of the plant. At that time, the readiness of the vessel was 77.5%. Work was carried out intermittently throughout 1917, but at the beginning of 1918 the Provisional Government was forced to freeze their completion, and the "Emperor Nicholas 1" (battleship) was never completely completed.
The fate of the ship in the 1920s
After the civil war and foreign intervention, fighters of the Red Army entered Nikolaev. Several attempts to complete the construction of the warship were in vain - the workers and peasants did not have knowledge for the construction of a modern ship, nor were there any ideas about such a science as military affairs. "Emperor Nicholas I", a battleship designed for military victories in the Black Sea Fleet, did not enter into any battle. Subsequently, it was towed to the shipyard of Sevastopol, where it was sawn into scrap metal.
Ship revival
Interest in warships of the past has grown significantly since the release of World of Warships. The ship with a difficult fate gathered many of the achievements of Russian engineering at the beginning of the 20th century. "Emperor Nicholas I", a battleship in full combat gear, occupies the fourth level of research on the Russian (Soviet) warship branch
The characteristics of the battleship are as close as possible to the real ones. Its speed and armament correspond to the level of military equipment of the early XX century. And now, "Emperor Nicholas 1", the battleship
- a magnificent example of Russian military engineering, takes part in virtual sea battles of players from around the world.