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Zheleznyakov 1950  

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
Железняков [Zheleznyakov]		545	194 Marti Yd, Leningrad	31.10.1939	25.6.1941	19.4.1950	training cruiser 4.1961, stricken 10.1975
Куйбышев [Kuybyshev]		1088	200 61 Kommunar Yd, Nikolayev	31.8.1939	31.1.1941	20.4.1950	training cruiser 4.1958, stricken 4.1965
Свердлов [Sverdlov]		1090	200 61 Kommunar Yd, Nikolayev	31.12.1940	---	---	abandoned 15.8.1941
Чапаев [Chapaev]		305	189 Ordzhonikidze Yd, Leningrad	8.10.1939	28.4.1941	16.5.1950	training cruiser 4.1958, accommodation ship 2.1960
Чкалов [Chkalov], 10.1958- Комсомолец [Komsomolets]		306	189 Ordzhonikidze Yd, Leningrad	31.8.1939	25.10.1947	25.10.1950	training cruiser 4.1958, stricken 9.1979
Фрунзе [Frunze]		356	198 Marti Yd, Nikolayev	29.8.1939	30.12.1940	19.12.1950	training cruiser 4.1958, stricken 2.1960
Орджоникидзе [Ordzhonikidze]		364	198 Marti Yd, Nikolayev	31.12.1940	---	---	abandoned 15.8.1941

Technical data

Data variant	design (pr. 68)	as completed (pr. 68K)
Displacement standard, t	10620	11450
Displacement full, t	13420	14138
Length, m	199.2	199.2
Breadth, m	18.7	18.7
Draught, m	6.93 full load	6.93 full load
No of shafts	2	2
Machinery	2 TV-7 geared steam turbines sets, 6 KV-68 boilers	2 TV-7 geared steam turbines sets, 6 KV-68 boilers
Power, h. p.	110000	110000
Max speed, kts	35.6	32.8
Fuel, t	oil 2236	oil 2500
Endurance, nm(kts)	6300(17)	6300(18)
Armour, mm	belt: 100 - 20, bulkheads: 120 - 100, deck: 50 - 20, turrets: 65, barbettes: 130, CT: 130 - 70	belt: 100 - 20, bulkheads: 120 - 100, deck: 50 - 20, turrets: 175 - 60, barbettes: 130, CT: 130 - 70
Armament	4 x 3 - 152/57 MK-5, 4 x 2 - 100/56 B-54, 6 x 2 - 37/68 66K, 4 x 2 - 12.7/79, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, 1 catapult, 2 seaplanes	4 x 3 - 152/57 MK-5-bis, 4 x 2 - 100/70 SM-5-1, 14 x 2 - 37/70 V-11, 2 x 5 - 533 TT, 60 - 146 mines
Electronic equipment	---	Giuys-1M4, Rif, 2x Redan-2, 2x Vympel-2, Neptun radars, Tamir-5N sonar
Complement	898	1184

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Project history

Since 1936 in the USSR design works on "fleet" light cruiser of project 28 with more moderate characteristics, than at project 26-bis cruisers, and with 152mm artillery were conducted. Signing 17.7.1937 of Soviet-British Treaty (now USSR was obliged to observe norms of the international agreements, concerning naval limitations) became additional incentive to creation of new light cruiser. Thus, technical requirements approved 29.10.1937, have decided to limit displacement of new cruiser by 8000t, and her armament by 3 triple 152mm turrets. As during designing it was found out, that displacement exceeds 9000t, and also taking into consideration that circumstance, that the majority of countries did not observe conditions of 1936 London Treaty, in March, 1938 the decision on strengthen the armament at the expense of installation of fourth turret and the second director was made. The engineering design was approved 13.7.1939.    In total building of 26 cruisers of project 68, including 16 in current III five-years period with delivery of five in 1942 was provided, before the Great Patriotic War beginning 7 ships were laid down, and only 4 were launched (28-40% availability). 10.9.1941 building of launched ships was suspended, and hulls of Ordzhonikidze and Sverdlov were abandoned in Nikolaev on slipways 15.8.1941 and broken up by Germans.

After war 5 ships were completed under redesigned project 68K with new AA artillery, fire control systems, radars but without torpedoes and seaplanes.

Ship protection, design (pr. 68)

, design (pr. 68): Main 100mm belt (3.3m high) protected space between end barbettes and was closed by 120mm fore and 100mm aft bulkheads, there was thin 20mm belt between stem and barbette No 1. 50mm flat main deck connected with upper edge of main belt, 10m-long 20mm part of main deck covered a short area fwd from barbette No 1. Underwater protection was 4.1m deep.

Ship protection, as completed (pr. 68K): Main 100mm belt (3.3m high) protected space between end barbettes and was closed by 120mm fore and 100mm aft bulkheads, there was thin 20mm belt between stem and barbette No 1. 50mm flat main deck connected with upper edge of main belt, 10m-long 20mm part of main deck covered a short area fwd from barbette No 1. Underwater protection was 4.1m deep. Turrets had 175mm faces, 65mm sides and rears and 75mm roofs, barbettes had 130mm protection. Secondary turrets had 20mm faces, 10mm sides and 8mm rears.

Modernizations

1950s, Chkalov: + P-10 radar

1950s, Zheleznyakov, Kuybyshev: + Fut-N radar

1960s, Zheleznyakov: - 2x Redan-2, 2x Vympel-2 radars; + 2x Zalp, 2x Yakor' radars

1972, Zheleznyakov: - Neptun radar; + 2x Don radars

Naval service

Zheleznyakov was reclassified as training cruiser in April 1961, Kuybyshev, Chapaev, Chkalov and Frunze in April 1958.