Ordered via mediation of the fnotorious arms dealer Basil Zaharoff. Designed by naval engineers KA Tennison [Tennyson] and A.P Titov. Laid down at Vickers, Barrow in Furness, England on 9/22 August 1905. Launched on 4 November 1906, during the First World War acting as flagship of the Baltic Fleet and on several occasion damaged by mines, worn out in 1918, hulked in 1922 and sold to be broken up in 1930. The intention to built two more of this design were cancelled after the British battle cruiser HMS Tiger entered the scene.
Displacement of 15.170 tons and as dimensions 161 x 22,9 x 7,9 metres or 529 x 75 x 26 feet. The 2-shaft 2 4-cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engines and 28 Bellville coal-fired boilers supplied 20.580 (trial)-20.675 ship allowing a speed of 21-21,43 (trials at the Skelmorlie mile) knots. Coal bunker capacity was 1.920 ton. Her crew numbered 899 men. The armament consisted of 2x2-25,4cm/10” guns, 4x2-20cm/8” guns, 20x1-4,7cm/1.9” guns and 2-45,7cm/18” torpedo tubes. At Kronstadt, Russia were after her delivery by Vickers the gun turrets and barbettes improved after it occurred that during the trials firing caused deformation. The armour was Krupp steel made by Vickers and consisted of a 15cm/6” (maximum) thick belt, 3,8cm/1.5” thick deck with the conning tower, gun turrets, barbettes and casemates protected by respectively 20cm/8”, 18-20cmM/7-8”, 15cm-20cm,/6-7” and 7,6cmM/3”. To protect the magazines was an advance sprinkler system available.
1. Zacharias Basileios Zacharoff (6 October 1849 Mugla, Ottoman Empire-27 November 1936 Monte Carlo, Monaco), was also affiliated to the British firm Vickers.
