Rough sketch dated 1917 using details supplied by the Russian naval attache
On stocks in September 1916. Original source
Officially laid down at the New Admiralty Shipyard, St. Petersburg, Russia on 6 December 1912, actual building started between March-April 1913, launched on 9 November 1916, completion 50% hull, armour 2%, engines 26,5%, boilers 12,5% on 28 April 1917,work stopped on 24 October 1917 proposed designs using 41cm/16”guns in twin turrets were not accepted and sold to a German firm to be broken up on 21 August 1923 and on 16 October prepared to be towed towards Kiel, Germany.
Kronshtadt-class. With our thanks for permission to publish
Of the Borodino or Izmail-class, consisting of the, none predecessors and succeeded by the Kronshtadt-class. Built for the Baltic Fleet. After the disastrous war against Japan in 1904-1905 asked the Russian general staff for a 28 knots battleship armed with 30,5cm/12” guns and just a waterline belt pf 19cm/8.75” thick armour. On 5 May 1911 was the building approved by the czar but as the Duma session was ended, the building was not approved by the parliament. A second problem was that the bids offered by private shipyards were much too high causing an redesigning. On 1 July 1911 came the general staff with a new design of 26,5 knots ship although with a heavier armour now a thickness pf 25,4cm. The armament was also changed into 3x335,6cm/14” guns. The calibre was increased after rumour that the German navy was fitting out her battleships with such a calibre. On 8 September was worldwide asked for bids although just seven shipyards were interested and even then were the proposed designs not acceptable. From Russian side was also protested against the 3 turrets-design asking for a 4-turrets design. In May 1912 were again bids asked and the order given to the Admiralty Works at Saint Petersburg, Russia based on 4 turrets. A budget of 45,5 million rubles for each ship was approved by the Duma. The building costs increased however with 7 million rubles for each ship caused by changing the armament resulting in larger size. To be able to built the Svetlana-cruisers was the available budget decreased. On 18 September 1912 were four ships ordered at the New Admiralty Shipyard and the Baltic Works of which two were to be ready for executing their trials on 14 July 1916 and the remaining two on 14 September 1916. Testing the aged ironclad Chesma armoured in the same manner as the Gangut-class made clear that the armour design was a failure and that the Borodino-class design was partially to be redesigned to coop with this problem. The Russian Main Administration of Shipbuilding decided in 1916 that the Borodino-class was now a 2nd rank project when it became clear that the First World War prevented a completion on time especially caused by delays in making of the gun turrets,
Displacement 33.022 (standard)-37.234 (full load) tons and as dimensions 223,85 x 30,5 x 8,81 x 8,89 (freeboard fore)-6,24 (freeboard amidships)-6,49 (freeboard aft) metres or 734.5 x 100.1 x 28.11 x 29,2-20.6-21,4 feet. The horsepower of 66.00o ship supplied by 4 steam turbines and 25 triangular Yarrow water tube boilers via 4 shafts was to allow a speed of 26,5 knots. Their crew was to number 1.174 men. The Krupp-cemented armour was to consist of a 12,5-23,75cm/4.92-9.35” thick waterline belt, 37,5-7,5cm/1,48-2,95” thick decks and 7,5-30cm/3.0-11.8” thick bulkheads with the gun turrets, barbettes and conning tower protected by respectively 30cm/11.8”, 14,75-23,75cm/5.81-9,4” and 30-40cm/11.8-15.7” thick armour. The armament was to consist of 4x3-35,6cn/14” guns, 24x1-13cm/5.1 Pattern 1913 guns, 4x1-6,4cm/2,5” anti aircraft guns and 6-45cm/17.7” torpedo tubes. The hull was divided by 25 transverse watertight bulkheads and further was the engine room cut into two halves by a longitudinal bulkhead.
