Escort for Sovietsky Soyuz

[Joe C-P]

Comrades,

I have decided to seek some assistance in referencing the history of the battleship "Potemkin", formerly the Nazi "Tirpitz". I have found some details, but need clarification on others.
He was captured at Stettin, with the carrier Graf Zeppelin. The foolish decadent westerners had sunk a tanker disguised as Tirpitz in Norway, while the actual ship had slipped back to Germany, seen by heroic Soviet observers within the enemy country.

He served Mother Russia for several years, though I do not know if he was rearmed in any way. Krushchev had him mothballed, but the performance of the imperialist US Navy battleship New Jersey in attacking heroic North Vietnamese Army units caused "Potemkin" to be recalled to service in 1969.

My records show he then received an armament upgrade, while losing "X" turret, likely due to CIA sabotage creating excessive rusting of essential components. However, numbers and types are unclear in the literature. I believe he received 76mm twins, 57mm twins or quads, a pair of SA-N-4 mounts, and perhaps an SA-N-3 in place of X turret, though other records show that was used as a helicopter landing platform. And it is unclear if other missiles were mounted or only planned.

I appeal to my fellow Socialist workers to help me complete my research so that "Potemkin" may serve as escort to that great triumph of the people, our supercarrier "Sovietsky Soyuz".

Comrade Iosef R, shipbuilding division

(Translation - I have the model, and want to open up the final result to your input. I think it will be fun and a challenge to include other people's ideas! Plus building this will kill time until I receive some detail sets I need to complete some other projects in progress.)

Up the Rrrrrevolution! Vodka on the house for all loyal Party members!

[Geoff_B]

Comrade

For a 1970's conversion how aboyr replacing X & Y Turrets with a trainable  Quad SS-N-3 launcher from the Kynda class with the Magazine below decks or in a new deckhouse in place of X-Turret. a SAN-3 can then be installed ontop of this new deck house. The SS-N-3 could be replaced by the newly designed SS-N-12 as fitted to the Kiev class. SAN-4 should replace some of the light missiles and perhaps 4 x twin 76 mm in place of the secondary guns. Maybe the stern could be redesigned slightly for flight deck to allow the Hormone B targetting Helicopters a place to land (a hanger could be built into the aft deck somewhere).

Plenty of additional platforms for ECM and guidance radars supporting the new armament and a topsail radar fitted atop the main superstructure. ASW Motars fitted towards the bows and a good distribution of AK-630 30 mm CIWS.

[Ollie]

Comrade!

I hear some revolutionnary flying machine is being developped by a new OKB, Mil.  I suggest you make space for a couple of those on the afterdeck.

Major Olivienev Jakovitch Lacombski, SPD VVS (Special Projects Division)

[Captain Canada]

Comrade Iosef,

May I request that shipbuilding dee-veesion remove both x and y turrets, to accomadate both a missile system and a large chopper..........

Like this 'sick puppy' !
Thank you

Toadarov

[Joe C-P]

So, according to the research so far, it seems there was a requirement for a hangar and landing platform aft. My plans are blurred and wrinkled due to spilled vodka, but that does seem to have been the case. Also, I have several sets of plans, which don't agree, so further research shall be conducted.

We eagerly await the results of the Special Projects Division!

Most likely there is an SA-N-3 launcher mounted aft, though it's hard to tell where. There were definately two SA-N-4 mounts, for point defense. One plan shows two twin SS-N-12 launchers, like those of the impressive Kiev class, on either side of the forward superstructure, replacing the forward-most 150mm mounts. And of course the ubiquitous AK-630s and RBU launchers.

Comrade Toadarov - I'm not certain I will be able to represent such a paint scheme in 1/700 scale, but I shall give it the old Comrade try!

Comrade Iosef R

[Joe C-P]

Comrades!

If you wish to know more of the history of the earlier versions of the Kirov class, please visit this site and click on the first three images:

Kirov fotos

The first would seem to be an earlier design, using SA-N-2s and -1s, with a quad SS-N-3 launcher forward ala the Kynda class.
The second clearly became the basis for the Slava class.
The third appears to be an mis-interpretation by foolish Westerners unaware of our superior Communist technology! Still, it would amusing to build it. One would need a Moskva class CGH and Kiev class CVG for the armaments and other details.

Comrade Iosef R

[Geoff_B]

The first would seem to be an earlier design, using SA-N-2s and -1s, with a quad SS-N-3 launcher forward ala the Kynda class.

Comrade Iosef

The first one appears to be a counter to the Imperialist USN CGN of the Long Beach class, whislt the other looks like a Kara class with the extra Miisle tubes a al Slava. Either of which would make a suitable escort for your Carrier.

B)