Modernizing a "Russian capture" Tirpitz.....

[SigfanUSAF]

Justification for a modernized 1980s BB55 and/or BB57 class? Vindication for completing my Kentucky and maintaining her through the Reagan Era?

How about this-

As Germany was collapsing in early '45, the Soviet Navy, with enough foresight to understand a possible US/USSR war, began a massive salvage operation. As our fleet was being transferred more and more to support Pacific operations, namely preparation for the invasion of Japan, the Soviets began a large yet quiet salvage operation in a Norwegian fjord. At first, only a large tug was brought in, and no notice was taken as day in and day out divers began repairing the holes in the hull of the Tirpitz. This continued from late Jan to sometime in March, when a much larger fleet of salvage tugs and crane barges departed Murmansk, Kaliningrad, and Gadansk.

On May 8th, as the world took in the defeat of Nazi Germany and declared VE Day, the hull of the Tirpitz was slowly rolled back to starboard. Massive bilge pumps ran for days, and slowly but surely the DKM Tirpitz was righted. Divers continued their work to shore up the damaged hull, as the pumps kept running. Finally, on June 4th the Tirpitz began the long tow around Scandinavia to Murmansk. No one will know how many residents of Tromso, Norway were silently executed during the occupation of their quiet town, and in fact when the salvage work was completed, there was no notable population left to speak of. It is presumed the men and able women were pressed into salvage service.

Over the next few years, as the Iron Curtain was being drawn across Eastern Europe- a 300 meter building was constructed over a drydock in Murmansk. The Tirpitz, covered in fake trees and camo netting, was eased into drydock for the first time since August of 1941. No record of the exact timeline is known, but CIA intelligence shows she entered drydock on or around 1Mar 1950. Under cover of the building, work began on her reconstruction. Her 15" guns remained, but all secondary armament was removed and replaced with the latest Soviet 130mm automatic guns. 16 SS-N-12 missile launchers adorned her elegant superstructure, which in itself remained largely unchanged. Massive MR 700, 710 and 800 radars towered over her masts, and on 25 October 1962 was commissioned into the Soviet Navy as the (name suggestion needed)

It was made public to the world on 3 November when she was picked up by an Air Force SR-71 making steam northbound into the Barents Sea. We know she ran trials from 3Nov through 21 Nov, when she suddenly shifted course out of the North sea back to Murmansk at full steam. She re-entered drydock on 23Nov62, not to emerge again until 21January 1965. It's presumed there were some structural problems stemming from the British tall-boy bombs, but these were apparently remedied as she again underwent sea trials from 22Jan to 13Mar 1965. For the next five years, she circled the eastern Atlantic, visiting ports in the Med, Baltic and Black seas. In early 1970 she again went into drydock, and emerged in July of that year and subsequently circumnavigated the globe. She was transferred to the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok, where she continues to serve. She underwent few deployments in the 70s, and underwent a short refit in 1982 as the New Jersey was being re-activated.

ETA:
After re-reading my story line, I guess an easier solution would be that the British Lancasters missed, and she was simply surrendered to the Russians after the war

[SigfanUSAF]

This is the Academy 1/350 Tirpitz. Obviously not Tamiya quality, but for $18 on eBay, what the heck!

I do need some input:

Name?
I'm thinking originally Stalingrad, but with the de-Stalinization of the '60s, a name change is in order for the '80s.

Weapons?
I'm thinking the SS-N-12 launchers from a 1/350 Slava class would look perfect, but I'm having a hard time justifying $65 or so for a parts ship to donate just weapons & electronics....
Does any company offer 1/350 aftermarket weapons for Soviet ships? I've found a generic PE radar suite, but that it.


Helo?
I'm thinking a landing pad on the stern, but no facilities for the helicopter, much like the Iowas.

[pyro-manic]

Nice idea. SS-N-12 launchers are basically just tubes with some gubbins stuck on, so they'd be fairly easy to scratchbuild.

[nönöbär]

Now this is an intesting project. I am still in an early planning phase for a NATO-1985 Tirpitz, I guess the resulting ships will a bit different. I will follow your progress on the Russian-Tirpitz carefully.

[NARSES2]

Be watching this with interest 

As for name what about "Peter the Great". The Soviets seemed to be able to disconect there distant history from their more recent history.

[Geoff]

"Ivan Grozney"?

The Soviets did grab some shipping at the end of the war so it's quite feasable. Like it

[ChernayaAkula]

Looks very interesting. 
Regarding the SS-N-12 launchers, I think Pyro's dead on. Some plastic tubing, a couple of lids, some greeblies and you're golden.
For other Soviet armament, radars and other bits'n'pieces, see if you can find a Trumpeter Sovremenny-class on eBay or the like. I was able to snag up two PLAN DDG-139 "Ningbo" for less than 50% of their RRP on eBay. The older versions (Project 956 and 956E) have even more (and more contemporary to your backstory) Soviet armament than the Ningbo and are also rather cheap.

<...> As for name what about "Peter the Great". <...>

A major Soviet Navy combatant with the name of a Tsar? Surely that would be counter-revolutionary, nyet? And in ze Soviet Russia, revolution counters YOU! 

[Joe C-P]

I'm thinking of ideas on a name, but nothing especially clever comes to mind.

Having the ship less damaged than believed, and the Soviets claiming it instead of the old Italian or British battleships they did get does work, and gives an excuse to build NATO and other battleships post-WW2 - Vanguard and KGVs, Jean Bart and Richelieu, perhaps the remaining South American BBs, even Nagato, which I did many moons ago.

[NARSES2]

<...> As for name what about "Peter the Great". <...>

A major Soviet Navy combatant with the name of a Tsar? Surely that would be counter-revolutionary, nyet? And in ze Soviet Russia, revolution counters YOU! 

I know it sounds odd, but the Soviets did look at some of the "Great" Tsar's with a patriotic light. They saw them as building a greater Russia.

[sequoiaranger]

That's the nearest English equivalent to "Peter the Great". I saw "Pyotr"s tomb in St. Petersburg--it was extra long because Pyotr was a really tall guy.

[Oldeseadogge]

Very interesting concept, though comrade Nikita K would likely have killed it, like he did Projects 82 & 82R.

How about Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya (not sure of spelling) for a name?  Avoids the Stalin connection and remembers an event dear to Bolshevik hearts.