The best torpedo boats of the Second World War. Torpedo boats of the Great Patriotic War

Kings of the subfloat in a sea of ​​jacks of hearts

Kovalev, E. A.: M., ZAO Tsentrpoligraf, 2006

The book continues the chronicle of the birth and development of scuba diving in Russia, published under the title "Knights of the Deep". The chronological framework of the narrative covers the period from the end of 1917 to June 1941. The material is based on information selected from the funds of the RGA of the Navy, TsVMA, TsVMB, as well as from newspaper and magazine articles. The first three parts of the book characterize the times civil war, the restoration of the country's scuba diving and its further development. It tells about attempts to approve a new naval doctrine, the construction of new types of submarines, the training of submariners in the context of an impending war. The fourth part of the book contains brief biographical information about the first Soviet submarine commanders. Even a superficial acquaintance with the information presented will allow the reader to understand why in 1941 the country was not ready, including for war at sea. The reader will find the necessary references in the Appendix.

Upper Paleolithic reconstructions

Reconstructions of Upper Paleolithic daily life

From 50,000 to 10,000 years before present. Last Ice Age. Realm of Cro-Magnons and other early Homo sapiens sapiens: anatomically and more or less behaviorally modern humans. Consciousness, speech, art positively exist. It is very much debatable if Homo species other than Homo sapiens sapiens ever possessed them. Major world population is early Homo sapiens sapiens, but also some other species of Homo, more characteristic for previous epochs, Neanderthals and possibly even some subspecies of Homo erectus, coexisted for much of the period. Humans begin to populate Australia and Americas. First decisive evidence of spears used as projectile weapons. Invention of a tool to throw them faster and farther: spear-thrower. Bow seems to be invented only near the transition from the Upper Paleolithic to the Mesolithic. Control of fire, fire making including, is widespread. Pleistocene megafauna: iconic mammoths and woolly rhinoceros. Many of mammals common enough today exist in much larger forms: giant beavers, giant polar bears, giant kangaroos, giant deers, giant condors. Some in "cave" forms, like cave bears, cave lions, cave hyenas.

The pirates of Panama or The buccaneers of America

John Esquemeling: New York, Frederick A. Stokes company publishers, 1914

A true account of the famous adventures and daring deeds of Sir Henry Morgan and other notorious freebooters of the Spanish main by John Esquemeling, one of the buccaneers who was present at those tragedies. content

Diagnosing dictators

Carl Gustav Jung: Diagnosing Dictators: Analytical Psychology: Past and Present / C. G. Jung, E. Samuels, V. Odainik, J. Hubback. Comp. V.V. Zelensky, A.M. Rutkevich. Moscow: Martis, 1995

October 1938 H. R. Knickerbocker, intelligent and indefatigable, was one of America's finest foreign correspondents. Born in Texas in 1899; in 1923 in Munich, where he studied psychiatry, during the Hitler beer putsch he switched to journalism, later most of his career was connected with Berlin. But he also printed materials on the Soviet Union (Pulitzer Prize 1931), the Italo-Ethiopian War, the Spanish Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War, the annexation of Austria, the Munich Agreement. He wrote reports about the Battle of Britain, about the war in pacific ocean: died in 1949 in Bombay in a plane crash. Knickerbocker visited Jung in Kusnacht in October 1938, coming directly from Prague, where he witnessed the collapse of Czechoslovakia. This interview, one of the longest given by Jung, was published in the Hearst International-Cosmopolitan of January 1939 and, in a slightly modified form, was included in Knickerbocker's book Hitler Tomorrow? (1941). This publication is based on an article from the Cosmopolitan, from which all material other than questions and answers has been excluded. The same issue of the magazine featured a biographical sketch of Jung by Elizabeth Shapley Sergent. These Cosmopolitan articles made Jung famous in the US. Knickerbocker: What happens if Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, all together, are locked up with a loaf of bread and a jug of water for a week? Will someone get everything or will they share the bread and water? Jung: I doubt they will share.

Memoirs of a Caucasian officer

Tornau F.F.: Moscow, Friendship of Peoples, 1996

Tornau Fedor Fedorovich (1810-1890) - baron, colonel of the General Staff. A representative of a family that originated from Pomerania and began in the middle of the 15th century, studied at the Noble Boarding School at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, after which he entered the military service and participated in the war of 1828 against the Turks, in the "Polish campaign" of 1831, in battles in the Caucasus and etc. For two years, Tornau was a prisoner of the Kabardians. From 1856 (to 1873) he served as a Russian military agent in Vienna and was a member of the military-scientific committee. Tornau is also known as the author of a number of memoirs ("Memoirs of a Caucasian officer", "Memoirs of the 1829 campaign in European Turkey", "From Vienna to Karlsbad", etc.). Information about Thornau is available in " encyclopedic dictionary"F. Brockhaus and I. Efron (vol. 33-a, 1901, p. 639), in the journal "Russian Antiquity" (1890, book seven), in the book by D. Yazykov "Review of the life and work of Russian writers and writers" (Issue 10, M., 1907, p. 76). This version of F. F. Tornau's memoirs is a magazine version, very truncated. As for the book in full, the first edition is F. F. Tornau's "Memoirs of a Caucasian officer". - M., 1865; last - F.F. Tornau. Memoirs of a Caucasian officer. - M.: AIRO-XX, 2000 (368 p.).

A bit of Finland

Kuprin, A.I. January 1908

On one side of the car stretches endlessly a red, hummocky, snowy swamp, on the other - a low, dense pine forest, and so - more than half a day. Outside Beloostrov, it is already difficult to understand Russian. By noon the train passes along the bare, granite masses, and we are in Helsingfors. So close to St. Petersburg, and now - a real European city. From the station we go out onto a wide square, the size of half the Champ de Mars. To the left is a massive gray granite building that looks a bit like a gothic church. This is a new Finnish theatre. To the right is the strictly seasoned national Atheneum. We are located in the heart of the city. We are going up the Michelsgatan. Since the street is narrow, and the houses on it are four or five stories high, it seems darkish, but nevertheless it makes an elegant and solid impression. Most of the buildings are Art Nouveau, but with a Gothic touch. Facades of houses without cornices and ornaments; the windows are arranged asymmetrically; they are often framed on all four sides by a smooth stone plinth, precisely inserted into a stone passe-partout. Semicircular towers rise at the corners of the building, above them, as well as over attic windows, peaked roofs. In front of the main entrance there is a loggia, something like a deep cave of dark granite, with massive doors decorated with red copper, and with electric lanterns, of an old, medieval form, in the form of boxes of corrugated bubble glass. The street crowd is cultured and knows the right side well. The asphalt sidewalks are wide, the city's slender, modestly dapper and obligingly polite, the cabbies are wearing blue coats with white metal buttons, there is no shouting and fuss, no peddlers and beggars. It's nice to see children in this crowd.

Cueva de las Manos

Cueva de las Manos. Some time between 11000 and 7500 BC.

The Cueva de las Manos in Patagonia (Argentina), a cave or a series of caves, is best known for its assemblage of cave art executed between 11,000 and 7,500 BC. The name of "Cueva de las Manos" stands for "Cave of Hands" in Spanish. It comes from its most famous images - numerous paintings of hands, left ones predominantly. The images of hands are negative painted or stencilled. There are also depictions of animals, such as guanacos (Lama guanicoe), rheas, still commonly found in the region, geometric shapes, zigzag patterns, representations of the sun and hunting scenes like naturalistic portrayals of a variety of hunting techniques, including the use of bolas.

Letter to N.V. Gogol July 15, 1847

Belinsky V.G. / N. V. Gogol in Russian criticism: Sat. Art. - M.: State. publisher artistic lit. - 1953. - S. 243-252.

You are only partly right when you see an angry person in my article: this epithet is too weak and gentle to express the state in which reading your book has led me. But you are not at all right, attributing this to your, indeed, not entirely flattering reviews about admirers of your talent. No, there was a more important reason. The offended feeling of self-love can still be endured, and I would have the sense to keep silent about this subject, if the whole matter consisted only in it; but it is impossible to endure the offended sense of truth, human dignity; one cannot remain silent when, under the cover of religion and the protection of the whip, lies and immorality are preached as truth and virtue. Yes, I loved you with all the passion with which a person who is related by blood to his country can love its hope, honor, glory, one of its great leaders on the path of consciousness, development, and progress. And you had a solid reason to get out of a calm state of mind at least for a minute, having lost the right to such love. I say this not because I consider my love the reward of a great talent, but because, in this respect, I represent not one, but many faces, of which neither you nor I have seen yourself. more and who, in turn, never saw you either. I am not able to give you the slightest idea of ​​the indignation that your book aroused in all noble hearts, nor of the cry of wild joy that all your enemies, including literary ones (Chichikovs, Nozdryovs, Gorodnichies, etc.) .p.), and non-literary, whose names you know.

The voyage of the Beagle

Charles Darwin, 1839

Preface I have stated in the preface to the first Edition of this work, and in the Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle, that it was in consequence of a wish expressed by Captain Fitz Roy, of having some scientific person on board, accompanied by an offer from him of giving up part of his own accommodations, that I volunteered my services, which received, through the kindness of the hydrographer, Captain Beaufort, the sanction of the Lords of the Admiralty. As I feel that the opportunities which I enjoyed of studying the Natural History of the different countries we visited, have been wholly due to Captain Fitz Roy, I hope I may here be permitted to repeat my expression of gratitude to him; and to add that, during the five years we were together, I received from him the most cordial friendship and steady assistance. Both to Captain Fitz Roy and to all the Officers of the Beagle I shall ever feel most thankful for the undeviating kindness with which I was treated during our long voyage. This volume contains, in the form of a Journal, a history of our voyage, and a sketch of those observations in Natural History and Geology, which I think will possess some interest for the general reader. I have in this edition largely condensed and corrected some parts, and have added a little to others, in order to render the volume more fitted for popular reading; but I trust that naturalists will remember, that they must refer for details to the larger publications which comprise the scientific results of the Expedition.

Constitution (Basic Law) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Adopted at the extraordinary seventh session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the ninth convocation on October 7, 1977

The Great October Socialist Revolution, carried out by the workers and peasants of Russia under the leadership of the Communist Party led by V. I. Lenin, overthrew the power of the capitalists and landlords, broke the fetters of oppression, established the dictatorship of the proletariat and created the Soviet state - a state of a new type, the main instrument for defending revolutionary gains building socialism and communism. The world-historical turn of mankind from capitalism to socialism began. Having won the civil war and repulsed the imperialist intervention, the Soviet government carried out the most profound socio-economic transformations, forever put an end to the exploitation of man by man, to class antagonisms and national enmity. The unification of the Soviet republics into the USSR multiplied the forces and possibilities of the peoples of the country in building socialism. Social ownership of the means of production and genuine democracy for the working masses have been established. For the first time in the history of mankind, a socialist society was created. A vivid manifestation of the strength of socialism was the unfading feat of the Soviet people, their Armed Forces, who won a historic victory in the Great Patriotic War. This victory strengthened the prestige and international positions of the USSR and opened up new favorable opportunities for the growth of the forces of socialism, national liberation, democracy and world peace. Continuing their creative activity, the workers Soviet Union ensured the rapid and all-round development of the country and the improvement of the socialist system. The alliance of the working class, the collective-farm peasantry and the people's intelligentsia, and the friendship of the nations and peoples of the USSR, have become stronger.

Through the hell of the Russian revolution. Memoirs of a midshipman. 1914–1919

Nikolai Reden: Through the Hell of the Russian Revolution. Memoirs of a midshipman. 1914-1919

The most interesting memories of a man of a very extraordinary fate. One simple enumeration of the main events of Nikolai Reden's youth and youth is impressive: the beginning of the Great War and the "escape" from the gymnasium to the front, February Revolution, Petrograd 17th year, Bolshevik coup, participation in a secret officer organization, arrest and flight, illegal passage to Finland, arrival in Estonia and participation in battles as part of the North-Western Army. Nikolai Reden remains with the army until the tragic end of the campaign against Petrograd, then the army's internment in Estonia, sailing to Denmark on the Whaler, meeting with the Empress Dowager, and finally emigrating to the United States. There, for Nikolai, a new, American stage of his life begins. Nikolai Reden had to go through incredible trials, to see the life of the bearish corners of Russia, to get to know the prison and appreciate all the charm of the will. When the revolution broke out, the young midshipman found himself in a hostile environment in his country. He crossed the border with Finland, fought in the White Army in Estonia. After defeating the whites with a group of young naval officers on a stolen ship, he made the transition to Copenhagen. More than once the young man had to be on the verge of life and death. Fate kept Reden, he managed, having passed many trials, to find a new homeland and not forget about his belonging to the people of the country with a tragic but great history.

Giant aircraft carriers and submarines, roaring forties and ocean storms, but there is another fleet no less important - river. These small ships appeared in the First World War in the English and Italian navies and were designed to patrol near bases and fight enemy torpedo boats. In the second world war artillery boats assisted landings and covered coastal communications, ensured the actions of torpedo boats against enemy convoys.

The development of this class of warships went in two directions. High-speed small-tonnage ships, armed with rapid-fire submachine guns of 20 to 40 mm caliber and machine guns, in most cases were created on the basis of torpedo boats and differed from them in the replacement of torpedo tubes with additional small arms. "Small" as the sailors affectionately called them, had armored hulls and rather large-caliber artillery from 76 to 100 mm in the towers.

artillery boats (armored boats) photos and illustrations

Soviet armored boats near the city of Yalta

foreign analogue of the T-811 armored boat (USA)

armored boats, despite their small size, fought important and fierce battles as part of the Baltic Fleet, the Volga, Azov, Dnieper and Danube flotillas.

Artillery boats The Danube flotilla provided the offensive and even operated behind enemy lines. It was not by chance that these small ships were also called " amphibious tanks". In the summer of 1944, a plan for the Yasso-Kishinev offensive operation was developed at the main headquarters of the high command, in which the Danube Flotilla was assigned a special role. Under enemy fire, the armored boats were supposed to withdraw many soldiers, thousands of tons of cargo, ensure the landing of troops and storm the fortified areas. armored boats entered service Soviet army even in the pre-war years and turned out to be an exceptionally successful weapon for the war on the rivers. Low-sided, flat-bottomed boats had excellent maneuverability and fairly high speed, while they were not poorly protected and armed. The main caliber of the armored boats was a tank gun in the turret from the legendary T-34 tank.

The main task artillery boats it was to land troops, as a rule, this happened at night. Under the cover of darkness with engines switched to exhaust underwater small battleships"passed unnoticed past the enemy patrols and appeared in the most unexpected place for the enemy. To ensure the surprise of the attack, it was necessary to approach the shore as close as possible, and it was very important not to get lost, you would go a little off course and the operation failed. The ability of flat-bottomed boats to jump ashore was used very often. The paratroopers could not jump into the water, but immediately to the ground, there were no splashes, and the operation itself took a matter of minutes, then artillery boats departed. Some for reinforcements and ammunition, others to engage in artillery and machine-gun duels with the German coastal fortifications. Thereby armored boats diverted attention to themselves and gave the landing force time to gain a foothold on the enemy shore. During the fighting, almost all artillery boats were injured, often severely. Armor-piercing shells pierced through the sides. In the war, as in the war, each raid of armored boats was deadly, no one knew if he would return from a combat mission.

Your last combat operation artillery boats The Danube Flotilla was carried out in April 1945. Fierce battles on the outskirts of Vienna had already been going on for several days in order to cross to the main right-bank part of the city, the troops had to go through the only surviving bridge across the Danube. The Germans mined it, but so far they have not blown it up, since they themselves needed the bridge. strike force armored boats at full speed broke into the center of Vienna in broad daylight. The Germans were simply taken aback by such impudence and their batteries were silent for several minutes, but then they opened heavy fire anyway. But the armored boats fulfilled their task - the landing force was landed, and the bridge was taken.

A torpedo boat is a small warship designed to destroy enemy warships and transport ships with torpedoes. Widely used during World War II. By the beginning of the war, torpedo boats were poorly represented in the main fleets of the Western maritime powers, but with the outbreak of war, the construction of boats increased dramatically. To the beginning of the Great Patriotic War The USSR had 269 torpedo boats. Over 30 torpedo boats were built during the war, and 166 received from the Allies.

The project of the first gliding Soviet torpedo boat was developed in 1927 by the team of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) under the leadership of A.N. Tupolev, later an outstanding aircraft designer. The first experimental boat "ANT-3" ("Firstborn"), built in Moscow, was tested in Sevastopol. The boat had a displacement of 8.91 tons, the power of two gasoline engines was 1200 liters. s., speed 54 knots. Overall length: 17.33 m, width 3.33 m, draft 0.9 m, Armament: 450 mm torpedo, 2 machine guns, 2 mines.

Comparing the "Pervenets" with one of the captured SMVs, we found out that the English boat was inferior to ours both in speed and in maneuverability. On July 16, 1927, an experienced boat was enlisted in the naval forces on the Black Sea. “Taking into account that this glider is an experimental design,” it was indicated in the acceptance certificate, “the commission believes that TsAGI has completed its task in full and the glider, regardless of some shortcomings of a naval nature, is to be accepted into the Naval Forces of the Red Army ... " Work on the improvement of torpedo boats at TsAGI continued, and in September 1928 the serial boat "ANT-4" ("Tupolev") was launched. Until 1932, our fleet received dozens of such boats, called "Sh-4". The first formations of torpedo boats soon appeared in the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Far East.

But "Sh-4" was still far from ideal. And in 1928, the fleet ordered another torpedo boat from TsAGI, named "G-5" at the institute. It was a new ship for those times - in its stern there were troughs for powerful 533-mm torpedoes, and on sea trials it developed an unprecedented speed - 58 knots with full ammunition and 65.3 knots without load. Navy sailors considered it the best of the existing torpedo boats, both in terms of armament and technical properties.

Torpedo boat type "G-5"

The lead boat of the new type "GANT-5" or "G5" (planing No. 5) was tested in December 1933. This boat with a metal hull was the best in the world, both in terms of armament and technical properties. It was recommended for mass production and by the beginning of World War II it became the main type of torpedo boats of the Soviet Navy. The serial "G-5", manufactured in 1935, had a displacement of 14.5 tons, the power of two gasoline engines was 1700 liters. s., speed 50 knots. Overall length 19.1 m, width 3.4 m, draft 1.2 m. Armament: two 533 mm torpedoes, 2 machine guns, 4 mines. Produced for 10 years until 1944 in various modifications. In total, more than 200 units were built.

"G-5" was baptized by fire in Spain and in the Great Patriotic War. On all seas, they not only launched dashing torpedo attacks, but also laid minefields, hunted for enemy submarines, landed troops, guarded ships and convoys, trawled fairways, bombarding German bottom non-contact mines with depth charges. Particularly difficult, and sometimes unusual tasks were performed during the years of the Great Patriotic War by the Black Sea boatmen. They had to escort... trains running along the Caucasian coast. They fired torpedoes at ... the coastal fortifications of Novorossiysk. And, finally, they fired rockets at fascist ships and ... airfields.

However, the low seaworthiness of boats, especially of the Sh-4 type, was no secret to anyone. At the slightest disturbance, they were flooded with water, which was easily splashed into a very low, open wheelhouse from above. The release of torpedoes was guaranteed with a wave of no more than 1 point, but boats could simply be in the sea with a wave of no more than 3 points. Due to the low seaworthiness of the Sh-4 and G-5, only in very rare cases did they provide the design range, which depended not so much on the fuel supply as on the weather.

This and a number of other shortcomings were largely due to the "aviation" origin of the boats. The designer based the project on a seaplane float. Instead of an upper deck, Sh-4 and G-5 had a steeply curved convex surface. Providing the strength of the hull, it at the same time created a lot of inconvenience in maintenance. It was difficult to stay on it even when the boat was motionless. If it went at full speed, absolutely everything that fell on it was dumped.

This turned out to be a very big disadvantage during the hostilities: the paratroopers had to be put into the chutes of torpedo tubes - there was nowhere else to place them. Due to the lack of a flat deck, the Sh-4 and G-5, despite their relatively large buoyancy reserves, were practically unable to carry a serious load. On the eve of the Great Patriotic War, torpedo boats "D-3" and "SM-3" were developed - torpedo boats long range. "D-3" had a wooden hull; according to his project, the SM-3 torpedo boat with a steel hull was produced.

Torpedo boat "D-3"

Boats of the "D-3" type were produced in the USSR at two factories: in Leningrad and Sosnovka Kirov region. By the beginning of the war, the Northern Fleet had only two boats of this type. In August 1941, five more boats were received from the plant in Leningrad. All of them were consolidated into a separate detachment, which operated until 1943, until other D-3s began to enter the fleet, as well as allied boats under Lend-Lease. The D-3 boats favorably differed from their predecessors, the G-5 torpedo boats, although they successfully complemented each other in terms of combat capabilities.

"D-3" had improved seaworthiness and could operate at a greater distance from the base than the boats of the "G-5" project. torpedo boats of this type had a total displacement of 32.1 tons, a maximum length of 21.6 m (length between perpendiculars - 21.0 m), a maximum width along the deck of 3.9 and along the cheekbone - 3.7 m. The structural draft was 0.8 m The case "D-3" was made of wood. The speed of the course depended on the power of the engines used. GAM-34, 750 l. With. allowed the boats to develop a course of up to 32 knots, GAM-34VS of 850 hp each. With. or GAM-34F, 1050 liters each. With. - up to 37 knots, "Packards" with a capacity of 1200 liters. With. - 48 knots. The cruising range at full speed reached 320-350 miles, eight-knot speed - 550 miles.

For the first time, on-board tow torpedo tubes were installed on experimental boats and serial "D-3". Their advantage was that they made it possible to produce a volley from a "stop", while boats of the "G-5" type had to develop a speed of at least 18 knots - otherwise they did not have time to turn away from the fired torpedo.

The torpedoes were fired from the bridge of the boat by igniting a galvanic ignition cartridge. The volley was duplicated by a torpedo operator using two igniters installed in the torpedo tube. "D-3" were armed with two 533-mm torpedoes of the 1939 model; the mass of each was 1800 kg (TNT charge - 320 kg), cruising range at a speed of 51 knots - 21 cables (about 4 thousand m). small arms"D-3" consisted of two machine guns DShK caliber 12.7 mm. True, during the war years, boats were equipped with a 20-mm Oerlikon automatic cannon, a coaxial 12.7-mm Colt Browning machine gun, and some other types of machine guns. The hull of the boat had a thickness of 40 mm. At the same time, the bottom was three-layer, and the board and deck were two-layer. On the outer layer was larch, and on the inner - pine. The sheathing was fastened with copper nails at the rate of five pieces per square decimeter.

Hull "D-3" was divided into five watertight compartments by four bulkheads. In the first compartment 10-3 sp. there was a forepeak, in the second (3-7 sp.) - a four-seat cockpit. The galley and the baffle for the boiler are between the 7th and 9th frames, the radio cabin is between the 9th and 11th. On boats of the "D-3" type, improved navigation equipment was installed compared to what was on the "G-5". The deck "D-3" made it possible to take on board the landing group, besides, it was possible to move along it during the campaign, which was impossible on the "G-5". The habitability conditions of the crew, consisting of 8-10 people, made it possible for the boat to operate for a long time away from the main base. Heating of the vital compartments of the "D-3" was also provided.

Torpedo boat "Komsomolets"

"D-3" and "SM-3" were not the only torpedo boats developed in our country on the eve of the war. In the same years, a group of designers designed a small torpedo boat of the "Komsomolets" type, which, almost no different from the "G-5" in terms of displacement, had more advanced tube torpedo tubes and carried more powerful anti-aircraft and anti-submarine weapons. These boats were built on voluntary contributions from the Soviet people, and therefore some of them, in addition to numbers, received the names: "Tyumen Worker", "Tyumen Komsomolets", "Tyumen Pioneer".

A torpedo boat of the "Komsomolets" type, manufactured in 1944, had a duralumin hull. The hull is divided by watertight bulkheads into five compartments (spacing 20-25 cm). A hollow keel beam is laid along the entire length of the hull, performing the function of a keel. To reduce pitching, side keels are installed on the underwater part of the hull. Two aircraft engines are installed in the hull one after the other, while the length of the left propeller shaft was 12.2 m, and the right one was 10 m. Torpedo tubes, unlike boats of previous types, are tubular, not trough. The maximum seaworthiness of the torpedo bomber was 4 points. The total displacement is 23 tons, the total power of two gasoline engines is 2400 liters. s., speed 48 knots. Maximum length 18.7 m, width 3.4 m, average recess 1 m. Reservation: 7 mm bulletproof armor on the wheelhouse. Armament: two tube torpedo tubes, four 12.7 mm machine guns, six large depth charges, smoke equipment. Unlike other boats of domestic construction, the Komsomolets had an armored cabin (from a sheet 7 mm thick). The crew consisted of 7 people.

These torpedo bombers showed their high fighting qualities to the greatest extent in the spring of 1945, when the Red Army units were already completing the defeat of the Nazi troops, advancing towards Berlin with heavy fighting. From the sea, Soviet ground forces covered the ships of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, and the entire burden of hostilities in the waters of the southern Baltic fell on the shoulders of submarine crews, naval aviation and torpedo boats. Trying to somehow delay their inevitable end and keep ports for the evacuation of retreating troops for as long as possible, the Nazis made feverish attempts to sharply increase the number of search-strike and patrol groups of boats. These urgent measures to some extent aggravated the situation in the Baltic, and then four Komsomol members, which became part of the 3rd division of torpedo boats, were deployed to help the active forces of the KBF.

These were last days Great Patriotic War, the last victorious attacks of torpedo boats. The war will end, and as a symbol of courage - for posterity as an example, for edification to enemies - the "Komsomol members" fanned with military glory will forever freeze on pedestals.

Series naval armored boats type "MBK" (project 161) consisted of 20 units ("BK-501" - "BK-520"), built at plant No. 194 and put into operation in 1943-1944. During the war, 3 boats died, the rest were decommissioned in 1953-1958. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 151 tons; full displacement - 158 tons; length - 36.2 m; width - 5.5 m; draft - 1.3 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 2.4 thousand hp; maximum speed - 13 knots; cruising range - 450 miles; fuel reserve - 9 tons of gasoline; crew - 17 people. Booking: board - 25-50 mm; deck - 15-30 mm; felling - 8 mm; towers - 45 mm. Armament: 2x1 - 76-mm guns; 2x1 - 45 mm guns; 1x1 - 37 mm anti-aircraft gun; 2x1 - 12.7 mm machine gun.

Armored boats "Spear" and "Pika" were built at the Putilov plant in 1908-1910. The boats were decommissioned in 1954. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 23.5 tons, total displacement - 25 tons; length - 22.5 m; width -3.1 m; draft - 0.7 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 200 hp; maximum speed - 10 knots; cruising range - 300 miles; crew - 12 people. Booking: wheelhouse, side and deck - 8 mm. Armament: 1x1 - 76 mm gun; 2x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

From a series of D-type boats built in the USA in 1916-1917. by the beginning of the war, 4 units remained in service. The boats were lost in 1941. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 6.5 tons; length - 9.2 m; width -2.4 m; draft - 0.7 m; power plant - gasoline engine, power - 100 hp; maximum speed - 11 knots; cruising range - 500 miles; fuel reserve - 700 kg; crew - 7 people. Booking: board - 5 mm, wheelhouse - 6 mm. Armament: 1x1 - 12.7 mm and 2x1 - 7.62 mm machine guns.

The boats "Alarm" and "Partizan" were built at the Kolomna plant and put into operation in 1932. In 1941, the boats were modernized. Decommissioned in the 50s. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 45 tons, total displacement - 55.6 tons; length - 32 m; width - 3.4 m; draft - 0.9 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 1.6 thousand hp; maximum speed - 22 knots; fuel reserve - 3.3 tons of gasoline; cruising range - 600 miles; crew - 13 people. Booking: board and wheelhouse - 5 mm. Armament: 1x1 - 76 mm gun; 2x1 - 7.62 mm machine guns.

A series of large armored boats of the "Project 1124" type consisted of 97 units and was commissioned in 1936-1945. The boats were built at factories No. 264, No. 340 and No. 363. During the war, 12 boats were lost. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 37 - 44 tons, full - 41 - 52 tons; length - 25.3 m; width - 4 m; draft - 0.8 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 1.5 thousand hp; maximum speed - 21 knots; fuel reserve - 4.2 tons of gasoline; cruising range - 280 miles; crew - 17 people. Reservations: board - 7 mm, deck - 4 mm, wheelhouse - 8 mm, towers - 30 - 45 mm. Armament: 2x1 - 76 mm gun; 1x2 - 12.7 mm and 2x1 - 7.62 mm machine guns.

A series of small armored boats of the "project 1125" type consisted of 151 units and was commissioned in 1936-1945. The boats were built at the plant number 340. During the war, 39 boats were lost, the rest were decommissioned in the 50s. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 37 - 44 tons, full - 41 - 52 tons; length - 25.3 m; width - 4 m; draft - 0.8 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 1.5 thousand hp; maximum speed - 21 knots; fuel reserve - 4.2 tons of gasoline; cruising range - 280 miles; crew - 17 people. Reservations: board - 7 mm, deck - 4 mm, wheelhouse - 8 mm, towers - 30 - 45 mm. Armament: 2x1 - 76 mm guns; 1x2 - 12.7 mm and 2x1 - 7.62 mm machine guns.

Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 26 tons, total displacement - 30 tons; length - 22.7 m; width - 3.5 m; draft - 0.6 m; power plant - gasoline engine, power - 750 - 1,200 hp; maximum speed - 20 knots; fuel reserve - 1.3 tons of gasoline; cruising range - 250 miles; crew - 13 people. Reservation: board - 4 mm, deck - 7 mm, tower - 45 mm. Armament: 1x1 - 76 mm gun; 2x2 - 12.7 mm and 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun; 4 mines.

A series of small armored boats of the S-40 project consisted of 7 units (BKA-21, BKA-23, BKA-26, BKA-31, BKA-33, BKA-34, "BKA-81") and was built at the Zelenodolsk shipbuilding plant named after Gorky No. 340. The boats were intended for the troops of the NKVD to protect the state border on the Amu Darya. They entered service in 1942. The boat was developed on the basis of the boat of the 1125U project. During the war, 3 boats were lost, the rest were decommissioned in the 50s. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 32 tons, total displacement - 36.5 tons; length - 24.7 m; width - 3.9 m; draft - 0.6 m; power plant - 2 diesel tank engines, power - 800 hp; maximum speed - 19 knots; fuel supply - 2.3 tons of solarium; cruising range - 280 miles; crew - 13 people. Reservation: board - 4 mm, deck - 7 mm, tower - 45 mm. Armament: 1x1 - 76 mm gun; 3x1 - 7.62 mm machine guns.

A series of marine armored boats of the MKL type (project No. 186), built before the end of the war, amounted to 8 units. The boats were built at the Leningrad Plant No. 194 and commissioned in 1945. The performance characteristics of the boats: standard displacement - 156 tons, total displacement - 165.5 tons; length - 36.2 m; width - 5.2 m; draft - 1.5 m; power plant - 2 diesel engines, power - 1 thousand hp; maximum speed - 14 knots; cruising range - 600 miles; crew - 42 people. Reservations: board - 30 mm, deck - 8 - 20 mm, tower - 45 mm. Armament: 2x1 - 85 mm guns; 1x1 - 37 mm anti-aircraft gun; 2x2 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 82mm mortar.

From a series of boats of the Sh-4 type, built at factory No. 194 in 1929-1932. by the beginning of the war, 26 units remained in service. During the war, 7 boats were lost, the rest were decommissioned in 1946. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 10 tons; length - 16.8 m; width - 3.3 m; draft - 0.8 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 1.2 thousand hp; maximum speed - 45 knots; fuel supply - 1 ton of gasoline; cruising range - 300 miles; crew - 5 people. Armament: 1x1 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 450-mm torpedo tubes; 2 mines.

A series of boats of the "G-5" type (project 213) consisted of 329 units and was a modernized version of the "Sh-4" type. The boats were built at factories No. 194, No. 532 and No. 639 in 1934 - 1944. nine series and differed in skin thickness, engines, speed and armament. During the war, 84 boats were lost, and 10 were decommissioned. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 15 tons, total displacement - 18 tons; length - 9 m; width - 3.3 m; draft - 1.2 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 1.7 - 2.3 thousand hp; maximum speed - 50 - 55 knots; cruising range - 200 miles; crew - 6 people. Armament: 1x2 - 7.62 mm or 1-2x1 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 533-mm torpedo tubes or 1x4 - 82-mm rocket launcher; 2-8 min.

A series of boats of the project "123-bis" (Komsomolets) was built on the basis of the boat of the project "123", developed and built by the Leningrad Plant No. 194 and put into operation in 1940 under the designation "TK-351". It differed from serial boats by towing torpedo tubes, lack of armor, lighter weight and higher speed. The series consisted of 30 boats built in 1944-1945 ("TK-7", "TK-100", "TK-110" - "TK-112", "TK-120", "TK-122", " TK-123", "TK-130", "TK-131" - "TK-134", "TK-140", "TK-142", "TK-143", "TK-146", "TK- 148", "TK-472" - "TK-481", "TK-607", "TK-608"). All of them were built at the Tyumen plant No. 639. The boats had duralumin hulls with 5 watertight compartments, tube torpedo tubes and 7 mm armor for the cabin and machine gun mounts. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 19.5 tons; full - 20.5 tons; length - 18.7 m; width - 3.4 m; draft - 1.2 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 2.4 thousand hp; maximum speed - 48 knots; cruising range - 240 miles; crew - 7 people. Armament: 2x1 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 457-mm torpedo tubes; release gear; 6 depth charges.

Large torpedo boats of the D-3 type (project 19) were produced in two series. The first was built at the Leningrad Plant No. 5 in 1940-1942. (26 units built). The second - was built at the plant number 640 in 1943-1945. (47 units). During the war years, 25 boats were lost, and 2 were decommissioned. The boats had a wooden two-layer hull and drag torpedo tubes. The series differed from each other in weight, engines and weapons. Performance characteristics of boats of the 1st series: standard displacement - 30.8 tons, total displacement - 32.1 tons; length - 21 m; width - 3.9 m; draft - 0.8 m; power plant - 3 gasoline engines, power - 2.3 thousand hp; maximum speed - 32 knots; cruising range - 320 miles; crew - 9 people. Armament: 2x1 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 533-mm torpedo tubes; release gear; 8 depth charges. Performance characteristics of boats of the 2nd series: standard displacement - 32 tons, total displacement - 37 tons; length - 21 m; width - 3.9 m; draft - 0.9 m; power plant - 3 gasoline engines, power - 3.6 thousand hp; maximum speed - 45 knots; cruising range - 500 miles; crew - 11 people. Armament: 1x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft gun; 2x2 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 533-mm torpedo tubes or 2x4 - 82-mm rocket launcher; release gear; 8 depth charges.

The boat was built at the Leningrad Plant No. 194 and commissioned in 1941. It was a variant of the D-3 type boat with a steel hull. The boat was decommissioned in 1950. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 21 tons, total displacement - 34 tons; length - 20.8 m; width - 3.9 m; draft - 1.5 m; power plant - 3 gasoline engines, power - 3.6 thousand hp; maximum speed - 30 knots; cruising range - 380 miles; crew - 8 people. Armament: 2x2 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 533 mm torpedo tubes.

A series of boats of the Yunga type was developed on the basis of the hunter of the OD-200 type, consisted of 5 units (TK-450 - TK-454) and was built at factory No. 341 in 1944-1945. The boats were decommissioned in the late 50s. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 47 tons; length - 23.4 m; width - 4.4 m; draft - 1.7 m; power plant - 3 gasoline engines, power - 3.6 thousand hp; maximum speed - 31 knots; cruising range - 490 miles; crew - 11 people. Armament: 3x2 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 2x1 - 533 mm torpedo tubes.

A series of boats of the "ZK" type consisted of 15 units ("K-193" - "K-196", "K-206" - "K-208", "K-220", "K-325" - "K- 331"), built in the Leningrad workshop of the Marine Guard of the OGPU (factory No. 5) and commissioned in 1941. During the war, 5 boats died. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 19 tons; length - 19.8 m; width - 3.3 m; draft - 1.2 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 600 hp; maximum speed - 16 knots; cruising range - 350 miles; crew - 12 people. Armament: 1x1 - 45 mm gun or 1x1 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

A series of boats with a wooden hull of the KM-2 type was built as border, crew and service boats. In 1935-1942. 91 boats were built at the Shipbuilding Yard of the Morpogranokhrana. During the war, 67 units were converted into patrol boats, and 24 into minesweepers. During the war, 27 boats were lost. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 7 tons; length - 13.8 m; width - 3.1 m; draft - 0.8 m; power plant - gasoline engine, power - 63 hp; maximum speed - 9 knots; crew - 10 people. Armament: 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

A series of boats of the KM-4 type was an upgraded version of the KM-2 and was equipped with two engines. In 1938-1944. 222 boats were built for the Navy. During the war, 45 boats were converted into patrol boats, and 165 into minesweepers. During the war, 13 boats were lost. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 12 tons; length - 19.3 m; width - 3.4 m; draft - 0.8 m; power plant - 2 gasoline engines, power - 126 hp; maximum speed - 10 knots; cruising range - 220 miles; crew - 10 people. Armament: 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

A series of boats with a steel hull type "A" was built at the plant number 341 in 1940-1943. in two versions - mortar boats and minesweepers. The series consisted of 22 boats. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 8 tons; length - 15.6 m; width - 3 m; draft - 0.6 m; power plant - gasoline engine, power - 63 hp; maximum speed - 8 knots; crew - 6 people. Armament: 1x24 - 82-mm rocket launcher; 1x1 - 12.7 mm and 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine guns.

Boats with a steel hull of the Rybinets type were built at factory No. 341 in 1930-1932. as work and crew boats. During the war years, 37 boats were converted into patrol boats, and 44 into minesweepers. During the war, 27 boats were lost. Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 26 tons, total displacement - 30.1 tons; length - 20.8 m; width - 3.3 m; draft - 1.1 m; power plant - diesel engine, power - 136 hp; maximum speed - 9.3 knots; cruising range - 800 miles; crew - 12 people. Armament: 1-2x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

A series of boats of the "MKM" type consisted of 6 units ("K-192", "K-210", "K-234", "K-273", "K-274", "K-335") built in 1939 -1940s The boat "K-234" was lost in 1943. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 18.3 tons; length - 16.2 m; width - 3.6 m; draft - 1.2 m; power plant - gasoline engine, power - 850 hp; maximum speed - 21 knots; cruising range - 370 miles; crew - 10 people. Armament: 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

Boats with a steel hull of the "Yaroslavets" type were built at the plant number 345 in 1942-1945. in two versions: mortar boats (35 units) and minesweepers (33 units). Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 23.4 tons; length - 18.7 m; width - 3.6 m; draft - 1 m; power plant - diesel or gasoline engine, power - 65 - 93 hp; maximum speed - 10 knots; crew - 10 people. Armament: 1x24 - 82-mm rocket launcher; 2x1 - 12.7 mm or 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

Boats with a wooden hull of the "Yaroslavets" type were built at the plant number 345 in 1942-1945. in two versions: mortar boats (8 units) and minesweepers (8 units). Performance characteristics of the boat: standard displacement - 19 tons, total displacement - 22.6 tons; length - 19.8 m; width - 3.4 m; draft - 1 m; power plant - diesel or gasoline engine, power - 93 - 100 hp; maximum speed - 10 knots; crew - 10 people. Armament: 1x24 - 82-mm rocket launcher; 2x1 - 12.7 mm or 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

19 crew and service boats built at the factory number 5 in the late 30s in 1942-1944. was rebuilt into minesweepers under the type designation "D-2" and "D-4". Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 20.3 tons; length - 16.9 m; width - 3.6 m; draft - 1 m; power plant - diesel engine, power - 75 hp; maximum speed - 7.5 knots; cruising range - 1.8 thousand miles; crew - 11 people. Armament: 1x1 - 12.7 mm and 1x1 - 7.62 mm machine guns.

A series of boats of the BKM-2 type consisted of 5 units and was built on the basis of tug boats in 1943-1944 at plant No. 341. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 58 tons; length - 23 m; width - 3.5 m; draft - 1.2 m; power plant - 2 diesel engines, power - 500 hp; maximum speed - 12 knots; crew - 16 people. Armament: 1x16 - 132-mm rocket launcher or 1x1 - 37-mm anti-aircraft gun; 1x2 - 12.7 mm machine gun.

A series of patrol boats of the "PK" type consisted of 7 units ("K-105", "K-108", "K-164", "K-165", "K-197", "K-239", "K -240") built in 1927-1928. Performance characteristics of the boat: full displacement - 16 - 29 tons; length - 17 - 22.6 m; width -3.4 - 3.8 m; draft - 0.8 - 1.5 m; power plant - diesel engine, power - 300 - 720 hp; maximum speed - 12 - 13 knots; cruising range -200 - 470 miles; crew - 7 - 13 people. Armament: 1x1 - 45 mm gun; 1 - 2x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.

Few people know that the Soviet torpedo boats of World War II were giant seaplane floats.

On August 18, 1919, at 03:45, unidentified aircraft appeared over Kronstadt. The air raid alert was sounded on the ships. Actually, there was nothing new for our sailors - British and Finnish aircraft were based 20-40 km from Kronstadt on Karelian Isthmus and for most of the summer of 1919 they carried out raids on ships and the city, although without much success.

But at 04:20, two speedboats were spotted from the destroyer Gavriil, and almost immediately there was an explosion at the harbor wall. This is a torpedo from a British boat, which passed by the Gabriel, exploded, hitting the pier.

In response, the sailors from the destroyer smashed the nearest boat to smithereens with the first shot from a 100-mm gun. In the meantime, two more boats, having entered the Middle Harbor, headed: one - to the training ship "Memory of Azov", the other - to the Rogatka Ust-Kanal (entrance to the dock of Peter I). With torpedoes fired, the first boat blew up the "Memory of Azov", the second one blew up the battleship "Andrew the First-Called". At the same time, the boats were machine-gunned at the ships near the harbor wall. When leaving the harbor, both boats were sunk by fire from the destroyer Gabriel at 04:25. Thus ended the raid of British torpedo boats, which entered the Civil War under the name of the Kronstadt wake-up call.

floating torpedo tube

Note that this was not the first use of British torpedo boats in the Gulf of Finland. On June 17, 1919, the cruiser Oleg was anchored at the Tolbukhin lighthouse guarded by two destroyers and two patrol vessels. The boat approached almost point-blank to the cruiser and fired a torpedo. The cruiser sank. It is easy to understand how the service was carried out by the Red Naval Marines, if neither on the cruiser, nor on the ships guarding it, no one noticed a suitable boat during the day and with excellent visibility. After the explosion, indiscriminate fire was opened on the "English submarine", which the military men dreamed of.

Where did the British get the boats, moving at an incredible speed for that time of 37 knots (68.5 km / h)? English engineers managed to combine two inventions in the boat: a special ledge in the bottom - a redan and a powerful gasoline engine of 250 hp. Thanks to the redan, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bcontact of the bottom with water, and hence the resistance to the course of the ship, decreased. The extended boat no longer sailed - it seemed to crawl out of the water and glided along it at great speed, leaning on the water surface only with a stepped ledge and a flat aft end.

Thus, in 1915, the British designed a small high-speed torpedo boat, which was sometimes called a "floating torpedo tube".

Shooting back

From the very beginning, the British command considered torpedo boats exclusively as sabotage boats. British admirals intended to use light cruisers as carriers of torpedo boats. The torpedo boats themselves were supposed to be used to attack enemy ships in their bases. Accordingly, the boats were very small: 12.2 m long and 4.25 tons displacement.

Putting a normal (tubular) torpedo tube on such a boat was unrealistic. Therefore, planing boats fired torpedoes ... backwards. Moreover, the torpedo was thrown out of the stern chute not with its nose, but with its tail. At the moment of ejection, the torpedo engine was turned on, and it began to catch up with the boat. The boat, which at the time of the volley had to go at a speed of about 20 knots (37 km / h), but not less than 17 knots (31.5 km / h), turned sharply to the side, and the torpedo retained its original direction, while simultaneously taking on a given depth and increasing the stroke to full. Needless to say, the accuracy of firing a torpedo from such an apparatus is significantly lower than from a tubular one.

Revolutionary boats

On September 17, 1919, the Revolutionary Military Council of the Baltic Fleet, on the basis of an inspection certificate of an English torpedo boat raised from the bottom in Kronstadt, turned to the Revolutionary Military Council with a request to issue an order for the urgent construction of English-type speedboats at our factories.

The issue was considered very quickly, and already on September 25, 1919, the GUK reported to the Revolutionary Military Council that "due to the lack of special-type mechanisms that have not yet been manufactured in Russia, the construction of a series of such boats is certainly not feasible at present." That was the end of the matter.

But in 1922 Bekauri's Ostekhbyuro also became interested in planing boats. At his insistence, on February 7, 1923, the Main Naval Technical and Economic Directorate of the People's Commissariat for Maritime Affairs sent a letter to TsAGI "in connection with the emerging need for the fleet in gliders, the tactical tasks of which are: coverage area 150 km, speed 100 km / h, armament one machine gun and two 45 cm Whitehead mines, length 5553 mm, weight 802 kg.

By the way, V.I. Bekauri, not really relying on TsAGI and Tupolev, secured himself and in 1924 ordered a planing torpedo boat from the French company Pikker. However, for a number of reasons, the construction of torpedo boats abroad did not take place.

Planing float

But Tupolev zealously set to work. The small radius of the new torpedo boat and its poor seaworthiness did not bother anyone at that time. It was assumed that the new gliders will be placed on the cruisers. On the "Profintern" and "Chervona Ukraine" it was supposed to make additional dumping davits for this.

The planing boat ANT-3 was based on a seaplane float. The top of this float, which actively affects the strength of the structure, was transferred to Tupolev's boats. Instead of an upper deck, they had a steeply curved convex surface, which is difficult for a person to hold on to even when the boat is stationary. When the boat was on the move, it was deadly dangerous to leave its conning tower - the wet, slippery surface threw off absolutely everything that fell on it (unfortunately, with the exception of ice, in winter conditions the boats froze over in the surface). When, during the war, troops had to be transported on torpedo boats of the G-5 type, people were put in single file in the chutes of torpedo tubes, they had nowhere else to be. With relatively large reserves of buoyancy, these boats could carry practically nothing, since there was no room for cargo in them.

The design of the torpedo tube borrowed from English torpedo boats was also unsuccessful. The minimum boat speed at which he could launch his torpedoes was 17 knots. At a slower speed and at a stop, the boat could not fire a torpedo salvo, as this would mean suicide for it - an imminent torpedo hit.

On March 6, 1927, the ANT-3 boat, later called the Firstborn, was sent to railway from Moscow to Sevastopol, where he was safely launched. From April 30 to July 16 of the same year, ANT-3 was tested.

On the basis of the ANT-3, the ANT-4 boat was created, which developed a speed of 47.3 knots (87.6 km / h) in tests. According to the ANT-4 type, it was launched mass production torpedo boats, called Sh-4. They were built in Leningrad at the plant. Marty (former Admiralty Shipyard). The cost of the boat was 200 thousand rubles. The Sh-4 boats were equipped with two Wright-Typhoon gasoline engines supplied from the USA. The armament of the boat consisted of two groove-type torpedo tubes for 450-mm torpedoes of the 1912 model, one 7.62-mm machine gun and smoke-producing equipment. Total at the plant. Marty in Leningrad, 84 Sh-4 boats were built.

The fastest in the world

In the meantime, on June 13, 1929, Tupolev at TsAGI began the construction of a new planing duralumin boat ANT-5, armed with two 533-mm torpedoes. From April to November 1933, the boat passed factory tests in Sevastopol, and from November 22 to December - state tests. The tests of the ANT-5 literally delighted the authorities - the boat with torpedoes developed a speed of 58 knots (107.3 km / h), and without torpedoes - 65.3 knots (120.3 km / h). Boats of other countries could not even dream of such speeds.

Plant them. Marty, starting from the V series (the first four series are the Sh-4 boats), switched to the production of the G-5 (that was the name of the ANT-5 serial boats). Later, G-5 began to be built at plant No. 532 in Kerch, and with the outbreak of war, plant No. 532 was evacuated to Tyumen, and there, at plant No. 639, they also began building boats of the G-5 type. A total of 321 serial boats G-5 of nine series were built (from VI to XII, including XI-bis).

Torpedo armament for all series was the same: two 533-mm torpedoes in groove tubes. But the machine gun armament was constantly changing. So, the boats of the VI-IX series had two 7.62-mm DA machine guns each. The next series had two 7.62-mm ShKAS aircraft machine guns, which were distinguished by a higher rate of fire. Since 1941, boats have been equipped with one or two 12.7 mm DShK machine guns.

Torpedo leader

Tupolev and Nekrasov (immediate leader of the experimental design team for gliders) # did not calm down on the G-5 and in 1933 proposed the project of the “leader of the G-6 torpedo boats”. According to the project, the displacement of the boat was to be 70 tons. Eight GAM-34 engines of 830 hp each. were supposed to provide a speed of up to 42 knots (77.7 km / h). The boat could fire a salvo of six 533-mm torpedoes, three of which were launched from aft groove-type torpedo tubes, and three more from a rotary three-tube torpedo tube located on the deck of the boat. Artillery armament consisted of a 45 mm 21K semi-automatic cannon, a 20 mm "aviation type" cannon, and several 7.62 mm machine guns. It should be noted that by the beginning of the construction of the boat (1934), both rotary torpedo tubes and 20-mm cannons of the "aviation type" existed only in the imagination of the designers.

suicide bombers

Tupolev boats could operate with torpedoes in waves up to 2 points, and stay at sea - up to 3 points. Poor seaworthiness manifested itself primarily in the flooding of the bridge of the boat even with the slightest wave and, in particular, in the strong splashing of a very low pilothouse open from above, which made it difficult for the boat crew to work. The autonomy of the Tupolev boats was also a derivative of seaworthiness - their design range could never be guaranteed, since it depended not so much on the fuel supply as on the weather. Stormy conditions in the sea are relatively rare, but a fresh wind, accompanied by waves of 3-4 points, is a normal phenomenon. Therefore, each exit of the Tupolev torpedo boats into the sea bordered on deadly risk out of any connection with the combat activities of the boats.

A rhetorical question: why then were hundreds of gliding torpedo boats built in the USSR? It's all about the Soviet admirals, for whom the British Grand Fleet was a constant headache. They seriously thought that the British Admiralty would operate in the 1920s and 1930s in the same way as in Sevastopol in 1854 or in Alexandria in 1882. That is, British battleships in calm and clear weather will approach Kronstadt or Sevastopol, and Japanese battleships will approach Vladivostok, anchor and start a battle according to the “Gost regulations”.

And then dozens of the world's fastest torpedo boats of the Sh-4 and G-5 types will fly into the enemy armada. At the same time, some of them will be radio-controlled. The equipment for such boats was created at Ostekhbyuro under the leadership of Bekauri.

In October 1937, a large exercise was conducted using radio-controlled boats. When a formation representing an enemy squadron appeared in the western part of the Gulf of Finland, more than 50 radio-controlled boats, breaking through smoke screens, rushed from three sides to enemy ships and attacked them with torpedoes. After the exercise, the division of radio-controlled boats was highly appreciated by the command.

We'll go our own way

Meanwhile, the USSR was the only leading maritime power that built redan-type torpedo boats. England, Germany, the USA and other countries moved on to the construction of seaworthy keel torpedo boats. Such boats were inferior to redans in speed in calm weather, but significantly surpassed them in seas of 3–4 points. Keel boats carried more powerful artillery and torpedo weapons.

The superiority of keel boats over redans became apparent during the war of 1921-1933 off the east coast of the United States, which was waged by the Yankee government with ... Mr. Bacchus. Bacchus, of course, won, and the government was forced to shamefully repeal the Prohibition. A significant role in the outcome of the war was played by the high-speed boats of the Elko company, which delivered whiskey from Cuba and the Bahamas. Another question is that the same company built boats for the Coast Guard.

The capabilities of keel boats can be judged at least by the fact that a Scott-Payne boat, 70 feet (21.3 m) long, armed with four 53-cm torpedo tubes and four 12.7-mm machine guns, passed from England in the United States under its own power and on September 5, 1939, was solemnly welcomed in New York. In his image, the Elko company began the mass construction of torpedo boats.

By the way, 60 boats of the Elko type were delivered under Lend-Lease to the USSR, where they received the A-3 index. On the basis of A-3 in the 1950s, we created the most common torpedo boat of the Soviet Navy - Project 183.

Germans with a keel

It is worth noting that in Germany, literally bound hand and foot by the Treaty of Versailles and engulfed by an economic crisis, they managed to test redan and keel boats in the 1920s. According to the test results, an unambiguous conclusion was made - to make only keel boats. The Lyursen firm became a monopoly in the production of torpedo boats.

During the war years, German boats operated freely in fresh weather throughout the North Sea. Based in Sevastopol and in Dvuyakornaya Bay (near Feodosia), German torpedo boats operated throughout the Black Sea. At first, our admirals did not even believe the reports that German torpedo boats were operating in the Poti region. Meetings between our and German torpedo boats invariably ended in favor of the latter. During the fighting of the Black Sea Fleet in 1942-1944, not a single German torpedo boat was sunk at sea.

Flying over the water

Let's dot the "i". Tupolev is a talented aircraft designer, but why did you have to take on other than your own business ?! In some ways, it can be understood - huge funds were allocated for torpedo boats, and in the 1930s there was a tough competition among aircraft designers. Let's pay attention to one more fact. The construction of boats was not classified in our country. The gliders flying over the water were used with might and main by Soviet propaganda. The population constantly saw Tupolev's torpedo boats in illustrated magazines, on numerous posters, in newsreels. Pioneers were voluntarily-compulsorily taught to make models of red torpedo boats.

As a result, our admirals became victims of their own propaganda. It was officially believed that Soviet boats were the best in the world and there was no point in paying attention to foreign experience. In the meantime, agents of the German company Lursen, starting in the 1920s, “sticking out their tongues” were looking for clients. Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Spain and even China became customers of their keel boats.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Germans easily shared secrets in the field of tank building, aviation, artillery, poisonous substances, etc. with their Soviet colleagues. But they did not lift a finger from us to buy at least one Lursen.