Editing Kirov-class cruiser (section)

==Design==
Following the [[October Revolution]] and the subsequent Russian Civil War, Soviet industry was not capable of designing large, complex warships by itself and sought foreign assistance. The Ansaldo company provided plans for the contemporary [[Condottieri-class cruiser|''Raimondo Montecuccoli''-class cruisers]] and a design displacing {{convert|7200|t|LT|0|lk=on}} and armed with six {{convert|180|mm|in|adj=on}} guns in twin turrets was produced in 1933. The Italians guaranteed that the cruiser could make {{convert|37|knots|lk=in}} on trials if the size was kept under the 7200-tonne limit. The designer of the new turret managed to persuade his superiors that he could fit triple turrets to the ship while keeping it within the specified limit, and this design was approved in November 1934 as the Project 26.<ref>Yakubov and Worth, p. 83</ref>

The Soviets bought an example of, and plans for, the machinery of the later [[Condottieri-class cruiser|''Duca d'Aosta''-class cruisers]] and had some difficulty in adapting the smaller hull for the larger and more-powerful machinery, so much so that it delayed the start of construction. Another problem was that the Italian design had to be adapted to use the Soviet preference for a mix of longitudinal framing for the hull framing amidships and transverse framing for the ends, while also reinforcing the hull structure to withstand the more-severe weather conditions that the Soviets commonly encountered.<ref>Yakubov and Worth, pp. 83-4</ref>

The ''Kirov''s were built in pairs, each pair incorporating some improvements over the earlier pair. These pairs were designated as the Project 26, Project 26bis, and Project 26bis2 in sequence. The differences between pairs usually related to size, armor, armament and aircraft.<ref name=y5>Yakubov and Worth, p. 85</ref>

===General characteristics===
The Project 26 class ships were {{convert|191.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} long [[length overall|overall]]. They had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|17.66|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and at [[full load]] a [[draft (ship)|draft]] of {{convert|6.15|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. They displaced {{convert|7890|t|LT|0}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard load]], and {{convert|9436|t|LT|0}} at full load.<ref name=y4/> Their single rudder meant that they were not very maneuverable.<ref name=y0/> ''[[Soviet cruiser Kirov|Kirov]]'' and ''[[Soviet cruiser Voroshilov|Voroshilov]]'' were fitted with a massive tetrapod foremast, but this proved to restrict the view from the [[conning tower]] as well as the fields of fire of the 100&nbsp;mm anti-aircraft guns and greatly increased their silhouette. It was reduced to a simple pole mast in the later ships and the superstructure enlarged to accommodate the fire control facilities formerly housed in the foremast.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ship.bsu.by/main.asp?id=100104|script-title=ru:Серия 26 Киров|language=ru|access-date=2009-08-07}}</ref>

Shortly after ''Kirov'' was launched in 1936, the two Project 26bis ships were laid down. They incorporated a number of changes from the first batch, not least of which was that they were larger. They displaced {{convert|8177|t|LT|0}} at standard load and {{convert|9728|t|ton}} at full load. They were only slightly longer at {{convert|191.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} overall and had a deep draft of {{convert|6.30|m|ftin|abbr=on}} at full load. On trials they proved to be the fastest ships of the class with a speed of {{convert|36.72|knots}}. Their armament was much the same as the earlier ships, although nine [[45 mm anti-aircraft gun (21-K)|{{convert|45|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] ''61-K'' anti-aircraft guns were mounted rather than the six on the first pair and they were fitted to carry 150 ''Model 1908/39'' mines in place of the ''Model 1912'' mines.<ref name=y4>Yakubov and Worth, p. 84</ref>

The Project 26bis2 pair were still larger and displaced {{convert|8400|t|LT|0}} at standard load, and {{convert|10400|t|LT|0}} at full load. They were a tenth of a meter shorter than the Project 26 ships, although the waterline length did not change at all between any of the pairs. Their turbines proved to be slightly more powerful than those of the Project 26bis ships and propelled them at {{convert|36|knots}} on trials. Production delays with the 100&nbsp;mm ''B-34'' dual-purpose guns forced them to use [[85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)|{{convert|85|mm|abbr=on}}]] ''90-K'' guns instead and ten [[37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)|{{convert|37|mm|abbr=on}}]] ''70-K'' anti-aircraft guns supplemented the 45&nbsp;mm guns. The mines changed yet again as they could carry 100 ''KB'' or 106 ''Model 1926'' mines.<ref name=y4/>

===Armament===
The main armament consisted of three electrically powered MK-3-180 triple turrets with three 57-[[caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[180mm Pattern 1931-1933|180&nbsp;mm ''B-1-P'' guns.]] The turrets were very small to fit them into the hull space available and were so cramped that their rate of fire was much lower than designed (only two rounds per minute instead of six). The guns were mounted in a single cradle to minimize space and were so close together that their dispersion was very high because the muzzle blast from adjacent guns affected each gun. The turrets weighed approximately {{convert|236|to|247|t|LT|0}}, and the guns could be depressed to −4° and elevated to 48°. The guns fired {{convert|97.55|kg|lb|adj=on}} projectiles at a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{convert|900|-|920|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}; this provided a maximum range of around {{convert|38000|m|yd|abbr=on}}, depending on ammunition and gun type.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNRussian_71-57_m1932.htm|title=Russian 180 mm/60 (7.1") B-1-K Pattern 1931 180 mm/57 (7.1") B-1-P Pattern 1932 180 mm/56 Pattern 1933|date=7 October 2006 |access-date=2009-08-05}}</ref> Normally, 100 rounds per gun were carried, although an additional four rounds per gun could be carried at overload by the Project 26 ships only.<ref name=y4/>

The secondary armament consisted of six single 56-caliber {{convert|100|mm|adj=on}} ''B-34'' [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] guns with 325 rounds per gun fitted on each side of the rear funnel in all ships except the Project 26bis2 which used eight single 52-caliber {{convert|85|mm|adj=on}} ''90-K'' guns with 300 rounds per gun when the ''B-34'' program ran into problems. Light AA guns initially consisted of six semi-automatic [[45 mm anti-aircraft gun (21-K)|45&nbsp;mm ''21-K'']] AA guns with 600 rounds per gun and four [[DShK|DK]] {{convert|12.7|mm|in|adj=on}} machine guns, with 12,500 rounds per gun, but were significantly increased in service. The Project 26bis ships carried nine ''21-K'' mounts and the Project 26bis were built with an additional ten fully automatic [[37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)|{{convert|37|mm|adj=on}} ''70-K'']] AA guns with a thousand rounds per gun. Over the course of World War II most, if not all, of the 45&nbsp;mm guns were replaced by 37&nbsp;mm guns and one or two [[Lend-Lease]] quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun]] MK III mounts were fitted to the ships in the Baltic and Black Seas, although each ship varied in its anti-aircraft suite.<ref>Yakubov and Worth, pp. 84, 86-7</ref>

Six {{convert|533|mm|adj=on}} ''39-Yu'' torpedo tubes were fitted in two triple mountings; these tubes could be individually adjusted to spread out their salvos. ''Molotov'' and ''Kaganovich'' replaced their launchers with the more-modern ''1-N'' mount during the war. A total of 96 ''KB'' or 164 ''Model 1912'' [[Naval mine|mines]] could be carried by the first pair of ships. A pair of [[depth charge]] racks were mounted as well as four ''BMB-1'' depth charge throwers. Twenty large ''BB-1'' and thirty small ''BM-1'' depth charges were carried although no [[sonar]] was fitted for the Project 26 and Project 26bis ships. They did mount the ''Arktur'' underwater acoustic communication system. ''Kalinin'' and ''Kaganovich'' received the Lend-Lease ''ASDIC-132'' system, which the Soviets called ''Drakon-132'', as well as the experimental Soviet ''Mars-72'' sonar system.<ref name=y8>Yakubov and Worth, p. 88</ref>

The Project 26 ships were fitted with the ''Molniya'' fire control system for their main guns which included the ''TsAS-2'' mechanical computer and the ''KDP3-6'' director. Each turret and the director had ''DM-6'' rangefinders which allowed multiple targets to be engaged using a combination of local and central fire control. The four later ships had an improved ''Molniya-ATs'' fire control system which could accept data from spotter aircraft. The anti-aircraft armament was controlled by the ''Gorizont-1'' system with a ''SO-26'' computer, ''Gazon'' vertical [[gyroscope]] and a pair of ''SPN-100'' directors on each side of the superstructure. Each director had a fully stabilized {{convert|3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} rangefinder. ''Voroshilov'' had ''SPN-200'' directors, but the Project 26bis ships used the ''Gorizont-2'' system. This had a more advanced ''Gorizont-2'' computer and ''Shar'' vertical gyroscope.<ref>Yakubov and Worth, p. 87</ref>

The first Soviet ship to carry a [[radar]] was ''Molotov'' which was given a ''Redut-K'' air warning system in 1940, which she used for the entire war. Lend-Lease radars equipped most of the other ships. The British Types 281, 291 and the American SG radars were used for air search. Main battery fire control radars were the British Types 284 and 285 while anti-aircraft fire control was provided by the Type 282 radar. Soviet-designed ''Yupiter-1'' and ''Mars-1'' gunnery radars were fitted in ''Molotov'' and ''Kalinin'' by 1944.<ref name=y8/>

===Machinery===
The ships had a twin-shaft-unit machinery layout with alternating boiler rooms and engine rooms. The machinery for ''Kirov'' was shipped from Italy (being diverted from the contract for the {{ship|Italian cruiser|Eugenio di Savoia||6}}). The machinery for the rest was built in [[Kharkiv]] to Italian plans. The Soviet ''TB-7'' geared turbines proved to be more powerful and more economical than the originals. ''Kirov'' burned {{convert|.8|kg|abbr=on}} of [[fuel oil]] per unit of horsepower compared to ''Kalinin''{{'}}s {{convert|.623|kg|abbr=on}}. Furthermore ''Kirov'' produced only {{convert|113500|shp|kW|lk=on}} on trials while ''Voroshilov'' made {{convert|122500|shp|kW|abbr=on}} and was almost a full knot faster. Six license-built Yarrow-Normand type [[water-tube boiler]]s powered the turbines with a nominal capacity of 106-tonnes/hour of [[superheated steam]] at a pressure of {{convert|25|kg/cm2|kPa psi|0|abbr=on|lk=on}} and a temperature of {{convert|325|°C|°F}}. Each shaft drove a three-bladed {{convert|4.7|m|adj=on}} bronze propeller for a designed speed of {{convert|36|knots}}, although this varied from ship to ship. The normal oil capacity was between {{convert|600|and|650|t|LT|0}}, but the ships varied widely in the amount of oil carried at full load; this ranged from {{convert|1150|to|1660|t|LT|0}}. Endurance figures also varied widely at full load, from {{convert|2140|to|4220|nmi}} at {{convert|18|knots}}. The maximum amount of fuel that could be carried ranged from {{convert|1430|to|1750|t|LT|0}}.<ref name=y0>Yakubov and Worth, p. 90</ref>

===Protection===
The armour scheme formed a raft around the vitals, protected by a waterline [[Belt armor|belt]], [[Deck (ship)|deck]] and traverse [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]]s uniformly {{convert|50|mm|abbr=on}} in thickness. The [[gun turret|turret]] and [[barbette]] armour was also 50&nbsp;mm thick. The [[conning tower]] sides were {{convert|150|mm|in|abbr=on}} with a 100&nbsp;mm roof. A {{convert|20|mm|in|adj=on}} box protected the steering gear and a number of control positions were protected against splinters: {{convert|14|mm|in|abbr=on}} for the torpedo control station, {{convert|8|mm|in|adj=on}} for main-battery fire control and secondary [[gun shield]]s, {{convert|7|mm|abbr=on}} for the secondary-battery control position and the auxiliary command station had {{convert|25|mm|in|adj=on}} sides and roof.<ref name=y9>Yakubov and Worth, p. 89</ref>

The belt extended {{convert|121|m|ftin|abbr=on}} or 64.5% of the ship's length. Its total height was {{convert|3.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|1.33|m|ftin|abbr=on}} was below the designed waterline. A [[double bottom]] extended past the armored traverse bulkheads and a thin longitudinal bulkhead provided some measure of protection against flooding. It has been judged too thin to withstand a [[torpedo]]'s detonation, but possibly the far-side bulkhead might survive intact, which would cause a [[List (watercraft)|list]] from asymmetrical flooding.<ref name=y9/>

The armor of the Project 26 ships was vulnerable even to [[destroyer]]-class weapons at ranges under {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} and the last four ships were given additional armor. The belt, traverse bulkheads, barbettes and turret face thicknesses were all increased to {{convert|70|mm|in|abbr=on}} and the box protecting the steering gear was increased to {{convert|30|mm|in|abbr=on}}. One oddity of the later ships' armor scheme was the joint between the armour deck and belt. The top and bottom edges of the belt were tapered, the outer surface angling in {{convert|200|mm|in|abbr=on}} from the edge to a thickness of 45&nbsp;mm. Similarly the deck edge was also tapered down to about 25&nbsp;mm for its outermost 200&nbsp;mm. It has been speculated that "This seam in the protection, representing a small target area, may simply have served to save weight and simplify construction."<ref name=y89>Yakubov and Worth, pp. 89-90</ref>

===Aircraft===
The ''Kirov''s were designed to carry two aircraft, but German [[aircraft catapult|catapults]] had to be imported. Two [[Heinkel]] ''K-12'' catapults were bought in 1937 for ''Kirov'' and ''Voroshilov''. They could traverse 360° and launch an aircraft weighing {{convert|2750|kg|lb|abbr=on}} at a speed of {{convert|125|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, although no suitable aircraft were in service until the [[Beriev Be-2|KOR-1]] seaplane entered service in September 1939. They proved to be unsuitable for rough-weather landings and were disembarked when [[Operation Barbarossa]] began. ''Gorky'' and ''Molotov'' mounted Soviet-built ''ZK-1'' catapults of roughly comparable performance, but were destined never to use them for lack of suitable aircraft.<ref name=y89/>

The Project 26 ships landed their catapult during 1941 to make room for more AA guns, as did ''Molotov'' in 1942. A ''ZK-1a'' catapult was installed aboard ''Molotov'' in 1943, and she conducted successful experiments with a catapult-launched [[Supermarine Spitfire]] fighter.<ref name=y9/> The Project 26bis2 ships did not receive a catapult until after the end of the war, when a ''ZK-2b'' was fitted. The catapults, however, were removed from all ships by 1947.<ref name=y9/>