Soviet WW2 surface fleet?

This year I've read a book about naval operations of the Soviet fleet during WW2. While sailing along the Northcape (Norway) I was reading about Soviet submarine and motor torpedo boat operations in several sea area's, including the Arctic Sea... Anyhow, I got interested: why did they not use major surface units to escort the Allied convoys to Murmansk? Was there ever a plan to send out Soviet (battle)cruisers to find the Tirpitz? Etc. So more reading... like 'Soviet Cruisers 1917-'45' and 'Navypedia Reference Vol VII 'Soviet Union'. That got me really interested. It was made clear that the young Soviet Union had major problems developing a Navy out of the ruins of the First World War, the 1917 Revolution and the following struggles (the civil war, the brutal Stalin Regime and the war with Finland). The Soviet 1st Naval shipbuilding program was approved not before November 1926 with a lifespan of 6 years. Apparently, they looked for (and got) support and design suggestions from Italy! But the Red Navy was taken by surprise that their former ally from 1939, Nazi Germany, turned against them in the Summer of 1941...

Anyhow, I ordered some Soviet WW2 surface miniatures from NAVWAR last month: the cruisers 'Krasni Kavkaz (NAVWAR nr. N7305), 2 Cruisers of the Admiral Nakhimov class (N7305A), the Cruiser 'Kirov' (project 26; N7304) and 2 destroyer leaders of the Tashkent class (project 20I, N7510). With those I should be able to hunt for the Tirpitz or engage with Allied Arctic Convoys? But... how to paint & camouflage them? Or.... which of the Naval Wargame Rule Systems have statistics and ratings on them?

First I needed to understand those ships better. The books provided insight in the 'Nakhimov' class of light cruisers (7000 ton): the initial design by the Imperial Russian Navy was based on the lessons learned from the Russo-Japanese War (1905-'05). 8 ships were laid down before the start of WW1, but none of them was completed before the 1917 Revolution. Only 2 ships were completed around 1928. They had 3 funnels and 15 open shield/single 130 mm guns. Most light cruisers of other nations used during this time frame open shield artillery of 152 mm. Only one of this class was re-designed from 1927 onwards and got 4 new single 180 mm guns, only 2 funnels, increased deck armor and a higher max. speed. This is the cruiser 'Krasnyi Kavkaz', operational since 1932. The next development phase was with Italian help: The 'Kirov' class heavy Cruisers (project 26) design was based on an Italian light cruiser design (Eugenio di Savoia class of 1933 with 152 mm turrets), but equipped with the same Russian 180 mm guns, although in 3 (Italian designed) triple turrets. Ships of this class (with 2 funnels) were commissioned from 1938 onwards. The following cruiser design was influenced by a Soviet-British naval arms reduction treaty of 1937. This was based on the international naval arms reduction treaties of Washington & London. Now the USSR was obliged to keep a new light cruiser within 8000 ton and 3 triple turrets of 152 mm. This was exactly what happened with the light cruisers of the Chapayev class (project 68) and Sverdlov class (project 68bis) with similar profiles, 2 funnels and 3 triple turrets... But they were too late for WW2.

Russia had built some destroyer classes and the Leningrad class destroyer leader (project 1) in 1936. Apparently they looked (again) for Italian help and ordered the 'Tashkent' (destroyer leader project 20I) in 1937. The plan was that some of those class would be build in the USSR but the differences in technology made that impossible... Anyhow the 'Tashkent' arrived in 1939 in the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. From a former order at NAVWAR I held 2 'Ognevoy' class destroyers (project 30K) which came ready just after WW2. Those ships have similar profiles: 2 funnels and 2 or 3 double 130 mm turrets (type B-2LM).  

Anyhow, I now have some Soviet Cruisers and destroyers to attack German surface units and/or participate in Allied Arctic Convoys. Those ships can be supported by 1 Be-4 seaplane (catapults onboard Kirov-class and 'Krasnyi Kavkaz') and 2 (land based) YAK-1 fighters.

In which Naval Wargame? Because the Russian surface fleet was very cautious and most of the time stationary in their ports (either due to the might of the German fleet or ice), most Naval Wargames don't have an USSR entry. However, some people before me were interested in this as well, so after some questions I found a USSR amendment on the Ruleset 'General Quarter 3.3' and one on 'Naval Thunder'.... Next blog hopefully some wargame results?

 

Expanding Naval Airwings (part 3)

The naval Airwing for British 1960s aircraft carriers. I recently acquired a 1:3000 model of HMS Victorious (R38) and HMS Eagle (R05). Over the months I have painted for those ships 4 Fairey 'Gannet's' (blue, for ASW patrol), 4 (blue) F-4K 'Phantom' jet fighters, 2 older (blue) de Havilland 'Seavixen' jet fighters and I already had 2 types of Blackburn 'Buccaneer' low level bombers (blue S1's and camouflaged S2's) and Westland 'Seaking' ASW helicopter. All 1:600 scale. Actually, the F-4K Phantoms only flew from the sister ship of HMS Eagle, HMS Ark Royal (R09) in the early 1970s... HMS Victorious had an interesting career: as a new aircraft carrier in 1941 her Airwing attacked the 'Bismarck' battleship and in 1944 the 'Tirpitz'. She survived the second World War, got at  the end of the 1950s an angled flight deck (and type 984 3D radar) and was used for jet aircraft, like the 'Buccaneer' and 'Seavixen'. Her career ended in 1969.

With the embarked aircraft both carriers can detect enemy surface units and/or submarines (using the 'Gannet' patrol aircraft), defend the fleet against air attacks (using the radar equipped 'Sea Vixen' or F-4K 'Phantoms') and destroy surface units by using the famous 'Buccaneer' low level bombers.

The Naval Airwing for my French carrier Clemenceau, consisting of (US-build) Vought F-8 'Crusader' jet fighters and Dassault 'Super Etendard' (tactical nuclear capable: AN-52 bomb & ASMP missile) bombers; both painted in their old blue colors. The 'Super Etendards' were also equipped with AM-39 'Exocet' anti-ship missiles. The ship had a career from 1961-1997 and was relieved by the nuclear aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (which I have as well). FS 'Clemenceau' was armed herself with 8 x 100 mm guns, which can come to use in a naval wargame... Although her strike aircraft were quite capable, the F-8 'Crusaders' were very old: in the US Navy they were considered the last 'all-gun fighters', although they later flew with short range IR-missiles (Sidewinder). Unfortunately I couldn't get access to 1:600 models of her Brequet 'Alize' (ASW)patrol-aircraft (although they look a bit similar as the Fairy 'Gannet'). She could carry SA 321 'Super Frelon' (ASW) helicopters as well.

My ever expanding Indian Navy has now 2 aircraft carriers with a third in the dockyard. INS Vikrant (R11) is an ex-British 'Majestic' class aircraft carrier. It was from 1961 India's first aircraft carrier and played a major role in the 1971 war with Pakistan. In the 1980s it was equipped with Sea Harrier VTOL aircraft and modernized with a ski-jump ramp. The picture shows her with some Leander-class like Indian frigates of 1990s 'Brahmaputra'- and 1980s 'Godavari'-class. Her career ended in 1997. Her Sea Harrier aircraft could be used as fighters or in an anti-shipping role (equipped with Sea Eagle Missiles).

A much more peculiar Indian Aircraft carrier is INS Vikramaditya (R33). This is a completely re-designed and rebuilt ex-USSR 'Kiev'-class carrier, now with some resemblance of an USSR 'Kuznetsov'-class aircraft carrier. The ship is the 4th 'Kiev'-class (ex 'Admiral Gorshkov' 1987-1996) and was acquired as such in 2004. Part of the deal was an Airwing of MIG-29K ('Fulcrum-D') fighter bombers. The Indian Navy had no requirement for the old Soviet weapon systems and wanted a 14 degrees ski-jump arrangement like the 'Kuznetsov'. Many talks and delays later, the rebuilt ship was finally handed over to India in 2013. More than 60% of the ship is new and most old equipment is refurbished. It can carry 26 MIG-29K fighter bombers, which can be launched simultaneously from 2 deck spots. As she got new engines and new electronics, she didn't inherit the expected USSR naval 'disasters' (see engine problems of 'Kuznetsov'). In the picture the ship is accompanied by modern Indian destroyers of 1990s 'Delphi' class & 2000s 'Visakhapatnam' class and a nuclear submarine.

The next Indian carrier (at my dockyard) is the new (2022) INS 'Vikraat'. Her Airwing will consist of Dassault 'Rafale-M' fighter-bombers. I still have to paint ship & aircraft... 

The Argentine Naval Airwing for Veinticinco de Mayo (ex-HNLMS 'Karel Doorman') and the 1982 Argentine air threat from shore has been expanded as well. I repainted one of my Dutch Grumman S-2 'Tracker' (ASW) patrol aircraft into Argentine colours (light grey, with light blue touches). Together with gray A-4Q 'Skyhawk' bombers, blue Dassault 'Super Etendard' anti-shipping bombers and SH-3 'Seaking' ASW helicopters it forms the Argentine Naval Air Wing. Those aircraft were supported by maritime A-4Q 'Skyhawk' bombers and Airforce A-4C 'Skyhawks' (both camouflaged) and ex-Israel Airforce fighter bombers from Argentine mainland. For targeting the Argentines used a Lockheed 'Neptune' patrol aircraft as well (not in the picture).