Evstafi class battleship
Encyclopedia
The Evstafi-class were a pair of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Imperial Russian Navy
built before World War I
for the Black Sea Fleet
. They were slightly enlarged versions of the , with increased armour and more guns. Numerous alterations were made as a result of experience in the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904–5 that seriously delayed the completion of the two ships.
They were the most modern ships in the Black Sea Fleet when World War I began and formed the core of the fleet for the first year of the war, before the newer dreadnought
s entered service. They forced the German battlecruiser
to disengage during the Battle of Cape Sarych
shortly after Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire in late 1914. Both ships covered several bombardments of the Bosphorus fortifications in early 1915, including one where they were attacked by the Goeben, but they managed to drive her off. Later, Evstafi and Ioann Zlatoust were relegated to secondary roles after the first dreadnought entered service in late 1915, and were subsequently put into reserve in 1918 in Sevastopol
.
Both ships were captured when the Germans took the city in May 1918 and was turned over to the Allies
after the Armistice in November 1918. Their engines were destroyed in 1919 by the British when they withdrew from Sevastopol to prevent the advancing Bolsheviks from using them against the White Russians
. They were abandoned when the Whites evacuated the Crimea
in 1920 and were scrapped in 1922–23.
of 74 feet (22.6 m) and a draught
of 28 feet (8.5 m). They displaced 12855 long tons (13,061.3 t), only 120 LT (121.9 t) more than their designed displacement of 12738 LT (12,942.4 t). The Evstafi-class were slightly larger than Potemkin, being 8 inch longer, 1 foot (0.3048 m) wider, but displaced 45 LT (45.7 t) less. The ships had a double bottom
from frames 18 to 82. They were divided into 10 main compartments by transverse watertight bulkhead
s. They also had a centreline longitudinal bulkhead, presumably separating the engine rooms.
in Nikolayev
that had a total designed output of 10600 ihp. Twenty-two Belleville water-tube boiler
s provided steam to the engines at a pressure of 242 pound per square inch, which drove two screw propeller
s. On sea trial
s, the powerplant produced a total over 10800 ihp and a top speed of 16.2 knots. They carried a maximum of 1100 long tons (1,117.7 MT) of coal at full load that provided a range of 2100 nautical miles (3,889.2 km) at a speed of 10 knots (5.4 m/s). Two steam-powered dynamo
s were carried with a total output of 300 kW, as well as two auxiliary dynamos rated at 64 kW each.
calibre
Pattern 1895 guns mounted in hydraulically powered twin turret
s fore and aft. Each turret had a firing arc of 260 degrees. The guns had a rate of fire of 40 seconds between rounds and 75 rounds per gun were carried. These guns had a maximum elevation of 35 degrees and could depress to -5 degrees. They fired a 731.3 pounds (331.7 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity
of 2598 ft/s (791.9 m/s) to a range of 22200 yards (20,299.7 m) at maximum elevation.
All four 8 inches (20 cm) 50-calibre Pattern 1905 guns were mounted in the corners of the superstructure in armoured casemate
s. These guns had a firing arc of 120 degrees and could fire straight ahead or astern. They had a range of elevation from -5 degrees to +20 degrees. The guns fired a high explosive shell that weighed 264.3 pounds (119.9 kg) at a muzzle velocity
of 2647 ft/s (806.8 m/s). At 19.5 degrees elevation it could range out to 15800 yards (14,447.5 m). 110 rounds were stowed per gun.
The dozen 6 inches (15 cm) Canet Pattern
1892 45-calibre guns were mounted in the lower casemate
s. The guns could elevate to a maximum of 20 degrees and depress to -5 degrees. They fired shells that weighed 91.27 lb (41.4 kg) with a muzzle velocity of 2600 ft/s (792.5 m/s). They had a maximum range of 12600 yards (11,521.4 m) when fired at maximum elevation. The ships carried 180 rounds per gun.
The anti-torpedo boat
armament consisted of fourteen 75 millimetres (3 in) Canet Pattern 1892 50-calibre guns mounted in sponsons on the upper deck, protected by gun shields. The gun fired 10.8 pounds (4.9 kg) shells to a range of about 8600 yards (7,864 m) at its maximum elevation of 21 degrees with a muzzle velocity of 2700 ft/s (823 m/s). The rate of fire was between 12 and 15 rounds per minute.
The Evstafi class carried two 17.7 inches (449.6 mm) torpedo tube
s on the broadside
aft. These torpedo
es carried a 212 pounds (96.2 kg) warhead
of TNT. It had two speed settings which gave it a maximum range of 3280 yards (2,999.2 m) at 29 knots (15.8 m/s) or 2190 yards (2,002.5 m) at 34 knots (18.5 m/s).
. The maximum thickness of the waterline belt
was 9 inches (229 mm) which reduced to 7–8 in (177.8–203.2 mm) abreast the magazine
s. It covered about 157 feet (47.9 m) of the ship's length. The belt was 7 inch high, including 4 feet (1.2 m) below the waterline. The belt terminated in 7 inches (178 mm) transverse bulkhead
s. The belt was extended to the bow by armour plates 3–4 in (76.2–101.6 mm) thick and to the stern by 2–3 in (50.8–76.2 mm) armour.
The upper belt was six inches thick and was intended to protect the gap between the waterline belt and the casemate. The casemate protected the six and eight-inch guns and was 5 inches (127 mm) thick; 1.5 inches (38 mm) bulkheads separated each gun. The sides of the turrets were 10 inches (25 cm) thick and they had a 2.5 inches (64 mm) roof. Their barbette
s were also 10 inches thick, although this was reduced to five inches where they were screened behind other armour. The two conning towers' sides were 8 inches (203 mm) in thickness with a 3 inches (76 mm) roof. The decks ranged from 1.37–3 in (3.5–7.6 ) in thickness.
and Ioann Zlatoust on 13 July 1903, although the working drawings and preliminary calculations were not approved until 31 May 1904, which caused some problems with Ioann Zlatoust. Progress was relatively quick, despite the disruptions caused by the 1905 Revolution, and both ships were launched less than three years after work began. Fitting-out
, however, was considerably delayed by a number of changes made as the navy digested the lessons of the Russo-Japanese War. Maximum elevation of the main guns was increased from 15 degree to 35 degrees, the number of torpedo tubes was reduced from five to two, mine
stowage was eliminated as were the 47 millimetres (1.9 in) guns. The armour protection of the waterline fore and aft of the main belt was increased to prevent the sort of damage that disabled several ships at the Battle of Tsushima
. A second conning tower was added at the rear of the superstructure and its design was altered, probably to eliminate the overhanging top that deflected splinters into the conning tower at the Battle of the Yellow Sea
and Tsushima. The masts and their fighting top
s were replaced by light pole masts and light boom
s replaced the heavy boat cranes to save weight.
for the first year or so of World War I. Two weeks after the Russian declaration of war on the Ottoman Empire
on 2 November 1914, the Black Sea Fleet set out to bombard Trebizond on 15 November. The force consisted of the pre-dreadnoughts Evstafi, Ioann Zlatoust, , , and three cruisers escorted by three destroyer
s and 11 torpedo boat
s. They did this successfully on the morning of 17 November and then turned west to hunt for Turkish shipping along the Anatolia
n coast before setting course for Sevastopol later that afternoon. The following day, while enroute, the ships were intercepted by the German battlecruiser Goeben and the light cruiser
in what came to be known as the Battle of Cape Sarych.
Despite the noon hour the conditions were foggy and the capital ships initially did not spot each other. The Black Sea Fleet had experimented on concentrating fire from several ships under the control of a "master ship" before the war and Evstafi held her fire until Ioann Zlatoust, the master ship, could see Goeben. When the gunnery commands were finally received they showed a range over 4000 yards (3,657.6 m) in excess of Evstafis own estimate of 7700 yards (7,040.9 m), so Evstafi opened fire using her own data before Goeben turned to unmask its broadside. She scored a hit with her first salvo as a 12-inch shell partially penetrated the armor casemate protecting one of Goebens 15 centimetres (5.9 in) secondary guns. It detonated some of the ready-use ammunition, starting a fire that burnt out the casemate and killed its crew.
Goeben returned fire shortly afterward and hit Evstafi in the middle funnel; the shell detonated after it passed through the funnel and destroyed the antennae for the fire-control radio, which meant that Evstafi could not correct Ioann Zlatousts inaccurate range data. The other ships either used Ioann Zlatousts incorrect data or never saw Goeben and failed to register any hits on the German ship. Goeben hit Evstafi four more times, although one shell failed to detonate, before Rear Admiral
Wilhelm Souchon
decided to turn away and break contact after fourteen minutes of combat. Evstafi suffered 34 killed and 24 wounded from those hits, and only fired between 12 and 16 twelve-inch shells, as well as 14 eight-inch and 19 six-inch shells. Ioann Zlatoust fired only six shells from her main armament.
Several armour plates on Evstafi required replacement after the battle and they were taken from the old pre-dreadnought , allowing the repairs to be complete by 29 November. On 9 January 1915 Breslau and the encountered the Russian fleet while returning from a bombardment mission in the eastern part of the Black Sea. During a minor engagement Breslau hit Evstafis forward turret, temporarily putting it out of action, after which the two cruisers escaped using their superior speed.
of the Russian ships, despite its superior speed, as they were continually turning. This maneuver bought enough time that Tri Sviatitelia and Pantelimon were able to rejoin the other two ships before they could start shelling the Ottoman forts. Pantelimon then hit Goeben twice before the German ship broke contact after 22 minutes of firing. With the fleet assembled Admiral Eberhardt attempted to pursue the German battlecruiser, but was unsuccessful.
Both ships were subsequently fitted with anti-aircraft guns
on top of each of their turrets during 1915, and screens were added on top of their funnels to keep out light bombs. Ioann Zlatoust initially received four 75-millimetre guns, but this was later altered to a pair of 75 mm guns and another pair of 63.5 millimetres (2.5 in) guns. Evstafi first received three 75 mm guns, but these were later replaced by two 63.5 mm guns and a pair of 40 millimetres (1.6 in) guns. On 1 August 1915 she, and all the other pre-dreadnoughts, were transferred to the 2nd Battleship Brigade, after the dreadnought had entered service. On 1 October the new dreadnought provided cover while Ioann Zlatoust and Pantelimon bombarded Zonguldak
and Evstafi shelled the nearby town of Kozlu. Later, both Evstafi-class ships participated in the second bombardment of Varna
in May 1916.
Evstafi and Ioann Zlatoust were reduced to reserve in March 1918 in Sevastopol. Immobile, they were captured by the Germans there in May and handed over to the Allies the following December. The British wrecked their engines between 22–24 April 1919 when they left the Crimea
in order to prevent the advancing Bolsheviks from using them against the White Russians. Later, they were captured by both sides during the Russian Civil War
, but were abandoned by the White Russians when they evacuated the Crimea in November 1920. The ships were then scrapped in 1922–23, although they were not stricken from the Navy List until 21 November 1925.
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
built before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
for the Black Sea Fleet
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
. They were slightly enlarged versions of the , with increased armour and more guns. Numerous alterations were made as a result of experience in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904–5 that seriously delayed the completion of the two ships.
They were the most modern ships in the Black Sea Fleet when World War I began and formed the core of the fleet for the first year of the war, before the newer dreadnought
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
s entered service. They forced the German battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
to disengage during the Battle of Cape Sarych
Battle of Cape Sarych
The Battle of Cape Sarych was a naval engagement fought off the coast of Cape Sarych during the First World War. In November 1914, two modern Ottoman warships, a light cruiser and a battlecruiser, under the German Admiral Wilhelm Souchon engaged a Russian fleet including 5 obsolescent...
shortly after Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire in late 1914. Both ships covered several bombardments of the Bosphorus fortifications in early 1915, including one where they were attacked by the Goeben, but they managed to drive her off. Later, Evstafi and Ioann Zlatoust were relegated to secondary roles after the first dreadnought entered service in late 1915, and were subsequently put into reserve in 1918 in Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
.
Both ships were captured when the Germans took the city in May 1918 and was turned over to the Allies
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
after the Armistice in November 1918. Their engines were destroyed in 1919 by the British when they withdrew from Sevastopol to prevent the advancing Bolsheviks from using them against the White Russians
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
. They were abandoned when the Whites evacuated the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
in 1920 and were scrapped in 1922–23.
General characteristics
The two Evstafi-class ships were 379 feet (115.5 m) long at the waterline and 385 inch long overall. They had a beamBeam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 74 feet (22.6 m) and a draught
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 28 feet (8.5 m). They displaced 12855 long tons (13,061.3 t), only 120 LT (121.9 t) more than their designed displacement of 12738 LT (12,942.4 t). The Evstafi-class were slightly larger than Potemkin, being 8 inch longer, 1 foot (0.3048 m) wider, but displaced 45 LT (45.7 t) less. The ships had a double bottom
Double bottom
A double bottom is a ship hull design and construction method where the bottom of the ship has two complete layers of watertight hull surface: one outer layer forming the normal hull of the ship, and a second inner hull which is somewhat higher in the ship, perhaps a few feet, which forms a...
from frames 18 to 82. They were divided into 10 main compartments by transverse watertight bulkhead
Bulkhead (partition)
A bulkhead is an upright wall within the hull of a ship or within the fuselage of an airplane. Other kinds of partition elements within a ship are decks and deckheads.-Etymology:...
s. They also had a centreline longitudinal bulkhead, presumably separating the engine rooms.
Propulsion
The Evstafi class had two three-cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engines built by ONZiVBlack Sea Shipyard
The Black Sea Shipyard is located in Mykolaiv, Ukraine and is the largest shipyard with near direct access to the Black Sea. It is most often referred to as the Nikolayev South Shipyard and was known as Soviet Shipyard No...
in Nikolayev
Mykolaiv
Mykolaiv , also known as Nikolayev , is a city in southern Ukraine, administrative center of the Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv is the main ship building center of the Black Sea, and, arguably, the whole Eastern Europe.-Name of city:...
that had a total designed output of 10600 ihp. Twenty-two Belleville water-tube boiler
Water-tube boiler
A water tube boiler is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which heats water in the steam-generating tubes...
s provided steam to the engines at a pressure of 242 pound per square inch, which drove two screw propeller
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
s. On sea trial
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
s, the powerplant produced a total over 10800 ihp and a top speed of 16.2 knots. They carried a maximum of 1100 long tons (1,117.7 MT) of coal at full load that provided a range of 2100 nautical miles (3,889.2 km) at a speed of 10 knots (5.4 m/s). Two steam-powered dynamo
Dynamo
- Engineering :* Dynamo, a magnetic device originally used as an electric generator* Dynamo theory, a theory relating to magnetic fields of celestial bodies* Solar dynamo, the physical process that generates the Sun's magnetic field- Software :...
s were carried with a total output of 300 kW, as well as two auxiliary dynamos rated at 64 kW each.
Armament
The main armament consisted of two pairs of 12-inch 40-Russian 12 inch 40 caliber naval gun
The 12 inch 40 caliber naval gun was the standard main weapon of the pre-dreadnought battleships of the Imperial Russian Navy. Sixty-eight guns of the first production run were built in 1895–1906 by the Obukhov Works in Saint Petersburg...
calibre
Caliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
Pattern 1895 guns mounted in hydraulically powered twin turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s fore and aft. Each turret had a firing arc of 260 degrees. The guns had a rate of fire of 40 seconds between rounds and 75 rounds per gun were carried. These guns had a maximum elevation of 35 degrees and could depress to -5 degrees. They fired a 731.3 pounds (331.7 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
of 2598 ft/s (791.9 m/s) to a range of 22200 yards (20,299.7 m) at maximum elevation.
All four 8 inches (20 cm) 50-calibre Pattern 1905 guns were mounted in the corners of the superstructure in armoured casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s. These guns had a firing arc of 120 degrees and could fire straight ahead or astern. They had a range of elevation from -5 degrees to +20 degrees. The guns fired a high explosive shell that weighed 264.3 pounds (119.9 kg) at a muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
of 2647 ft/s (806.8 m/s). At 19.5 degrees elevation it could range out to 15800 yards (14,447.5 m). 110 rounds were stowed per gun.
The dozen 6 inches (15 cm) Canet Pattern
Canet guns
The Canet guns were a series of weapon systems developed by the French engineer Gustave Canet , who was design engineer for Schneider et Cie of Le Creusot.-320 mm naval guns:...
1892 45-calibre guns were mounted in the lower casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s. The guns could elevate to a maximum of 20 degrees and depress to -5 degrees. They fired shells that weighed 91.27 lb (41.4 kg) with a muzzle velocity of 2600 ft/s (792.5 m/s). They had a maximum range of 12600 yards (11,521.4 m) when fired at maximum elevation. The ships carried 180 rounds per gun.
The anti-torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
armament consisted of fourteen 75 millimetres (3 in) Canet Pattern 1892 50-calibre guns mounted in sponsons on the upper deck, protected by gun shields. The gun fired 10.8 pounds (4.9 kg) shells to a range of about 8600 yards (7,864 m) at its maximum elevation of 21 degrees with a muzzle velocity of 2700 ft/s (823 m/s). The rate of fire was between 12 and 15 rounds per minute.
The Evstafi class carried two 17.7 inches (449.6 mm) torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s on the broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
aft. These torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es carried a 212 pounds (96.2 kg) warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
of TNT. It had two speed settings which gave it a maximum range of 3280 yards (2,999.2 m) at 29 knots (15.8 m/s) or 2190 yards (2,002.5 m) at 34 knots (18.5 m/s).
Protection
The Evstafi-class ships used Krupp armourKrupp armour
Krupp armour was a type of steel armour used in the construction of capital ships starting shortly before the end of the 19th century. It was developed by Germany's Krupp Arms Works in 1893 and quickly replaced Harvey armour as the primary method of protecting naval ships.The initial manufacturing...
. The maximum thickness of the waterline belt
Belt armor
Belt armor is a layer of heavy metal armor plated on to or within outer hulls of warships, typically on battleships, battlecruisers and cruisers, and on aircraft carriers converted from those types of ships....
was 9 inches (229 mm) which reduced to 7–8 in (177.8–203.2 mm) abreast the magazine
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
s. It covered about 157 feet (47.9 m) of the ship's length. The belt was 7 inch high, including 4 feet (1.2 m) below the waterline. The belt terminated in 7 inches (178 mm) transverse bulkhead
Bulkhead (partition)
A bulkhead is an upright wall within the hull of a ship or within the fuselage of an airplane. Other kinds of partition elements within a ship are decks and deckheads.-Etymology:...
s. The belt was extended to the bow by armour plates 3–4 in (76.2–101.6 mm) thick and to the stern by 2–3 in (50.8–76.2 mm) armour.
The upper belt was six inches thick and was intended to protect the gap between the waterline belt and the casemate. The casemate protected the six and eight-inch guns and was 5 inches (127 mm) thick; 1.5 inches (38 mm) bulkheads separated each gun. The sides of the turrets were 10 inches (25 cm) thick and they had a 2.5 inches (64 mm) roof. Their barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
s were also 10 inches thick, although this was reduced to five inches where they were screened behind other armour. The two conning towers' sides were 8 inches (203 mm) in thickness with a 3 inches (76 mm) roof. The decks ranged from 1.37–3 in (3.5–7.6 ) in thickness.
Construction
Construction of both ships began well before the formal keel-laying ceremony; Evstafi on 13 July 1904All dates used in this article are New StyleOld Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
and Ioann Zlatoust on 13 July 1903, although the working drawings and preliminary calculations were not approved until 31 May 1904, which caused some problems with Ioann Zlatoust. Progress was relatively quick, despite the disruptions caused by the 1905 Revolution, and both ships were launched less than three years after work began. Fitting-out
Fitting-out
Fitting-out, or "outfitting”, is the process in modern shipbuilding that follows the float-out of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her owners...
, however, was considerably delayed by a number of changes made as the navy digested the lessons of the Russo-Japanese War. Maximum elevation of the main guns was increased from 15 degree to 35 degrees, the number of torpedo tubes was reduced from five to two, mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
stowage was eliminated as were the 47 millimetres (1.9 in) guns. The armour protection of the waterline fore and aft of the main belt was increased to prevent the sort of damage that disabled several ships at the Battle of Tsushima
Battle of Tsushima
The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
. A second conning tower was added at the rear of the superstructure and its design was altered, probably to eliminate the overhanging top that deflected splinters into the conning tower at the Battle of the Yellow Sea
Battle of the Yellow Sea
The Battle of the Yellow Sea was a major naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, fought on 10 August 1904. In the Russian Navy, it was referred to as the Battle of 10 August. The battle foiled an attempt by the Russian fleet at Port Arthur to break out and form up with counterparts from...
and Tsushima. The masts and their fighting top
Top (sailing ship)
On a traditional square rigged ship, the top is the platform at the upper end of each mast. This is not the masthead "crow's nest" of the popular imagination – above the mainmast is the main-topmast, main-topgallant-mast and main-royal-mast, so that the top is actually about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way...
s were replaced by light pole masts and light boom
Boom (sailing)
In sailing, a boom is a spar , along the foot of a fore and aft rigged sail, that greatly improves control of the angle and shape of the sail. The primary action of the boom is to keep the foot of the sail flatter when the sail angle is away from the centerline of the boat. The boom also serves...
s replaced the heavy boat cranes to save weight.
| Name | Namesake | Builder | Laid down Keel In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event... |
Launched Ship naming and launching The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely... |
Entered service |
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| Saint Eustace Saint Eustace Saint Eustace, also known as Eustachius or Eustathius, was a legendary Christian martyr who lived in the 2nd century AD. A martyr of that name is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, which, however, judges that the legend recounted about him is "completely fabulous." For that reason... |
Nikolayev Admiralty Shipyard Black Sea Shipyard The Black Sea Shipyard is located in Mykolaiv, Ukraine and is the largest shipyard with near direct access to the Black Sea. It is most often referred to as the Nikolayev South Shipyard and was known as Soviet Shipyard No... , Nikolayev Mykolaiv Mykolaiv , also known as Nikolayev , is a city in southern Ukraine, administrative center of the Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv is the main ship building center of the Black Sea, and, arguably, the whole Eastern Europe.-Name of city:... |
23 November 1904 | 3 November 1906 | 28 May 1911 | |
| Saint John Chrysostom John Chrysostom John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic... |
Sevastopol Shipyard Sevastopol Shipyard The Sevastopol Shipyard is a branch of the Sevastopol Marine Plant joint stock company . The shipyard is located in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine and is engaged in the repair, modernization and re-equipment of Russian and Ukrainian Naval ships and submarines.- History :The Sevastopol Marine Plant... , Sevastopol Sevastopol Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa.... |
13 November 1904 | 13 May 1906 | 1 April 1911 | |
World War I
Evstafi, as the newest ship in the Black Sea Fleet, was the flagship of Vice Admiral Andrei EberhardtAndrei Eberhardt
Andrei Augostovich Eberhardt - was an Admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy of Swedish ancestry.Eberhardt graduated from the Marine Cadet Corps in 1878. From 1882 to 1884 he served in the Pacific Fleet as a signals officer...
for the first year or so of World War I. Two weeks after the Russian declaration of war on the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
on 2 November 1914, the Black Sea Fleet set out to bombard Trebizond on 15 November. The force consisted of the pre-dreadnoughts Evstafi, Ioann Zlatoust, , , and three cruisers escorted by three destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s and 11 torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s. They did this successfully on the morning of 17 November and then turned west to hunt for Turkish shipping along the Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n coast before setting course for Sevastopol later that afternoon. The following day, while enroute, the ships were intercepted by the German battlecruiser Goeben and the light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
in what came to be known as the Battle of Cape Sarych.
Despite the noon hour the conditions were foggy and the capital ships initially did not spot each other. The Black Sea Fleet had experimented on concentrating fire from several ships under the control of a "master ship" before the war and Evstafi held her fire until Ioann Zlatoust, the master ship, could see Goeben. When the gunnery commands were finally received they showed a range over 4000 yards (3,657.6 m) in excess of Evstafis own estimate of 7700 yards (7,040.9 m), so Evstafi opened fire using her own data before Goeben turned to unmask its broadside. She scored a hit with her first salvo as a 12-inch shell partially penetrated the armor casemate protecting one of Goebens 15 centimetres (5.9 in) secondary guns. It detonated some of the ready-use ammunition, starting a fire that burnt out the casemate and killed its crew.
Goeben returned fire shortly afterward and hit Evstafi in the middle funnel; the shell detonated after it passed through the funnel and destroyed the antennae for the fire-control radio, which meant that Evstafi could not correct Ioann Zlatousts inaccurate range data. The other ships either used Ioann Zlatousts incorrect data or never saw Goeben and failed to register any hits on the German ship. Goeben hit Evstafi four more times, although one shell failed to detonate, before Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Wilhelm Souchon
Wilhelm Souchon
Wilhelm Anton Souchon was a German and Ottoman admiral in World War I who commanded the Kaiserliche Marine's Mediterranean squadron in the early days of the war...
decided to turn away and break contact after fourteen minutes of combat. Evstafi suffered 34 killed and 24 wounded from those hits, and only fired between 12 and 16 twelve-inch shells, as well as 14 eight-inch and 19 six-inch shells. Ioann Zlatoust fired only six shells from her main armament.
Several armour plates on Evstafi required replacement after the battle and they were taken from the old pre-dreadnought , allowing the repairs to be complete by 29 November. On 9 January 1915 Breslau and the encountered the Russian fleet while returning from a bombardment mission in the eastern part of the Black Sea. During a minor engagement Breslau hit Evstafis forward turret, temporarily putting it out of action, after which the two cruisers escaped using their superior speed.
Coast bombardment
Evstafi and Ioann Zlatoust served as the covering force for several bombardment missions of the Bosphorus between 18 March and 9 May 1915. While the two earlier bombardments were uneventful, the 9 May bombardment provoked a reaction as Goeben intercepted the Russian battleships after they had been spotted by the . Both forces turned on parallel courses and opened fire at the range of 17400 yards (15,910.6 m), and although neither side scored a hit, Goeben had multiple near-misses on Evstafi. Admiral Eberhardt then ordered his ships to make only 5 knots (2.7 m/s), while Goeben was making 25 knots (13.6 m/s). Goeben was unable to cross the TCrossing the T
Crossing the T or Capping the T is a classic naval warfare tactic attempted from the late 19th to mid 20th century, in which a line of warships crossed in front of a line of enemy ships, allowing the crossing line to bring all their guns to bear while receiving fire from only the forward guns of...
of the Russian ships, despite its superior speed, as they were continually turning. This maneuver bought enough time that Tri Sviatitelia and Pantelimon were able to rejoin the other two ships before they could start shelling the Ottoman forts. Pantelimon then hit Goeben twice before the German ship broke contact after 22 minutes of firing. With the fleet assembled Admiral Eberhardt attempted to pursue the German battlecruiser, but was unsuccessful.
Both ships were subsequently fitted with anti-aircraft guns
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
on top of each of their turrets during 1915, and screens were added on top of their funnels to keep out light bombs. Ioann Zlatoust initially received four 75-millimetre guns, but this was later altered to a pair of 75 mm guns and another pair of 63.5 millimetres (2.5 in) guns. Evstafi first received three 75 mm guns, but these were later replaced by two 63.5 mm guns and a pair of 40 millimetres (1.6 in) guns. On 1 August 1915 she, and all the other pre-dreadnoughts, were transferred to the 2nd Battleship Brigade, after the dreadnought had entered service. On 1 October the new dreadnought provided cover while Ioann Zlatoust and Pantelimon bombarded Zonguldak
Zonguldak
Zonguldak is a city and the capital of Zonguldak Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Its population, according to the 2009 census, was 108,792. It is an important port on the Black Sea because of the coal mining in Zonguldak Province...
and Evstafi shelled the nearby town of Kozlu. Later, both Evstafi-class ships participated in the second bombardment of Varna
Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
in May 1916.
Evstafi and Ioann Zlatoust were reduced to reserve in March 1918 in Sevastopol. Immobile, they were captured by the Germans there in May and handed over to the Allies the following December. The British wrecked their engines between 22–24 April 1919 when they left the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
in order to prevent the advancing Bolsheviks from using them against the White Russians. Later, they were captured by both sides during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, but were abandoned by the White Russians when they evacuated the Crimea in November 1920. The ships were then scrapped in 1922–23, although they were not stricken from the Navy List until 21 November 1925.