Chapaev (gunboat)

"AT. Chapaev ”refers to wheeled tugs with a steel hull. Length 56.4 meters, estimated width 8.1 m, overall - 17 m, draft 1.25 m, displacement - 400 tons. The maximum speed (without cart) is 18.5 knots , the cruising range of 16.5 knots is 2450 km ^[1] . The tug crew consisted of 28 people. Cabins were made for the crew in the hull, and four cabins for the captain, first assistant, and mechanic were placed above the wheels ^[2] . Elements of the steel casing were connected by welding, the superstructure is made of wood. Power plant - one steam engine with a capacity of 480 liters. from. working on coal ^[1] . The fuel supply is 80 tons, placed in two coal bunkers ^[2] . The ship provided electricity to the ship. The vessel was propelled by two paddle wheels located on the sides. To control and transmit information, a machine telegraph and telephone pipes were used. The internal systems and pipelines consisted of a steam pipeline, a feed water pipe, a gas exhaust pipe with a chimney, a fire and drainage system, water supply systems, sewage, heating, ventilation of the engine room and rooms in the building and superstructure ^[3] . The steering device consisted of one semi-balanced steering wheel with a sector steering machine. The anchor system consisted of two bow and one stern Hall anchors located in the gates. The mechanism for lifting the nasal anchors consisted of a steam windlass , stern - of the spire . The towing mechanism included one rotary towing hook and three arches ^[3] . Mooring devices included eight bollards and four bale strips ; mooring was carried out with a steel cable. In tow were installed foremast and mainmast , as well as the bow flagpole . Four top lights , two circular, green and red onboard and three stern lights were used as signal devices. For the sound alarm a steam whistle was used . In tow, there was one wooden oar boat, which fell overboard on a rotary davit driven by manual hoists . Navigational aids consisted of one manual lot. Traditional fire-fighting means: a hook, a nightmare, a box of sand, fire scrap, buckets, an ax ^[4] .

Mobilization

One of the features of the pre-war mobilization plans was the lack of measures to mobilize the ships of the Volga River Basin - the geographical position of the Volga was considered quite remote from the proposed theaters of military operations. This led to the lack of pre-prepared technical documentation, and the vessels themselves in the design and construction did not adapt to the needs of mobilization. Another factor influencing the reworking of ships according to the requirements of the Navy was the switch of shipyards to the production of land military products ^[2] .

The general course of hostilities in 1941 required a significant revision of the pre-war plans. On October 27, 1941, a decision was made to create the Volga Military Flotilla on the basis of the Training Squad of Ships. Towing ship "V. Chapaev ”was mobilized on July 16, 1941 and reconstructed into a gunboat with simultaneous reassignment to the Navy. At the same time, the name of the ship was changed to an abbreviated version of "Chapaev." Perestroika was spent 20 days, all technical documentation was limited to a tactical and technical task of several pages, and the plants that carried out the work were located at a distance of 300 km from each other ^[2] . In accordance with the order, the gunboat was supposed to go into operation on August 15, 1941, but due to lack of materials and weapons, as well as due to poor preparation of the newly formed crew, the ship was ready only at the end of September ^[5] .

The reconstruction involved a large number of works. Weapons were installed on the gunboat: two 100-mm B-24-BM guns, two 45-mm 21-K guns, three 7.62-mm machine guns and a range finder. They needed to make reinforcements to ensure the safety of ship structures when firing. During the reconstruction, an insufficient longitudinal strength of the tug was revealed (the hull bent during excitement), which required the hull to be strengthened. To reduce the work, the bow gun was placed over the transverse bulkhead. The stern gun was installed over the newly created bulkhead enclosing the artillery cellar ^[2] .

To store ammunition, artillery cellars were created. For this, one of the two coal bins was used. Racks for ammunition, irrigation, drainage, ventilation and lighting systems were installed in it. The drainage system was based on individual steam ejectors. The wiring for lighting was mounted in metal pipes and led to sealed shades. The switches were mounted in the vestibule, where there was a lamp signaling that the lighting was on. The bulkheads and the ceiling were sheathed with waterproofing, for which instead of cork improvised materials were used: plywood, roofing , nightmare . Instead of a wooden deck, a metal one was installed above the cellar ^[2] .

The living quarters for accommodating the crew were completely refitted and allowed accommodating up to 72 people. For this, the crew cabins, which were located in the hull, were re-planned in two cockpits , which accommodated 28 and 38 people. Kubriks were equipped with bunk bunks, lockers and bedside tables, hangers for outerwear and pyramids for personal weapons. In the intercourse passages, tables were established for eating. The cabins of the captain and mechanic were rebuilt into four, which were occupied by the commander, commissar, commanders of the warheads-2 (artillery) and warheads-5 (electromechanical). The third cabin was assigned to the company cabin , and the fourth - under the radio room. The galley, laundry and latrine were not redone, and in the wash basin the number of taps was increased from three to six ^[2] .

Interphone pipes were made to the guns, cellars and rangefinder. The masts were equipped with means for raising signal flags, and a special box was made to store the flags themselves. On the ship mounted dimming tools. The lack of prepared technical documentation required the production of drawings and diagrams in place, which was complicated by the lack of qualified engineering and working personnel. In addition, there was an acute shortage of metal, including armored steel. But shipbuilders had 8 mm armor, which the tank builders refused, - this armor, contrary to the specifications, was sheathed the cabin of the gunboat ^[2] .

Participation in the Battle of Stalingrad

Postwar fate

From May 19, 1943 the gunboat was under operational control of the Volgotanker Shipping Company of the People’s Commissariat of the River Fleet and provided for the posting of oil barges ^[6] . On November 6, 1943, the gunboat was disarmed and again became a towing steamer ^[7] , to which the name “V. Chapaev ” ^[6] . March 22, 1947 tug boat “V. Kirov ”for the special merits of the crew during the Great Patriotic War was awarded a joint memorial plaque of the Ministry of the River Fleet and the Navy Headquarters of the USSR. On March 23, 1959, the honored veteran was removed from the lists of the vessels of the Ministry of the River Fleet of the RSFSR and handed over to Vtorchermet for cutting ^[8] .

• Smirnov E.L. 1934. Wheel tug N = 480 hp type Usyskin Zelenodolsk plant (neopr.) . Towing vessels and pushers . River reference book. Date of treatment August 18, 2017.

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• Platonov A.V. In wartime // Soviet monitors, gunboats and armored boats. Part I. - Galea Print, 2004 .-- 120 p. - 500 copies. - ISBN 5-8172-0090-2 .
• Achkasov V.I., Basov A.V., Sumin A.I. et al. Chapter Nine. Military Flotillas in the Great Patriotic War // Combat Path of the Soviet Navy / Edited by Doctor of Historical Sciences A. V. Basov. - 4th. - M .: Military Publishing, 1988 .-- S. 390-399. - 607 p. - 90,000 copies. - ISBN 5–203–00527–3.
• Loktionov I.I. Fire from the Volga // Volga Flotilla in the Great Patriotic War. - M .: Military Publishing, 1974.