1937 Astrakhan

Astrakhan, VMF Bombardment Ship laid down 1937

Displacement:
	23,729 t light; 26,560 t standard; 28,500 t normal; 30,052 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
	(672.57 ft / 656.17 ft) x 85.30 ft x (29.53 / 30.80 ft)
	(205.00 m / 200.00 m) x 26.00 m  x (9.00 / 9.39 m)

Armament:
      72 - 7.99" / 203 mm 24.0 cal guns - 231.21lbs / 104.87kg shells, 220 per gun
	  Breech loading guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1931 Model
	  9 x 2 row octuple mounts on centreline, evenly spread
      12 - 5.91" / 150 mm 45.0 cal guns - 103.86lbs / 47.11kg shells, 250 per gun
	  Quick firing guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1937 Model
	  4 x 3-gun mounts on centreline, evenly spread
		2 raised mounts
      16 - 2.99" / 76.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 13.51lbs / 6.13kg shells, 300 per gun
	  Dual purpose guns in deck mounts, 1937 Model
	  8 x Twin mounts on centreline, aft deck aft
      24 - 1.77" / 45.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 2.80lbs / 1.27kg shells, 450 per gun
	  Breech loading guns in deck mounts, 1937 Model
	  24 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      Weight of broadside 18,177 lbs / 8,245 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:		Width (max)	Length (avg)		Height (avg)
	Main:	9.06" / 230 mm	508.53 ft / 155.00 m	10.66 ft / 3.25 m
	Ends:	4.72" / 120 mm	131.23 ft / 40.00 m	10.66 ft / 3.25 m
	  16.40 ft / 5.00 m Unarmoured ends
	Upper:	4.72" / 120 mm	492.13 ft / 150.00 m	8.01 ft / 2.44 m
	  Main Belt covers 119 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Strengthened structural bulkheads:
		4.72" / 120 mm	524.93 ft / 160.00 m	27.30 ft / 8.32 m
	Beam between torpedo bulkheads 65.62 ft / 20.00 m

   - Gun armour:	Face (max)	Other gunhouse (avg)	Barbette/hoist (max)
	Main:	0.79" / 20 mm	0.79" / 20 mm		4.72" / 120 mm
	2nd:	4.72" / 120 mm	2.36" / 60 mm		2.36" / 60 mm
	3rd:	1.18" / 30 mm	0.39" / 10 mm		      -

   - Armoured deck - single deck:
	For and Aft decks: 4.72" / 120 mm
	Forecastle: 0.00" / 0 mm  Quarter deck: 4.72" / 120 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 9.06" / 230 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
	Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
	Geared drive, 4 shafts, 162,129 shp / 120,949 Kw = 33.00 kts
	Range 9,000nm at 14.00 kts
	Bunker at max displacement = 3,493 tons

Complement:
	1,096 - 1,425

Cost:
	£13.227 million / $52.909 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
	Armament: 2,721 tons, 9.5 %
	   - Guns: 2,721 tons, 9.5 %
	Armour: 9,784 tons, 34.3 %
	   - Belts: 3,051 tons, 10.7 %
	   - Torpedo bulkhead: 2,505 tons, 8.8 %
	   - Armament: 495 tons, 1.7 %
	   - Armour Deck: 3,552 tons, 12.5 %
	   - Conning Tower: 182 tons, 0.6 %
	Machinery: 4,494 tons, 15.8 %
	Hull, fittings & equipment: 6,585 tons, 23.1 %
	Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,771 tons, 16.7 %
	Miscellaneous weights: 145 tons, 0.5 %
	   - On freeboard deck: 80 tons
	   - Above deck: 65 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
	Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
	  34,681 lbs / 15,731 Kg = 135.9 x 8.0 " / 203 mm shells or 5.2 torpedoes
	Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.21
	Metacentric height 5.6 ft / 1.7 m
	Roll period: 15.1 seconds
	Steadiness	- As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 48 %
			- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 1.13
	Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 0.80

Hull form characteristics:
	Hull has a flush deck,
	  a ram bow and large transom stern
	Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.604 / 0.610
	Length to Beam Ratio: 7.69 : 1
	'Natural speed' for length: 29.52 kts
	Power going to wave formation at top speed: 63 %
	Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 58
	Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
	Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
	Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
				Fore end,	 Aft end
	   - Forecastle:	15.00 %,  28.18 ft / 8.59 m,  22.97 ft / 7.00 m
	   - Forward deck:	50.00 %,  22.97 ft / 7.00 m,  22.97 ft / 7.00 m
	   - Aft deck:	25.00 %,  22.97 ft / 7.00 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
	   - Quarter deck:	10.00 %,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
	   - Average freeboard:		22.54 ft / 6.87 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
	Space	- Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 114.8 %
		- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 166.8 %
	Waterplane Area: 42,810 Square feet or 3,977 Square metres
	Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 101 %
	Structure weight / hull surface area: 172 lbs/sq ft or 838 Kg/sq metre
	Hull strength (Relative):
		- Cross-sectional: 0.94
		- Longitudinal: 1.72
		- Overall: 1.00
	Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
	Excellent accommodation and workspace room
	Poor seaboat, wet and uncomfortable, reduced performance in heavy weather

High recoil is no issue, main battery fires in split salvos.