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Vladimir Monomakh
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Models based on older 1/700 Kombrig kit extensively modified and
back-dated to as built configuration with a lot of scratcbuilding of
decks,details, armament as well as entire rig.
This Armoured Cruiser of the Imperial Russian Navy, named Vladimir Monomakh
was laid down at the Baltic Shipyard in St Petersburg 1881, and completed in
1883.
Conceived as a sister-ship to Dimitri Donksoi , she was launched first and as a
result of numerous changes and modifications during construction the ships ended
up rather different in appearance. During her service career she sailed
impressively enormous distances in her various deployments between Europe
to the far East.
After commissioning and sea trials on 11 October 1884 Vladimir Monomakh
began a leisurely voyage from the Baltic Sea to the Far East. She visited
the ports of Kristiansand in Norway and Portland Harbour on the South coast of
England. Thereafter she sailed for Malta and onwards to Greek Waters; where she
spent one and a half months before making for Port Said prior to transiting the
Suez Canal. Arriving at Nagasaki, Japan in March 1885 she was appointed
Flagship of the Russian Pacific Fleet based at Vladivostock.
From November 1885 to March 1889 among other destinations she visited Manila,
Hong Kong, Batavia, Singapore and Penang Island before returning to Kronstadt in
1887 for a refit in 1888.
Vladimir Monomakh was stationed in the Mediterranean in late 1889 and for the
whole of 1890; acting as the escort the Tsar’s son, Nicolas II, who was
travelling on Pamiat Azova. The ships reached Singapore on 2 March and proceeded
to Vladivostock, dropping anchor on May 23.
Following an overhaul during August she spent the winter at the port of
Nagasaki; returning to Europe and reaching Kronstadt in August 1892 to commence
a comprehensive major refit which saw her full sailing rig being cut down to
signal masts and her telescopic funnels being fixed in place.
On 2 October 1894 the ship, was ordered back to the Mediterranean. Because of
increasingly rising tensions of the first Sino -Japanese war of 1894-95, the
entire Mediterranean Squadron was ordered to reinforce the 2nd Pacific Squadron.
Vladimir Monomakh reached Chefoo in China on 16 April 1896, becoming the
Flagship of Rear Admiral Yevgeni Ivanovich Alekseyev, 2nd in command of the
Pacif Fleet.
She returned to Vladivostock and then arriving at Kobe in Japan January 1896,
prior to sailing for home waters and another major modernisation and refit at
Kronstadt, during which her now obsolete 8-inch and 6-inch guns were replaced
and the propulsive machinery being overhauled and re-boilered.
Vladimir Monomakh transferred back to the Pacific Fleet in November 1897 and
reached Nagasaki in February 1898. After the expulsion of the Japanese
Fleet from Port Arthur as a result of the Triple Intervention she
was part of the Russian force occupying that strategic harbour.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Intervention )
During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, she served as a troopship in June. Upon her
return to Port Arthur in September of the same year she accidentally
rammed and sank the merchant ship ' Crown of Aragon'.
In December 1901 she met her near-sistership Dimitri Donskoi at Hong Kong, the
two ships returning to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Vladimir
Monomakh remained in the Mediterranean for that summer and reached Kronstadt in
October 1902.
1903-04 she remained in the Baltic, during which time there was further
upgrading of the QF armament.
In February 1905, Vladimir Monomakh was assigned to the Third Pacific Squadron,
which was sent to reinforce Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky 's Second Pacific
Squadron.
The Third Pacific Squadron transited the Suez Canal and joined the 2nd Pacific
Squadron at Cam Ranh Bay in French Indochina on 14 May 1900
Russo-Japanese War service
--------------------------------
At the decisive Battle of Tsushima on 27 May 1905, Vladimir Monomakh was
positioned to the right side of the Russian battle-line, guarding the transports
and so avoided the annihilating Japanese gunfire inflicted upon many of the
other vessel of Second Pacific Squadron.
She engaged the cruiser IJN Izumi, which was hit several times and retired from
the engagement.
However Vladimir Monomakh had in turn received several hits herself, one of
which had started an ammunition fire. Speedy flooding of the magazine prevented
an explosion.
As the darkness drew in the surviving Russian warships were attacked by IJN
Torpedo boats, one of which was destroyed by gunfire from Vladimir Monomakh.
She was torpedoed at 20:40 hours causing major damage, however remained afloat
with engines and pumps functioning, though continued to take on water.
The next morning Captain Vladimir Aleksandrovich Popov gave the order to abandon
ship, and ordered her to be scuttled rather than surrender the ship to the
Japanese Forces.
Vladimir Monomakh finally slipped under the waves on the morning of 28 May 1905
at 10:20 am.
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Length: 296 ft 3 in (90.3 m)
Beam: 52 ft 0 in (15.85 m)
Draught: 26 ft 3 in (8 m)
As built 7000 hp = 15.2 knots
Complement: 591officers and men
4 × 8 in
12 × 6 in
4 × 9pdr
10 × QF
3 × TT