please help me to understand a plan 1877 russian torpedoboat

JBA · Post by **JBA** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 1:54 pm

Hi guys,
I have this plan under my belt for my next scratchbuilding project:

I got some help elsewhere but there are still some details I don't understand: I suppsoe that the 2 openings at the back of the boiler as shown are the place where you put the coal, but what would be the small depressions on each sides?
I suppose of course that both the boiler and the steam engine would be made of steel?! (that sounds like a stupid question!)
well these are supposed to show one of the 4 russian torpedo boats that attacked the Turkish fleet in 1877 as painted by Aivazovski

I have only those plans and 1 bad quality pic to do it, so any help appreciated!!
JB

Foeth · Post by **Foeth** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:48 pm

Perhaps those openings are the air intakes for the boiler?

JBA · Post by **JBA** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 3:00 pm

Brillant EJ! I didn't think about air intakes!
Additionnaly, i read that the Russian marine was quite bad at building its own ships, so maybe that's a boat that would have been bought in Great Britain or USA? maybe some reference could be found under another name?
Anyway thanks

Post by **JIM BAUMANN** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 12:12 pm

I have arussina book called...--early torpedo boats..

I shall have a look within--and scan anything useful from any photo of any boat that looks like your sketch

JIM BAUMANN

PetrOs · Post by **PetrOs** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:00 pm

On the sides of the boiler - air intakes
on the front - those are doors, though which coal was thrown in to the boiler.

I will check my bookshelf for some sources about early russian torpedoboats. I quite sure recall i had an article about that in some russian naval magazine on my shelf....

In the war of 1877 all russian torpedo boats were converted ones, none being purpose built. Mainly steam launches/cutters from the large merchant ships. Most used towed or pole mines first, but on 25th January 1878 first turkish ship (gunboat Intibach) has been sunk by a whitehead torpedo. I suppose your painting is the one of a turkish battleship being sunk a year before by a towed mine....

PetrOs · Post by **PetrOs** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:30 pm

so, I found the article

The painting you show is also there, captioned as
"Sinking of a turkish monitor Seifi on Donau, 26 may 1877. "

The article covers the operations, ships and people on donau in summer 1877. There are a few photos of boats themselves, their models, pole mines, and their commanders, and A5-sized copy of general view plans (from russian navy archive) of a "steam shipboat with a pole mine" and "fast steam boat "Shutka"", as well as plans for used torpedo tubes and pole mines. It is 13 A5 pages, so I can scan it with ease if you are interested.

JBA · Post by **JBA** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:16 pm

You bet I am interested in your scans PetrOs!!!

I am just so tired to do inacurate stuff

Thank you for your interest guys!!
i will post pics of the finished model here -it will be a diorama with one of those torpedoboats, probably half sunken or something

PetrOs · Post by **PetrOs** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:43 am

link sent per PM

JBA · Post by **JBA** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:01 am

Now I can get seriously started: ) much thanks!!
JB

PetrOs · Post by **PetrOs** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:51 am

Have fun ;o)

JBA · Post by **JBA** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:45 am

Sure I will