I think that river ships are underrepresented and I would like to change that. The construction of a model takes less time due to the small size of the actual ship. Never the less they are very interesting vessels.
For the beginning,
Roumanian navy BRUTAR II class river guboat
There are five ships in service built between 1987-1990.
176 - "RAHOVA"
177 - "OPANEZ"
178 - "SMARDAN"
179 - "POSADA"
180 - "ROVINE"
Displacement 322 tonnes
Length 44,50 m
Beam 8 m
Draught 1,30 m
Armament
1 x 100 mm md. 1977 antitank gun
2 x 14,5mm TAB-77 machinegun
2 x MR4N 14,5mm machinegun
2 x APR 21 rocket launcher
1 x Md.80, twin 30mm anti-aircraft naval gun
anti-aircraft rockets 9M-32M Strella
two mine rails
Propulsion: 3 diesel engines IMTB tip 12 Boxer � 165 ; 1200 hp. (3 shafts)
Speed 16 kn
Complement 47
Range 500 km
roumanian design, bldr. Mangalia Shipyard
Last edited by MUGUR on Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roumanian navy uses six river tugs for logistical support. LUPENI class design is inspired by a german interwar project.
Length 32,40m
Beam 5,80m
Draught 1,64 m ;
Displacement: 169 tonnes ;
Speed 11 kn
Engine 1 x BW-400; 400hp
Range 2500 Km
Attachments
January 2012
Last edited by MUGUR on Tue Jul 11, 2017 11:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
displacement 50.7 tonnes
length 23 meters
width 4.8 meters
draft 1 meter
armament two BM-5M.01 combat module Katran-M (include 30-mm automatic cannon ZTM1, 30-mm automatic grenade launcher and 7.62mm machine gun CT, as well as two ATGM "Barrier" with a laser guidance system)
two mine rails
electro-optical fire control system
portable air defense missile systems.
radar and infrared equipment
planed 20 ships
bldr. capital plant "Lenin's smithy"
Trials in Odessa bay, february 2016
Last edited by MUGUR on Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Soviet Navy SMEL (?????, project 1204) class river gunboat
displacement 80 tonnes
length 27,7 m
width 4,3 m
draft 1 m
two engines M-50F, 2x1200 hp
speed 23 kn
range 240 miles/20 kn
complement 14
armament
1x76,2mm D56TS
1X2X14,5MM machinegun
one multiple rocket launcer BM-14-17
STRELA 2M portable air defense missile
two mine rails
soviet gunboats on the Danube river
Russian Navy gunboats
Attachments
BG-83, Ukrainian Navy (coast guard) on the Danube river
Last edited by MUGUR on Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roumanian navy river gunboat (VB class)
displacement 127 t
length 32 m
width 4,8 m
draft 0,9 m
two engines SULZER 2x1000 hp
speed 17 kn
armament
1x76,2mm RESITA md.1943
2 x MR2N 14,5mm machinegun
2x81 mm mortars
two mine rails
roumanian design, bldr. Margalia Shipyard
There were 18 gunboats in service between 1972 and 2004
Attachments
Last edited by MUGUR on Tue Jul 11, 2017 11:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
The 76,2 mm Re?i?a Md. 1943 was an anti-tank gun produced by Roumania during World War II. It combined the muzzle brake, recoil and firing mechanisms and split-trail carriage of the soviet gun ZiS-3, the barrel, rifling and cartridge chamber of the Vickers/Re?i?a Md. 1936 anti-aircraft gun and the projectile chamber of the Pak 40. It had agun shield that consisted of two 6 millimetres (0.24 in) plates separated by a 20 millimetres (0.79 in) gap. It had only 680 parts, almost as few as the 610 of the ZiS-3, but far fewer than the 1200 of the Pak 40. It had a higher muzzle velocity and thus greater penetrative power than thePak 40. It therefore combined the virtues of both the ZiS-3 and Pak 40 with none of their drawbacks. These guns were available and were adapted for use on VB class gunboats.
The 81mm mortar could be easily removed from the vessel and put into firing position on land.
The tugs were designed for commercial use, more than 60 vessels of this type were built in roumanian shipyards before 1990. Ships are simple, durable and easy to maintain.
Serbian Navy NESTIN class river minesweepers (??????,p????? ????????? ??????)
There were six ships built between 1976-1980 (331-336)
RML-331 "Ne�tin"
RML-332 "Motajica"
RML-333 "Belegi�" -deleted
RML-334 "Bosut" - deleted
RML-335 "Vu?edol"
RML-336 "?erdap"
RML-341 "Novi Sad" (built in 1999)
displacement 75 tons/ 92 tons with still plates protecting the engines
length 33,3 m
width 4 m
draft 0,89 m
speed 14 kn
armament 2xMR2N 14,5mm machinegun/2xMR4N 14,5mm machinegun/1xMR2N 14,5mm machinegun and 1 x Md.80, twin 30mm anti-aircraft naval gun
anti-aircraft rockets 9M-32M Strella
mechanical, electromagnetic and acoustic trawls
roumanian design, bldr. Tr. Severin Shipyard; 24 ships were launched between 1976-1983
12 minesweepers are in service today
armament:1xMR2N 14,5mm machinegun and 1 x Md.80, twin 30mm anti-aircraft naval gun
Attachments
armament: 2xMR4N 14,5mm machinegun
armament: 2xMR2N 14,5mm machinegun
Md.80, twin 30mm anti-aircraft naval gun
Last edited by MUGUR on Tue Jul 11, 2017 11:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Overall six soviet BKA-1125 gunboats were lost during the fighting in the Danube Delta in 1941. One of them was repaired and included in Roumanian Navy.
Attachments
Another BKA-1125 destroyed by the roumanian marines in the june 1941; she had a T28 tank turret
The austro-hungarian padlle steamer CSOBANC was build in 1903 in Linz for M.F.T.R. (Royal Hungarian River and Sea shipping Company).
from 1918 - renamed MUNKA (under communist hungarian flag)
from 1921 - renamed ARAD (roumanian navy flag)
from 1930 - renamed CPT. COMANDOR VASILE PAUN (roumanian navy command ship)
from 1947 - renamed REPUBLICA (roumanian navy command ship)
from 1991 - renamed LT. COMANDOR VASILE PAUN (roumanian navy command ship)
from 2003 - renamed REPUBLICA (museum ship)
Attachments
VASILE PAUN was used as a command ship for NATO observers in 1995 during a roumanian exercise on the Danube; she was the last paddle steam warship in the world.
Musem ship REPUBLICA in 2015
Museum ship REPUBLICA in Tulcea harbor (may 2014)
The original engine is in working condition
The original 1903 capstan
Last edited by MUGUR on Sat Sep 24, 2016 5:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
"On this page and on our two-page engraving will be found illustrations of a screw torpedo vedette-boat, eight of which have recently been built for the service of the Royal Roumanian Government by the Thames Iron Works, Shipbuilding, and Engineering Company Limited, London.
The vessels are 100 ft. long, 13 ft. beam, with a draught of water of 2 ft. 91/2 in., and a displacement of 51 tons.
The hulls are built throughout of steel, the deck and sides to just below the water-line being bullet-proof. The vessels are each ?tted with a 47 millimeter gun on top of the conning-tower forward, and a small mitrailleuse gun aft.
Gear for dropping torpedoes over the side is ?tted on both sides amidships, and two spar-torpedoes are ?tted forward over the bows. The boats are also supplied with powerful searchlight projectors, and are lighted throughout by electricity.
Accommodation is provided for four of?cers and twelve men.
The problem set the Thames Company was an extremely difficult one, the maximum length allowed being 100 ft.; maximum drought 2 ft. 91/2 in; and the speed 18 knots on a trial of four hours� duration, under penalties. Owing to the abundant supply of oil in Roumania it was also desired to use petrol residuum as fuel.
It was found impossible to use internal combustion engines on account of their excessive weight, so it became necessary to provide the 600 indicated horse-power on a weight of 16 tons by using steam propelling machinery.
There are two sets of compound engines of the inverted type, the twin screws running in tunnels formed in the stern of the boat. These engines are shown in perspective in Fig. 2 on our two-page engraving, where may also be seen a longitudinal section of the engine in Fig. 3.
The cylinders are 81/2 in. and 17 in. in diameter respectively; with a stroke 9 in.and they are supported on turned-steel columns strongly braced together. The main bearing-frames are separate castings of Stone�s high-tension bronze of 30 tons per square inch tensile strength, bolted to long steel girders, which also carry the thrust-block, feed-pumps and air pumps.
The bearings throughout are lined with white metal, and centrifugal lubricators are ?tted to all the revolving parts. The crank-shafts are solid, and balance-weights are ?tted to the cranks. There are two feed-pumps ?tted to each main engine, these being worked from s. counter-shaft driven by worm and worm-wheel from the crank-shaft at s. reduced speed, the pumps making one revolution to four of the engines. Each pump has a separate connection to the boiler through two non-return valves, and hand-controlled valves are ?tted on the suction side only. This method of working is very simple, and is found to render the feeding of the boiler very safe and easy. There is also no danger of burst feed-pipes owing to feed-valves being inadvertently closed. The air-pumps are driven off the forward end of the crank-shaft through s universal joint, and run at the same speed as the main engine.
Each set of machinery is complete with its own condenser, and the centrifugal circulating pump, steam, exhaust, feed, and other pipes are all in duplicate, so that each main engine is entirely independent of the other.
The circulating pump has an impeller 12 in. in diameter, driven by a single cylinder engine. The pumps are entirely of gun-metal, and from each pump there is driven an auxiliary air-pump. which is so ?tted that it can be stopped whilst the main air-pump is working.
The circulating water passes once through the condensers, and the condensers and pipes are arranged so that, with the circulating-pumps stopped, enough water will pass through the condensers to maintain a vacuum of 22 in. or 23 in.
There is s. hot-well tank at the forward end of the engine-room, and a reserve feed-tank at the after end, both being provided with ?lters. An auxiliary feed-pump, of the direct-acting type, by Messrs. Caird and Rayner. is ?tted in the engine-room. It has a cylinder 71/2 in. in diameter, and a pump 51/2 in. in diameter, with a stroke of 8 in.
This is large enough to feed the boiler at full power, and will do duty for bilge or deck, and will pump through the ?lter on the reserve tank.
The propellers are of bronze. 3 ft. 3 in. in diameter, three-bladed, accurately pitched and balanced.
Steam is supplied by a Thames Iron Works water-tube boiler, the design of which will be seen by the illustrations on our two-page engraving, a perspective view being given in Fig. 4, and a longitudinal and transverse sections in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively.
The steam pressure is 185 lb. per square inch. and the heating surface 1290 square feet. The furnace is specially arranged for burning oil fuel. the ordinary ?re-bars being replaced by fire-bricks with slots for the admission of air.
The casing is carried down under the hearth, and the air is admitted directly at the front, and at the back through a casing which serves the double purpose of keeping the back cool and of heating up the air before entering the furnace.
Owing to the very limited weight available for the machinery, it was necessary to resort to steam spraying. Four special burners are ?tted tn each boiler, two at the top having an angle downwards, and two on the bottom, at each side of the ?re-door, directed towards the centre. The arrangement of the oil and steam-pipes can be seen from Fig. 4.
Oil-bunkers are ?tted on each side oi the boiler, and a steam-pump is ?tted for pumping from them to the present-use tank. A steam-coil is ?tted in each tank for heating the oil, the steam running ?rst through the present-use tank, and then through the coils in the bunkers. The water from these coils is run into the bilge to obviate any danger of getting oil into the feed water.
Both bunkers and the present-use tank act as settling tanks, and a valve is ?tted at the bottom of each to drain off water as it collects.
There is not enough height in the boat to run the oil through the burners by gravity; the present-use tank is therefore worked under an air pressure of from 1 lb. to 10 lb., the air being supplied by a small pump driven off the fan-engine, and a reducing valve regulates the pressure.
The forced-draught fan is 4 ft. in diameter. driven by a single steam-engine running at 300 to 1000 revolutions per minute, the air pressure at full power being from 4 in. to 5 in. of water.
For the purpose of securing good ventilation in the engine-room the air inlet of the fan is through the upper part of the engine-room bulkhead, and the mushroom-topped ventilator at the aft end of the engine-room. The air for the boilers has thus to pass right through the engine-room, serving admirably to ventilate that compartment.
In the steering compartment is the generating set for lighting the ship and working the projector. The 8 kilowatt dynamo was made by the Thames Iron Works electrical department, and the enclosed tandem compound engine. made by Messrs. Peter Brotherhood, Belvedere-Road. Lambeth, S.E. has forced lubrication.
Four bilge ejectors, each of 8 tons per hour capacity, are ?tted, one in each compartment. Chadburn�s reply telegraphs are ?tted from conning tower to both engines.
The boats were designed by the late Mr, G. C. Makrow, and the of?cial trial of the ?rst boat took place on the Thames, September 25, 1906.
The Roumanian Government were represented by:
- Major Demetriade, Director of Marine;
- Captain-Commander Balesco, President of the Commission;
- Captain Negru,
- Captain Mihail, and
- Captain Stefanesco.
The trial was of four hours� duration, and the following results were obtained:
- Mean speed: 18.0365 knots
- Mean indicated horsepower: 622.7
- Mean revolutions per minute: 554.8
- Boiler steam pressure: 182.3 lb. per sq in,
- Air pressure in stoke-hold: 41/2 in. water
- Pressure of steam in oil-fuel burners: 181 lb. per sq, in,
- Pressure of oil for oil-fuel burners: 7 ""
- Temperature of oil in warming tank: 175 deg, Fahr.
- Oil consumption: 1.73 lb. per 1 H.P. per hour
This result was obtained with the two top burners only in operation. The power was maintained steadily, and generally there was absolutely no smoke or visible gases from the funnels.
The machinery, which was designed by Mr. R. Warriner, ran smoothly and without vibration; no sign of heating was observed in any of the bearings, although only the ordinary oil service was used. On the stopping and starting trial the engines were easily and rapidly manipulated by one man.
Four of these boats left the Thames Iron Works last October, taking altogether six weeks on their journey from London to Galatz through the waterways of Central Europe. They were not allowed to proceed under their own steam, but had to be towed along with the barges, &c. in the usual way.
The last four boats left the works in March, an are now on their way through the centre of Europe."
In all the posts above I only see the river Danube (Dunav, Donau or what you want to call it) being the stage for military naval forces! Are all the other rivers in the world so peacefull, or am I missing something? Ok, I saw one boat on the Volga I think...
"I've heard there's a wicked war a-blazing, and the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising, their guns on fire as we sail into hell" Roger Whittaker +9/13/2023
