Manufacturer: Revell
Scale: 1/720
Additional parts: plastic sheets, parts from a Trumpeter Slava, PE parts
Model build: Feb - Jun 2015
Soviet Navy - Ballistic Missile Cruiser Petropavlovsk
Revell / Scratchbuild
1/720
1/720
Iron Will (epic rock)
0:00
Made with Suno
Iron Will (progrsssive rock)
0:00
Made with Suno
Test Flight Alpha: Petropavlovsk
Captain Vasiliev surveyed the Baltic Sea from the bridge of the Petropavlovsk, the crisp April air biting at his cheeks. This wasn't your typical Soviet warship. Once a relic of a bygone era, the Petropavlovsk had been reborn as a steel testament to the future - the world's first ballistic missile cruiser. Today was the day they would unleash that future.
"Captain," came the clipped voice of First Officer Petrov, "missile bay reports they're ready for hot launch."
Vasiliev's eyes narrowed. Hot launch. It was a risky maneuver, powering up the missile on the launch pad before firing. Faster, yes, but it meant praying the temperamental R-11 wouldn't cook off prematurely. "Very well. Prepare for launch sequence."
A nervous hum filled the bridge as the crew went through the motions with practiced precision. Below decks, technicians in grease-stained overalls monitored dials and flicked switches, their faces grim under the harsh fluorescent lights.
On the aft deck, the monstrous missile cradle dominated the scene. The R-11, a spindly silver giant, looked more like a science fiction prop than a weapon of war. A plume of white smoke erupted as the first stage ignited, roaring to life with a deafening scream. The entire ship shuddered under the strain.
Vasiliev gripped the bridge railing, his knuckles white. Seconds crawled by, each one an eternity. Then, with a fiery burst, the R-11 shot upwards, leaving a trail of black smoke in its wake. The crew erupted in cheers, the tension finally broken.
But Vasiliev felt a knot of unease tighten in his gut. The cheers died down as quickly as they started, replaced by an anxious silence. The designated target, an uninhabited island hundreds of kilometers away, remained frustratingly still on the radar screen.
Minutes ticked by. Still nothing. Had the missile malfunctioned? Detonated prematurely?
Suddenly, a flicker on the screen. A growing blip. Then, a triumphant roar from communications. "Target acquired, Captain! Direct hit!"
Relief washed over Vasiliev, warm and welcome. The Petropavlovsk had done it. It had become the first ship to successfully launch a ballistic missile. This was a game-changer, a Soviet fist shaking in the face of the West.
But as the celebrations began, a chilling thought crossed Vasiliev's mind. This power, this destructive force, was now in their hands. The future, once bright with promise, suddenly seemed a little more terrifying. The Petropavlovsk, a relic reborn, was a harbinger of a new age, an age where the sea could rain down fire from the sky. And Vasiliev, its captain, stood at the precipice of that age, both exhilarated and deeply afraid.
In 1940, the incomplete Heavy Cruiser Lützow (a modified Prinz Eugen design) was sold to the Sovet Union. At this time, the hull and some parts of the superstructure were completed. It was planed that the ship was to be completed at Leningrad under the supervision of German Engineers. The required material (engines, weapons) were produces and Germany and delivered to the constuction site. Then the ship arrived in Leningrad, it was renamed to Petropavlovsk.
By June 1941 - just before the German attack on the Soviet Uniion - the Petropavlovsk was completed about 70%. Machinery and subsidiary installations were incomplete, the funnel and only basic elements of superstructures were erected plus ian mprovised main-mast mounted. Only "A" and "D" (1st and 4th) 20,3 cm (8") turrets were mounted and equipped plus bases and barbettes for the other two. AA guns consisted of two 3,7 cm and eight 20 mm guns (most likely German models).
Between June and August 1941, he cruiser was re-equipped to floating battery with its four 20,3 cm guns (German ammunition) and towed to the Call Harbor (Leningrad Trade Port's area).
When Gemran troops atttacked Leningrad in September 1941, Petropavlovsk opened fire on Wehrmacht units. After 21st volley the barrel of the left 20, cm gun of the "A" turret broke down because of internal shell/defect which was thoroughly sealed in Germany. The motionless ship fired about 700 shells on German ground units. German heavy artillery fired at the cruiser. Petropavlovsk received 53 hits of 210 mm shells. She sunk and set upon the bottom on shallow waters. It was raised one year later.
In January 1944, she fireed on German units retreating. Over 1036 shells were fired in 10 days.
After the war, it was considred to complete the ship as a light cruiser, but this project was cancelled due to the costs. In the mid 1950s, it was used as a floating barrack and finally scrapped in the late 1950s.
So such about the real ship, now lets see the what-if....
Ballistic Missile Cruiser Petropavlovsk, June 1975
With the advance of sea-launched ballisitc missles, a platform to launch those weapons was required. While the USA and the Soviet Union both planned to used submarines for this task, the Soviet Union decided to constct a surface vessel as an alternative, justin case a ballistic missile submarine would run into too many problems.
Therefore the Petropavlovsk, anchoring in Leningrad for over 10 years was choosen to be modifed for this duty.
The biggest modification was to remove both stern 20,3 cm gun mounts and put a large missile hangar structure on the backward part of the ship. Included in this structure was a helicopter hangar with a landing pad behind it. Gun turret "D" was moded into the posion of gun turret "B" which gave the the ship four 20,3 cm guns at the front and the missile hangar with 12 ballisic missle on the stern.
Modiification on the ship proceeded rapidly, and in September 1957, the Petropavlovsk was commissioned and attached to the Baltic Fleet. The first test launch of a R-11 missle took place 7 monthes later.
It the following monthes and years, it got clear that ballisitc missile submarines worked, therefore a surface ship carrying those kind of weapons was too vulnerable.
As a result, the Petropavlovsk was then mainly used as a testbed for new weapon and/or sensor systems. In this process, the main guns were removed and replaced by AK-726 and later by AK-100. Various smaller AA guns like the AK-630 were equipped as well. The ship also tested various SAM missile systems and more modern types of balisstic missile.
Due to its age, the ship was finally decomissions in early 1976 and demilitarized. In the mid 1990s, the ship was towed to Murmansk where it still remains today.
The model shows the ship in its final state in June 1975.
The model is based on the Revell 1/720 Blücher kit. Whis is a pretty simple and not-so-detailed one. The hangar structure was made from plastic sheets. The Russian/Soviet weapons and sensors were taken from a 1/700 Trumpeter Slava and a Dragon Sovremenny. The modell is airbrushed with Revell Aqua colors. Some Eduard PE Crew members were added.
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