Riga, Latvian Armored Ship laid down 1934
The main mission of this ship is to guard the entrance to the Gulf of Riga, in conjunction with land-based air, coast artillery, and mines. It is based on a upscaled version of the Russian Navy's Varyag class cruisers, with improved armour, better turret firing arcs, dual purpose guns, and more speed.
In 1947, due to manpower issues within the Latvian Navy, the Riga was placed in reserve status with a caretaker crew, and only activated during the Summer Exercises with a crew of reservists.
Displacement:
7,517 t light; 7,977 t standard; 8,560 t normal; 9,026 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
522.36 ft / 515.42 ft x 55.77 ft (Bulges 65.62 ft) x 17.72 ft (normal load)
159.22 m / 157.10 m x 17.00 m (Bulges 20.00 m) x 5.40 m
Armament:
6 - 9.21" / 234 mm guns (3x2 guns), 440.92lbs / 200.00kg shells, 1934 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
8 - 5.12" / 130 mm guns (4x2 guns), 79.37lbs / 36.00kg shells, 1934 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread
16 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (4x4 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1934 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread
8 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1934 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm guns in single mounts, 0.06lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1934 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 3,318 lbs / 1,505 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 7.87" / 200 mm 262.47 ft / 80.00 m 9.19 ft / 2.80 m
Ends: 2.76" / 70 mm 252.62 ft / 77.00 m 9.19 ft / 2.80 m
Upper: 2.76" / 70 mm 262.47 ft / 80.00 m 8.20 ft / 2.50 m
Main Belt covers 78 % of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 8.66" / 220 mm 3.35" / 85 mm 5.91" / 150 mm
2nd: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
3rd: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
- Armour deck: 2.76" / 70 mm, Conning tower: 6.69" / 170 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 22,747 shp / 16,969 Kw = 23.00 kts
Range 5,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,049 tons
Complement:
444 - 578
Cost:
£3.246 million / $12.984 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 365 tons, 4.3 %
Armour: 2,852 tons, 33.3 %
- Belts: 1,327 tons, 15.5 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 489 tons, 5.7 %
- Armour Deck: 977 tons, 11.4 %
- Conning Tower: 60 tons, 0.7 %
Machinery: 654 tons, 7.6 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,576 tons, 41.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,043 tons, 12.2 %
Miscellaneous weights: 70 tons, 0.8 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
14,399 lbs / 6,531 Kg = 36.8 x 9.2 " / 234 mm shells or 2.8 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
Metacentric height 2.7 ft / 0.8 m
Roll period: 16.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.56
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.34
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.500
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.86 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 22.70 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 45 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 52
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 15.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 25.92 ft / 7.90 m
- Forecastle (25 %): 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Mid (50 %): 13.45 ft / 4.10 m
- Quarterdeck (20 %): 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
- Stern: 14.76 ft / 4.50 m
- Average freeboard: 15.56 ft / 4.74 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 60.0 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 115.3 %
Waterplane Area: 19,154 Square feet or 1,779 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 120 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 118 lbs/sq ft or 578 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.97
- Longitudinal: 1.21
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily