1926-1941

1926

The Labour and Defence Council approves the first Naval Shipbuilding Program for the six-year period.  The program envisages construction of 12 submarines.  In the first place 6 torpedo submarines are to be built. Later on they receive the name Submarines of Series I or type “D” (Dekabrist – it’s the name of the first submarine of this series and the first military ship built in the USSR).  Since November 4, 1926, Technical Bureau No.4 has been managing the submarine construction works at the Baltic Shipyard.  This name is given to the Submarine Department.  B.M.Malinin is appointed the Head of Technical Bureau No.4.  133 submarines are built subsequently to the designs developed under his leadership.  He becomes the first engineer who is later conferred the title of Chief Designer.  Originally Technical Bureau No.4 consists of three engineers only: B.M.Malinin, A.N.Shcheglov and E.E.Kryuger.

 

Administration Building of the Baltic Shipyard where Technical Bureau No.4 has been located for some period of time

The general (conceptual as per the modern terminology) design of submarines of Series I is developed.  The main authors of the design are K.I.Ruberovsky and B.M.Malinin.

1927

Three submarines of Series I (Dekabrist, Narodovolets and Krasnogvardeets) are laid-down on the Baltic Shipyard.  The type ship of this series – Dekabrist – is commissioned to the Navy in 1930.  The second submarine of this series D-2 (Narodovolets) is preserved till the present time. After the long operation and conversion into a training ship she is restored by joint efforts of CDB ME “Rubin”, PJSC “Baltic Shipyards" and PJSC "Admiralty Shipyards”.  This submarine representing the monument to achievements of Russian science and technique in 1930-s is located in Saint-Petersburg and is a branch of the Central Naval Museum.

The Opening Ceremony of the monumental museum “Submarine D-2 (Narodovolets) in 1993
Submarine D-2 on the eternal mooring

1928

British submarine L-55 that was sunken in 1919 by Soviet destroyer Azard in the Gulf of Finland is lifted and restored at the Baltic Shipyard with participation of engineers from Technical Bureau No.4.

A design of “combined” submarines of Series II – mine-layers with rather powerful torpedo and artillery armament is developed.

1929

The type submarine of Series II Leninets is laid–down at the Baltic Shipyard.  Subsequently several more designs are developed that are similar in the submarine designation:

  • Series ХI – the design is developed in 1933 (6 units).  The type submarine of this series Voroshilovets is commissioned to the Navy in December 1936.
  • Series ХIII – the design is developed in 1934 (7 units). The type submarine of this series L-13 is commissioned to the Navy in December 1938.
  • Series ХIII-38 – the design is developed in 1937 (5 units). The type submarine of this series L-20 is commissioned to the Navy in December 1942.

     

Submarine of Series II
B.M.Malinin

The design of submarines of Series III (4 units) – torpedo submarine of medium displacement (type "Shch") – is developed. The chief designer – B.M.Malinin. Subsequently several more designs of Shch-type submarines are developed representing further improvement of this type submarines:

  • Series V – the design is developed in 1932 (12 units). The type submarine of this series – Losos – is commissioned to the Navy in December 1933.
  • Series V-bis – the design is developed in 1933 (13 units). The type submarine of this series – Losos – is commissioned to the Navy in December 1934.
  • Series V-bis-2 – the design is developed in 1934 (14 units). The type submarine of this series – Treska – is commissioned to the Navy in December 1935.
  • Series X – the design is developed in 1935 (32 units). The type submarine of this series – Shch-401 – is commissioned to the Navy in December 1936.
  • Series X-bis – the design is developed in 1938 (11 units). The type submarine of this series – Shch-135 – is commissioned to the Navy in December 1941.

     

Submarine of Series V-bis-2
B.M.Malinin

1930

The Special Technical Bureau of the United Chief Political Administration at the Baltic Shipyard where submarine designer worked as well is established.  Submarine designers are working in this Bureau as well. The following tasks are assigned to the Special Technical Bureau:

  • correction of malfunctions revealed during tests of Series I submarines;
  • development of a fleet submarine design (Series IV – 3 units).

The Series IV submarine design is developed and the type submarine of Series IV – Pravda – is commissioned to the Navy in 1936.

1931

On January 18 the Board of “Soyuzverf” (All-union Association of Shipbuilding Industry Yards) transfers Technical Bureau No.4 of the Baltic Shipyard into the Central Design Bureau for Special (Military) Shipbuilding.

In April Department III of the Central Design Bureau for Special (Military) Shipbuilding and the Special Technical Bureau of the United Chief Political Administration at the Baltic Shipyard are united into Special Design and Engineering Bureau No.2 subordinated to the United Chief Political Administration. This Bureau existing till April 1932 starts the design of a large fleet submarine of Series IV (Pravda) and a small displacement submarine of Series VI that can be transported by railway from one theatre of operations to another.

1932

Special Design and Engineering Bureau No.2 ceases its existence handing over its functions to Central Design Bureau for Special (Submarine) Shipbuilding No.2.

The design of all-welded small displacement submarine of Series VI (30 units) is developed.  The type submarine of this series M-1 is commissioned to the Navy in 1934. Subsequently the Series VI design is improved and submarines of Series VI-bis are built to this design (20 units).

1933

A group of Soviet specialists including employees of Central Design Bureau for Special (Submarine) Shipbuilding No.2 is delegated to Germany, Spain and Holland for familiarisation with the submarine shipbuilding abroad.  As a result of this deputation an agreement with German company “Deschimag” is achieved about a conceptual design development for a medium displacement submarine with the best machinery manufactured by the foreign industry at that time.  Initially the project is called E-2, it is assigned a code N and later – Series IX.

1934

Special Design Bureau for development of shop drawings for submarines of Series IX is arranged inside Central Design Bureau for Special (Submarine) Shipbuilding No.2. In February 1935 the Special Design Bureau is disembodied. The type submarine of Series IX S-1 (N-1) is commissioned to the Navy in 1936.  Altogether three submarines with utilisation of foreign-made machinery are built to this design.  Next 38 submarines fully equipped with domestic machinery receive the name Series IX-bis submarines.

The design of a cruiser fleet submarine of Series XIV is developed (Chief designer - M.A.Rudnitskiy). This submarine is the largest in size and the most powerful in terms of armament among submarines of this period preceding the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.  The type submarine of this series K-1 is commissioned to the Navy in December 1939.

Submarine of Series XIV
M.A.Rudnitskiy

1935

S.A.Bazilevskiy, an engineer of Central Design Bureau for Special (Submarine) Shipbuilding No.2, proposes a scheme of an air-independent propulsion plant providing for the engine operation based on the closed cycle REDO in the surface and submerged submarine conditions.  Experimental works on this cycle implementation are carried out onboard the submarine of Series XII M-92 (S-92, R-1).

Central Design Bureau for Special (Submarine) Shipbuilding No.2 is again subordinated to the Baltic Shipyard.

1936

Central Design Bureau for Special (Submarine) Shipbuilding No.2 within the Central Board of Marine Industry is transferred to the People’s Commissariat of Defence Industry.

The design of more advanced submarines of small displacement of Series XII (46 units) is developed.  The type submarine of this series M-171 is commissioned to the Navy in 1937.

1937

The Bureau is re-named into Central Design Bureau No.18 (CDB-18) and becomes an independent economic organisation directly subordinated to the Second Chief Department of People’s Commissariat of Defence Industry.

1938

CDB-18 moves from the Baltic Shipyard into a new building on Suvorovsky Prospect, 50.  CDB-17 and CBB-19 are housed in the same building.

Building of CDB-18 on Suvorovsky prospect, 50

1939

The design of a small displacement submarine with two shafts and increased torpedo ammunition (4 torpedoes) of Series XV (57 units) is developed.  The type submarine of this series M-200 is commissioned to the Navy in 1943.

A large group of shipbuilders is decorated with orders and medals of the USSR for their achievements in shipbuilding.  The first in the Bureau order-bearers – V.I.Vasiliev, P.Z.Golosovsky and V.I.Yakovlev are among them.

CDB-18 moves into Shuvalov’s Palace (Fontanka Embankment, 21, former House of Engineering and Technical Workers).

Building of CDB-18 on Fontanka Embankment, 21

Special Design Bureau No.196 (SDB-196) is established at Yard No.196 NKVD (Sudomech) where a group of engineers and sailors develops Design 95 of a small displacement submarine with engines operating in submerged condition based on the closed cycle with a chemical lime absorber.  The experimental submarine of this project M-401 is commissioned to the Navy in 1946.