If something works, why should we touch it? This is by no means the most profitable or innovation-stimulating maxim in the history of technology; But there are times when he is the smartest. If not, tell that to Andréi Aleksandrovich Popov, the creator of one of the most interesting and unfortunate ships of the Russian Navy; He even gave this ship a name: “popovkas”, armed warships, boats… and the shape.circular. Exactly, just like giant water lilies.

In the second half of the 19th century, Andrei A. Popov, an officer in the Imperial Russian Navy, came to the unorthodox conclusion that what his country’s fleet really needed was: wafer design boats. It may sound crazy, but Popov was not the first to consider the advantages of such a model, nor did his logic seem so far-fetched on paper.

Following the end of the Crimean War and the Treaty of Paris, the Black Sea had become – at least in theory – a large militarized area, a possibility with which Russia was not very comfortable. Since it had no warships or fortifications protecting the area, it was exposed to the Ottoman Empire. As if this were not enough, this measure did not contribute to the goals of providing direct access to the Mediterranean. A solution was needed. And as soon as possible.

Saint Petersburg was in his favor ideas are clear: He wanted warships that would adapt well to the scenario and be able to defend the strategic Kerch Strait shores and the mouth of the Dnieper River. And most of all, intimidate all enemies in the surrounding area.

Clear ideas… on paper

After analyzing the situation, Popov came to the conclusion that it was best to give preference to structures that were light, well-armed, capable of protecting the coastline and… – the main thing – with a circular design that looked more like donuts. to the ships. He was not the only one who was convinced that such a design in certain cases was more interesting than the traditional stylized configuration of ships.

The advantages of wide-beam ships had already been outlined by the respected Scottish engineer John Elder and, far from Glasgow or Saint Petersburg, they also attracted the attention of Edward Reed. As they recalled in Boat Trip and The Green Compass, there was no shortage of reasons.

at least on paper.

By extending her beam to the maximum, the hull reduced her draft and the surface area that needed to be armoured. Not to mention that it is theoretically capable of carrying large-caliber artillery. It was true that speed was lost, but this was not something that could not be fixed with good engines.

Popov, in short, designed a ship capable of handling. shallow waters and show off the weapons that will intimidate the most painted enemies. Maybe its configuration was a little odd, but that didn’t really matter in the engineering applied to warfare.

The idea was strong enough to convince Navy Admiral Grand Duke Konstin Nikolayevich, so Popov could move from paper to shipyard. It was decided to produce four units, and after several prototypes, which the Tsar himself called “popovka”, the ship began production in April 1871 and was completed almost on New Year’s Eve of the same year.

Although Nikolayevich initially chose a wide design, 46 meters diameterArmed with four guns and with a displacement of more than 6,000 tons, its construction was so stratospheric that it had to make do with a slightly smaller and more accurate version of 29 m. The ship, called Novgorod, will have a width of just over 30 m, a draft of 4.1 m and a displacement of almost 2,500 tons.

The wafer shape wasn’t the only interesting thing about Novgorod.

Its own logistics seem straight out of a Kafka story. After the ship was completed, the Navy decided to dismantle it and move it in pieces first by taking a train and then to St. Petersburg, where it was assembled. From St. Petersburg, he arrived by barge to his final destination, Nikolaev, on the Black Sea coast. Novgord was not launched until mid-1873.

Painting showing Novgorod’s arrival in Sevastopol.

Engraving showing the ship Vice Admiral Popov in 1878.

View of one of the “popovkas” with its propellers visible.

It was not the only “popovka” that sailed the waters. In 1972, construction of a similar ship on the Kiev, later named Vice Admiral Popov in homage to the senior officer who proposed the model, had begun in Nikolaev itself. The ship was completed in 1876, with the outbreak of the Eastern War (which lasted from 1877 to 1878), in which Novgorod focused mainly on the defense of the Odessa coastline.

The (not so epic) legend of “Popovka”

Were circular boats like that? good idea As Popov believed at the beginning of the same decade? No, it is even said that they return with force with every shot, although, to be fair, the result is not as bad as the reputation that the “popovka” has earned.

According to va de barcos, the truth was that there was a malfunction in the ship’s gun bases that affected the gun fire, and the technicians had to fix it. The alleged uncontrolled spins aren’t the only problem with Officer Popov’s strange craft.

Its structure was stable when sailing in calm areas, but things got complicated when sailing in strong currents. It was not easy to maneuver the guns between ups and downs.

He wasn’t very agile in turns; He maneuvered slowly, reaching out. very limited speedIt had a speed of only 6.5 knots, and the operation of its steam engines required the transport of significant amounts of coal, which, as the Green Compass points out, reduced its autonomy.

“They could not sail on the open sea and slower than turtles. On the other hand, the intensity of the shots caused the ship to turn on its own. These ships could only play a minor role as coastal defense means, but not in a significant way,” former Black Sea Fleet commander Igor Kasatonov said in remarks compiled by Russia Beyond. Worse still, they were not designed to accommodate a crew either.

Despite their secret service records in the history of Novgorod and Vice Admiral Popov, they still had a few pages left to write. Without the great episodes, of course. They continued to modernize in the following years, their weapons were strengthened and they were used to defend the coast, which was the scenario in which they defended themselves best. They were retired in 1903 and after an unsuccessful sale in 1911, did they give them a nod? To the junkyard where the last chapter was written.

Or not.

“Popovka” It wasn’t just them ships exploring the possibilities of expanding the beam to unprecedented levels. Popov’s theories were still to be tested on another ship, the Livadia, which was launched in July 1880 with a slightly more stylized design that prevented it from appearing like a giant plate. Even today, into the 21st century, some circular boats remain in service.

Images: Wikimedia, Zandcee And Красовский Н.П

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*An earlier version of this article was published in October 2022.