REPAIR OF SOVIET VESSELS AT LEPAYA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001000380002-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 26, 2009
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 3, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
Approved For Release 2009/02/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001000380002-7
This fiocumcnt contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defence of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18. Sections 793 and M. of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its tranamisslon or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
SWRW CONTROL .. U. S. 0 TICI S ONLY
SECURITY iNFORMAT:ON
USSR (Latvian SER)
Repair of Soviet Vessels at Lepaya
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 3 June 1953
NO. OF PAGES 3
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. Daring 1952 the deck on the air-defense bridge was reinforced on destroyers of the
S class (STROGIY, STROYrIIIYY, STRLSEN Y, STIRI 'ii). This bridge was astern of the
forward smokestack. The 4-millimeter double-plate under the guns was changed to a
7'millimeter-thick plate. On the underside of the deck, that is, on the galley
overhead, three transverse T-beams were welded in place. The ends of the beams
rested against reinforced splinter shields and plates (sic). The T-beams were
strengthened with triangular pieced at MO-centimeter intervals.
2. On the same class of ship, shock proof shelves were built, during 1952, in the lj -
centimeter ammunition magazines. These shelves, with compartments for each inch -i
dual shell, were of 5-millimeter steel plate; they were built in a .magazine amid-
ships under the bridge, and also in two outboard magazines astern. the depth of
the compartments corresponded to the length of the shell. The sides and bottoms of
the compartments were covered with felt. A bar stretched across the openings of
every eight to ten compartments, and was fastened with a bayonet look?
3. On the cruiser tSIM GtIL, the deck of the bridge, forward on the starboard aide,
was repaired sometime during 1952. The weld between the deck and the bridge-ehielii
had come apart. The damage was repaired with electric welding. The thickness of
the deck plate was three or four millimeters. The bridge-shield oers also of steel
plate. No light-metal plate was used in superstructures. At the same time that
this work was done, cable clamps were welded on the outside of the deckhouse. This
work probably-.had some connection with installing cables for the radar inetal.latioi,,
4+. The tubes were changed in the boilers in one of the firerooms on the MAKSIM GC'TT
in 1947. The old tubes were out away with a welding torch. The work was done ii
such a manner that the plates in the steam dome, as well as the water tank, were
damaged by the flame, to a depth of 6 or 7 millimeters. At least one place in the
steam dome, and four places in the water tank were repaired by means of electric:.
welding.
SIMM CO: 'R% . U. S. C 'ICIALS ONlY
STATL g AR?ffY ~ ~ AVY V AIR
(Note. Washington Distribution Ind voted By 'W, Field Distribution by "#".)
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YPIOIt.LS 03 i"r
During 1951 or 1952, a large toyer col- i s,I with &' q,:aa,y as it Ofteretd Lep&y3. , ..
and caved in its bow. The ship was osight -nLo dock, and the crumpled parts were cut
away in triangular, pieces with e. cutting t: rch. Then the whole bow was pulled straight
with a crane and new plates welded over t h,-1 hole?
6. In 1952 sonar gear was installed on dostroy r?a of the S class. The. support-ring, which
was set at about the same distance aft av the for'-ward guns was 10 millimeters thick, and
about 450 millimeters high wound the hole it the plating, On top, the ring zee equipped
with an 80 to 90 millimeter wide flange, whose surface ma given a smooth finish. Rib and,
keelsonrare welded to the support-ring. The hole ..s:-about 1,.000 , millimeters
long , and 500 to 600 millimeters wide. It was teardrop-shaped, with the blunt end for-
ward. The dome was movable vertically, and could be lowered 250 to 300 millimeters below
the keel line. The material in the dome was a shiny metal, probably stainless steel. There
were no other holes, and therefore the installation did not appear to be connected with a
sword (sic).
On several veeeels)beds for generators and converters have been installed. To judge from
the description, they must have beenbedas for radar converters, i.e., converters to power
radar,
8. Minor repairs were done in a battery room whi h 4 x 3 meters in size, amidships on the ,
W1M GORJI! and. KIROV. In the spring of 1952, the cruiser KIROV was in Lepaya for one-
and-a-half weeks to' have some small machine, damage repaired,
No war damage has been repaired at the Lepaya yard except that about 1940 the cruiser KIROV
came into the shipyard in a damaged condition. An antiaircraft gun, on the starboard
side, forward of the a tern smokestack, had been blown -way. No internal damage could be
observed. When, a new antiaircraft gun was installed, the stern smokestack was also changed.
Only one tie of radar installation on t he r iser MAIM G( IY could be tamed
Ifo notations or marks
were r on a raftr nsta erne seen. During the loading of the antiaircraft 25X1
,ammunition for the long-range guns, it was observed that the shells ware marked with black
and red colored rings. Shells of smaller caliberware fully painted but the color could
not be given, Shields for the long-range antiaircraft guns on thecruiser are 15 to 18
millimeters thick. There ras no equipment for firing rockets, in any-ease, not on t l._:
turrets or gun shields.
11. The following mine and antisubmarine gear was observed on board ships in Lepaya:
a. No modern antisubmarine weapons such as squids or hedgehogs have been observed,
were only mortars with the ordinary cradles forhurling depth charges, plus open
.f `,.
for dropping depth charges from the starboard and pgrt sides at the stern of the shii'
Each rack generally held four depth charges. Whether there were corresponding ins t< ,.?..
lations oncniisers could net be said. A supply of depth charges was secured around
b. Certain ships, destroyers and the like, were equipped with degaussing cables which rs
on the ships u sides andwsare protected by a cover plate. Whether this was also true
of the cruisers could not be said. There was no place in the shipyard or its vicinity
for demagnetizing ships. For such work, the ships went elsewhere.
c. All the ships were' equipped with paravanes. Certain smaller ships were also equipisa;
with a boom at the bow.
12. On certain smaller diips, probably those of the MO class, a short mast has been instp-;ll4{ci
far forward. This work has bs;n done is recen?l years. This staff supports a teanxlrop
shaped object with its blunt eiid fonia,ri.. The height is about 1,,000 millimeters, m as*. red.
from the plane l,f the d,eok.. The t ,r;< r py?shaped. object vas painted a dark gray,
13. Some of the srT 4rarlnes which waare etatlone& at Lepaya were equipped with echnorkerls.
According to tlne scripticn, It aipp t: s 4 s: ? eso schnorkels could be moved only up and
down. No coi .-apd', able schro k ri. i,'4a.oes hai. a t;1,.~3. seen.
S= ,.P 1CayNTRC!_i U. Pin OFIFTCIALS ONLY
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14. The following fire and damage ci ntrol ,r >>y observed on hoard ship.. In Lepayaa
The cruisers 'SIH G _ Y awd. KIROT have a room, 2 z 3 meters in size' in which do-mge
control ma.tarial was kept" wedges, p F.a.ga,, tools, and cutting torch equipment. It was
located in the vicinity of a -'adder to -,, coine room.
b. At the fire stations on ships there wnxe on . ordinary straight moz lee, and none for
mint or foam. There were ordinary carbon dioxide extinguishers. At these stations
were also ordinary 30 fabric hoses which war,: kept rolled up in boxes. The fire
control personnel had frea t pravtice drill. , in which speed was empbasis'ed.. However,
neither gas masks nor asbestos its were ! -
c. Collision mate were still used and exercises with these took place frequently. It was
noticed that, in several placesF, the watertight bulkheads were equipped with connect-
tioans and shut--off valves on both sides? The fire hose could be connected to these
without opening the watertight doors. On the other hand, there were no corresponding
arrangements for connecting electric cables.
d. The watertight doors and gates were marked with .,letters and. numbers. The system for
closing them was not 1 .owu. Thewatertight doors and gates were made in the usual
Manor,
15. The cruisers were equipped with -wrooder. decks. The officers i quarters had stuffed furniture
and wooden tables. In the ewe? n,rtore there were both wood and sheet metal furniture.
The trim on the deck planking consisted of thin plate. On older ships? the insulation
between the hall and. the trim consisted of cork sheeting. This cork sheeting has now been
changed and replaced with glass-wool sheets. There was no insulation in the form of
sprayed asbestos. According to the observations, the change of the cork insulation was
made on destroyers of the a class.
16. On destroyers of the S class, the forward shield on the commnd bridge has been tended
with a plexigs hood, which beat back toward the rear and extended somewhat astern.
The back edge of the hood was open. Under the hood there was space for 4 or 5 men. On.
the forward side of the bridge shield, under the hood, were mounted a number of new
Instruments.
1.7. Generally a Soviet--manufactured welding rod, eked X?42, was used on welding jobs al
navaldsipyard in Lepaya. It was said to be of poor quality. The core of the welding;
was often off-center and often had to be Chipped a long time in order to remove the wx?4 i t1
crust. The shipyard suffered from a lack -of electrical welding equipment. During
1953, there were only two ellberg and one Siemens units available, these
reviousl
p
y
numbered about 4-5. The equipment wore out very rapidly because of the poor care given
Units were sent to a factory in the liningr?ad area for repairs, but, after their retxt ?:a,
they were generally completely thstroyed. ery welding gang that worked on board a ship
had a special an accompanying them. lie w, s equipped with a chemical fire extinguisher.
Hence, therew re seldom fires due to carelessness inwaalding. Some years ago there had l a >.:?;
a big fire on a transport ship,, because of negligence in welding.
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