The converted Graf Zepplinski becomes a test bed for equipment intended for later Red Fleet carriers. Soviet designers remove the casemates, lengthen the bow, replace the machinery, and use former magazine spaces for steam-catapult pressure storage. A waist catapult can handle AEW or supply flights while the forward pair remain available for alert fighters and surge launches. The offset lift and deck-edge elevator free hangar working space. The rebuilt hull gives planners practical experience with jet-age deck flow before the next carrier enters service.
Chapter · 36:31-45:08
The rebuild turns Graf Zepplinski into an experimental jet-age carrier
The rebuilt carrier gains catapults, a deck-edge elevator, and layout changes aimed at high-tempo flight operations.