A study of Stalin's naval plans shows how far Soviet ambitions extended beyond a coastal defence fleet. The projected 1950 Project 24 combined very large displacement, 16-inch guns, high speed, and enormous machinery, while the proposed battlecarrier illustrates how unconventional some of the ideas became. These plans form an instructive counterfactual rather than evidence that Soviet industry could readily have delivered them.
Chapter · 15:36-21:14
Stalin's ocean-going fleet and Project 24
A book-led look at Stalin's intended blue-water fleet, including the immense Project 24 battleship and a proposed Soviet battlecarrier.