The Russian Imperatritsa Maria V Class battleship consisted of two
battleships, The Imperatritsa and the Imperator Alexander III. The Imperatritsa
Maria was launched on the 1st of November 1913 and commission during September
1915. The Imperatritsa Maria had a very short life. While at Sevastopol on
the 20th October 1916 the battleship blew up due to a spontaneous ignition
of her cordite, ( there were rumors of sabotage ). The capsized hull was
raised during 1918, but the possibilities of re building the battleship were considered
but eventually the the ship was broken up in 1927. The Imperator
Alexander III, was renamed the Volya after the revolution. When the ship was
under the German navy it kept the name of Volya. The ship name returned to
Imperator Alexander III by the White Russians in 1919, the battleship was
interned at Bizerta in 1920, under French control, who refused to give the ship
to the Soviets, the Ship was eventually broken up in 1936.
Displacement
22,600 tons full load 24,000 tons, Crew 1220
Speed: 21 Knots Armament: Twelve 12-inch guns Twenty 5.1
inch guns (Volya had 18) Eight 75mm, Four 47mm, Four
mahcine guns and four 18 -inch Torpedo Tubes submerged.
