The vessel depict on this stamp, entering the Volga – Don Canal lock No 1 in 1952, is the river- passenger ship JOSEPH STALIN.
Built at the Red Sormovo plant at Gorki in 1937 for the ERM, Soviet Union. She was the lead vessel of her class, and her hull was welded
Launched as JOSEPH STALIN, four sisters
Tonnage and dimensions?
Powered by two 6-BK-43 four-stroke 6-cyl diesel engines of 350 hp. each, speed 20 km/h
The two propellers were housed particular in tunnels to protect the propeller blades.
Bunker capacity 35 ton.
Flat bottomed, did have eight bulkheads, a round stern.
She was fitted out with a steering wheel fore and aft to pass easily through the many locks in the 128 km long canal.
For heating she was fitted out with a steam boiler.
Fitted out with berths for 18 passengers and eight four person cabins used by passengers without a berth.
One cargo hold of 108 m³.
Behind the engine room there were cabins for crew, a dinning room, hairdressing saloon and an other small cargo hold of 11 m³.
Also had a cinema and concert hall and a restaurant with seats for 100 persons.
1937 The Moscow Canal was opened and for this canal this five vessels were special built to pass through this canal from Moscow to the great rivers of Russia.
In 1938 she was featured in the Russian film Volga-Volga. Some scenes of the film are showed on a envelop of Russia issued in 2003, which shows also the director of the movie Mr. G. Alexandrov.
She got the honour to open op 27 July 1952 the Volga Don canal, as seen on the stamps.
During World War II attacked by enemy bombers.
After the war in 1947 again in-service in the Moscow River.
After Stalin died, was she in 1958 renamed in MIKHAIL FRUNZE.
1971 Out of service?
A model of the ship today you can find in a hall of the Red Sormovo plant at Gorky, were you can see also the movie Volga-Volga.
Russia 1947 50k sg1273, scott. (she is one of the JOSHEP STALIN class)
Russia 1952 8k sg?, scott? (cargo vessel leaving the Volga-Don Canal)
Russia 1952 40k sg 1783, scott?
Russia1r sg1806, scott? (also a photo after which this stamp was designed)
Russia 1956 envelope for the Volga-Volga film.
Rumania 1955 1.55 lei sg?, scott? (looks a Joshep Stalin class vessel?)
Source: info and images supplied by Mr. Gennadiy Sitnikov.
ORP Orkan formerly HMS Myrmidon was an M-class destroyer of the Polish Navy during World War II. The name translates as "windstorm". She was sunk by U-378 on October 8, 1943 in the Barents Sea. There were 179 dead and 44 survivors.
She was originally commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Myrmidon and launched in1941; she was transferred to the free Polish Navy based in Britain in December 1942.
She was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Govan, Scotland.
Length 362ft Beam 36ft 9in Draught 14ft 10in. Disp. 1,935 tons standard. Speed 36 knots.
Orkan served in the Arctic, In early 1943, the destroyer escorted the convoy JW-53 to Russia, returned with the convoy RA-52 and then operated as convoy escort in the North Atlantic. In July 1943, she transferred the body of the Polish Supreme Chief General Władysław Sikorski from Gibraltar to England.
At 07.05 hours on 8 October 1943, the ORP Orkan (under Lt. Stanisław Hryniewiecki) was hit by a GNAT homing torpedo from U-378 while escorting the convoy SC 143 and sank within a few minutes. One officer and 43 ratings were rescued by the HMS Musketeer.
Wikipedia
Gibraltar SG809ms




