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.
Launched under the name YEVSTAFY.
Dimensions: 47.5 x 14.5 x 5.8m.
Armament 66 guns of caliber 36 and 18 pounds.
1762 Completed.
When a Russian squadron sailed from Kronstadt for the Mediterranean on 26 July 1769, it was under command of Admiral G.A. Spiridov on board the YEVSTAFY.
The squadron of 7 ships of the line and 8 smaller warships sailed via Copenhagen and Portsmouth to the Mediterranean.
In November 1769 for the first time in history, Russian warships entered the waters of the Mediterranean.
The Greeks fighting against the Turkish conquerors, got the help from the Russian Tsarina Catherine the Great, and the Russian squadron later strengthened by an other Russian squadron under command of the Englishman the Rear Admiral John Elphinston of 3 ships of the line and 5 smaller warships, tried to support a revolt by the Greek people against the Turkish occupation.
After landing in the Greek province Moreiro, they first captured the fortress of Koron and on 10 April 1770 they took Navarino capturing 45 guns.
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Still the Turkish forces were three times superior in number, but the constant assaults of the Russian forced them to retreat to the Aegean Sea.
The two squadrons were coming under overall command of Count Orlov, and he combined the two squadrons, and began a search for the enemy’s warships.
23 June 1770 the Turkish fleet was sighted at the Chios Strait, where they were anchored. The Turkish fleet of 73 vessels under which sixteen ships of the line and six frigates formed in two lines. The Russian fleet of only nine ships of the line and three frigates.
In the afternoon of 24 June the Russian fleet began firing upon the Turkish center and vanguard. The Turkish fleet opened fire on the YEVSTAFY; she returned fire on the Russian Admiral ship REAL-MUSTAFA and extensively damaged the 80-gun vessel. The Russian boarded the REAL-MUSTAFA but at that moment a burning mast of the REAL-MUSTAFA fell on the YEVSTAFY.
Fire broke out on board the YEVSTAFY and the fire ignited its powder supply, and with a terrific roar both ships exploded and sank with heavy loss of live.
Admiral Spiridov escaped the explosion, and transferred his flag to the TREKH SVYATITELYA.
Russia 1996 750r sg6612, scott6339.
Source: http://www.navy.ru/history/hrn3-e.htm http://www.1rss.com/pages_eng/yevstafiy.htm
