The Russian Submarine Scorpion, A Real Sub From The Cold War Era

Scorpion is a Foxtrot Class Attack Submarine that was built in the Sudomekh Shipyards outside of Leningrad in 1972 and was commisioned to active duty in 1974 with the Soviet Navy designation b-427. The Scorpion was part of the Soviet Pacific Fleet based in Vladivostok and manned by a full compliment of 56 sailors, 10 midshipmen and 12 officers while it conducted top secret operations.

Side Profile of the Russian Submarine Scorpion

 

Scorpion Submarine Statistics: Length 299 feet 6 inches. Beam 24 feet 7 inches. Displacement 1,952 tons surfaced and 2,475 tons submerged. Construction 3/8 inch outer light hull comprising ballast tanks plus 7/8 inch QT28 Nickel Steel pressure hull. Maximum Diving Depth of 985 feet. Speed 16 knots surfaced, 15 knots submerged and 9 knots while snorkeling. Range 20,000 miles surfaced at 8 knots. Propulsion 3 x Kolomna 2D42M diesel engines rated at 2,000 hp each. An additional 3 electric motors, 2 rated at 1,350 hp and 1 with 2,700 hp all pushing 3 propeller shafts with 6 bladed propellers.

Russian Submarine Torpedo Room

 

The Scorpion carried up to 22 torpedos at a time. Notice that the top right torpedo hatch is open and that those are real torpedo propellers

Russian Submarine Navigation Compass

The Scorpion has top of the line (in 1972) electronics including navigational, sonar and radar arrays. The sub uses a snoop tray I band surface search system with Herkules medium frequency active/passive sonar and Feniks passive search/attack measures. It also has stop light and radar warning electronic warfare capability with a quad loop directional finder. Built tough, not pretty.

Russian Submarine Galley