N700047 SOVIET SUBMARINE K-19, PROJECT 658 (NATO NAME HOTEL I)

The K-19 was a Soviet submarine - first class Hotel I. The units of this class were nuclear powered submarines - carriers of ballistic missiles (SSBN). The K-19 was built at a shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk, and its launch took place in 1959. The length of the K-19 was 114 m, width 9.2 m, and the underwater displacement reached 5,000 tons. The maximum underwater speed is around 25-26 knots. The main armament of the Hotel I class units were three launchers for the SS-N-4 (R-13) ballistic missiles, and later for the SS-N-5 (R-21) missiles, and six 533 mm and 400 mm torpedo tubes. The K-19 was the leading Hotel I-class unit and the first nuclear-powered submarine in the Soviet Navy to carry ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. Work on the new ship began in 1956, and a year later the design of the ship was ready. Such a high pace of work, on the innovative project in the Soviet Navy at that time, had a bad effect on the K-19 and Hotel I class units, which were known for high failure rates and numerous structural defects, as well as low quality of workmanship. The K-19 crews gave the vessel the infamous nickname "Floating Hiroshima". The ship was finally decommissioned in 1990.