Overexposed

Overexposed a little, but still plainly a Russian battleship of the Borodino class. In fact, it's Rhozdventsky's flagship Kniaz Suvarov. Possibly taken at Libau, modern Leipaja, from whence the Russian Second Pacific Squadron departed on October 1904. It's in the RSPS's colours of black hull, canary yellow funnels with black caps.

Japanese Admiral Togo concentrated fire on the Suvarov at the outset of the Battle of Tsushima. Seven heavy hits from the first salvo took out its steering gear, foremast and observation platform, and disabled most of the command crew with a hit on the base of the armoured conning tower. Rhozdventsky was heavily concussed and he and second officer Bogdanov and aide Verner Kursel took refuge in a starboard 6" turret just below the bridge. From there he was rescued by the Destroyer Biedovy while Bogdanov and Kursel remained to fight the ship to the last.

Heavily on fire, with no power and all the funnels down, Kursel fought off Japanese destroyers with a single 75mm QF gun until Suvarov rolled over from repeated torpedo hits about 7pm on the 27th May 1905. Reportedly, at least one Japanese destroyer was sunk during the final engagement.

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