The 30th coastal artillery battery – Maxim Gorky I was part of the defenses of the fortified city of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula. It was built between 1914 and 1934 on a narrow ridge about five kilometers north of the port of Sevastopol.
On June 22, 1941, the 30th battery was part of the 1st Separate Artillery Division of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet of the USSR, which, in addition to the BB-30, at the time of the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol, also included the 35th armored battle battery, the 10th artillery battery a battery of 203 mm guns and a 54th artillery battery of 102 mm guns. The strikes of the 30th battery and the resistance of its personnel to the advancing German-Romanian troops were one of the heroic episodes of the defense of Sevastopol from 1941-1942.
On June 22, 1941, the 30th battery was part of the 1st Separate Artillery Division of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet of the USSR, which, in addition to the BB-30, at the time of the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol, also included the 35th armored battle battery, the 10th artillery battery a battery of 203 mm guns and a 54th artillery battery of 102 mm guns. The strikes of the 30th battery and the resistance of its personnel to the advancing German-Romanian troops were one of the heroic episodes of the defense of Sevastopol from 1941-1942.
The battery has been preserved to this day and is located near the former village of Lyubimovka on the northern side of Sevastopol.
The last time the battery fired was in 1968. Shot the film “The Sea on Fire”. The guns turned towards the Mekenziy Mountains. As a result, in many houses of nearby villages, glass was flying, some of the houses even had roofs torn off.
Currently, the Black Sea Fleet’s coastal army museum was opened on the former 30th coastal battery.In contrast to the 35th, 30th coastal battery in Sevastopol and today is an active military unit.
The last time the battery fired was in 1968. Shot the film “The Sea on Fire”. The guns turned towards the Mekenziy Mountains. As a result, in many houses of nearby villages, glass was flying, some of the houses even had roofs torn off.
Currently, the Black Sea Fleet’s coastal army museum was opened on the former 30th coastal battery.In contrast to the 35th, 30th coastal battery in Sevastopol and today is an active military unit.
NOTE : Unfortunately, you can hardly get an organized tour to the battery complex,The thing is that the “thirty” is located on the territory of the existing military unit. To see with your own eyes a unique object, you need to get a special permit. With the appropriate request, you can try to contact the press service of the Black Sea Fleet.
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The 30th coastal artillery battery – Maxim Gorky I was part of the defenses of the fortified city of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula. It was built between 1914 and 1934 on a narrow ridge about five kilometers north of the port of Sevastopol.
On June 22, 1941, the 30th battery was part of the 1st Separate Artillery Division of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet of the USSR, which, in addition to the BB-30, at the time of the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol, also included the 35th armored battle battery, the 10th artillery battery a battery of 203 mm guns and a 54th artillery battery of 102 mm guns. The strikes of the 30th battery and the resistance of its personnel to the advancing German-Romanian troops were one of the heroic episodes of the defense of Sevastopol from 1941-1942.The battery has been preserved to this day and is located near the former village of Lyubimovka on the northern side of Sevastopol.
The last time the battery fired was in 1968. Shot the film “The Sea on Fire”. The guns turned towards the Mekenziy Mountains. As a result, in many houses of nearby villages, glass was flying, some of the houses even had roofs torn off.
Currently, the Black Sea Fleet’s coastal army museum was opened on the former 30th coastal battery.In contrast to the 35th, 30th coastal battery in Sevastopol and today is an active military unit.
turrets :
- Armament : The main armament of the 30th battery was two MB-2-12 two-gun turrets, which were produced by the Leningrad Metallurgical Plant. The turrets were had 305 mm guns with a barrel length of 52 caliber. The maximum firing range was 27.980 meters. The maximum angle of elevation of the guns is 35 degrees. Maximum rate of fire – 2.1 shots per minute. Four such guns of the 30th armored turreted coastal battery (from the north) and its twin – the 35th battery (from the south) were to securely cover the base of the Black Sea Fleet from shelling from the sea with enemy heavy battleships. The weight of the 305 mm shells ranged from 314 to 470 kg, the weight of the powder cap – 71 kg.
- turrets parameters : The BM-2-12 towers possessed the following parameters: diameter – 10.8 m height – 2.25 m gun barrel length – 16 m , the weight of the gun barrel – 50 tons the weight of the entire tower – 300 tons total weight – 1000 tons. the thickness of the front and side armor plates, as well as the rear armor plate and the door – 305 mm, the thickness of the roof – 203 mm. In the cellar of the tower 400 shells were stored (200 per barrel) and 1,200 semi-charges.
A single-storey 30-shore battery gun block with a total length of about 130 meters and a width of 50 meters had two entrances with armored doors and vestibule locks in its rear part. For communication with each other, 72 premises of the gun block had a longitudinal corridor inside, approximately 100 meters long and 3 meters wide. - battery pack : The battery block stretched between the two towers and covered an area of about 5000 m², the ceiling thickness was four meters of different concrete layers. On 3.40 m of reinforced concrete, 30 cm granite gravel concrete was laid on as a breaker layer. The reinforced concrete floor rested on a 30 cm thick asphalt layer, which was used for insulation against moisture. In addition, as the lowest layer 30 cm thick U-profile beams were set close to tight.In the immediate vicinity of the turrets, there were two storey and cartouche chambers each. Each of the chambers had the dimensions of 4.5 x 20 m and was equipped with electromechanical transport aids for ammunition transport. The cartridges also contained self-writing temperature and humidity meters. The battery block had a standard track siding
- power supply :In the main building outside the battery block, there was a DC converter for converting the referenced from the overcurrent three-phase current from 6000 V to 400 V with 180 kW. Added to this was a motor generator, which converted this 400 V three-phase current into 220 V DC. In transformer construction was still a diesel generator with a capacity of 50 kW.In the battery block itself, there was another power plant that converted an overland supply of 35,000 V to 400 V AC. Again, two motor generators were installed to convert the three-phase 200 V DC
- fire control station : The fire control station with the rangefinder was set back on a slightly higher summit of the ridge about 37 m below the earth’s surface. The battery block and the fire control system were connected by a 500 m long Poterne.
- To protect the 30th coastal battery from the air, it was armed with 4 anti-aircraft guns. From the rear of the gun block 2 casemates with winches were attached, which were intended for lifting barrage balloons. From the land, the battery was covered with 6 reinforced concrete five-brick double-deck machine gun pillboxes with wall thickness up to half a meter. These pillboxes were armed with 7.62-mm machine guns “Maxim”. Directly around the battery was a system of wire obstacles and trenches.
Access : Coordinates:44.663792, 33.559225. / Address: Battery Street, North Side, Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia. / By public transport you can only get here from the North Bus Station or Zakharov Square. Choose minibuses lines : 36, 42, 45, 47 and 51. Get out either at the stops “Vodokanal” or “State Farm. Perovskoy./
By car: from the city’s airport to the “thirty” you can quickly, within 11 minutes, be reached by car. Head southwest on the T2707. The battery will be on the right.
Activities : photo opportunities / Excursions: in coordination with the administration. / Excursions to the Crimea / Scenic road serpentine and viewports with serene landscapes
Go next : The sister battery “Maxim Gorki II” / ancient city of Chersonese / Swallow’s Nest / Yalta / Vorontsov Palace / Eski-Kermen Cave Town
