Pierwsze okręty wojenne odrodzonej Polski (1918-1921)

• Autorzy: Prosnak M.

Warianty tytułu

EN

The first warships of the restituted Poland (1918-1921)

• Języki publikacji: PL

Abstrakty

EN

The article attempts to give a general description of the first warships of the Restituted Poland (1918-1921), in terms of technology and the tactical features that they represented.In line with the prevalent political and strategic conditions of the period, duringwhich the Polish statehod was being restored, the Polish navy was an inland fleet,aimed at launching operations on the rivers Vistula and Prypeć (now: Pripyat’), at a time of military threat of German and Soviet expansion. Other urgent needs precluded theconstruction of warships proper, and thus civilian craft (which had previously been takenover, purchased, requisitioned, or obtained from the spoils of war) were adpated formilitary purposes.The precise technical data of the ships remain unknown, for these were very seldomdocumented in times of warfare. Such data are however retrievable from the data on civilianflotillas, available in materials relating to later periods of the inter-war years. Theuse of such materials makes it possible to engage in a plausible reconstruction of suchdata.The craft taken over required adaptation that consisted in partially dismantling thesuperstructures (that related especially to luxury cruisers), and strengthening the deckswhere the artillery was to be installed, including the mounting of turning platforms thatwould facilitate the movements of the cannons. Armoured warships were protected bymeans of sand chambers on the sides of the ships, by timber-log panelling or steel-sheetarmour, which shielded the vessels against draft, shell fragments, shrapnels and smallsarmsfire, but did not guard against immediate impact of artillery shells.The warships were equipped in 105 mm, 75-76 mm and 37 mm cannons (these werelater to be replaced by 47 mm cannons) as well as in heavy machine guns, used by thearmy; apart from that, there were a few cannons mounted on gun rests on a turning base.The cannons used had a fairly wide firing range, which usually combined into a systemof circular firing range.As far as the classification of the warships is concerned, one can distinguish the relativelyheavy armed warships and armoured warships, as well light armed warships, armedreconaissance, combat and armoured motor boats, landing and transport craft, hospitalships, as well as staff command-vessels, and, at the end of the period under discussion,also custom-built monitors. There were also plans to introduce floating batteriesbut such plans were never implemented.The test of the warships came during warfare, in which the ships contributed to manysuccesses of the Polish armed forces.

Słowa kluczowe

PL

okręty; Polska Marynarka Wojenna; XX-lecie międzywojenne

EN

warships; Polish Navy; interwar period

• Wydawca: Instytut Historii Nauki im. L. i A. Birkenmajerów Polskiej Akademii Nauk
• Czasopismo: Kwartalnik Historii Nauki i Techniki
• Rocznik: 2000
• Tom: R. 45, nr 2
• Strony: 63--88
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 36 poz.

Twórcy

autor

Prosnak M.

• Łódź