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Very very cool Curly.

I thought so too Ketch, what at time capsule, wish we knew the story behind the sinking.

If those guns could only talk. Looked like a hell of a fight.

A member on the gunboards posted a translation of part of the vid in the link.

Little history lesson starts at 3.03:
"There were total 7 such armored boats made. It was Project S-40. They were equipped with two 500 hp engines. Highly maneuverable with low water displacement. Construction of this particular vessel BK-31 started in Zelenodolsk in 1941 and by spring 1942 it was launched into water. However its trip was very short. Already in October 1942 it was met by heavy German artillery shelling and sank not far from Krasnoslobodsk. Judging by everything found on the boat the crew was fighting fearlessly until the end trying to save the vessel along with the wounded.
Following the sequence of events we can certainly say that the captain got killed among the first ones while being in the deck house along with two other crew members who were returning fire at the time. When the artillery shell hit the deck house the vessel was in full ahead position. Explosion threw the captain thru the hatch down to the engine room. That's were his remains were found. It's believed that the remains found in the engine room belong to be a captain since next to the remains was found a nagant revolver and captain was the only one who was allowed to have a handgun on the vessel. Also that's were the remains of captain's uniform were found."

Very interesting translate. However I thought I remembered seeing a TT33 along with 7.62x25 ammo pictured as being recovered in which case El Capitan had not the only sidearm on the boat !

Additionl info posted on GB


The boat had 11 rifles, 8 PPSH, 1 DT machine gun, 60 hand granades and thousands rounds of ammo. That's what they found when the vessel was lifted up. No wonder they gave hell to Germans

Wish I had all that.

Ketchman wrote: ↑December 15th, 2017, 5:16 pm Very interesting translate. However I thought I remembered seeing a TT33 along with 7.62x25 ammo pictured as being recovered in which case El Capitan had not the only sidearm on the boat !

They could have been ferrying wounded or replacements that included an officer.

I had not thought of that, good point.

Curly1 wrote: ↑December 16th, 2017, 2:41 pm

Ketchman wrote: ↑December 15th, 2017, 5:16 pm Very interesting translate. However I thought I remembered seeing a TT33 along with 7.62x25 ammo pictured as being recovered in which case El Capitan had not the only sidearm on the boat !

They could have been ferrying wounded or replacements that included an officer.

Seems like a very valid reason. Yup, that might be it.

Curly,
Great post on the BK-31 patrol boat, pics really neat!