"Som" = "Catfish" (early "Fulton")

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The submarine "Fulton" was launched on June 2, 1901 at the shipyard of Louis Nixon (USA). On April 28, 1902 "Fulton" left New York for Washington accompanied by the steamship "Norfolk." Right at the beginning of this voyage, there was an explosion, and some members of crew were injured. The boat was not damaged. Demonstrations for marketing purposes continued until 1904. Under the certificate of the contemporaries this boat " had many advantages... She(it) during eight and a half of hours has passed ninety âåðñò in such strong storm, that the sailors had themselves to hold on to the vessel, since they were not capable of staying on their feet. Thus the boat was at sea about 12 hours ". On April 28, 1904, the Neva factory, and a representative of the "Holland Torpedo Boat Company", signed a contract for the purchase the "Fulton" with delivery in a ready and serviceable condition without torpedoes at one of ports of the Baltic sea. On May 31, 1904, by the order of Sea department, this boat received the name "Som". She left America on the steamship "Menatik" under the name " the steam boiler " on June 13, 1904 and arrived in Kronstadt on July 1 to address the directors of the Neva factory. From Kronstadt, the "cargo" was sent to the Neva factory in St. Petersburg, where the accumulators and other mechanisms removed for transportation were re-installed. The re-assembly of the boat was finished on September 6. Lieutenant Trubetskoy was assigned as the commander of the boat. On September 26, the submarine "Som" arrived in B'erke-Zund, where the trial runs were carried out. The commission declared the boat as suitable " for a coastal defense ". On October 10 the submarine arrived in the Sea channel, where crew training began.

Submarine "Som" in floating dock

On November 15, the submarine was shipped on a special railway car to Vladivostok, where the submarine arrived on December 29, 1904. Final assembly was completed in Vladivostok where she was tested and ready for navigation on February 1, 1905, however her battle use was delayed because of the absence of torpedoes. The Russian ministry for submarines of foreign manufacture, ordered 75 torpedoes of caliber 45 mm and length 3.55 m from the Shvartscopf factory in Berlin. On February 9, Japanese ships came close to Vladivostok. "Som" was ordered to put to sea and to attack the enemy, but because of the absence of torpedoes the order was cancelled. During this period the boat fulfilled battle tasks, took part in experiments on overcoming antisubmarine nets.

Submarine "Som" in Vladivostok

The commander of the submarine "Som" in the official report wrote: " on March 27 was removed from an anchor, submerged to a depth of 16 ft and, with a speed of 6 units, broke through a net. The boat began to rise quickly, not listening horizontal rudders, but, when speed was increased to 7 units, she began to obey rudders. Having surfaced, it appeared, that I had broken through the net and all it together with floats was dragged behind ... ". Torpedoes arrived in Vladivostok on March 29. The battle activity of the submarine "Som", as well as other submarines, was reduced to reconnaissance service, conducting investigation and protection of the coast in area of Vladivostok. The submarine "Som" in 6 months of battle actions cruised 1318 miles above water and 93 miles under water, travelling up to 120 miles from Vladivostok. The greatest stay at sea was 8 days, 16 hours 35 minutes of which was under water, and the greatest duration of stay under water was 1.5 hours. During this time, the Russian submarines in area of Vladivostok encountered Japanese military ships only once. It took place on April 28, 1905, when the submarines "Delfin", "Kasatka" and "Som" were in area of a bay of Transformation located 70 miles from Vladivostok.

The submarine "Som", lagged a little behind from others, and found 2 Japanese torpedo-boats. While submerging to begin her attack "Som" was spotted and attacked by one of the torpedo-boats. The submarine was not hit. Having plunged to a depth of 12 meters, "Som" began escape maneuvers. After several minutes, she rose to periscope depth and the commander saw the torpedo-boats leaving. The boat surfaced to continue the attack, but an unexpected fog hid the torpedo-boats.

In December 1914, the submarines "Som" and "Schuka" were shipped on railway cars along with teams sent from Sevastopol, where they arrived in first half of January. "Som" and "Schuka" made the trip from Sevastopol to Odessa, where they were part of the system of the port defenses. "Som" and "Schuka" together, patrolled the distant approaches to port, until July, 1915.

In July 1915, "Som" was shipped on a railway car to the Baltic port of Petrograd, and then to a new place of basing - base Mariehami. "Som" repeatedly left on patrol at dawn, returned to base at dusk. On May 10, 1916 at 4 o'clock in the morning "Som" which was patrolling in the area of Olandsgaf, and was lost in an underwater collision with the Swedish steamship "Ingermanland". As the captain of a steamship has testified, he noticed a periscope, towering 1 m above the water, at a distance of 150 m. The boat went by on a parallel course, and then turned toward the steamship. Having decided, that it wanted to examine them, the captain stopped the ship. The periscope suddenly disappeared under water, and the boat struck the steamship below the waterline. The submarine was not seen again. In addition to the submarine, her crew - 2 officers and 16 bottom grades were lost.

Technical datas

Length, m

19.8

Width, m

3.6

Draught, m

2.9

Displacement surface / underwater, t

105 / 124

Capacity of engines surface / underwater, h.p.

1@160 / 1@70

Speed surface / underwater, kts.

8.5 / 6.0

Range surface / underwater, miles

500 / 30

Depth of immersing, m

30

Arms

37 mm the artillery gun (add after arrival in Baltic)

1

Torpedo in bow torpedo tube

1