Defence of Sevastopol (Oborona Sevastopolya)

Defence of Sevastopol (Oborona Sevastopolya) Country Russian Empire Directed by Aleksandr Khanzhonkov Vasily Goncharov Release Date 1911 Language Silent (Russian subtitles) Studio Khanzhonkov Studio Main Cast Character Actor Admiral Pavel Nakhimov Andrej Gromov Vice Admiral Vladimir Kornilov Ivan Mozzhukhin Engineer-General Eduard Totleben Arsenii Bibikov Seaman Pyotr Koshka Nikolay Semyonov

Defence of Sevastopol (Oborona Sevastopolya) is a Russian 1911 historical war film, depicting the events of the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War (1854-1855). It was the first feature film made in the Russian Empire.

The following weapons were used in the film Defence of Sevastopol (Oborona Sevastopolya):

Handguns

Nagant M1895

A Russian officer carries a handgun in a holster. The shape of the grip with lanyard ring and the shape of the holster allows to guess that this is the Nagant M1895, the service sidearm of Russian army in the time of filming (and anachronistic for the Crimean War era)- likely a (admittedly very loose) stand-in for the Russian M1848 Percussion Cap Pistol, which was the standard issue pistol of the Imperial Russian Army.

Russian Nagant 1895, produced in 1920s. This sample lacks lanyard ring that was a standard feature of 1890s-1910s produced Nagants.

The officer in center carries the holstered sidearm. Note the lanyard.

Rifles

Mosin Nagant M1891

While the uniforms of Russian, French, British and Turkish armies were reproduced accurately, the guns in the hands of soldiers are anachronistic Mosin Nagant M1891 Infantry rifles, by the time of the Crimean War, the Imperial Russian Army used the Infantry Musket M1845, the British Army used the Enfield Pattern 1853, the Turkish Army used the Shishana Miquelet Musket, and the French Army used the St. Etienne M1842 Percussion Musket. This is possibly the first appearance of Mosin Nagant rifles on screen.

Mosin Nagant M1891 Infantry Rifle - 7.62x54mm R

Russian soldiers fire their rifles. Some are fitted with bayonets. Vice Admiral Kornilov stands on the foreground.

Russian soldiers and sailors at rest.

French soldiers at the left hold M91 rifles.

Russian and French soldiers in close combat.

Russian soldiers carry their wounded comrades-in-arms.

Russian soldiers on the march. The rifles are seen clear enough, and the attachment of the rifle sling allows to identify the guns as original, pre-1910 Infantry models.

Russian troops leave Sevastopol.

Krnka M1869 Rifle

In one scene, a Russian soldier holds what appears to be an anachronistic Krnka M1869 Rifle, while this rifle was used by the Russian Imperial Army, it was not put into service until 1869, likely a stand-in for the Infantry Musket M1845 mentioned above.

Russian M1869 Krnka Rifle - 15.24x40mmR

The soldier in center holds a Krnka rifle in addition to his Mosin Nagant rifle.

Trivia

Naval Cannon

A genuine naval cannon from the Crimean War era is seen in several scenes. It appears to be 68-pounder Paixhans gun. Such cannons were mounted on Russian ships of the line and reused during the defense of Sevastopol.

The cannon on position.

The crewmembers man the cannon. Admiral Nakhimov stands next to the cannon.