Adding my contribution to this field, I hope this thread carries on with other artist joining in as well. The idea is to present civilian operated research, survey and exploration ships operated by Soviet Union and Russian federation.
As one could have expected, I offer the Finnish build vessels, or atleast those, of which enough material exists to produce SB drawings, but majority is in here, all presented by lead ship and as best rendition to the original configuration as possible.
Starting with the biggest and one of the most striking vessels I've seen myself, the Akademik Fedorov, an antartic expedition support and research vessel, Build in Rauma at late 1980s.
I've planned to draw this ever since I got awere of its existance back in the turn of the century when I bought my first Weyers catalog and was introduced into many wonderfull new vessels.
Then continuing in size wise with Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, a deepsea research vessel, made famous in later days as movie star and depot James Cameron's undersea activities. She was build also in Rauma in the early 1980's, and this is the original quise, prior to installation of the Finnish build Mir-1 and Mir-2 submersibles.
Then, the Akademik Ioffe, from a two-ship series of oceanic acoustics survey vessels build also in Rauma (as is clearly recognizable by the bulky, square box style superstructures)
Then, a marine geophysical and seismographic research vessel Akademik Nikolai Strakhov, from a three ship series, all of wich different purposes.
She was absolutely joy to draw, owning to a detailed and accurate Finnish yard documentation based linedrawings, and one can easily see the differences in sources when looking at these drawings, (they are all done in these last few weeks, par Ioffe, which base was drawn sometime in last decade)
And finaly, last ship from the west coast ship bakery, Petr Kottsov of the Alexey Maryshev class Arctic survey vessels build in Pori at the last years of the Union.
...Then we move bit better direction in elegancy, and the Turku based Wärtsilä and Laivateollisuus yards vessels, as shown here first by Akademik Shuleykin class, 8 ship strong smaller vessels for various purposes, but sadly due lack of even decent sources is featured only by the lead vessel of the class:
A bit older series of Proffesor Shtokman class, here is Professor Kurentsov, from a 4 strong class build in late 1970's...
And finaly, the forerunner of the previous class, a 7 ship strong Dimitryi Ovtsyn class survey vessels build in 1970's:
Most of these ships are extant today, and aside the larger ones, almost all have been converted to tourist cruisers, specifically for the Artic and Antartic routes. They come in myriad of color schemes, and If someone wants to continue devolping these classes, I don't mind at all. Myself will be back in back in my comfort zones and hazegray shades.