IMPERIAL RUSSIAN NAVY / SOVIET NAVY (RUSSIA / USSR)

Project history: Large batch of turbine-driven destroyers of Imperial  Russian Navy. Built in many series with foreign technical help and possessed a number inter-subclass differences. Common for all ships were artillery (102mm/60 guns), powerful torpedo side salvo (from 8 to 12 450mm torpedoes in twin-and triple mounts) and, except for a lead ship, twin-shaft turbine machinery and a three-funnel outline profile.
   Novik was built under the design of Putilov plant and was equipped with triple-shaft Curtis-AEG-Vulkan and 6 Vulkan boilers. At the moment of commission she was one of the largest (1260t), well armed (4 102mm guns and 4 twin 450mm TTs) and fastest ships of this type in the world. On trials she shown average 36.3kts speed (maximum 37.3kts) at 41910hp.
    On her construction basis for Black Sea Fleet series of Schastlivy class was designed. They differed by machinery structure (2 shafts and 5 boilers), moderated to 30kts speed and armament structure: 3 102mm guns and 5 twin TTs.
    They, in turn, have formed a basis for design of Baltic Fleet Orfey, Leytenant Ilyin and Gavriil classes. Number of boilers on them was moderated to four, and armament in an ultimate variant included 4 102mm guns and 3 triple TTs. The engineering design was developed with the help of Blohm und Voss and Vulkan. At identical general arrangement, dimensions and appearance destroyers differed with type of turbines and boilers: Orfey class had Curtis-AEG-Vulkan turbines and Normand-Vulkan boilers; Leytenant Ilyin class Brown-Boveri-Parsons turbines and Normand boilers; Gavriil class Curtiss-AEG-Vulkan turbines and Normand boilers. On trials the majority of the ships exceeded 31kts.

   Design of Izyaslav class was developed by Lang and Sons with the help of Augustin Normand, differed in the increased dimensions, demanded by installation of the fifth boiler, and strengthened armament (in an ultimate variant 5 102mm guns and 3 triple TTs). They were equipped with Brown-Boveri-Parsons turbines and Normand boilers. A series has appeared last from constructed was "Ushakov" (ships received names in honour of victories constrained by F. F. Ushakov). It was development of the previous Derzkiy class, created, in turn, at participation of Thornycroft. Ships of this series differed by machinery structure (Brown-Boveri-Parsons turbines and Thornycroft boilers) and the most strong among all Noviks armament (4 102mm guns and 4 triple 450mm TTs).

     Valuing these destroyers as most successful among given type ships, Naval General Staff in 1916 ordered 12 more ships, however only three were laid down. After Civil war they were broken up on slipways.

Modernizations: 1929, Dzerzhinskiy: - 1 x 1 - 40/39; + 2 x 1 - 76/28 8K, 2 x 1 - 7.6/94, 2 DCR (8), mine stowage was decreased to 40 - 60.

1939 - 1941, all survived: - 2 x 1 - 7.6/94; + 4 x 1 - 12.7/79

1942, Nezamozhnik, Zheleznyakov: - 2 x 1 - 12.7/79; + 2 x 1 - 45/65 21KM, 5 x 1 - 37/63 70K, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

1/1946: 4 x 1 - 102/60, 2 x 1 - 76/30 8K, 2 x 1 - 45/69 21KM, 5 x 1 - 37/73 70K, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 1 - 12.7/79, 4 x 3 - 450 TT, 2 DCR (8), 46 - 60 mines

Naval service: Kerch`, Fidonisi, Kaliakriya and Gadzhibey were scuttled by crews 18-19.6.1918 by order of Lenin at Novorossiysk and Tuapse. Incomplete Tserigo was withdrawn by Whites to Bizerte in November, 1920 where she was broken up in the beginning of 1930th. Kaliakriya in 1925 was salvaged and repaired.

Petrovskiy 1930s

Petrovskiy

© Ivan Gogin, 2009-15