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. Unlike a prototype they had vertical side frames, an lengthened forecastle and anti-rolling tanks. More efficient and reliable turbines constructed under British licence or bought abroad have been besides and boilers with increased steam output were fitted. For raise of battle damage tolerance all auxiliary systems were doubled.

    In 1920s-1930s all ships have passed modernizations, thus Kalinin, Karl Marx were converted to division leaders.

Modernizations: 1937, Karl Marx: - 1 x 1 - 76/28, 1 x 3 - 450 TT; + 4 x 1 - 45/43 21K, 2 DCR (10), mine stowage decreased to 60

1939 - 1941, Karl Marx: + 4 x 1 - 12.7/79

1941, Kalinin: - 1 x 3 - 450 TT; + 4 x 1 - 45/43 21K, 4 x 1 - 12.7/79, 2 DCR (10), mine stowage decreased to 60

Naval service: Avtroil 27.12.1918 off Tallinn was captured by British ships and then transferred to Estonia. As Lennuk she was a part of Estonian Navy till 1933, when she was sold to Peruvian government. Under Peruvian flag ship renamed Guisse, served till 1948.

Avtroil 1917

Avtroil under Peruvian flag

Karl Marx

© Ivan Gogin, 2009-14