SOVIET NAVY (USSR)

Project history: News about mining of British destroyer Hunter 13.5.1937 during Civil war in Spain has served as an occasion to revision of Soviet shipbuilding program. At the session of the Political bureau in August, 1937 project 7 with linear machinery arrangement has been recognised by "harmful", and on its basis the project 7u ("improved") with machinery arranged en echelon was developed, approved 29.8.1938.
    Outwardly project 7u destroyers differed from predecessors by two-funneled outline profile whereas the hull, superstructures and armament placing remained former. Because of a shortage of Kharkov turbine factory-built turbines turbines for 8 ships were bought in the Great Britain. As they differed by smaller designed power, British turbine-driven destroyers reached lower speed (36-37kts), whereas Strashny has shown on trials 39.6kts. The further decrease in an endurance, seaworthiness, and also an unsuccessful arrangement of 76mm AA guns became the basic lacks of more dense arrangement.

Modernizations: late 1941, Storozhevoy, Stoykiy, Silnyy, Smyshlyonyy, Surovyy, Slavnyy, Soobrazitelnyy, Sposobnyy: + 2 x 1 - 37/63 70K

early 1942, Storozhevoy, Stoykiy, Silnyy, Slavnyy, Sposobnyy, Strashnyy, Svobodnyy: - 3 x 1 - 45/43; + 2 x 1 - 37/63 70K

early 1942, Soobrazitelnyy: - 2 x 1 - 45/43; + 2 x 1 - 37/63 70K

early 1942, Svirepyy: - 1 x 1 - 45/43; + 2 x 1 - 37/63 70K

1942, Stoykiy, Silnyy, Slavnyy: - 1 x 1 - 12.7/79; + 1 x 1 - 76/52 34K, 2 x 1- 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 x 4 - 12.7/62

1942, Strashnyy, Svirepyy: - 1 x 1 - 12.7/79; + 1 x 1 - 76/52 34K, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 x 2 - 12.7/90

9/1943, Storozhevoy (project 7u/30): received fore part from destroyer of project 30: length oa was 113.5m, displacement 1892 / 2453t; armament consisted of 1 x 2 - 130/50 B-2LM, 2 x 1 - 130/50 B-13, 2 x 1 - 76/52 34K, 6 x 1 - 37/63 70K, 4 x 1 - 12.7/79, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, 2 DCT, 2 DCR (40), 56 mines

1943, all survived except Stroynyy, Strogiy: + 2 DCT (DC stowage increased to 40)

1943, Sposobnyy: + 5 x 1 - 37/63 70K, 2 x 2 - 12.7/90

1943, Soobrazitelnyy: - 1 x 1 - 45/43; + 3 x 1 - 37/63 70K, 2 x 2 - 12.7/90

1943, Sposobnyy: + 3 x 1 - 37/63 70K, 2 x 2 - 12.7/90

1943, Stoykiy, Silnyy, Slavnyy: - 2 x 1 - 20/70, 1 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 1 - 37/63 70K

1943, Strashnyy: - 4 x 1 - 20/70, 1 x 2 - 12.7/90; + 2 x 1 - 37/63 70K, 1 x 1 - 12.7/79

1943, Svirepyy: - 2 x 1 - 45/43, 4 x 1 - 20/70, 1 x 2 - 12.7/90; + 2 x 1 - 37/63 70K, 1 x 1 - 12.7/79

1943, Stroynyy, Strogiy: + 1 x 1 - 76/52 34K, 1 x 1 - 37/63 70K

1944, Storozhevoy: + 1 x 1 - 76/52 34K

1943-1945, most survived: + type 284 radar, type 128 sonar

1943-1945, Soobrazitelny, Storozhevoy, Strashnyy, Silnyy, Slavnyy, Svirepyy, Vitse-admiral Drozd: + type 291 radar

1944-1945, Strogiy: + Giuys-1 radar

1947, Soobrazitelnyy: had new artillery consisted of 4 x 1 - 130/51 B-13, 8 x 1 - 37/73 70K, 6 x 2 - 12.7/90

1953, Strashnyy; 1954, Silnyy; 1955, Slavnyy, Svirepyy; 1956, Vitse-Admiral Drozd; 1957, Soobrazitelnyy: all were armed with 4 x 1 - 130/51 B-13, 4 x 2 - 37/70 V-11, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, 2 DCT, 2 DCR (60), 60 mines, Giuys-1, Rif-1, Vympel-2 radars, Tamir-5N sonar; standard displacement was 1900 t, max speed was 34 - 35kts.

Naval service: Before war 11 ships were listed by the Navy, remained 7 were commissioned after its beginning. The ships of the given class served only on two theatres: Storozhevoy, Svirepy, Serdity, Silny, Skory, Slavny, Smely, Statny, Stoykiy, Strashny, Strogiy, Stroyny and Surovy on Baltic; Svobodny, Smyshlyony, Sovershenny, Soobrazitelny and Sposobny on Black Sea.

    Storozhevoy passed unique modernization, at which 27.6.1941 as a result of hit of a torpedo from German S-boat the fore end to the bridge has been broken off. During repair she received a fore end from destroyer of project 30. Repaired under project 7u/30 ship was commissioned again 10.9.1943.
   Serdity 19.7.1941 was sunk by German aircraft off Kassar (Gulf of Finland). Smely 27.7.1941 was torpedoed by German MTB S54 and finished by torpedo from Soviet MTB No73. Statny 18.8.1941 wasdamaged by German at Rohukuula (Gulf of Finland), the fore end was broken off; she was ultimately foundered 24.8.1941 during a storm. Skory 28.8.1941 was lost on mines during en route from Tallin to Kronshtadt. Surovy 14.11.1941 was lost on German mine en route to Hanko.

   Sovershenny 30.9.1941, during sea trials, was heavy damaged by Soviet mine at Cape Fiolent; 12.11.1941 at German aircraft raid to Sevastopol she overturned in dock; never completely repaired and 8.6.1942 blown up in dock. Smyshlyony 6.3.1942 off Zhelezny Cape washeavy damaged by Soviet mine and 7.3.1942 has sunk during a storm off Yuzhnaya Ozereyka (off Novorossiysk). Svobodny 10.6.1942 was sunk by German aircraft at Sevastopol. Sposobny 6.10.1943 was sunk by German aircraft S of Yalta.