Gnevny-class destroyer

File:Plan and elevation of Gnevny-class DDs.jpg

Having decided on the specifications of the large {{convert|40|kn|lk=in|adj=on}} {{sclass|Leningrad|destroyer|0}} destroyer leaders, the Soviet Navy sought Italian assistance in designing smaller and cheaper destroyers. They licensed the plans for the {{sclass|Folgore|destroyer|4}} and, in modifying it for their purposes, overloaded a design that was already somewhat marginally stable.Yakubov & Worth, pp. 99, 102–103

The Gnevnys had an overall length of {{convert|112.8|m|ftin|sp=us}}, a beam of {{convert|10.2|m|ftin|sp=us}}, and a draft of {{convert|4.8|m|ftin|sp=us}} at deep load. The ships were significantly overweight, almost {{convert|200|MT|LT|0|lk=on}} heavier than designed, displacing {{convert|1612|MT|LT}} at standard load and {{convert|2039|MT|LT}} at deep load. Their crew numbered 197 officers and sailors in peacetime and 236 in wartime.Yakubov & Worth, p. 101

The ships were powered by two geared steam turbine sets, each driving a single three-bladed {{convert|3.18|m|ftin|adj=on|sp=us}} propeller using steam provided by three water-tube boilers that operated at a pressure of {{convert|26.5|kg/cm2|kPa psi|0|abbr=on|lk=on}} and a temperature of {{convert|350|°C}}.Platonov, p. 172 The turbines, rated at {{cvt|48000|shp}}, were intended to give the ships a speed of {{convert|37|kn|lk=on}}.Budzbon, p. 330 The designers had been conservative in rating the turbines and many, but not all, of the ships handily exceeded their designed speed during their sea trials. Others fell considerably short of it; {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Boyky|1936|2}} reached {{convert|34|kn}} during her trials in 1943. Variations in fuel oil capacity meant that the range of the Gnevnys varied between {{convert|1670|and|3145|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|19|kn}}.Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 106–107

As built, the Gnevny-class ships mounted four 50-caliber 130 mm/50 B13 Pattern 1936 in two pairs of superfiring single mounts fore and aft of the superstructure. Each gun was provided with 150 rounds. The development of the gun was troubled by excessive barrel erosion problems and three variants were built in a not entirely successful effort to resolve the problem which complicated logistical and operational support as each performed slightly differently. The manually operated mounts had an elevation range between −5° and +45° and had a rate of fire of 6–10 rounds per minute. They fired a {{convert|33.4|kg|lb|adj=on|sp=us}} shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|870|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}, which gave them a range of {{convert|25597|m|yd|sp=us}}.Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 103–104

Anti-aircraft defense was provided by two 55-caliber 76.2 mm anti-aircraft gun Model 1935 (34-K) AA guns and two 46-caliber 45 mm anti-aircraft gun (21-K) AA guns, all in single mountsHill, p. 40 as well as a pair of {{convert|12.7|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} DK or DShK machine guns. The 34-K guns could elevate between −5° and +85°, had a rate of fire of fire of 15–20 rounds per minute, and the ships carried 300 rounds per gun for them. Their muzzle velocity of {{convert|801|m/s|ft/s|sp=us}} gave their {{convert|11.9|kg|lb|adj=on|disp=flip|sp=us}} high-explosive shells a maximum horizontal range of {{convert|14640|m|yd|sp=us}} and an effective ceiling of {{convert|6500|m|ft|sp=us}}. The 21-K was a converted anti-tank gun with a rate of fire of 25–30 rounds per minute with an elevation range between −10° and +85°. The gun fired a {{convert|1.41|kg|lb|adj=on|sp=us}} shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|760|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}. This gave them a range of {{convert|9200|m|yd|sp=us}}. The Project 7s stowed 500 rounds for each gun. The DShK had an effective rate of fire of 125 rounds per minute and an effective range against aircraft of {{convert|2500|m|yd|sp=us}}.Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 104

The ships were equipped with six {{cvt|533|mm|in|0}} torpedo tubes in two rotating triple mounts amidships; each tube was provided with a reload. The Project 7-class ships primarily used the 53-38 or the 53-38U torpedo, which differed only in the size of their warhead; the latter had a warhead {{convert|100|kg|lb|sp=us}} heavier than the {{convert|300|kg|lb|adj=on|sp=us}} warhead of the 53-38. The torpedoes had three range/speed settings: {{convert|10000|m|yd|sp=us}} at {{convert|30.5|kn}}; {{convert|8,000|m|yd|sp=us}} at {{convert|34.5|kn}} and {{convert|4,000|m|yd|sp=us}} at {{convert|44.5|kn}}. The ships could also carry a maximum of either 60 or 95 mines and 25 depth charges. They were fitted with a set of Mars hydrophones for anti-submarine work, although it was useless at speeds over {{convert|3|kn}}.Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 105–106

Fire control for the main battery of the Gnevnys was provided by a Mina-7 fire-control system that was derived from an Italian Galileo system. It included a TsAS-2 mechanical analog computer that received information from a KDP2-4 gunnery director on the roof of the bridge which mounted a pair of DM-4 {{convert|4|m|ftin|spell=in|sp=us|adj=on}} stereoscopic rangefinders. Anti-aircraft fire control was strictly manual with only a DM-3 {{convert|3|m|ftin|spell=in|sp=us|adj=on}} rangefinder to provide data to the guns.Yakubov & Worth, pp. 104–105

All the Pacific Fleet ships were built by Dalzavod, Komsomolsk na Amure and towed to Vladivostok for fitting out due to the shallow depth of the Amur River. One unit, Reshitelny (i), was lost by stranding on passage 7 November 1938, being damaged beyond repair. The material for these ships was assembled in Nikolayev and then shipped east via the Trans-Siberian railway.

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Gremyashchiy class destroyer}}

• {{Cite book|title=Легендарные "семёрки" Эсминцы "сталинской" серии|last=Balakin|first=Sergey |publisher=Yauza/Eksmo |year=2007|isbn=978-5-699-23784-5|location=Moscow |language=ru |trans-title=Legendary Sevens: Stalin's Destroyer Series}}
• {{Cite book|title=Крейсера и миноносцы. Справочник|last=Berezhnoy|first=Sergey|publisher=Voenizdat |year=2002 |isbn=5-203-01780-8|location=Moscow|language=ru|trans-title=Guide to Cruisers and Destroyers}}
• {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor-last=Chesneau |publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980 |isbn=0-85177-146-7 |last=Budzbon|first=Przemysaw|pages=318–346|chapter=Soviet Union|editor-first=Roger}}
• {{cite book|last=Hill|first=Alexander|year=2018 |title= Soviet Destroyers of World War II |place= Oxford, UK|publisher= Osprey Publishing|isbn= 978-1-4728-2256-7|series=New Vanguard |volume=256}}
• {{cite book |last1=Platonov |first1=Andrey V.|title=Энциклопедия советских надводных кораблей 1941–1945 |trans-title=Encyclopedia of Soviet Surface Ships 1941–1945 |date=2002 |publisher=Poligon |location=Saint Petersburg |isbn=5-89173-178-9 |language=ru}}
• {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005 |edition=Third Revised |isbn=1-59114-119-2 |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
• {{cite book|last1=Rohwer|first1=Jürgen|last2=Monakov|first2=Mikhail S.|title=Stalin's Ocean-Going Fleet: Soviet Naval Strategy and Shipbuilding Programs 1935–1953 |publisher=Frank Cass |location=London |year=2001|isbn=0-7146-4895-7|name-list-style=amp}}
• {{cite book|last1=Yakubov|first1=Vladimir|last2=Worth |first2=Richard |chapter=The Soviet Project 7/7U Destroyers |editor1-last=Jordan |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Dent |editor2-first=Stephen |publisher=Conway |location=London |year=2008|title=Warship 2008|pages=99–114 |isbn=978-1-84486-062-3 |name-list-style=amp}}

{{Gnevny-class destroyer}}

{{WWII Soviet ships}}

Category:Destroyer classes

Category:World War II destroyers of the Soviet Union

Category:Italy–Soviet Union relations