Gnevny-class destroyer
01.jpg) Soviet Destroyer Bditelnyy | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators: | |
| Built: | 1935-42 |
| In service: | 1938-90 |
| Planned: | 36 |
| Completed: | 30 |
| Cancelled: | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | destroyer |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 112.8 m (370 ft 1 in) |
| Beam: | 10.2 m (33 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 39.37 knots (72.91 km/h; 45.31 mph) (trials) |
| Endurance: | 2,640 nmi (4,890 km) at 19.83 knots (37 km/h) |
| Complement: | 197 (236 wartime) |
| Sensors and processing systems: | Arktur hydrophone |
| Armament: |
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The Gnevny class were a group of destroyers built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1930s - early 1940s. They are sometimes known as the Gremyashchiy class destroyer and the Official Soviet Designation was Project 7. These ships fought in World War II.
In the early 1930s the Soviets felt able to restart construction of fleet destroyers and forty eight ships were ordered under the second Five-Year Plan.
The design was produced with Italian assistance despite ideological differences between the Soviets and Fascist Italy. They resembled contemporary destroyers built in Italy for the Greek and Turkish Navies.
They suffered from some of the same weaknesses of contemporary Italian ships with structural weakness and limited seaworthiness. There were also significant machinery problems in the earliest ships. The design flaws were apparent after trials of the first units in 1936/7 and production stopped after 30 ships. A modified design was then placed into production as the Type 7U.
Four surviving ships from the Pacific Fleet were transferred to the People's Liberation Army Navy and served as the Anshan class destroyers.
Ships
Black Sea Fleet
| Ship | Builder | Launched | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodry - Бодрый (Brisk) | Marti Yard, Nikolaev | 1936 | 1938 | scrapped 1950s page in Russian |
| Bystry - Быстрый (Rapid) | Marti Yard, Nikolaev | 1936 | Nov 1938 | sunk 1 July 1941 by magnetic mine |
| Bezuprechny - Безупречный (Irreproachable) | 61 Kommunar yard, Nikolaev | 1936 | 1938 | sunk 26 June 1942 page in Russian |
| Bditelny - Бдительный (Watchful) | 61 Kommunar yard, Nikolaev | 1936 | 1938 | sunk 2 July 1942 page in Russian |
| Boiky - Бойкий (Spry / bold) | Marti Yard, Nikolaev | 29 Oct 1936 | 1 May 1939 | scrapped 1958, page in Russian |
| Bezposhchadny - Беспощадный (Merciless) | Sevastopol Navy Yard | 1937 | Sept 1939 | sunk 6 October 1943, bombing by Stukas page in Russian |
Baltic Fleet
| Ship | Builder | Launched | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gnevny (wrathful) | Zhdanov Yard, Leningrad | 13 June 1936 | 31 jan 1939 | sunk 23 June 1941 by mines |
| Gordy (proud) | Baltic yard, Leningrad | 1936 | 1938 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1941, scrapped 1950s |
| Gromky (loud) | Baltic yard, Leningrad | 6 Dec 1937 | 23 Feb 1939 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1941, scrapped 1960 |
| Grozny (terrible) | Zhdanov yard Leningrad | 31 July 1936 | 1939 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1941, used as a target for nuclear testing 1957, near Novaya Zemlya |
| Gremyashchy (thunderous) | Zhdanov yard Leningrad | 12 March 1937 | 1939 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1941, used as a target for nuclear testing 1957, near Novaya Zemlya |
| Grozyashtchi (menacing) | Zhdanov yard Leningrad | 18 Aug 1936 | 1939 | During the first day of the Winter War, captured small Finnish steamer Auvo and took it as prize to Paldiski.[1] Damaged by bombing near Leningrad, scrapped 1950s |
| Sokrushitelny (destructive) | Zhdanov yard Leningrad | 15 Aug 1936 | 1939 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1941 sunk in a storm 22 November 1942, after stern broke off, 35 dead |
| Steregushchy (alert) | Zhdanov yard Leningrad | 1937 | 1939 | bombed and sunk 21 September 1941 near Kronstadt, salvaged in 1944 and returned to service 1948, Scrapped 1959 |
| Stremitelny (impetuous) | Zhdanov yard Leningrad | 1936 | 1938 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1941 sunk 20 July 1941 by German Bombers in Ekatirinskaya Bay, Murmansk, partially raised in 1942 and cannibalised for spare parts to repair Raz'yaryonny |
Pacific Fleet
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.
| Ship | Launched | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reshitelnyy Решительнвй (decisive) | 1937 | Not completed | Lost while being towed between Sovetskaya Gavan and Vladivostok for final fitting out |
| Rezvyy Резвый (frisky) | 1937 | Dec 1939 | Scrapped 1950s |
| Ryanyy Ряный (spirited) | Oct 1937 | 1940 | Sunk as target 8 January 1961 in the Sea of Japan |
| Rastoropnyy Расторопный (prompt) | 1939 | 1941 | Scrapped 1950s |
| Redkiy Редкий (rare) | 1941 | Scrapped 1962 | |
| Razyashchyy Разящий (furious) | 1938 | 1941 | sunk as target ship 1961 |
| Reshitelnyy (ii) Решительный (decisive) | 1939 | 1941 | sold to China 1955 first as ChangChun |
| Retivyy Ретивый (ardent) | 1940 | 1941 | sold to China 1955 as Chi Lin(Jilin) and then renamed to TaiYuan |
| Revnostnyy Ревностный (fervent) | 1940 | 1941 | scrapped 1950s |
| Razyaryonnyy Разъяренный (enraged) | May 1941 | Dec 1941 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1942, target ship 1958 |
| Razumnyy Разумный (sensible) | 1940 | 1941 | transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet in 1942, foundered 1960s |
| Rekordnyy Рекордный (record breaking) | 1940 | 1941 | sold to China 1955 as An'Shan |
| Rezkiy Резкий (Brusque) | 1940 | 1942 | sold to China 1954 as FuShun |
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gremyashchiy class destroyer. |
- Roger Chesneau, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
- Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Cassell Publishing. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
- Yakubov, Vladimir; Worth, Richard (2008). "The Soviet Project 7/7U Destroyers". In Jordan, John; Dent, Stephen. Warship 2008. London: Conway. pp. 99–114. ISBN 978-1-84486-062-3.
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