Tashkent-class destroyer

Tashkent
Class overview
Name: Tashkent class (Project 20)
Builders: OTO, Livorno (Italy), Mart Yard Nikolayev
Operators:  Soviet Navy
Built: 1937-41
In service: 1939-1942
Planned: 10
Completed: 1
Lost: 1
Preserved: 0
General characteristics
Type: Destroyer
Displacement: 2893 tons standard, 3200 tons full load
Length: 139.7 m (458 ft 4 in)
Beam: 13.7 m (44 ft 11 in)
Draught: 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
Installed power: 130,000 shp (97,000 kW)
Propulsion: 2 shaft geared turbines, 4 Yarrow type boilers
Speed: 43.5 knots (80.6 km/h; 50.1 mph)
Range: 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 250
Armament:

The Tashkent class were a group of destroyer leaders built for the Soviet Navy just before World War II. Only one ship was completed.

The first ship, Tashkent, was ordered under the second Five Year Plan, from the Italian OTO company of Livorno in 1935. She was considerably larger and more capable than the home built Leningrad-class destroyer leaders. Ten more ships were planned to be built in the Soviet Union to a slightly modified design (Project 48) of which 4 were started. The start of World War II meant that none were completed. The ships of the class were named after cities in the Soviet Union.

Design

The hull was riveted with a raised forecastle and 15 compartments. The hull strength was not up to requirements in Tashkent and was increased for the Project 48 ships. A streamlined enclosed bridge was fitted.

Machinery comprised two Parsons type turbines which were housed in two separate compartments with alternating boiler rooms in a unit system layout. The power created came out to 130,000 hp (97,000 kW) and the maximum revolutions were 350 rpm.

Armament comprised three twin 130 mm (5 in) B-2LM turrets which were splinterproof and weatherproof but were for surface fire only. Initially 45 mm (1.8 in) anti-aircraft (AA) guns were planned but replaced by automatic 37 mm (1.5 in) AA guns. Later two 76 mm (3 in) AA guns were fitted. Torpedo armament comprised three triple 533 mm (21 in) tubes. Fire control comprised a single director on top of the bridge and an Italian made basic fire control computer, and a further range finder aft.

Ships

The ships were to be named after cities, with the only member of the class to complete, Tashkent, named after the capital of Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, Tashkent.

Following the relative poor performance of the Leningrad-class destroyer leaders, the Soviets decided to seek foreign assistance and went out to tender to French and Italian companies in 1934. The contract was awarded to OTO in 1935 for a single ship and assistance in building follow on ships in the Soviet Union.

Tashkent

built by OTO, Livorno,
laid down January 1937,
launched 21 November 1937,
completed May 1939 and was accepted in 1939 by the future Admiral of the Black Sea Fleet Lev Vladimirsky.

The ship was delivered without armament reaching 43 knots on trials. She was initially armed with three single 130mm guns until her main gun turrets were delivered in 1941. She was painted a cobalt blue colour and was nicknamed the "blue cruiser" by Russian sailors. She served with the Black Sea Fleet and fought during the Siege of Sevastopol making 40 supply trips through the German Blockade. On 28 June 1942 she was bombed by Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka"s and managed to reach Novorossiysk but foundered in the port on 2 July 1942. Her gun turrets were salvaged for use in the destroyer Ognevoi

In his memoirs VN Eroshenko stated that: The leader «Tashkent» steamed 27,000 miles, escorted without loss of 17 transports, carried 19,300 people, 2,538 tons of ammunition, food and other goods into Sevastopol. Held 100 live main caliber bombardments silenced 6 batteries and damaged one airfield. Shot down and damaged 13 enemy aircraft. Sank a torpedo boat

Project 48 Ships

Ten ships were ordered from Soviet yards in 1939 as the Project 48 destroyer leaders. This design had minor modificatins to suit Soviet shipbuilding practice. Four ships were laid down, all of them for the Black Sea Fleet:

built by Marti Yard, Nikolayev,
launched December 1940, evacuated to Poti (49.8 % complete), but not completed after the war, the hull was used as a target ship in the 1950s
built by Marti Yard Nikolayev,
launched June 1941, evacuated to Poti (25.4 % complete),but not completed after the war, the hull was used as a target ship in the 1950s
built in Nikolayev not launched - wreck scrapped by the Germans
built in Nikolayev not launched - wreck scrapped by the Germans

A further six ships (1 Black Sea, 3 Baltic and 2 Arctic) were ordered but not laid down by 1941.

References

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