Built as a fast coastal minesweeper of Project 53 by the Sevastopol yard (Factory No 178) for the Soviet Russian Navy.
Laid down 25 February 1937.
Launched 20 August 1937 as the MINA or MINE.
Displacement 410 ton standard, 503 ton full load. Dim. 62.0 x 7.2 x 2.26m (draught)
Powered by two 42-BMRN-6 diesel engines, 2,000 hp, twin shafts, speed 18.5 knots.
Bunker capacity
Armament 1 – 100mm gun B-24, 1 – 45mm gun 21-K 3 – 12.7mm MG. 2 DCR (20) 31 mines and sweeps.
Crew 44.
26 August 1938 completed and delivered, based in the Black Sea.
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The design of the first Soviet coastal minesweeper “Project 3” started with the approval of the tactical and technical specifications, for the design plan the French Diligente class aviso was used.
The preliminary design was completed in 1931, the technical design in 1932, the chief designer of the project was G.M. Veraksa also representatives of the navy and V.S. Avdeev, A.T. Ilyichev and I.S. Savitsky made modifications..
27 March 1932 the plan was approved and the building of the first ship commenced at the Leningrad yard in October 1933.
During the building of the first ships it was discovered that she had insufficient stability and the next ships were modified (project 53) with a wider beam.
25 July 1939 MINA classification was altered in T407 MINA.
1942 Was she modernized.
During World War II used for patrol service and protection of the sea lanes in the Black Sea and took part in landing operations in March 1942 by Alushta, in February 1943 in Southern Ozereyka and in many operations more.
During the four years service during the war she sailed 47.000 miles through mine infested waters, escorted 26 warships and 264 transport ships. Laid mines
Transported troops and large quantities of ammunition, came under attack of more than 300 enemy air attacks and shot down several enemies planes.
22 July 1944 she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
1944 Fitted out as an electromagnetic mine sweeper and got the tactical number EMTShch-407 and used for clearing of mines in the Sevastopol Bay and Black Sea.
07 April 1956 decommissioned, then used as a training ship for combat troops.
1992 Scrapped at Sevastopol
1967 The name of the minesweeper is immortalized on the memorial of the heroic defense of Sevastopol 1941- 1942 at the Nakhimov Square in Sevastopol.
Russia 2013 10p sg?, scott?
Sources: info received from Mr Gennadiy Sitnikov, who also supplied the scans of the stamps.