TASHKENT destroyer 1939

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a destroyer by Odero-Terni-Orlando, Leghorn, Italy for the Russian Navy.
11 January 1937 laid down.
21 November 1937 launched as the TASHKENT the lead ship of her class.
Displacement 2,939 ton standard and 3,300 ton full load. Dim. 139.7 x 13.7 x 3.7m. (draught).
Powered by two geared Belluzzo steam turbines, 110,000 shp, twin shafts, speed 42.7 knots.
Range by 20 knots, 5.030 mile.
She was delivered without armament, after arrival in Russia she got 3 – 130mm guns, 1 – 76mm gun. 40 37mm AA guns, 6 – 12.7mm MG. 3- triple 533 torpedo tubes and 76 mines and 24 depth charges.
Crew 250
February 1939 completed.
06 May 1939 delivered at Odesa to the Russian Navy.

TASHKENT was the lead ship of her class (Project 20) of destroyer leaders. Because Russian design experience had atrophied in the years since the Russian Revolution of 1917, the ship was built in Italy for the Soviet Navy just before World War II. Three other ships of the class were ordered from Soviet shipyards, but were ultimately cancelled before construction began.
Design and description
Unsatisfied with the Leningrad-class destroyer leader, the Soviets decided that they needed foreign design assistance around 1934–1935. The French were not willing to share ship plans so the Soviets turned to Italy, based on their earlier experience with the Italians during the preliminary design work for the Kirov-class heavy cruisers. They requested designs for a high-speed destroyer leader from three Italian shipbuilders and accepted the submission by Odero-Terni-Orlando in September 1935. They would build the lead ship, named TASHKENT, in their Livorno shipyard and provide assistance for the Soviets to build others in their own shipyards. Three other ships were ordered, although the only ship to receive a name was BAKU, before they were all cancelled due to difficulties with adapting the Italian design to Soviet shipbuilding practices.
TASHKENT had an overall length of 139.7 meters (458 ft 4 in), a beam of 13.7 meters (44 ft 11 in), and a mean draft of 3.7 meters (12 ft 2 in). The ship displaced 2,893 long tons (2,939 t) at standard load and 2,680 long tons (2,720 t) at deep load. Her crew numbered 250 officers and sailors. 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.
The ship had a pair of geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller, designed to produce 110,000 shaft horsepower (82,000 kW) using steam from a pair of Yarrow boilers. The turbines were housed in two separate compartments with alternating boiler rooms in a unit system layout. The turbines were intended to give TASHKENT a maximum speed of 42 knots (78 km/h; 48 mph) and she reached 44.2 knots (81.9 km/h; 50.9 mph) from 116,000 shp (87,000 kW) during her sea trials, although her armament had yet to be fitted.[3] The ship carried enough fuel oil to give her a range of 5,030 nautical miles(9,320 km; 5,790 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).
TASHKENT's main armament was intended to consisted of six 130-millimeter (5.1 in) B-13 guns in three twin-gun B-31 turrets, one super firing pair forward of the superstructure and the other mount aft of it. However, the turrets were not ready so three single mounts were used instead. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by six semi-automatic 45-millimeter (1.8 in) 21-K AA guns in single mounts as well as six 12.7-millimeter (0.50 in) DShK machine guns. They carried nine 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in three rotating triple mounts. The ships could also carry a maximum of either 76 mines or 24 depth charges. Fire control consisted of a single gunnery director on top of the bridge and an Italian-made basic fire-control computer, and a rangefinder aft.
Modifications
The B-31 turrets were still not available in 1941 so the B-2LM turrets that were intended to arm the Kiev-class destroyer leaders and the Ognevoy-class destroyers were fitted instead. After the Germans invaded Russia in June, the 45 mm guns were replaced by an equal number of automatic 37-millimeter (1.5 in) AA guns and a twin-gun 39-K mount for 76.2-millimeter (3.0 in) 34-K AA guns was added on the stern.
In August 1941, the TASHKENT gave up a bank of torpedo tubes in favour of a pair of 75 mm (3.0 in) AA guns.
TASHKENT served with the Black Sea Fleet, fighting during the Siege of Sevastopol and making 40 supply trips through the German Blockade. In his memoirs Captain VN Eroshenko noticed this feat: “The leader «TASHKENT» steamed 27,000 miles, escorted without loss of 17 transports, carried 19,300 personal, 2,538 tons of ammunition, food and other goods into Sevastopol. She also fired 100 rounds and silenced six batteries, damaged one airfield, sank a torpedo boat and shot down and damaged 13 enemy aircraft.” Not bad for a ship that showed that was more to meet the eyes than solely nice lines. However any such story ends one day, and the German Luftwaffe was now firmly in place to create havoc on the black sea. On 28 June 1942, TASHKENT was attacked once more by a swarm of Junkers Ju 87 “Stuka”s, and was badly hit and severely damaged, taking 1900 tons of water before the emergency team working with makaroff gear and pumps could contain the flood. She was towed by the destroyer BDITELNYI and all the way back to Novorossiysk, but foundered in the harbour several days after, on 2 July 1942. Only gun turrets were salvaged, finding their way on the destroyer OGNEVOI. The Germans would later partially scrap the wreck, but the Soviets would eventually broke the ship in 1943 after taking back the harbour.

http://www.naval-encyclopedia.com/ww2/s ... r-TASHKENT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_destroyer_TASHKENT
Russia 1996 1500r sg 6615, scott 6344.