Orfey-class destroyer explained

The Orfey-class destroyers were built for the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. They were modified versions of the earlier destroyer and the s. These ships were larger, had triple torpedo tubes and an extra gun. One ship, Engels, was fitted with a recoilless rifle for testing in 1934. Fourteen ships were completed in 1914–1917 and fought in World War I and during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. The survivors fought in World War II.

Ships

Built at the Putilov yard, St Petersburg

ShipLaunchedFate
Kapitan Belli
renamed Karl Liebknecht
29 Oct 1915Transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet. Broken up 1950s
Kapitan Izylmetev
renamed Lenin
4 Nov 1914Scuttled 24 June 1941 at Liepāja, Latvia while under repair
Kapitan Kern
renamed Rykov
27 Aug 1915Transferred to the Soviet Northern Fleet. Broken up 1950s
Kapitan Konon-Zotov23 Oct 1915Broken up incomplete 1923
Kapitan Kroun5 Aug 1916Broken up incomplete 1923
Kapitan I ranga Miklucha Maklai
renamed Spartak (1917)
renamed Vambola
renamed Almirante Villar
27 Aug 1915Captured by the British in 1918, given to the Estonian Navy and sold by the Estonians to Peru in 1933. Scrapped in 1954[1]
Lieutenant Dubasov9 Sep 1916Broken up incomplete 1923
Lieutenant Ilin
renamed Voikov
28 Nov 1914transferred to the Soviet Pacific Fleet. Broken up 1950s

Built at Metal Works, St Petersburg (Petrograd)

ShipLaunchedFate
Orfey5 Jun 1916Broken up 1929, after sustaining irreparable mine damage in 1917

renamed Zinoviev in 1922
renamed Artem in 1928
5 Jun 1916Sank British submarine L55 during the Russian Civil War, sunk 28 August 1941 by mines
Desna
renamed Engels
4 Nov 1915Sunk 25 Aug 1941 by mines
Grom5 Jun 1915Sunk 14 Oct 1917, during the Battle of Moon Sound
Letun4 Nov 1915Broken up 1925, after sustaining irreparable mine damage in 1916, Mine was laid by
Pobiditel
renamed Volodarski
5 Nov 1914Sunk 28 August 1941
Samson
renamed Stalin
5 Jun 1915transferred to the Soviet Pacific fleet via the Arctic in 1936, Broken up 1953
Zabiyaka
renamed Uritski
5 Nov 1914transferred to the Northern Fleet, Sunk as a target during nuclear test in 1953

Built by Russo Baltic Yard, Reval

ShipLaunchedFate
5 Jan 1915Helped sink British submarine L55 and three British motor boats. Sunk by mines 21 October 1919 together with sister ships Konstantin and Svoboda during an attempted sortie to support Red Army forces defending Petrograd against the advance of Yudenich's White forces. The accompanying Azard managed to manoeuvre out of the minefield but 485 men were lost.
Konstantin12 Jun 1915Sunk by mines 21 October 1919 in the same operation as Gavril.
Vladimir
renamed Svoboda
18 Aug 1915Sunk by mines 21 October 1919 in the same operation as Gavril.
Mikhail1916towed to Petrograd but broken up incomplete 1923
Mechislav1916towed to Petrograd but broken up incomplete 1923
Sokol1917towed to Petrograd but broken up incomplete 1923

Bibliography

. Naval Weapons of World War One: Guns, Torpedoes, Mines and ASW Weapons of All Nations: An Illustrated Directory. Seaforth . Barnsley, UK. 2011. 978-1-84832-100-7 . Norman Friedman.

. Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 2005 . Third Revised. 1-59114-119-2 . Jürgen Rohwer.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/government/red-army/1918/raskolnikov/ilyin/ch04.htm