View source for Soviet destroyer Stremitelny (1937)

{{short description|Destroyer of the Soviet Navy}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=File:Stremitelny.jpg
|Ship caption=''Stremitelny'' in harbor
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Soviet Union]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Soviet Union|naval}}
|Ship name=''Stremitelny'' ({{lang|ru|Стремительный}} (Impetuous))
|Ship renamed=
|Ship ordered=[[Five-year plans for the national economy of the Soviet Union#Second plan, 1933–1937|2nd Five-Year Plan]]
|Ship builder=[[Baltic Shipyard|Shipyard No. 189 (Ordzhonikidze)]], [[Leningrad]]
|Ship laid down=22 August 1936
|Ship launched=4 February 1937
|Ship struck=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship completed= 18 November 1938
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship fate=Sunk by aircraft, 20 July 1941
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (''Gnevny'' as completed, 1938)
|Ship class= {{sclass|Gnevny|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement={{cvt|1612|t|LT|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length= {{cvt|112.8|m|ftin}} ([[o/a]])
|Ship beam={{cvt|10.2|m|ftin}}
|Ship draft={{cvt|4.8|m|ftin}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 shafts; 2 geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed= {{convert|38|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{cvt|2720|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|19|kn}}
|Ship power=*3 [[water-tube boiler]]s
*{{cvt|48000|shp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship complement=197 (236 wartime)
|Ship sensors=Mars [[hydrophone]]
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[130 mm/50 B13 Pattern 1936|{{cvt|130|mm}} guns]]
*2 × single [[76.2 mm anti-aircraft gun Model 1935 (34-K)|{{cvt|76.2|mm|0}}]] [[AA gun]]s
*2 × single [[45 mm anti-aircraft gun (21-K)|{{cvt|45|mm}}]] AA guns
*2 × single [[DShK|{{cvt|12.7|mm}}]] [[anti-aircraft machinegun|AA machineguns]]
*2 × triple {{cvt|533|mm|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*60–96 [[Naval mine|mine]]s
*2 × [[depth charge]] racks, 25 depth charges
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''''Stremitelny''''' ({{langx|ru|Стремительный|lit=Impetuous}}) was one of 29 {{sclass|Gnevny|destroyer}} (officially known as [[List of ships of Russia by project number|Project 7]]) built for the [[Soviet Navy]] during the late 1930s. Completed in 1938, the ship was assigned to the [[Baltic Fleet]] and played a minor role in the 1939–1940 [[Winter War]] against [[Finland]]. ''Stremitelny'' was transferred to the [[Northern Fleet]] in mid-1940. After the start of the [[Operation Barbarossa|German invasion of the Soviet Union]] (Operation Barbarossa) in June 1941, she covered an amphibious landing along the Arctic coast. The ship was attacked and sunk by German [[dive bomber]]s the following month in [[Polyarny, Murmansk Oblast|Polyarny]] with the loss of 111 crew and passengers. Her wreck was partially [[Marine salvage|salvaged]] the following year.
==Design and description==
Having decided to build the large and expensive {{convert|40|kn|lk=in|adj=on}} {{sclass|Leningrad|destroyer|0}} [[flotilla leader|destroyer leader]]s, the Soviet Navy sought Italian assistance in designing smaller and cheaper destroyers. They licensed the plans for the {{sclass|Folgore|destroyer|4}} and, in modifying it for their purposes, overloaded a design that was already somewhat marginally [[ship stability|stable]].<ref>Yakubov & Worth, pp. 99, 102–103</ref>
The ''Gnevny''s had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|112.8|m|ftin|sp=us}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|10.2|m|ftin|sp=us}}, and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|4.8|m|ftin|sp=us}} at [[deep load]]. The ships were significantly overweight, almost {{convert|200|MT|LT|0|lk=on}} heavier than designed, displacing {{convert|1612|MT|LT}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard load]] and {{convert|2039|MT|LT}} at deep load. Their crew numbered 197 officers and sailors in peacetime and 236 in wartime.<ref>Yakubov & Worth, p. 101</ref> The ships had a pair of geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one propeller, rated to produce {{convert|48000|shp|lk=on}} using steam from three [[water-tube boiler]]s which were intended to give them a maximum speed of {{convert|37|kn}}.<ref>Budzbon, p. 330</ref> The designers had been conservative in rating the turbines and many, but not all, of the ships handily exceeded their designed speed during their [[sea trial]]s. Others fell considerably short of it. ''Stremitelny'' reached {{convert|38.3|kn}} during her trials in 1938. Variations in [[fuel oil]] capacity meant that the range of the ''Gnevny''s varied between {{convert|1670|to|3145|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|19|kn}}. ''Stremitelny'' herself demonstrated a range of {{convert|3055|nmi|abbr=on}} at that speed.<ref>Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 106–107</ref>
As built, the ''Gnevny''-class ships mounted four [[130 mm/50 B13 Pattern 1936|{{convert|130|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} B-13 guns]] in two pairs of [[superfiring]] single mounts fore and aft of the [[superstructure]]. [[Anti-aircraft warfare|Anti-aircraft defense]] was provided by a pair of [[76.2 mm anti-aircraft gun Model 1935 (34-K)|{{convert|76.2|mm|adj=on|sp=us|0}} 34-K]] [[AA gun]]s in single mounts and a pair of [[45 mm anti-aircraft gun (21-K)|{{convert|45|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} 21-K]] AA guns<ref>Hill, p. 40</ref> as well as two {{convert|12.7|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} [[DShK|DK or DShK]] [[machine gun]]s. They carried six {{cvt|533|mm|in|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s in two rotating triple mounts; each tube was provided with a reload. The ships could also carry a maximum of either 60 or 95 [[naval mine|mines]] and 25 [[depth charge]]s. They were fitted with a set of Mars [[hydrophone]]s for [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine work]], although they were useless at speeds over {{convert|3|kn}}.<ref>Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 105–106</ref> The ships were equipped with two K-1 [[Paravane (weapon)|paravanes]] intended to destroy mines and a pair of depth-charge throwers.<ref>Berezhnoy, p. 335</ref>
== Construction and service ==
Built in [[Leningrad]]'s [[Baltic Shipyard|Shipyard No. 189 (Ordzhonikidze)]] as [[yard number]] 291, ''Stremitelny'' was [[laid down]] on 22 August 1936 and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 4 February 1937. Completed on 18 November 1938,<ref>Rohwer & Monakov, p. 233</ref> she was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] into the Baltic Fleet on 29 November.<ref name=yw8>Yakubov & Worth, p. 108</ref> The ship served on patrol and escort duty during the Winter War, aside from bombarding the [[coastal artillery]] positions on the Finnish island of [[Russarö]] on 1 December 1939 with her sister ship {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Smetlivy|1937|2}} and the [[light cruiser]] {{ship|Soviet cruiser|Kirov||2}}.<ref>Rohwer, p. 10</ref> ''Stremitelny'' was transferred to the Northern Fleet on 9 May 1940.<ref name=yw8/>
When [[Operation Barbarossa]], the German invasion of the Soviet Union, began on 22 June 1941, the ship was based in Polyarny. Together with her sisters {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Gromky|1937|2}} and {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Gremyashchy|1937|2}}, ''Stremitelny'' covered the landing of troops on the western side of the mouth of the [[Zapadnaya Litsa River]] on 14 July during [[Operation Platinum Fox]], the German attempt to capture [[Murmansk]].<ref>Platonov, p. 185; Rohwer, p. 86</ref> Six days later, she was attacked by [[Junkers Ju 87]] "Stuka" dive bombers while docked in Polyarny and was struck by four bombs [[amidships]]. They detonated in the [[Fire room|boiler]] and [[engine room]]s, killing all the crewmen in those compartments and breaking the ship in half. The stern section sank in a few minutes, but the [[bow (ship)|bow]] section took 20 minutes to sink. A total of 111 people were killed, including several entertainers who were giving a performance aboard when the aircraft attacked.<ref>Platonov, pp. 185–186</ref> Her wreck was partially salvaged in April 1942 and her stern was used to repair her sister {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Razumny|1939|2}}.<ref name=yw8/>
==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==Sources==
*{{Cite book|title=Легендарные "семёрки" Эсминцы "сталинской" серии|last=Balakin|first=Sergey|publisher=Yauza/Eksmo|year=2007|isbn=978-5-699-23784-5|location=Moscow|language=ru|trans-title=Legendary Sevens: Stalin's destroyer series}}
*{{Cite book|title=Крейсера и миноносцы. Справочник|last=Berezhnoy|first=Sergey|publisher=Voenizdat|year=2002|isbn=5-203-01780-8|location=Moscow|language=ru|trans-title=Guide to Cruisers and Destroyers}}
*{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor-last=Chesneau|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7|last=Budzbon|first=Przemysaw|pages=318–346|chapter=Soviet Union|editor-first=Roger}}
* {{cite book | last = Hill | first = Alexander | year = 2018 | title = Soviet Destroyers of World War II | place = Oxford, UK| publisher = Osprey Publishing| isbn = 978-1-4728-2256-7|series=New Vanguard|volume=256}}
*{{cite book |last1=Platonov |first1=Andrey V.|title=Энциклопедия советских надводных кораблей 1941–1945 |trans-title=Encyclopedia of Soviet Surface Ships 1941–1945 |date=2002 |publisher=Poligon |location=Saint Petersburg |isbn=5-89173-178-9 |language=ru}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
*{{cite book|last1=Rohwer|first1=Jürgen|last2=Monakov|first2=Mikhail S.|title=Stalin's Ocean-Going Fleet|publisher=Frank Cass|location=London|year=2001|isbn=0-7146-4895-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last1=Yakubov|first1=Vladimir|last2=Worth |first2=Richard |chapter=The Soviet Project 7/7U Destroyers|editor1-last=Jordan |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Dent |editor2-first=Stephen |publisher=Conway|location=London|year=2008|title=Warship 2008|pages=99–114|isbn=978-1-84486-062-3|name-list-style=amp}}
==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War 2|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1}}
{{Gnevny-class destroyer}}
{{coord missing|Arctic Ocean}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stremitelny (1937)}}
[[Category:Gnevny-class destroyers]]
[[Category:1937 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built at the Baltic Shipyard]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German aircraft]]
[[Category:Destroyers sunk by aircraft]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Arctic Ocean]]