- Tashkent class destroyer
The "Tashkent" Class were a group of
destroyer leader s built for theSoviet Navy just beforeWorld 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 1937. She was considerably larger and more capable then 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 lead ship was named after the capital ofUzbek SSR ,Tashkent .hips
The ships were named after cities
* "Tashkent" ( "Ташкент" ) - 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 theBlack Sea Fleet Lev Vladimirsky . The ship was delivered without armament and was armed with single 130mm guns until her main guns were delivered in 1941. She was painted acobalt blue colour and was nicknamed the "blue cruiser" by Russian sailors. She served with theBlack 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 Stukas and managed to reach Novorosiysk but foundered in the port on 2 July 1942. Her gun turrets were salvaged for use in the destroyer "Ognevoi"* "Kiev" - built by
Marti Yard ,Nikolayev , launched December 1940, evacuated toPoti but not completed after the war
* "Yerevan" - built by Marti Yard Nikolayev, launched June 1941, evacuated to Poti but not completed after the war
* "Perekop" - built in Nikolayev - not launched - wreck scrapped by the Germans
* "Ochakov" - built in Nikolayev - not launched - wreck scrapped by the GermansReferences
* M.J Whitley, Destroyers of World War 2, 1988 Cassell Publishing ISBN 1-85409-521-8
* [http://flot.sevastopol.info/ship/lider/tashkent.htm page in Russian language]
* [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aj.cashmore/russia/destroyers/tashkent/tashkent.html page in English]
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