Soviet destroyer Zheleznyakov

For other ships with the same name, see Soviet ship Zheleznyakov.

Zheleznyakov was one of eight Fidonisy-class destroyers built for the Imperial Russian Navy during World War I. She was originally named Korfu (Корфу) before she was renamed Petrovsky (Петровский) in 1925 and Zheleznyakov (Железняков) in 1939.

Zheleznyakov, 1946
History
Russian Empire
Name	Korfu (Корфу)
Namesake	Siege of Corfu
Builder	Naval Shipyard, Nikolayev
Laid down	23 May 1916
Launched	10 October 1917
Fate	Captured by Germany, Ukrainian People's Army, and Red Army
Soviet Union
Name	Korfu
Namesake	Anatoli Zhelezniakov
Acquired	1920
Commissioned	10 June 1925
Renamed	Petrovsky (Петровский), 5 February 1925 Zheleznyakov (Железняков), 25 June 1939
Fate	Transferred to Bulgarian Navy, 1947
History
Bulgaria
Name	Zheleznyakov
Acquired	18 December 1947
Fate	Returned to the Soviet Navy, 15 September 1949
Soviet Union
Acquired	15 September 1949
Renamed	PKZ-62 (ПКЗ-62), 8 April 1953
Reclassified	As barracks ship, 8 April 1953
Stricken	10 July 1956
Fate	Scrapped, 1957
General characteristics
Class and type	Fidonisy-class destroyer
Displacement	1,460 long tons (1,480 t) (normal) 1,780 long tons (1,810 t) (full load)
Length	93.26 m (306 ft 0 in)
Beam	9.05 m (29 ft 8 in)
Draft	3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Installed power	5 Thornycroft boilers 29,000 shp (22,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 steam turbines
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range	1,450 nmi (2,690 km; 1,670 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	136
Armament	4 × single 102 mm (4 in) guns 1 × single 76 mm (3 in) AA gun 1 × single 37 mm (1.5 in) AA gun 4 × single 7.62 mm (0.3 in) machine guns 4 × triple 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes 80 mines

Design and description

Main article: Fidonisy-class destroyer

The Fidonisy-class ships were designed as an improved version of the Derzky class with an additional 102-millimeter (4 in) gun. Korfu displaced 1,326 long tons (1,347 t) normal and 1,580 long tons (1,610 t) at full load with an overall length of 92.51 meters (303 ft 6 in), a beam of 9.05 meters (29 ft 8 in), and a draft of 3.2 meters (10 ft 6 in) at full load. She was propelled by two Parsons steam turbines, each driving one propeller, designed to produce a total of 29,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 kW) using steam from five 3-drum Thorneycroft boilers for an intended maximum speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). During her sea trials, the ship reached a speed of 30.9 knots (57.2 km/h; 35.6 mph). Korfu carried enough fuel oil to give her a range of 2,050 nautical miles (3,800 km; 2,360 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Her crew numbered 136.

The Fidonisy-class ships mounted a main armament of four single 102 mm Pattern 1911 Obukhov guns, one on the forecastle and three aft; one of these latter guns was superfiring over the other two. Anti-aircraft defense for Korfu and her sisters that were completed after the war was provided by a single 76.2-millimeter (3 in) Lender gun on the stern, a 37-millimeter (1.5 in) Maxim cannon, and four 7.62-millimeter (0.3 in) M-1 machine guns. The destroyers mounted four triple 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tube mounts amidships with two reload torpedoes and could carry 80 M1908 naval mines. They were also fitted with a Barr and Stroud rangefinder and two 60-centimeter (24 in) searchlights.

Bibliography

• Apalkov, Yu. V. (1996). Боевые корабли Русского флота 8.1914-10.1917 гг. Справочник [Directory of Russian Navy Warships, August 1914–October 1917] (in Russian). St. Petersburg: Intek. ISBN 5-7559-0018-3.
• Berezhnoy, Sergey (2002). Крейсера и миноносцы. Справочник [Guide to Cruisers and Destroyers] (in Russian). Moscow: Voenizdat. ISBN 5-203-01780-8.
• Breyer, Siegfried (1992). Soviet Warship Development: Volume 1: 1917–1937. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-604-3.
• Chernyshev, Alexander (2011). Русские суперэсминцы. Легендарные "Новики" [Russian Superdestroyers: Legendary Noviks] (in Russian) (2nd ed.). Moscow: Yauza/Eksmo. ISBN 978-5-699-53144-8.
• Hill, Alexander (2018). Soviet Destroyers of World War II. New Vanguard. Vol. 256. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-2256-7.
• Platonov, Andrey V. (2002). Энциклопедия советских надводных кораблей 1941–1945 [Encyclopedia of Soviet Surface Ships 1941–1945] (in Russian). Saint Petersburg: Poligon. ISBN 5-89173-178-9.
• Verstyuk, Anatoly & Gordeyev, Stanislav (2006). Корабли Минных дивизий. От "Новика" до "Гогланда" [Torpedo Division Ships: From Novik to Gogland] (in Russian). Moscow: Voennaya Kniga. ISBN 5-902863-10-4.

Further reading

• Budzbon, Przemysław (1985). "Russia". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 291–325. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
• Budzbon, Przemysław (1980). "Soviet Union". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 318–346. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Budzbon, Przemysław; Radziemski, Jan & Twardowski, Marek (2022). Warships of the Soviet Fleets 1939–1945. Vol. I: Major Combatants. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-68247-877-6.
• Likachev, Pavel Vladimirovich (2005). Эскадренные миноносцы типа "Новик" в ВМФ СССР 1920-1955 гг [Novik-class Destroyers in the Soviet Navy 1920-1955] (in Russian). Samara, Russia: ISTFLOT. ISBN 978-5-98830-009-0.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-119-8.
• Watts, Anthony J. (1990). The Imperial Russian Navy. London: Arms and Armour. ISBN 978-0-85368-912-6.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-326-7.