{{Short description|Class of naval warship of the Imperial Russian Navy}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=Destroyer Engels.jpg |image_caption= ''Engels'' (ex-''Desna'') }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview |name= |builders= |operators=*{{navy|Russia}} * {{navy|Soviet Union}} |class_before={{ship|Russian destroyer|Novik|1913|2}} |class_after={{sclass|Izyaslav|destroyer|4}} |subclasses= |cost= |built_range= |in_service_range= |in_commission_range=1915–1956 |total_ships_completed=8 |total_ships_lost=4 |total_ships_scrapped=4 }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= (''Orfey'' as completed) |type= Destroyer |displacement={{cvt|1260|t|LT|lk=on}} |length= {{convert|98|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |beam={{convert|9.34|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |draught=*{{convert|2.93|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |propulsion=2 shafts, 2 steam turbines |power=*4 Normand boilers *{{cvt|32000|PS|kW|lk=on}} |speed= {{convert|31|kn|lk=in}} |range={{cvt|1680|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|21|kn}} |complement=150 |armament=*4 × single {{cvt|102|mm|in|0}} guns *2 × single {{cvt|7.62|mm|1}} machine guns *3 × triple {{convert|450|mm|in|abbr=on|1}} torpedo tubes *80 × naval mines |notes= }} }}
The '''''Orfey''-class destroyers''' were built for the Baltic Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy. They were modified versions of the earlier destroyer {{ship|Russian destroyer|Novik|1913|2}} and the {{sclass|Derzky|destroyer|2}}s. These ships were larger, had triple torpedo tubes and an extra {{cvt|102|mm|in|0}} gun. One ship, ''Engels'', was fitted with a {{cvt|305|mm|0}} recoilless rifle for testing in 1934. Eight ships were completed during World War I, one of which was sunk during the Battle of Kassar Wiek. One ship fought against the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War.
Two ships were scrapped after the Russian Civil War; the five survivors participated in World War II.
==Design and description== The ''Orfey''-class ships were designed as an improved version of the {{sclass|Derzky|destroyer|4}}.<ref name=b0>Budzbon, p. 310</ref> ''Orfey'' normally displaced {{convert|1260|t|LT|lk=on|sp=us}} and {{cvt|1568|t|LT}} at full load. She measured {{convert|98|m|ftin|sp=us}} long overall with a beam of {{convert|9.34|m|ftin|sp=us}}, and a draft of {{convert|3|m|ftin|sp=us}}. The ''Orfey''s were propelled by two Curtis-AEG-Vulkan steam turbines, each driving one propeller using steam from four Normand boilers at a working pressure of {{convert|17|atm|kPa psi|0|lk=on}}. The turbines were designed to produce a total of {{convert|32000|PS|lk=on|sp=us}} for an intended maximum speed of {{convert|35|kn||lk=on}} using forced draft.<ref name=vg7>Verstyuk & Gordeyev, p. 37</ref> During their sea trials, they only reached {{convert|31|kn}}. The ships carried between {{cvt|159|-|350|t|LT}} of fuel oil which gave them a range of {{convert|1680|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|21|kn}}. Their crew numbered 150.<ref name=a2>Apalkov, p. 52</ref>
The ''Orfey''-class ships were originally intended to have an armament of two 60-caliber 102-millimeter (four in) Pattern 1911 Obukhov guns, one gun each on the forecastle and stern, a pair of {{convert|7.62|mm|1|sp=us|adj=on}} Maxim machine guns on single mounts, and a dozen {{convert|450|mm|1|sp=us|adj=on}} torpedo tubes in six double mounts. The Naval General Staff changed this to four triple mounts once they became available in 1914. Based on a battle between the destroyer {{ship|Russian destroyer|Novik||2}} and two German destroyers in August 1915, they decided to exchange the rearmost torpedo mount for two more 102 mm guns on the stern while the ships were still under construction.<ref name=b0/><ref name=vg1>Verstyuk & Gordeyev, p. 21</ref> All of these guns were on the centerline and the stern guns interfered with each other's movements.<ref>Breyer, p. 60</ref> It had a rate of fire of 12–15 rounds per minute. They fired {{convert|17.5|kg|lb|adj=on}} shells out to a range of {{convert|16095|m|yd|abbr=on}} at an elevation of +30°.<ref>Friedman, pp. 263–264</ref> Each ship stowed 150 rounds per gun.<ref name=a2/>
{{ship|Russian destroyer|Pobeditel||2}} and {{ship|Russian destroyer|Zabiyaka||2}} were finished before the change was formally ordered and were completed to the 1914 specification with two guns and four triple torpedo mounts. The final configuration of the ''Orfey''s' torpedo suite was one mount between the forward funnels and two mounts aft of the rear funnel. This change was implemented aboard {{ship|Russian destroyer|Grom||2}} and {{ship|Russian destroyer|Orfey||2}} while they were fitting out in early 1916; these four ships were fitted with three reload torpedoes. The other four ships, {{ship|Russian destroyer|Letun||2}}, {{ship|Russian destroyer|Azard||2}}, {{ship|Russian destroyer|Desna||2}}, and {{ship|Russian destroyer|Samson||2}} were built to the final configuration without reloads.<ref name=vg1/> They probably most often used the M1912 torpedo which had a {{convert|100|kg|lb|adj=on}} warhead. It had three speed/range settings: {{convert|6000|m|yd}} at {{convert|28|kn}}; {{convert|5000|m|yd}} at {{convert|30|kn}} and {{convert|2000|m|yd}} at {{convert|43|kn}}.<ref>Friedman, p. 348</ref> The ''Orfey'' class could carry 80 M1912 naval mines or 50 larger ones. They were also fitted with a {{convert|9|ft|m|1|adj=on|disp=flip|sp=us}} Barr and Stroud rangefinder and two {{Convert|60|cm|in|sp=us|adj=on}} searchlights.<ref name=vg7/>
The Naval General Staff made no provision for anti-aircraft defense in the design of the ''Orfey''s. This was remedied by an order issued on 8 March 1916 for a 39-caliber {{convert|40|mm|sp=us|adj=on}} Vickers anti-aircraft (AA) gun to be fitted on a platform between the rear torpedo mount and the stern guns. These guns proved to be unreliable and were replaced during 1917 by 38-caliber {{convert|63|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} Pattern 1916 AA guns in ''Grom'' and ''Pobeditel'' while ''Orfey'', ''Zabiyaka'' and ''Azard'' received {{convert|76|mm|in|0|adj=on|sp=us}} Lender AA guns. It is uncertain if ''Letun'', ''Samson'' or ''Desna'' received the Vickers gun during the war, but ''Samson'' had a Lender gun installed during 1917.<ref>Verstyuk & Gordeyev, pp. 21–22, 37</ref>
The "pom-pom" fired its {{convert|2|lb|kg|adj=on}} shells at a rate of 300 rounds per minute out to {{convert|6900|yd|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} at an elevation of +45°. The Lender gun's muzzle velocity of {{convert|588|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}} gave it a range of {{convert|6100|m|yd|abbr=on}} with its {{convert|6.5|kg|lb|adj=on}} shell. It had a practical rate of fire of 10–12 rounds per minute. The Pattern 1916 gun used a {{convert|4.04|kg|adj=on}} shell that was fired at a velocity of {{cvt|686|m/s|ft/s}} to a range of {{convert|6804|m|yd}} at an elevation of 20°.<ref>Friedman, pp. 119, 264–265</ref>
==Ships== Built at Metal Works, St Petersburg (Petrograd)
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Construction data |- ! scope="col"|Ship ! scope="col"|Name in Soviet service ! scope="col"|Laid down ! scope="col"|Launched ! scope="col"|Completed ! scope="col"|Fate |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Pobiditel||2}} | ''Volodarsky'' |rowspan=2| November 1913 |rowspan=2|23 October 1914 |25 October 1915 |Sunk by a mine, 28 August 1941 |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Zabiyaka||2}} |''Uritski'' |9 November 1915 |transferred to the Northern Fleet, sunk as a target during nuclear test in 1953 |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Orfey||2}} |rowspan=3| NA |23 October 1914 |5 June 1915 |4 May 1916 | Broken up 1929, after sustaining irreparable mine damage in 1917 |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Grom||2}} |November 1913 |15 Jun 1915 |4 May 1916 |Sunk during the Battle of Kassar Wiek, 14 October 1917 |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Letun||2}} |November 1914 |5 October 1915 |11 July 1916 |Broken up 1925, after sustaining irreparable mine damage in 1916 |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Desna||2}} |''Engels'' |15 June 1915 |22 October 1915 |12 August 1916 |Sunk by mines, 25 Aug 1941 |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Azard|1916|2}} |''Zinoviev''<br> renamed ''Artem'' in 1928 |July 1915 |23 May 1916 |10 October 1916 |Sunk by mines, 28 August 1941 |- ! scope="row"|{{ship|Russian destroyer|Samson||2}} |''Stalin'' |30 July 1915 |23 May 1915 |21 November 1916 |transferred to the Soviet Pacific fleet via the Arctic in 1936, broken up 1953 |}
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px"> Pobeditel'.jpg|''Pobeditel'' Stalin(EM).jpg|''Stalin'', ex-''Samson'' Uritskiy(EM).jpg|''Uruitskiy'' </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Bibliography == * {{cite book |last=Apalkov |first=Yu. V. |title=Боевые корабли русского флота: 8.1914-10.1917г |trans-title=Combat Ships of the Russian Fleet: 8.1914-10.1917|year=1996|language=Russian |publisher=ИНТЕК |isbn=5-7559-0018-3}} * {{cite book |last=Berezhnoy |first=S. S. |title=Крейсера и Миносцы: Справочик |trans-title=Cruisers and Destroyers: Reference| year=2002 |publisher=Ввоенное Ииздательство |language=Russian |isbn=5-203-01780-8}} * {{Cite book|last=Breyer|first=Siegfried|title=Soviet Warship Development: Volume 1: 1917–1937|publisher=Conway Maritime Press |year=1992|isbn=0-85177-604-3}} * {{cite book|editor1-last=Gray|editor1-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-85177-245-5 |last=Budzbon|first=Przemysław |pages=291–325 |chapter=Russia}} * {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor-last=Chesneau |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7 |last=Budzbon|first=Przemysław|pages=318–346|chapter=Soviet Union|editor-first=Roger}} * {{cite book |last1=Budzbon |first1=Przemysław |last2=Radziemski |first2=Jan |last3=Twardowski |first3=Marek |title=Warships of the Soviet Fleets 1939–1945 |date=2022 |publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=978-1-68247-877-6|volume=I: Major Combatants|name-list-style=amp}} * {{cite book|last=Campbell|first=John|title=Naval Weapons of World War II|year=1985 |publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=0-87021-459-4}} * {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=Naval Weapons of World War One: Guns, Torpedoes, Mines and ASW Weapons of All Nations: An Illustrated Directory|publisher=Seaforth |year=2011|isbn=978-1-84832-100-7 |authorlink=Norman Friedman}} *{{cite book |last1=Greger |first1=René |title=The Russian Fleet, 1914-1917 |date=1972 |publisher=Ian Allan |isbn=0-7110-0255-X}} * {{cite book | last = Hill | first = Alexander | year = 2018 | title = Soviet Destroyers of World War II | 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 |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|year=2005 |edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2 |authorlink=Jürgen Rohwer}} *{{cite book|last1=Verstyuk|first1=Anatoly|last2=Gordeyev|first2=Stanislav|title=Корабли Минных дивизий. От "Новика" до "Гогланда"|year=2006|publisher=Voennaya Kniga|isbn=5-902863-10-4 |language=ru|trans-title=Torpedo Division Ships: From ''Novik'' to ''Gogland''|name-list-style=amp}}
==Further reading== * {{Cite book|script-title=ru:Русские суперэсминцы. Легендарные "Новики"|last=Chernyshev|first=Alexander|publisher=Yauza/Eksmo|year=2011|isbn=978-5-699-53144-8|edition=2nd|language=ru|trans-title=Russian Superdestroyers: Legendary Noviks}} * {{cite book |last1=Likachev |first1=Pavel Vladimirovich |script-title=ru:Эскадренные миноносцы типа "Новик" в ВМФ СССР 1920–1955 гг |trans-title=''Novik''-class Destroyers in the Soviet Navy 1920–1955 |year=2005 |publisher=ISTFLOT|isbn=978-5-98830-009-0 |language=ru}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Orfey-class destroyer}} {{WWI Russian ships}} {{WWII Soviet ships}}
Category:Orfey-class destroyers Category:Destroyer classes