Gaidamak-class destroyer
The Gaidamak class consisted of four destroyers built for the Imperial Russian Navy during the first decade of the 20th century. They served in the Baltic Fleet and participated in the First [World War].
Design and description
The Gaidamak-class ships normally displaced and at full load. They measured long overall with a beam of, and a draft of. The ships were propelled by two Marine steam engine#Triple or [multiple expansion|vertical triple-expansion steam engines], each driving one propeller shaft using steam from three Schulz-Thornycroft boilers. The engines were designed to produce a total of for an intended maximum speed of. During the ships' sea trials, they generally exceeded this figure, reaching. Their crew numbered 90 officers and men.The main armament of the Gaidamak class consisted of two 50-caliber 75 mm [50 caliber Pattern 1892| guns], one gun each at the forecastle and stern. Their secondary armament included six guns, three on each broadside. The forward pair was positioned on a sponson at the main deck level below the forecastle, firing through an embrasure. The forecastle was narrowed to allow the guns to fire directly forward. This installation proved to be very wet, especially at high speeds, and made the guns very difficult to work. The other guns were abreast the rear funnel and the mainmast. All of the guns were fitted with gun shields. They were also fitted with four single machine guns. The ships were equipped with three torpedo tubes in single rotating mounts. The forward mount was located between the funnels while the middle mount was to the rear of the aft funnel and the rear mount was between the mainmast and the stern gun.
In 1910–1911 the ships were rearmed with a pair of caliber Pattern 1911| Pattern 1911 Obukhov guns] that replaced the 75 mm guns. All of the 57 mm guns were removed; the sponsons were removed and the embrasures were plated over. A [QF 1-pounder pom-pom|] anti-aircraft gun was added and the ships were modified to lay 25 mines.