Emir Bukharsky-class destroyer

The Emir Bukharsky class (Russian: Эмир Бухарский) 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.

Emir Bukharsky
Class overview
Operators	Imperial Russian Navy Red Fleet
Preceded by	Ukraina class
Succeeded by	Gaidamak class
Built	1904–1906
In commission	1906–1925
Completed	4
Scrapped	4
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	640–666 t (630–655 long tons) (deep load)
Length	72.39–72.54 m (237 ft 6 in – 238 ft 0 in)
Beam	8.18–8.23 m (26 ft 10 in – 27 ft 0 in)
Draft	2.71–3.02 m (8 ft 11 in – 9 ft 11 in)
Installed power	4 Schulz-Thornycroft boilers 6,500 ihp (4,847 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range	1,020–1,150 nmi (1,890–2,130 km; 1,170–1,320 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	91
Armament	2 × single 75 mm (3 in) gun 6 × single 57 mm (2.2 in) guns 4 × single 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine guns 3 × single 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes

Design and description

The Emir Bukharsky-class ships were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Bditelny class from 1900. The ships normally displaced 570 metric tons (560 long tons)^[1] and 640–666 metric tons (630–655 long tons) at full load. They measured 72.39–72.54 meters (237 ft 6 in – 238 ft 0 in) long overall with a beam of 8.18–8.23 meters (26 ft 10 in – 27 ft 0 in), and a draft of 2.71–3.02 meters (8 ft 11 in – 9 ft 11 in). The ships were propelled by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam from four Schulz-Thornycroft boilers. The engines were designed to produce a total of 6,500 indicated horsepower (4,800 kW) for an intended maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). During the ships' sea trials, they generally exceeded this figure, reaching 26–26.95 knots (48.15–49.91 km/h; 29.92–31.01 mph). The Emir Bukharskys normally carried 140 metric tons (138 long tons) of coal, but could carry a maximum of 172 metric tons (169 long tons). This gave them a range of 1,020–1,150 nautical miles (1,890–2,130 km; 1,170–1,320 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). Their crew numbered 91 officers and men.^[2]

The main armament of the Emir Bukharsky class consisted of two 50-caliber 75-millimeter (3 in) guns, one gun each at the forecastle and stern. Their secondary armament included six 57-millimeter (2.2 in) guns positioned on the main deck amidships, three guns on each broadside. All of the guns were fitted with gun shields. They were also fitted with four 7.62-millimeter (0.30 in) machine guns.^[3] The ships were equipped with three 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes in rotating mounts. Two of the single-tube mounts were located between the funnels while the third was between the aft superstructure and the rear funnel.^[4]

Around 1910–1911 the ships were rearmed with a pair of 102-millimeter (4 in) Pattern 1911 Obukhov guns that replaced the 75 mm guns. All of the 57 mm guns were removed and replaced by a single 37-millimeter (1.5 in) anti-aircraft gun. The destroyers may have been modified to lay 20 mines at this time.^[3]

Ships

Construction data

Name	Laid down[3]	Launched[3]	Entered service[3]	Fate[5][6]
Emir Bukharsky (Эмир Бухарский) Renamed Yakov Sverdlov, 12 April 1919	June 1904	30 December 1904	1906	Scrapped, 1 December 1925
Finn (Финн) Renamed Karl Libknekht, February 1919		22 March 1905
Moskvitianin (Москвитянин)		7 May 1905		Sunk, 21 May 1919; salvaged, 10 January 1920; scuttled, 28 March 1920
Dobrovolets (Доброволец)		29 May 1905		Sunk by mine, 21 August 1916