Besposhchadny
Contents
Description
The Pr.7, Besposhchadny, 1943 is a rank I Soviet destroyer with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Fire and Ice".
A Project 7 Gnevny-class destroyer, the Besposhchadny was ordered under the Second Five-Year Plan and designed with assistance from Italian shipbuilders as a smaller and more affordable alternative to the contemporary Leningrad-class destroyer leaders of the Soviet navy. The Gnevny-class design was based off of the Italian Folgore-class destroyers, and inherited the stability issues of the Italian design as well.
General info
Survivability and armour
The Besposhchadny has very little armour, as is typical for destroyers—the only armoured areas of the ship are the 13 mm and 8 mm gun shields of the 130 mm and 76 mm guns respectively. HE shells will have no difficulty destroying the guns and anti-aircraft cannons scattered about the deck of the Besposhchadny.
The crew count of the ship, at 271, is above average for her low displacement (2,400 tons) but is otherwise unimpressive when compared with other destroyers. For comparison, the USS Aylwin at a displacement of 2,307 tons has a crew of 160 and the HMS Eskimo at a displacement of 2,519 tons has a crew of 260.
While there are fuel tanks lining the bottom of her hull, those fuel tanks are below the waterline and thus will not protect against the vast majority of enemy fire. In addition to this, the majority of the Besposhchadny's internal components including her engine, funnels, and transmissions, are above the waterline and are thus exposed to penetrating shells. More significantly, both the shell rooms and magazines of the main armament extend above the waterline and are therefore dangerously vulnerable to enemy fire and detonation. This is most conspicuous at the aft of the ship, where ammunition storage is over half above the waterline.
In short, the Besposhchadny is very poorly protected, even for destroyer standards, and is very vulnerable to ammunition storage detonation.
Mobility
The Besposhchadny's mobility is unexceptional with respect to contemporary destroyers, but nevertheless is an upgrade over the mobility of the preceding Frunze. This is most evident in a maximum speed increase, although overall the Besposhchadny's mobility provides no distinct advantages nor disadvantages over similar ships.
| Mobility Characteristics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Upgrade Status | Maximum Speed (km/h) | Turn Time (s) | Turn Radius (m) | |
| Forward | Reverse | ||||
| AB | Stock | 62 | 29 | ~125.75 | ~239.05 |
| Upgraded | 84 | 40 | ___ | ___ | |
| RB/SB | |||||
| Upgraded | 69 | 32 | ___ | ___ | |
Modifications and economy
| Seakeeping | Unsinkability | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armament
Primary armament
The primary armament of the Besposhchadny comes in the form of four single-mount 130 mm B-13 guns, with two guns fore of the superstructure and two guns in the aft of the ship, an armament quite similar to most Soviet destroyers built before the conclusion of the Second World War. These guns are an upgrade over the 102 mm Pattern 1911 guns of the Frunze and Fidonisy-class Kerch, although it is worth keeping in mind that not every statistic of the 130 mm guns is superior to that of the 102 mms.
The main advantage of the 130 mm B-13 guns over similar weapons is their ammunition. While the calibre of the guns is slightly larger than 127 mm, the most common calibre of destroyer main armaments, the explosive filler and thus damage of the 130 mm B-13 far exceeds contemporary rounds. In addition to this, the shells fired by the B-13 guns have quite good ballistic properties thanks to their weight and high muzzle velocity.
The B-13 has access to three types of shells: OF-46 HE, PB-46A SAPBC, and ZS-46R HE-VT.
The HE carries an explosive charge of 3.58 kg of TNT, and is more than competent at disabling external and unarmoured components of other destroyers as well as dealing massive structural damage to coastal vessels. The shell compares favourably to the HE found on the vaunted American 5"/38 gun, which has an explosive equivalency of 3.22 kg of TNT in a 127 mm calibre shell. This high filler is not exceeded by any other destroyer-calibre HE shells at a similar battle rating, although the OF-46 HE is still not massively better than competing HE shells of other guns and nations.
The more distinctly powerful shell is the SAPBC of the B-13, which has an explosive charge of 2.35 kg of TNT. This is more than twice the explosive filler of the analogous and very competent 5" Common Mk.32 shell of the 5"/38. The explosive filler of the SAP shells allows the Besposhchadny to deal massive damage to internal components and crew compartments with each salvo. On top of that, the 130 mm PB-46A has a greater penetration than the SP Common shell of the 5"/38 gun, which enables the combating of even cruisers and their additional armour.
To round the shell choices off, the HE-VT shell provides a semblance of air defense capability through the B-13, although this role isn't very well filled by the Besposhchadny due to limitations of the single mounts installed.
The primary disadvantage of the B-13 guns on the Besposhchadny is their handling. The single gun mounts have a modest elevation limit with a maximum elevation of 45° and depression of 5° but are severely limited in rotation speed. In both horizontal and vertical targeting speeds, the mount rotates at less than 5°/s. This limits the ability of the Besposhchadny to react in combat, and nearly rules out the possibility of aiming at fast-moving aerial targets. Another disadvantage of the B-13 guns on the Besposhchadny is their relatively slow rate of fire. 10 rounds per minute does not allow for timely retargeting of components or vessels, and hampers the damage per minute of the Besposhchadny. While this lengthy reload may be somewhat mitigated by the power of the individual shells, it still is a tactical disadvantage that must be taken into account when utilizing the Besposhchadny.
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 1,000 m | 2,500 m | 5,000 m | 7,500 m | 10,000 m | 15,000 m | ||
| 130 mm OF-46 HE | HE | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| 130 mm PB-46A SAPBC | SAPCBC | 181 | 156 | 122 | 96 | 77 | 56 |
| 130 mm ZS-46R HE-VT | HE-VT | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (s) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| 130 mm OF-46 HE | HE | 870 | 33.4 | 0 | 0.1 | 3.58 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| 130 mm PB-46A SAPBC | SAPCBC | 870 | 33.5 | 0.01 | 6 | 2.35 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Proximity-fused shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| 130 mm ZS-46R HE-VT | HE-VT | 870 | 33.8 | 0 | 0.1 | 240 | 16 | 2.06 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |
Secondary armament
There are two 76 mm 39-K guns in single mounts on the Besposhchadny on a pedestal between the torpedo launchers of the ship. Although there are some angles that allow the two 76 mm guns to fire at a single target, most typically only one gun will be able to fire at a target. Similarly to the main armament, the 76 mm guns have poor rotation speeds, although the maximum elevation is increased to 85°. Their performance is mediocre against surface targets due to low number of guns as well as the small calibre, which inhibits the damage potential of the shells fired. That being said, the 39-K guns do have a good rate of fire at 27 rounds per minute.
There are three shell types available for the 76 mm 39-K guns: O-361K HE, O-361D HE-TF, and BR-361 APHEBC.
The HE is competent at dealing with coastal vessels and damaging unarmoured components of bluewater vessels; an explosive filler of 483 grams of TNT provides satisfactory damage for the relatively small shell. In spite of this, the HE will still struggle against larger and more armoured targets.
While the HE-TF may appear attractive as an anti-aircraft shell in conjunction with the high elevation angle of the mount, the HE-TF shell carries significantly less explosive filler than the HE and is thus less useful even with the more versatile fuze installed.
The final shell choice is the APHEBC which may penetrate targets to deal internal damage. While the APHEBC has good penetration for its calibre, the light explosive filler limits the capability of the shell.
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 100 m | 1,000 m | 2,000 m | 3,000 m | 4,000 m | 5,000 m | ||
| O-361K | HE | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| O-361D | HE-TF | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| BR-361 | APHEBC | 121 | 100 | 81 | 65 | 53 | 43 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| O-361K | HE | 845 | 6.95 | 0 | 0.1 | 483 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| O-361D | HE-TF | 810 | 6.61 | 0 | 0.1 | 182 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| BR-361 | APHEBC | 816 | 6.5 | 1.6 | 4 | 119 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
Anti-aircraft armament
The Besposhchadny possesses an anti-aircraft suite of five 37 mm 70-K automatic cannons as well as four 12.7 mm machine guns. All anti-aircraft guns have a significantly faster rotation speed than the main and secondary armament of the Besposhchadny and have generally favourable firing angles against aircraft. The 37 mm 70-K cannons represent the majority of the anti-aircraft capability of the Besposhchadny and are quite good at dealing with aircraft and coastal vessels due to their potent shells and fair rate of fire.
Additional armament
There are a total of six 533 mm 53-38 torpedoes on the Besposhchadny, split between two triple torpedo launcher mounts. While not exceptional, these torpedoes are competent with a punchy filler of 300 kilograms of TNT and modest speed of 82 km/h; the 53-38 torpedoes are an explicit upgrade from the 45-36NU torpedoes of the Frunze.
One thing to bear in mind is the short range of the torpedoes—a base 4 kilometre range limits the 53-38 torpedoes to very close range brawls. This can be mitigated by the unlockable torpedo mode modification, which significantly increases the range of the torpedoes to 10 kilometres in exchange for reducing the speed of the torpedo by 25 kilometres per hour. While the speed price of the torpedo mode is steep, it allows the 53-38 torpedoes to be used at more comfortable ranges and opens up the possibilities for tactical torpedoing that would not be possible with a maximum range of 4 kilometres.
Usage in battles
With the characteristics of the Besposhchadny in mind, the ship is best kept to a backline role in which the Besposhchadny maintains distance from the opponent in order to mitigate damage to the delicate ship. Playing as a brawler and getting up close to enemy destroyers allows the opposition to easily incapacitate and destroy the Besposhchadny thanks to its exposed ammunition racks and lack of armour. At range this disadvantage is still present, but range will make it more difficult to hit the ammo racks of the Besposhchadny. Moreover, the slow traverse speeds and slow reload of the anti-surface guns of the Besposhchadny limits the ability of the ship to deal with close targets and especially nimble and sneaky coastal vessels that may attempt to prey on the unwieldy destroyer.
Thankfully, the main armament of the ship allows for medium-to-long range combat with its good ballistic properties and punchy explosive filler. The B-13 guns of the Besposhchadny are more than capable of whittling down destroyers at range, and may even cause ammunition stowage detonations if properly aimed.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Powerful HE and SAP shells with good explosive filler
- High muzzle velocity allows for easier aiming
- Effective anti-aircraft and PT boat protection in the form of 70-K guns
- Moderately high crew count for displacement
Cons:
- Exposed ammo racks
- Poor main armament traverse speeds
- Low torpedo range
History
The Besposhchadny was a destroyer of the Project 7, Gnevny-class, commissioned on the 2nd of October 1939. The Project 7 destroyers were intended to function as cheaper and more numerous traditional destroyers that were led by the larger and more expensive Project 1, Leningrad-class destroyer leaders. This plan was inhibited by the lack of experience that the Soviet Navy had with designing and building modern (for the time) destroyers. Cognizant of this limitation, the Soviet Navy consulted more experienced Italian shipbuilders in order to overcome their inexperience. The Soviets purchased plans for the Italian Folgore-class destroyers as a base for what would become the Gnevny-class.
The design for the Gnevny-class had a length of 112.8 meters, a beam of 10.2 meters, and draft of 4.8 meters. They had a crew of 197 to 236, during peacetime and wartime, respectively. The ships were powered by two geared steam turbines with a rating of 48,000 shaft horsepower and a speed of 37 knots. The Gnevny-class had 4 single-mounted 130mm guns, 2 76.2mm AA guns, 2 45mm AA guns, 2 12.7mm machine guns, 6 533mm torpedo tubes, and a capacity for 60 to 95 mines and 25 depth charges. The ships were also equipped with anti-submarine equipment including Mars hydrophones, K-1 paravanes, and depth-charge throwers.
Built at Nikolayev's Shipyard No. 198, Besposhchadny was laid down on 15 May 1936 and completed on 22 August 1939. She was commissioned into the Black Sea Fleet on 2 October 1939. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, Besposhchadny was part of the 2nd Destroyer Division of the Black Sea Fleet. It laid defensive mines off Sevastopol, attempted to interdict Axis shipping near Fidonisi, and provided escort and support duties. The ship received the Order of the Red Banner for her contribution to the defense of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. It participated in fire support and amphibious operations until she was sunk by German air attacks on 6 October 1943.
In July 1941, Besposhchadny ran aground and sustained propeller damage, but it was repaired and continued escorting cargo ships, providing gunfire support, and evacuating ships from shipyards. During an amphibious landing at Grigorievka in September 1941, the destroyer was attacked by Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers, severely damaging it. After emergency repairs, it was towed to Sevastopol and further repaired using parts from a sunken sister ship. While the Besposhchadny was being repaired, she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for her contribution to the defense of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
On the night of 5/6 October 1943, Besposhchadny, along with other destroyers, attempted to intercept German evacuation convoys off the Crimean coast. Attacked by German reconnaissance aircraft and Junkers Ju 87 Stukas, Besposhchadny was damaged and eventually sunk.
Media
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See also
Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the ship;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| USSR destroyers | |
|---|---|
| Imperial Russia | |
| Derzky-class | Frunze |
| Fidonisy-class | Kerch |
| Soviet Union | |
| Pr. 1 | Leningrad · Moskva |
| Pr. 45 | Opytny |
| Pr. 7 | Besposhchadny · Ryany |
| Pr. 7U | Soobrazitelny · Stroyny |
| Pr. 20 | Tashkent |
| Pr. 30 | Ognevoy |
| Pr. 30-bis | Smelyi · Bezuprechny |
| Pr. 41 | Neustrashimy |
| Pr. 56 | Spokoinyy · Blagorodnyy · Bravy |
| Trophies | Romania |
| Regele Ferdinand-class | Letuchiy |
