NOVIK

Novik was a Russian battleship destroyer (so-called dreadnought) from the First World War, the interwar period and the next World War. The keel for this unit was laid in 1910, the launch took place in 1911, and the entry into service - in 1913. The length of the ship was 102.4 meters and a width of 9.5 meters. Full displacement reached approx. 1,590 tons, and maximum speed - approx. 37-38 knots. The deck armament, at the time of launch, consisted of 4 102 mm guns, four Maxim machine guns, 4 twin 457 mm torpedo tubes and up to 60 nautical mines. The unit was built and launched in Saint Petersburg. Novik started out with a total of four classes of Russian destroyers and is widely recognized as the most successful Russian WW1 destroyer, and often one of the best in Europe. The unit was not only characterized by a very aesthetic silhouette or the line of superstructures, but also had a very high maximum speed, as well as many modern solutions. Suffice it to say that the Novik was the first European destroyer to use oil in its power plant instead of coal, and at the time of launch it was the fastest ship of its type in the world! The destroyer took a very active part in the hostilities in the Baltic in the period 1915-1917, and during the October Revolution it joined the Bolsheviks. In 1923 its name was changed from Novik to Yakov Sverdlov. It entered operations under this name during World War II, but sank on August 28, 1941 as a result of a mine.