NMS Rândunica facts for kids
Rândunica after her 1900 refit (model)
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Romania |
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| Name | Rândunica |
| Builder | Yarrow and Company, Poplar, United Kingdom |
| Laid down | 1875 |
| Launched | 1875 |
| Commissioned | 1875 |
| Decommissioned | 1925 |
| Refit | 1900, Galați shipyard |
| Fate | Scrapped in 1984 at Tulcea |
| Service record | |
| Commanders: |
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| Victories: | 1 monitor and 1 barge sunk |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Spar torpedo boat |
| Displacement | 10 tons |
| Length | 14 m (45 ft 11 in) |
| Beam | 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Draft | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion | 1 steam engine, 1 shaft |
| Speed | 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) |
| Complement | 5 |
| Armament |
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NMS Rândunica was a very important ship for the Romanian Navy. It was their very first spar torpedo boat. Built in Britain, this small but mighty ship started its service in 1875.
Rândunica played a role in two major conflicts. It fought bravely during the Romanian War of Independence and later in World War I.
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Building Rândunica
Rândunica was built by a company called Yarrow and Company in the United Kingdom. It was ready for service in 1875. This was two years before the Romanian War of Independence began.
When it was first built, Rândunica was armed with a special weapon. This was a single spar torpedo. A spar torpedo was like a long pole with an explosive charge at the end. The boat would ram an enemy ship to make the torpedo explode.
In 1900, Rândunica got a big upgrade. It was rebuilt at the Galați shipyard in Romania. After this, the ship weighed 10 tons and was 14 meters (about 46 feet) long. It was 2.40 meters (about 8 feet) wide and could go up to 8 knots (about 9 miles per hour). Only 5 crew members were needed to operate the ship.
Rândunica's Service History
Rândunica had an exciting career. It was involved in important battles during two different wars.
Fighting in the Romanian War of Independence
In 1877, Romania was fighting for its independence. Rândunica joined forces with the Russian navy. It was even known as Tsarevich by the Russians. The ship had a mixed crew of both Romanian and Russian sailors.
One famous event happened on the night of May 25-26, 1877. Rândunica attacked an Ottoman warship called Seyfi near Măcin. The Seyfi was a large, armored ship. It fired at Rândunica, but the small torpedo boat kept coming.
Rândunica bravely struck the Seyfi with its spar torpedo. There was a huge explosion, and parts of the Seyfi flew high into the air. The Ottoman ship was badly damaged and started to sink. Another torpedo boat then hit Seyfi again, causing even more damage.
The crew of Seyfi tried to fight back with rifles as Rândunica pulled away. But their ship was sinking. After this battle, Ottoman warships became very careful. They would often retreat if they saw any spar torpedo boats.
The brave officers involved in this attack received awards. The Russian Lieutenants Dubasov and Shestakov got the Order of St. George. Major Murgescu, the Romanian officer, received the Order of Saint Vladimir and the Order of the Star of Romania. In 1878, Rândunica returned fully to Romanian control.
The Ottoman monitor Seyfi was a strong warship. It weighed 400 tons and had thick armor. It was armed with two powerful 120 mm guns.
World War I Service
Rândunica was modernized in 1900. A new part was added to the ship's top. This made living conditions better for the crew.
On August 27, 1916, Romania entered World War I. Rândunica was ready for action again. It was commanded by Captain Aurel Negulescu. This time, it was fitted with two modern torpedoes in wooden tubes.
Rândunica attacked the Austro-Hungarian fleet. This fleet was stationed in the Bulgarian port of Ruse. In the evening, Rândunica launched its torpedoes at an enemy monitor. One torpedo hit a barge loaded with fuel. The barge exploded and sank!
After this attack, the Austro-Hungarian warships quickly moved away. They retreated 130 kilometers (about 80 miles) west along the Danube River. They stopped at Belene and set up strong defenses.
Rândunica was officially taken out of service in 1925. However, it was rebuilt several more times. These rebuilds happened in 1928, 1951, and 1972. There was an attempt to bring the ship to the Romanian Navy Museum in 1984. But instead, it was taken apart in Tulcea.
