ORP Błyskawica

	ORP Błyskawica, modern view
History
Poland
Name	ORP Błyskawica
Builder	J. Samuel White, East Cowes
Laid down	September 1935
Launched	1 October 1936
Commissioned	25 November 1937
Decommissioned	1 May 1976
Honours &; awards	Virtuti Militari, 4th Class; Pro Memoria Medal;
Status	Museum ship
General characteristics
Class & type	Grom-class destroyer
Displacement	2,011 long tons (2,043 t) standard; 2,520 long tons (2,560 t) full;
Length	114 m (374 ft 0 in)
Beam	11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draft	3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
Speed	39 knots (72 km/h; 45 mph)
Complement	192
Armament	1937:; 7 x 4.7 in (120 mm) (3 × 2, 1 × 1); 4 x 40 mm AA (2 × 2); 8 x 13.2 mm MG (4 × 2); 6 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2 × 3); Depth charge throwers; 1941:; 8 × QF 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk XVI dual-purpose guns; 4 × 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns; 4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) AA guns; 6 × torpedo tubes ; 1951/52:; 8 x 100 mm (3.9 in)/56 B-34 guns (4 x 2); 2 x 37 mm (1.5 in) 70-K AA guns (2 x 1); 8 x 37 mm (1.5 in) V-11 AA guns (4 x 2); 3 x 533.4 mm torpedo tubes (1 x 3);

ORP Błyskawica (Polish for Lightning) is a Grom-class destroyer which served in the Polish Navy during World War II. She is the only Polish Navy ship to have been decorated with the Virtuti Militari, Poland's highest military order for gallantry, and in 2012 was given the Pro Memoria Medal. Błyskawica is preserved as a museum ship in Gdynia and is the oldest preserved destroyer in the world. Błyskawica is moored next to the Dar Pomorza.

She was the second of the two Grom (Thunderbolt)-class destroyers built for the Polish Navy by J. Samuel White, of Cowes, in 1935–37. The Grom class were two of the most heavily armed and fastest destroyers in World War II.

History
ORP Błyskawica, modern view
Poland
Name	ORP Błyskawica
Builder	J. Samuel White, East Cowes
Laid down	September 1935
Launched	1 October 1936
Commissioned	25 November 1937
Decommissioned	1 May 1976
Honours & awards	Virtuti Militari, 4th Class Pro Memoria Medal
Status	Museum ship
General characteristics
Class & type	Grom-class destroyer
Displacement	2,011 long tons (2,043 t) standard 2,520 long tons (2,560 t) full
Length	114 m (374 ft 0 in)
Beam	11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draft	3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
Speed	39 knots (72 km/h; 45 mph)
Complement	192
Armament	1937: 7 x 4.7 in (120 mm) (3 × 2, 1 × 1) 4 x 40 mm AA (2 × 2) 8 x 13.2 mm MG (4 × 2) 6 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2 × 3) Depth charge throwers 1941: 8 × QF 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk XVI dual-purpose guns 4 × 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns 4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) AA guns 6 × torpedo tubes 1951/52: 8 x 100 mm (3.9 in)/56 B-34 guns (4 x 2) 2 x 37 mm (1.5 in) 70-K AA guns (2 x 1) 8 x 37 mm (1.5 in) V-11 AA guns (4 x 2) 3 x 533.4 mm torpedo tubes (1 x 3)