1 classes
1.1 mirabello class
1.2 leone class
1.3 sella class
1.4 sauro class
1.5 turbine class
1.6 navigatori class
1.7 freccia or dardo class
1.8 folgore class
1.9 maestrale class
1.10 oriani or poeti class
1.11 soldati class
1.11.1 first group
1.11.2 second group
1.12 comandanti medaglie d oro class
1.13 curtatone class
1.14 captured ships
classes
at italian declaration of war in june 1940, regia marina s destroyer force mix of outdated ships of world war design , larger numbers of modern designs.
mirabello class
three ships of class commissioned in 1916-17 esploratori , 1 (carlo alberto racchia) lost in black sea in 1920. in destroyer terms in 1920s, ships of class powerful vessels, displacing 2,300 tons , armed 8 4 inch guns in single mounts, 450 millimetres (17.7) inch torpedoes, depth charges , mines. 4 of 8 guns mounted along ships sides, reducing broadside six. in 1942–43, remaining ship in class had 4 beam 4 inch guns removed , anti-aircraft weaponry strengthened 8 20 millimetre machine guns , depth charge capacity increased.
the mirabello s design reflected age , when italy entered war, used lay minefields off taranto , escort convoys albania , greece, relatively safe duties. despite this, carlo mirabello mined , sank off greek coast near cape dukato in 1941. once re-armed, remaining ship, augusto ributy employed escorting convoys. survived war and, though assigned soviet union peace treaty, refused due old age , scrapped in 1951.
leone class
three leone-class esploratori commissioned in 1924. reclassified destroyers in 1938. armament upgraded of preceding mirabellos , resultant additional topweight required increases in dimensions , displacement (2,690 tonnes) , machinery uprated maintain speed. main guns , torpedoes located along centre-line, improvement allowed guns fire both sides, although 2 turrets placed amidships , fire either side. 8 4.7 inch (120 millimetres - new standard italian destroyers) mounted in 4 twin turrets , torpedo tubes 21 inch.
all 3 part of italian red sea flotilla @ start of italy s war in june 1940, employed lay mine fields , disrupt british convoys, without success. lost april 1941. leone ran aground , sunk sisters. after abortive mission against port sudan, pantera , tigre, both damaged swordfish aircraft, scuttled off saudi arabia.
sella class
the 4 sella class enlarged palestro class torpedo boats, commissioned in 1926/27 , displacing 1,500 tonnes. completed, these ships had single 120 millimetre (4.7 inch) gun, 4 533 millimetre (21 inch) torpedo tubes, 2 40 millimetre , 2 13.2 mm machine guns. single 120mm gun mounting changed twin in 1929 , additional twin mount installed sometime before 1942. 40mm weapons old pattern , replaced 2 20mm. 2 more 20mm , 2 depth charge throwers added. in use, class proved unreliable.
two, bettino ricasoli , giovanni nicotera, sold sweden , transferred italy declared war. remaining 2 stationed in aegean of war. laid minefields , escorted convoys , involved in actions against british operations off rhodes , crete. in latter case carried esplosive motorboats damaged hms york @ suda bay. @ italian surrender in 1943, german e-boats sank quintino sella, while francesco crispi captured in piraeus , renamed ta15 kriegsmarine, being sunk allied planes on 12 october 1944.
sauro class
four sauro class destroyers commissioned in 1926/27. developments of preceding sella class, broader beam allow greater weight of weaponry in sellas original specification , layout changes. machinery remained substantially unchanged and, consequentially, sauros no more reliable. displaced 1,625 tonnes, 4 120mm guns , 6 533 mm torpedo tubes. secondary armament, 40mm , 13.2 mm machine guns unchanged @ time of loss.
the 4 destroyers based in red sea attack british convoys. lost april 1941, when massawa fell: 1 (francesco nullo) sunk hms kimberley in october 1940 after failed attack on british convoy, while 2 (nazario sauro , daniele manin) sunk british planes during last failed attack on port sudan, shortly before fall of massawa, , last 1 (cesare battisti) had scuttled after engine defects forced abort same mission.
turbine class
eight 1,700 tonne turbine class destroyers commissioned in 1927 , 1928. these ships further development of sella design, larger hull, increased engine power , fuel storage. result faster ships greater range. armament unchanged greater mine capacity available. after 1940, 2 surviving ships had old model 40mm guns replaced modern 10mm ones. in addition, turbine had 1 triple torpedo tube mounting replaced 37mm gun.
all of class based @ tobruk, north africa, , used lay minefields , run supplies italy. exposed location , 6 sunk before end of september, 1940, in harbour naval aircraft. 2 survived until italian surrender, 1 (turbine) captured germans , renamed ta14. euro joined allies , subsequently sunk off leros.
navigatori class
the twelve navigatoris commissioned between december 1929 , may 1931. modern form of earlier esploratori - large destroyer - type of ship, displacing 2,650 tonnes , response french jaguar , guépard classes. weaponry, compared earlier esploratori reduced 6 120mm in 3 twin turrets, 1 of amidships. guns new model (ansaldo 1926 pattern, 50 calibre) , mountings allowed 45° elevation. class used 2 sizes of torpedoes, in 2 triple banks, each unusually composed of 2 533mm (21 in) separated 1 450mm (17.7 in). built, class retained older anti-aircraft fit of 2 40mm , 4 13.2 mm machine guns. fifty-six mines carried, except flagship, nicolosso da rocco, required space staff facilities. class machinery introduced unit design, whereby boilers , engine 1 shaft housed separately other shaft. power output substantially increased, in order deliver desired speed. new style of bridge layout , structure introduced.
as built, navigatori ships insufficiently stable , wet. cures applied in 2 stages, firstly in mid-1930s when superficial changes made reduce superstructures , move fuel bunkers, , subsequently in 1938–1940, when beam increased , bows raised. displacement increased thereby , speed reduced. during world war ii, several programmes started upgrade weaponry, in particular anti-aircraft weapons, none applied uniformly ships in class. these included full triple 533mm torpedo mountings, 40mm guns replaced greater numbers of 20mm ones, after torpedo tubes replaced 37mm guns. several ships adapted radar ony 2 received equipment; leone pancaldo had italian ec3/ter gufo set , lanzaretto malocello had german fumo 26/40g.
the 3 squadrons of class served in mediterranean, escorting north african convoys, laying offensive minefields, bombarding shore targets , screening fleet. 5 ships survived until italian surrender, 2 of these sunk in september 1943 after action against german convoy , scuttled in port avoid capture germans. 1 captured germans , served them ta44. 1 ship survived war in italian service.
freccia or dardo class
the 4 freccia class destroyers, commissioned between october 1931 , may 1932, reversion smaller type of fleet destroyer , intended keep pace new zara-class cruisers , required greater speed , engine power so. despite design origins turbine class, various changes resulted in displacement, built, increasing 2,150 tonnes these changes included larger hull, remodelled bridge , had engine exhausts trunked single funnel. poor stability , engine reliability serious problems when ships entered service , remedies attempted which, in turn, led fuel contamination. weaponry turbines, except improved version of 120mm gun installed (ansaldo 1926 pattern). later, obsolete 40mm , 13.2 mm machine guns replaced 20mm/65 calibre ones. in 1 ship, torpedo mounting replaced 2 37mm guns.
at start of italy s war, 4 ships formed 7th squadron based @ taranto , @ battle of calabria. otherwise, main role convoy protection. 3 lost before italian surrender , one, dardo, captured germans (renamed ta31).
four ships, kondouriotis class, built greek navy, based on freccia design.
folgore class
the 4 folgores, commissioned between june , september 1932, modified freccias , included in class second group . displacement marginally reduced @ 2,130 tonnes. 1 major alteration reduce beam in order improve speed, resulted in reduced fuel capacity and, consequently, range. no more reliable or seaworthy earlier sisters. anti-aircraft gunnery improved.
these ships service closely similar freccias. based @ taranto , took part in battle of calabria. spent of time escorting north african convoys, on duties lost before italian surrender.
maestrale class
after disappointments of dardo , folgore classes, maestrale development largely successful attempt eliminate faults. 4 ships, commissioned september november 1934, larger earlier classes, 2,255 tonnes , longer , broader. engines , armament, completed, unchanged dardos, later version of 120mm gun used, o.t.o. pattern 1931. during service, efforts made improve potency of anti-aircraft weaponry; 40mm , 13.2 mm machine guns replaced newer 20mm ones , subsequently increased in number, 2 37mm anti aircraft installed in place of torpedo tube mounting. 120mm starshell gun installed on ships mitigate italian navy s disadvantages in night actions.
although used fleet escorts, these ships laid minefields , escorted convoys, during 1 such duty, missed battle of calabria , never involved in major fleet action. came mixed bag of fates. 2 lost before italian surrender, 1 torpedoed , 1 lost in storm; one, under repair @ surrender scuttled avoid german capture. fourth, grecale, joined allies, involved in actions against germans , survived long post-war italian service.
oriani or poeti class
these 4 ships commissioned between july , december 1937. repeat of preceding maestrales increased engine power. increase in power, however, disappointed in there marginal speed improvement. obsolete 40mm anti-aircraft guns discontinued, being replaced 13.2 mm machine guns; otherwise armament unchanged. ships displaced 2,510 tonnes built. significant upgrades made weapons systems of 2 ships survived matapan, similar made maestrales. 1 torpedo tube mounting replaced 2 37mm guns; 20mm cannon, 120mm star-shell gun , depth charge throwers installed. before end of war, 1 ship, oriani had german seetakt radar , additional 20mm cannon.
the 4 orianis operated fleet escorts of war, being present @ battles of calabria , matapan, 2 being sunk @ latter action. sunk shortly before italian surrender. 1 ship, oriani, survived serve allies , subsequently transferred france , renamed d estaing.
soldati class
nineteen soldati built in 2 batches; twelve commissioned between august 1938 , may 1939 , second batch of 5 between february , august 1942. remaining 2 ships not completed before surrender; 1 scrapped while under construction , final 1 completed under german colours.
first group
the first batch took oriani design, modifications giving increased displacement of 1,645 tonnes. weapons systems modified these not consistent between ships of class. 120mm guns remained main battery, in 2 twin mountings, fore , aft, later pattern used, 1936 or 1937 ansaldo. completed, anti-aircraft battery consisted of twelve machine guns. 5 ships known have had second fire control director installed aft; 2 ships known not have been fitted. except carabiniere had 120mm star shell gun amidships, reduce italian ships disadvantage in night actions. ships had 2 triple 21 inch torpedo tube mountings.
in 1940–41, second, aft, directories removed ships had them. 5 ships had additional single 120mm gun (ansaldo 1940 pattern) replace star-shell gun. anti-aircraft machine-guns replaced 20mm cannon , further strengthened in 1943. 3 ships received 2 single 37mm anti-aircraft guns, replaced single 120mm (where installed) , aft torpedo tube mountings. 1 ship, fuciliere, had italian gufo radar set installed in 1943.
second group
seven modified soldati class ordered in 1940 , laid down in late 1940–41. these ships equipped 5 120mm guns (2 twin , 1 single replacing start shell gun of earlier ships) , light aa guns.
comandanti medaglie d oro class
none of class ever launched, 9 laid down.
curtatone class
4 vessels - 890 t
captured ships
the regia marina operated destroyers built foreign navies, captured either france or yugoslavia.
premuda - former yugoslav destroyer dubrovnik captured in april 1941
beograd class - 2 former yugoslav destroyers captured in april 1941
^ unless otherwise stated, displacements given in metric tonnes full displacement.
^ whitley, p.158
^ whitley, pp.158–159
^ jackson, p.283
^ whitley, p.160
^ whitley, pp.160–161
^ whitley, p.161
^ whitley, pp.162–164
^ whitley, p.165
^ whitley, p.154
^ whitley, p.166
^ whitley, p.167
^ whitley, p.168
^ whitley, pp.169–171
^ whitley, pp.169–170
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