NAVIGATORI CLASS DESTROYER

The 'Navigatori class' were a group of Italian destroyers built in 1928-29. These ships were named after Italian explorerers (Navigatori). They fought in World War II.

Contents

Design

General characteristics

Ships

References

Design

These ships were built for the Regia Marina as a reply to the large ''contre-torpilieurs'' of the ''Jaguar'' and ''Guepard'' classes built for the French Navy. These ships were significantly larger than other contemporary Italian destroyes. The main armament was a new model 120mm gun and unit machinery was used. The ships were fast but were found to lack stability and were rebuilt with a clipper bow in the late 1930s.

General characteristics

★ Displacement:

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★ 1,900 tonnes standard

★
★ 2,650 tonnes full load

★ Length: 107 m

★ Beam: 10.2 m

★ Draught: 3.5m

★ Machinery: 2 shaft 4 boilers, geared turbines, 50,000 hp unit machinery, 630 tons oil

★ Speed:38 knots

★ Range:

★ Armament:

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★ 6 120mm guns (3x2),

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★ 2 40mm pom-pom guns (2x1),

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★ 8 13.2 mm machine guns,

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★ 6 533&nbps;mm torpedo tubes,

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★ 56 mines

★ Crew: 224

Ships

★ ''Alvise Da Mosto''. Named after Alvise Cadamosto, Built by CNQ of Fiume. Commissioned on 15 March 1931, sunk by HMS ''Aurora'' & HMS ''Penelope'' near Tripoli, 1 December 1941.

★ ''Antonio Da Noli''. Named after Antonio da Noli, Built by CT at Riva Trigoso. Commissioned 29 December 1929, lost on 9 September 1943.

★ ''Nicoloso Da Recco''. Named after Nicoloso da Recco, Built by CNR at Ancona. Commissioned 20 May 1930, survived the war decommissioned on 15 July 1954.

★ ''Giovanni Da Verrazzano'', Named after Giovanni Da Verrazzano, built by CNQ Fiume, Commissioned on 25 September 1930, sunk 19 October 1942 by British submarine ''Unbending'' .

★ ''Lancellotto Malocello''. Named after Lancelotto Malocello, Built by Ansaldo at Genoa. Commissioned on 18 January 1930, lost on 24 March 1943 to a mine north of Cape Bon

★ ''Leone Pancaldo''. Built by CT of Riva Trigoso, Commissioned 30th November 1929, lost on 30 April 1943.

★ ''Emanuele Pessagno''. Built by CNR of Ancona, commissioned on 10 March 1930, sunk by British submarine ''Turbulent'' on 29 May 1942.

★ ''Antonio Pigafetta''. Named after Antonio Pigafetta. Built by CNQ of Fiume, commissioned 1 May 1931. Captured by the Germans after the Italian armistice with the Allies, served as the ''TA44''. Sunk on 21 February 1945.

★ ''Luca Tarigo''. Built by Ansaldo Genoa, Commissioned 16 November 1929, lost 16 April 1941, sunk by British destroyers but torpedoed and sank the British destroyer HMS ''Mohawk'' before sinking. See Battle of the Tarigo Convoy.

★ ''Antoniotto Usodimare''. Named after Antoniotto Usodimare, Built by Odera of Sestri Ponente. Commissioned 21 November 1929, sank british submarine P38 on 25 February 1932, lost 8 June 1942.

★ ''Ugolino Vivaldi''. Named after Ugolino Vivaldi, Built by Odera, Sestri Ponente, Commissioned 6 March 1930, lost 10 September 1943.

★ ''Nicolò Zeno''. Named after Nicolò Zeno, Built by CNQ of Fiume. Commissioned 27 may 1930, lost 9 September 1943.

References

★ Destroyers of World War 2, , M.H., Whitley, Cassell Publishing, 1988, ISBN 1-85409-521-8

★ page from Uboat.net