The Gabbiano-class corvettes were a group of 59 escort vessels built for the Regia Marina of Italy for service during the Second World War. They were built to a war-time design and intended for anti-submarine and escort duties.
The Gabbianos were designed to be built quickly and in large numbers and began to enter service in May 1942. The ships were fitted with sonar and hydrophones, but the Regia Marina did not consider removing features such as torpedo tubes to reduce topweight or allow the vessels to carry more anti-submarine weapons.[2] These ships were equipped with electric 'creep' motors with an endurance of 16 nautical miles (30km; 18mi) at 6 knots (11km/h; 6.9mph) for silent running while engaged in anti-submarine searches,[3] Overall, they were well-designed for operations in the Mediterranean and were successful in their role.
Service
UJ-202 (ex Melpomene)
Sixty vessels were ordered, and 29 were completed by September 1943. The Germans seized many of these vessels after the Italian surrender in 1943, and operated them under new names until the end of the war. The Germans also completed 20 vessels under construction. Fourteen vessels survived the war; the postwar Marina Militare used them as patrol vessels until 1972.
Two corvettes played important parts in Italian history: Persefone brought Mussolini, under arrest after 25 July 1943, from Gaeta to Ponza, while a short time later on 9 September 1943 Baionetta carried the Italian royal family and the Italian government with Marshall Badoglio from Pescara to Brindisi during their escape from Rome after the armistice.
She beat off the attack of three British MTBs (MTB-77, MTB-82 and MTB-61) off Marettimo on 16 February 1943, while escorting a four-ship convoy along with her sister ship Gabbiano and the torpedo boats Sirio and Monsone. The motor torpedo boats were caught in advance by the escorts' sonar.[5] German UJ-6082 after September 1943
Sank the British Submarine HMS Thunderbolt (former HMS Thetis) with depth charges on 14 March 1943 off Sicily. Cicogna was bombed 24 July 1943; scuttled
She dealt the fatal blow to the submarine HMS Sahib on 24 April 1943.[6] Along with sister ship Minerva sank British submarine P247 on 14 August 1943. Scuttled September 1943.
Farfalla
C 59
Navalmeccanica
Fenice
C 50
CRDA, Trieste
1 March 1943
Flora
C 46
CRDA, Trieste
1 December 1942
Folaga
C 16
Ansaldo, Genoa
14 November 1942
Gabbiano
C 11
Cerusa
23 June 1942
She repelled the attack of three British MTBs (MTB-77, MTB-82 and MTB-61) off Marettimo on 16 February 1943, while escorting a four-ship convoy along with her sister ship Antilope and the torpedo boats Sirio and Monsone. The motor torpedo boats were caught in advance by the escorts' sonar.[7] Assisted torpedo boat Euterpe in the chase and sinking of HMSSahib on 24 April 1943. Decommissioned 1971
Gazzella
C 20
OTO, Livorno
9 May 1942
Sunk by mine, 5 August 1943
Grillo
C 28
Navalmeccanica
21 March 1943
German; not renamed
Gru
C 18
Ansaldo, Genoa
23 December 1942
Ibis
C 17
Ansaldo, Genoa
12 December 1942
Libellula
C 32
Navalmeccanica
German; broken up
Lucciola
C 27
Navalmeccanica
21 March 1943
Marangone
C 52
Ansaldo, Genoa
16 September 1943
Completed as UJ-2223
Maggiolino
C 60
Navalmeccanica
Melpomene
C 68
CRDA, Monfalcone
29 August 1943
Completed as UJ-202
Minerva
C 42
CRDA, Monfalcone
5 November 1942
Along with sister ship Euterpe sank British submarine HMSSaracen on 14 August 1943. Decommissioned in 1970
↑ Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian warships of World War 2. London: Ian Allan. pp.9–10.
↑ Giorgerini, Giorgio (2001). La guerra italiana sul mare. La Marina tra vittoria e sconfitta 1940-1943 (in Italian). Mondadori. p.550. ISBN8804405813.
↑ Giorgerini, Giorgio (2001). La guerra italiana sul mare. La Marina tra vittoria e sconfitta 1940-1943 (in Italian). Mondadori. p.550. ISBN8804405813.
References
Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-59114-544-8.
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-459-4.
Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN0-7110-0002-6.
Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-146-7.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
