Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian destroyer, and one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the late 1920s. Completed in 1931, she served in World War II. She was captured by German forces, but was later sunk by Allied aircraft in 1945.
The Navigatori-class destroyers were designed to counter the large French destroyers of the Jaguar and Guépard classes.[1] They had an overall length of 107.3 meters (352ft), a beam of 10.2 meters (33ft 6in) and a mean draft of 3.5 meters (11ft 6in).[2] They displaced 1,900 metric tons (1,900 long tons) at standard load, and 2,580 metric tons (2,540 long tons) at deep load. Their complement during wartime was 222–225 officers and enlisted men.[3]
The Navigatoris were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by four Odero-Terni-Orlandowater-tube boilers. The turbines were designed to produce 55,000 shaft horsepower (41,000kW)[3] and a speed of 32 knots (59km/h; 37mph) in service, although the ships reached speeds of 38–41 knots (70–76km/h; 44–47mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded.[4] They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 3,800 nautical miles (7,000km; 4,400mi) at a speed of 18 knots (33km/h; 21mph).[3]
September 10, 1943, the Italian destroyer Antonio Pigafetta was seized by German forces in Fiume. Following repairs, it was recommissioned as TA-44 on October 14, 1944, and became part of the 9th Torpedoboot Flotilla. The ship was sunk in the port of Trieste on February 17, 1945, after being hit by an allied aircraft bomb bomb. The ship was likely sunk by the 461st Operations Group (Heavy), a World War IIUnited States Army Air Forces combat organization, which typically flew the B-24 Liberator.
Ando, Elio (1978). "The Italian Navigatori Class, 1928". In Preston, Antony (ed.). Super Destroyers. Warship Special. Vol.2. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-131-9.
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.
Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN0-7110-0002-6.
Roberts, John (1980). "Italy". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp.280–317. ISBN0-8317-0303-2.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Reviseded.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-119-2.
Stille, Mark (2021). Italian Destroyers of World War II. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN978-1-4728-4053-0.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-85409-521-8.
The Maestrale class were a group of destroyers built for the Regia Marina and served in World War II. They formed the basis for subsequent Italian destroyer designs; the Oriani and Soldati classes.
The Folgore class were a group of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the 1930s. None of the ships survived World War II.
The Sauro class were a group of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. They were based in the Red Sea Italian colony of Eritrea and all fought in World War II being sunk during the East African Campaign in 1941.
The Sella-class destroyers were a group of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the 1920s. Two of these ships fought in World War II and both were sunk after the Italian capitulation to the Allies. The two other ships were sold to the Swedish Navy in 1940 and were scrapped in the late 1940s.
Nicoloso da Recco was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in 1930. Named after the Italian Renaissance seaman Nicoloso da Recco, she served during World War II in which she was the sole survivor of her destroyer class. She shot down three Beaufort bombers while escorting a two-freighter convoy on 21 June 1942 off Tunisia. On 2 December 1942 Nicoloso Da Recco took part of the Battle of Skerki Bank, where an Italo-German convoy carrying troops and supplies to Libya was obliterated by Allied naval forces. Nicoloso Da Recco was the only vessel of her class to survive the war, and was eventually scrapped in July 1954.
Leone Pancaldo was one of twelve Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina between the late 1920s. Shortly after Italy's entry into World War II in June 1940, she was sunk by British torpedo bombers in Augusta, Sicily, but was later refloated and repaired. She was briefly used in fast troop transport missions to Tunisia until her second and final sinking by Allied aircraft in April 1943.
Alvise Da Mosto was one of twelve Navigatori-class destroyers, built for the Regia Marina between the late 1920s and the early 1930s. During World War II, she participated in several minelaying missions in the Sicilian Channel and escorted convoys between Italy and Libya until her sinking by the British Force K.
Ugolino Vivaldi was one of twelve Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina between the late 1920s and the early 1930s.
Fulmine was one of four Folgore-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she served in World War II.
Baleno was one of four Folgore-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she served in World War II.
Dardo was one of four Freccia-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she served in World War II. The ship was captured by the Germans after the Italian armistice in September 1943 and used by the Kriegsmarine under the name TA31 until she was sunk in April 1945.
Nicolò Zeno was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.
Antoniotto Usodimare was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1929, she served in World War II.
Luca Tarigo was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1929, she served in World War II.
Emanuele Pessagno was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.
Lanzerotto Malocello was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.
Giovanni da Verazzano was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.
Antonio da Noli was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1931, she served in World War II.
Francesco Nullo was one of four Sauro-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the 1920s. Completed in 1927, she served in World War II.
Daniele Manin was one of four Sauro-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the 1920s. Completed in 1927, she served in World War II.
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