Design and description
The ships were designed as scout cruisers (esploratori), essentially enlarged versions of contemporary destroyers. [1] They had an overall length of 103.75 meters (340 ft 5 in), a beam of 9.74 meters (31 ft 11 in) and a mean draft of 3.3 meters (10 ft 10 in). [2] They displaced 1,784 tonnes (1,756 long tons ) at standard load, and 2,040 tonnes (2,010 long tons) at deep load. Their complement was 8 officers and 161 enlisted men. [3]
The Mirabellos were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by four Yarrow boilers. The turbines were rated at 44,000 shaft horsepower (33,000 kW ) for a speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) and Carlo Alberto Racchia reached a speed of 35.4 knots (65.6 km/h; 40.7 mph) from 43,190 shp (32,210 kW) during her sea trials. [2] The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,300 nautical miles (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). [3]
Carlo Alberto Racchia's main battery consisted of a single Cannone da 152 mm (6 in)/40 A Modello 1891 gun forward of the superstructure. The gun was backed up by seven Cannone da 102 mm (4 in)/35 S Modello 1914 guns in single mounts protected by gun shields, one aft the superstructure and the remaining guns positioned on the broadside amidships. [4] Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Mirabello-class ships was provided by a pair of Cannone da 76 mm (3 in)/40 Modello 1916 AA guns in single mounts. [2] They were equipped with four 450-millimeter (17.7 in) torpedo tubes in two twin mounts, one on each broadside. [4] Carlo Alberto Racchia also could carry 100 mines. [2]
Modifications
The gun proved to be too heavy for the ships and its rate of fire was too slow so it was replaced when the ships were rearmed with eight Cannone da 102/45 S, A Modello 1917 guns arranged with single guns fore and aft of the superstructure and the other on the broadside. The 76 mm guns were replaced by a pair of Cannone da 40 mm (1.6 in)/39 AA guns in single mounts in 1920–1922. It is uncertain if Carlo Alberto Racchia received these guns before her loss. [2]
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 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.
The Mirabello class were a group of three destroyers(originally scout cruisers) built for the Regia Marina during World War I. Carlo Alberto Racchia was sunk by a mine in the Black Sea during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War in 1920. The remaining two ships, obsolescent by 1938, were re-rated as destroyers and participated in World War II. Carlo Mirabello was also lost to a mine while escorting a convoy in 1941. The last surviving ship, Augusto Riboty, was reconfigured as a convoy escort in 1942–1943. The torpedo tubes were removed and depth charges and 20 mm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft guns added. She survived the war and was transferred to the Soviet Union as war reparations in 1946. The ship was scrapped five years later.
The Comandanti Medaglie d'Oro class were a group of 20 destroyers ordered for the Regia Marina during World War II. Nine had been laid down by the time of the Italian armistice in September 1943 and all but one of those ships which had not yet been laid down were cancelled. Of those that had been laid down, none had been launched by that time and all were subsequently scrapped.
HSwMS Puke (19) was a Psilander-class destroyer of the Swedish Navy from 1940 to 1947. The ship was purchased from Italy by Sweden in 1940, along with her sister ship HSwMS Psilander. Before that, she served in the Regia Marina as Bettino Ricasoli, one of four members of the Italian Sella class. Puke was scrapped in 1949.
Strale was one of four Freccia-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists and served in World War II.
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.
HSwMS Psilander (18) was a Psilander-class destroyer of the Swedish Navy from 1940 to 1947. The ship was purchased from Italy by Sweden in 1940, along with her sister ship HSwMS Puke. Before that, she served in the Regia Marina as Giovanni Nicotera, one of four members of the Italian Sella class. Psilander was scrapped in 1949.
Euro was one of eight Turbine-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina during the 1920s. She was named after Euro, weak winter easterly wind bringing rain and storms to the Mediterranean.
Grecale was one of four Maestrale-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1934, she served in World War II. She survived the war and continued her service with Marina Militare until 1964.
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.
Cesare Battisti 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.
Quintino Sella was the lead ship of her class of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the 1920s. Completed in 1926, she served in World War II.
Francesco Crispi was one of four Sella-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the 1920s. Completed in 1927, she served in World War II.
Pantera was one of three Leone-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1920s.
Tigre was one of three Leone-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1920s.
Leone was the lead ship of her class of three destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1920s.
Augusto Riboty was one of three Mirabello-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina during World War I.
Carlo Mirabello was one of three Mirabello-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina during World War I.
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