Italian destroyer Cesare Battisti

Cesare Battisti
History
Kingdom of Italy
Name	Cesare Battisti
Namesake	Cesare Battisti
Builder	Odero-Terni-Orlando, Sestri Ponente
Laid down	9 February 1924
Launched	11 December 1926
Completed	13 April 1927
Fate	Scuttled, 3 April 1941
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type	Sauro-class destroyer
Displacement	1,058  t (1,041 long tons) (standard) 1,600 t (1,570 long tons) (full load)
Length	90.16 m (295 ft 10 in)
Beam	9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
Draught	2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Installed power	3 Yarrow boilers 36,000  shp (27,000  kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines
Speed	31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph)
Range	2,600  nmi (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	154–156
Armament	2 × twin 120 mm (4.7 in) guns 2 × single 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns 2 × single 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns 2 × triple 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes 52 mines

Cesare Battisti was one of four Sauro-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the 1920s. Completed in 1927, she served in World War II.

Design and description

The Sauro-class destroyers were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Sella class. ^[1] They had an overall length of 90.16 meters (296 ft), a beam of 9.2 meters (30 ft 2 in) and a mean draft of 2.9 meters (9 ft 6 in). They displaced 1,058 metric tons (1,041 long tons ) at standard load, and 1,600 metric tons (1,570 long tons) at deep load. Their complement was 8–10 officers and 146 enlisted men. ^[2]

The Sauros were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Yarrow boilers. ^[1] The turbines were rated at 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000  kW ) for a speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) in service, ^[3] although Cesare Battisti reached a speed of 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph) from 41,280 shp (30,780 kW) during her sea trials while lightly loaded. ^[4] The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). ^[1]

Their main battery consisted of four 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. ^[2] Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Sauro-class ships was provided by a pair of 40-millimeter (1.6 in) AA guns in single mounts amidships and a pair of 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns. They were equipped with six 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. ^[3] The Sauros could also carry 52 mines. ^[2]

Construction and career

Cesar Battisti was laid down by Odero-Terni-Orlando at their Genoa-Sestri Ponente shipyard on 9 February 1924, launched on 11 December 1926 and commissioned on 13 April 1927. ^[1]

Citations

1. Whitley, p. 160
2. Fraccaroli, p. 47
3. Roberts, p. 298
4. McMurtrie, p. 281

Bibliography

• Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   978-1-59114-544-8.
• Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN   0-7110-0002-6.
• McMurtrie, Francis E., ed. (1937). Jane's Fighting Ships 1937. London: Sampson Low. OCLC   927896922.
• O'Hara, Vincent P. (2009). Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater, 1940–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   978-1-59114-648-3.
• 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. ISBN   0-8317-0303-2.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   1-85409-521-8.

External links

• Cesare Battisti (1926) Marina Militare website