Italian destroyer Corsaro

Last updated
Corsaro.jpg
History
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Kingdom of Italy
NameCorsaro
Namesake Corsair
Builder O.T.O., Livorno
Laid down23 January 1941
Launched16 November 1941
Completed16 May 1942
FateSunk by mine, 9 January 1943
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type Soldati-class destroyer
Displacement
Length
  • 106.7 m (350 ft 1 in) (o/a)
  • 101.6 m (333 ft 4 in) (p/p)
Beam10.15 m (33 ft 4 in)
Draught3.15–4.3 m (10 ft 4 in–14 ft 1 in)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines
Speed32–33 knots (59–61 km/h; 37–38 mph)
Range2,500  nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement206
Armament

Corsaro was one of nineteen Soldati-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Completed in mid-1942, she was one of the second batch of seven ships.

Contents

Design and description

The Soldati-class destroyers were slightly improved versions of the preceding Orianiclass. [1] They had a length between perpendiculars of 101.6 meters (333 ft 4 in) [2] and an overall length of 106.7 meters (350 ft 1 in). The ships had a beam of 10.15 meters (33 ft 4 in) and a mean draft of 3.15 meters (10 ft 4 in) and 4.3 meters (14 ft 1 in) at deep load. [3] The Soldatis displaced 1,830–1,850 metric tons (1,800–1,820 long tons ) at normal load, and 2,450–2,550 metric tons (2,410–2,510 long tons) at deep load. [4] Their wartime complement during was 206 officers and enlisted men. [2]

Corsaro was powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Yarrow boilers. [2] Designed for a maximum output of 44,000 shaft horsepower (33,000  kW ) and a speed of 32–33 knots (59–61 km/h; 37–38 mph) in service, the second batch of Soldati-class ships reached speeds of 34–36 knots (63–67 km/h; 39–41 mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded. They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) and 885 nmi (1,639 km; 1,018 mi) at a speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph). [4]

Corsaro's main battery consisted of five 50-caliber 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure, and the fifth gun was mounted on a platform amidships. [5] Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the second-batch Soldatis was provided by eight to twelve 20-millimeter (0.8 in) Breda Model 1935 guns. [4] The ships were equipped with six 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. Although they were not provided with a sonar system for anti-submarine work, they were fitted with one or two pairs of depth charge throwers. The ships could carry 48 mines. [2]

Citations

  1. Brescia, p. 127
  2. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, p. 300
  3. Whitley, p. 169
  4. 1 2 3 Brescia, p. 128
  5. Fraccaroli, p. 55

Bibliography

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