Italian destroyer Nazario Sauro

Last updated
Destroyer Nazario Sauro.jpg
Nazario Sauro
History
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Kingdom of Italy
NameNazario Sauro
Namesake Nazario Sauro
Builder Odero-Terni-Orlando, Sestri Ponente
Laid down9 February 1924
Launched12 May 1926
Completed23 September 1926
FateSunk by aircraft, 3 April 1941
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type Sauro-class destroyer
Displacement
Length90.16 m (295 ft 10 in)
Beam9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
Draught2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines
Speed31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph)
Range2,600  nmi (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement155 (wartime)
Armament

Nazario Sauro was the lead ship of her class of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the 1920s. Completed in 1926, she served in World War II.

Contents

Design and description

The Sauro-class destroyers were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Sellaclass. [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 Nazario Sauro reached a speed of 36.5 knots (67.6 km/h; 42.0 mph) from 37,000 shp (28,000 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

Nazario Sauro was laid down by Odero-Terni-Orlando at their Genoa-Sestri Ponente shipyard on 9 February 1924, launched on 12 May 1926 and commissioned on 23 September 1926. [1]

Citations

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

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<i>Turbine</i>-class destroyer

The Turbine-class destroyer was a group of eight destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the 1920s. The ships played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1937, supporting the Nationalists. All the ships of the class were lost during World War II.

<i>Maestrale</i>-class destroyer

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.

<i>Sauro</i>-class destroyer

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.

<i>Sella</i>-class destroyer

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.

<i>Leone</i>-class destroyer

The Leone class were a group of destroyers built for the Italian Navy in the early 1920s. Five ships were planned and three completed. All three ships were based at Massawa, Eritrea during World War II and were sunk during the East African Campaign.

<i>Mirabello</i>-class destroyer

The Mirabello class were a group of three destroyers 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.

Italian destroyer <i>Euro</i> (1927)

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.

Italian destroyer <i>Artigliere</i> (1937)

Artigliere was one of nineteen Soldati-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Completed in 1938, she was one of the last of the first batch of a dozen ships to enter service.

Italian destroyer <i>Carabiniere</i> (1938)

Carabiniere was one of nineteen Soldati-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Completed in 1938, she survived World War II to be scrapped in 1978.

Italian destroyer <i>Granatiere</i> (1938)

Grantiere was one of nineteen Soldati-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Completed in early 1939, she was one of the last of the first batch of a dozen ships to enter service.

Saetta 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. She played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, supporting the Nationalists.

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.

Italian destroyer <i>Daniele Manin</i>

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.

Italian destroyer <i>Francesco Crispi</i>

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.

Italian destroyer <i>Pantera</i>

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.

Italian destroyer <i>Leone</i>

Leone was the lead ship of her class of three destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1920s.

Italian destroyer <i>Maestrale</i>

Maestrale was the lead ship of her class of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1934, she served in World War II.