Italian destroyer Cesare Battisti

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.

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 and type: Sauro-class destroyer
Displacement:
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:
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:

Design and description

The Sauro-class destroyers were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Sella classs.[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. Gardiner & Chesneau, 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.
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • 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.
  • 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.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.