Italian destroyer Velite

Velite 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 the last of the second batch of seven ships to be finished.

History
Kingdom of Italy
Name: Velite
Builder: Odero-Terni-Orlando, Livorno
Laid down: 19 April 1941
Launched: 31 August 1941
Completed: 31 August 1942
Stricken: 18 July 1948
Fate: Transferred to France as war reparations, 24 July 1948
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)
Beam: 10.15 m (33 ft 4 in)
Draught: 3.15–4.3 m (10 ft 4 in–14 ft 1 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines
Speed: 32–33 knots (59–61 km/h; 37–38 mph)
Range: 2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement: 206
Armament:

Design and description

The Soldati-class destroyers were slightly improved versions of the preceding Oriani class.[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]

Velite 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]

Velite's main battery consisted of four 50-caliber 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. On a platform amidships was a 15-caliber 120-millimeter star shell gun.[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. Gardiner & Chesneau, p. 300
  3. Whitley, p. 169
  4. Brescia, p. 128
  5. Fraccaroli, p. 59

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.
  • Dodson, Aidan & Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: The Fate of Enemy Fleets after Two World Wars. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
  • Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Gardiner, Robert & Chumbley, Stephen (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
  • 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.
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