Italian destroyer Corazziere (1938)
Corazziere 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-1939, she was the last of the first batch of a dozen ships to enter service.
History | |
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Name: | Corazziere |
Namesake: | Tank crewman |
Builder: | Odero-Terni-Orlando, Livorno |
Laid down: | 7 October 1937 |
Launched: | 22 May 1938 |
Completed: | 4 March 1939 |
Fate: | Sunk by sabotage, 9 September 1943 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type: | Soldati-class destroyer |
Displacement: | |
Length: | |
Beam: | 10.15 m (33 ft 4 in) |
Draught: | 3.15–4.3 m (10 ft 4 in–14 ft 1 in) |
Installed power: |
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Propulsion: | 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |
Speed: | 34–35 knots (63–65 km/h; 39–40 mph) |
Range: | 2,340 nmi (4,330 km; 2,690 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
Complement: | 206 |
Armament: |
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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]
Corrazziere 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 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) and a speed of 34–35 knots (63–65 km/h; 39–40 mph) in service, the Soldati-class ships reached speeds of 39–40 knots (72–74 km/h; 45–46 mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded. They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,340 nautical miles (4,330 km; 2,690 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) and 682 nmi (1,263 km; 785 mi) at a speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).[4]
Corazziere'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 Soldatis was provided by eight 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 a pair of depth charge throwers. The ships could carry 48 mines.[2]
Citations
- Brescia, p. 127
- Gardiner & Chesneau, p. 300
- Whitley, p. 169
- Brescia, p. 128
- Fraccaroli, p. 55
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.
- 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.