Bombardiere 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 part of the second batch of seven ships.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Kingdom of Italy | |
| Name | Bombardiere |
| Namesake | Bombardier |
| Builder | Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Ancona |
| Laid down | 7 October 1940 |
| Launched | 22 March 1941 |
| Completed | 15 July 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk by HMS United, 17 January 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 |
|
| 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
editThe 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]
Bombardiere was powered by two Belluzzo 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]
Bombardiere'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
editBibliography
edit- 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.
- Roberts, John (1980). "Italy". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 280–317. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
- 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.
External links
edit- Bombardiere Marina Militare website
