Sella-class destroyer
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The Sella-class destroyers were a group of four destroyers built for the Script error: No such module "Lang". (Royal Italian Navy) 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.
These ships formed the basis for most subsequent destroyers built by the Italians, but were disappointing in service with unreliable machinery.
Design and description
The Sella-class destroyers were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[1] They had an overall length of Script error: No such module "convert"., a beam of Script error: No such module "convert". and a draft of Script error: No such module "convert".. They displaced Script error: No such module "convert". at standard load, and Script error: No such module "convert". at deep load. Their complement was 8–9 officers and 144 enlisted men.[2]
The Sellas were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Yarrow boilers. The turbines were rated at Script error: No such module "convert". for a speed of Script error: No such module "convert". in service,[1] although the ships reached speeds in excess of Script error: No such module "convert". during their sea trials while lightly loaded.[3] They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of Script error: No such module "convert". at a speed of Script error: No such module "convert"..[4]
Their main battery consisted of three Script error: No such module "convert". guns in one twin-gun turret aft of the superstructure and one single-gun turret forward of it.[2] Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Sella-class ships was provided by a pair of Script error: No such module "convert". AA guns in single mounts amidships and a pair of Script error: No such module "convert". machine guns. They were equipped with four Script error: No such module "convert". torpedo tubes in two twin mounts amidships.[1] The Sellas could also carry 32 mines.[2]
Ships
| Ship name | Namesake | Builder | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Francesco Crispi | Pattison | 29 April 1927 | Seized by the Germans after the Italian Armistice, September 1943; served as TA15, sunk by air attack in the Aegean Sea, 8 March 1944 |
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Quintino Sella | Pattison | 25 March 1926 | Sunk by German E-boats in the Adriatic Sea, 11 September 1943 |
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Bettino Ricasoli | Pattison | 11 December 1926 | Sold to the Swedish Navy as Template:HSwMS |
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Giovanni Nicotera | Pattison | 8 January 1927 | Sold to the Swedish Navy as the Template:HSwMS |
Service history
During the war, the destroyers were based at the island of Leros, in the Dodecanese. They took part in the Italian retaking of Kastelorizo (named Operation Abstention by the British) on 27 February 1941, and were used as mother ships for the successful attack by explosive motor boats on Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". on 25 March. Crispi led the landing of an Italian division on Sitia, Crete, on 28 May 1941, in the course of the battle of Crete.
Notes
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Bibliography
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External links
- Tragedy destroyer Quintino Sella 11 września 1943 r. (PL)
- Quintino Sella Marina Militare website
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