Italian destroyer Leone Pancaldo
 | This article has an unclear citation style. (October 2017) |
 Pancaldo in 1943
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| History | |
|---|---|
 Kingdom of Italy | |
| Name | Leone Pancaldo |
| Namesake | Leon Pancaldo |
| Builder | Riva Trigoso |
| Laid down | 7 July 1927 |
| Launched | 5 February 1929 |
| Completed | 30 November 1929 |
| Fate | Sunk by aircraft, 30 April 1943 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class and type | Navigatori-class destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 107.3 m (352 ft 0 in) |
| Beam | 10.2 m (33 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 32 knots (59.3 km/h; 36.8 mph) |
| Range | 3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement | 222–225 (wartime) |
| Armament |
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Leone Pancaldo was one of twelve Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) between the late 1920s. Shortly after Italy's entry into World War II in June 1940, she was sunk by British torpedo bombers in Augusta, Sicily, but was later refloated and repaired. She was briefly used in fast troop transport missions to Tunisia until her second and final sinking by Allied aircraft in April 1943.
Design and description
The Navigatori-class destroyers were designed to counter the large French destroyers of the
Jaguar and Guépard classes.[1] They had an overall length of 107.3 meters (352 ft), a beam of 10.2 meters (33 ft 6 in) and a mean draft of 3.5 meters (11 ft 6 in).[2] They displaced 1,900 metric tons (1,900 long tons) at standard load, and 2,580 metric tons (2,540 long tons) at deep load. Their complement during wartime was 222–225 officers and enlisted men.[3]
The Navigatoris were powered by two
kW)[3] and a speed of 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) in service, although the ships reached speeds of 38–41 knots (70–76 km/h; 44–47 mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded.[4] They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).[3]
Their
13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns. They were equipped with six 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. The Navigatoris could carry 86–104 mines.[4]
Construction and career
Leone Pancaldo was
launched on 5 February 1929 and completed on 30 November 1929. Between May and September 1930 she underwent modification work aimed at improving stability and seaworthiness.[6]
During the 1930s, Pancaldo largely operated with the Italian fleet, participating in exercises in the Mediterranean Sea. Between December 1930 and January 1931 she and seven sisterships were deployed in the Atlantic Ocean in support of Italo Balbo's transatlantic flight from Italy to Brazil.[7] Between 1936 and 1938, Pancaldo also participated in the Spanish Civil War, that saw heavy Italian naval involvement in support of Francisco Franco's forces.[6]
Originally classified as an
World War II
When Italy entered
reconnaissance plane, and on the following day Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier Eagle attacked Augusta with the aim of striking the Italian fleet during its stop there. Radio intercepts, however, had alerted the Italian commands of the danger, and most of the fleet was transferred to other bases; only Pancaldo and Vivaldi, that had not yet completed refuelling, were left in the harbour when the Swordfish attacked. Both destroyers opened fire with their anti-aircraft guns, but one of the torpedoes dropped by the planes hit Pancaldo, causing her to sink in a few minutes on a 30-meter bottom, with the loss of sixteen men.[9][11][6]
Inspection of the wreck by
Ansaldo shipyard, lasting till 17 November 1942.[6] She was also fitted with a Gufo radar, and re-entered service on 12 December 1942, nearly two and a half years after her sinking.[6]
Pancaldo was assigned to the 15th Destroyer Division, based in
Commander Tommaso Ferreri Caputi, was seriously wounded but survived.[6][13] Hermes was seriously damaged in the same attack, but managed to reach Tunis
.
References
- ^ Ando, p. 15
- ^ Whitley, p. 162
- ^ a b c Ando, p. 16
- ^ a b Roberts, p. 299
- ^ Fraccaroli, p. 49
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Colombo, Lorenzo (March 26, 2014). "Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo: Leone Pancaldo".
- ^ http://www.marinaiditalia.com/public/uploads/2011_05_13.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Italian, Greek and Yugoslavian Navies, June 1940". www.naval-history.net.
- ^ a b Gianni Rocca, Fucilate gli ammiragli. La tragedia della Marina italiana nella seconda guerra mondiale, p. 28.
- ^ "Battle of Britain July 1940". www.naval-history.net.
- ^ "Aircraft carrier warfare, World War 2". www.naval-history.net.
- ^ Gianni Rocca, Fucilate gli ammiragli. La tragedia della Marina italiana nella seconda guerra mondiale, p. 276.
- ^ Gianni Rocca, Fucilate gli ammiragli. La tragedia della Marina italiana nella seconda guerra mondiale, p. 277.
Bibliography
- Ando, Elio (1978). "The Italian Navigatori Class, 1928". In ISBN 0-85177-131-9.
- 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.
- ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
- ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
External links
- Leone Pancaldo Marina Militare website
 Regia Marina | |
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 Kriegsmarine |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1943 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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