Sella-class destroyer
 Sella at anchor
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Pattison, Naples |
| Operators | |
| Built | 1923–1927 |
| In commission | 1926–1940s |
| Completed | 4 |
| Lost | 2 |
| Scrapped | 2 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 84.9 m (278 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) |
| Range | 3,600 nmi (6,700 km; 4,100 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
| Complement | 152–153 |
| Armament |
|
The Sella-class destroyers were a group of four
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
deep load. Their complement was 8–9 officers and 144 enlisted men.[2]
The Sellas were powered by two
kW) for a speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) in service,[1] although the ships reached speeds in excess of 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded.[3] They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 3,600 nautical miles (6,700 km; 4,100 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).[4]
Their
13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns. They were equipped with four 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes in two twin mounts amidships.[1] The Sellas could also carry 32 mines.[2]
Ships
| Ship name | Namesake | Builder | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francesco Crispi | Francesco Crispi | Pattison | 29 April 1927 | Seized by the Italian Armistice, September 1943; served as TA15, sunk by air attack in the Aegean Sea , 8 March 1944
|
| Quintino Sella | Quintino Sella | Pattison | 25 March 1926 | Sunk by German E-boats in the Adriatic Sea, 11 September 1943 |
| Bettino Ricasoli | Bettino Ricasoli | Pattison | 11 December 1926 | Sold to the Swedish Navy as HSwMS Puke |
| Giovanni Nicotera | Giovanni Nicotera | Pattison | 8 January 1927 | Sold to the Swedish Navy as the HSwMS Psilander |
Service history
During the war, the destroyers were based at the island of
attack by explosive motor boats on HMS York 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
Bibliography
- Birchfield, B.; Borgenstam, Carl; Caruana, Joseph & Frampton, Viktor (1988). "Question 3/87". Warship International. XXV (2): 205–210. ISSN 0043-0374.
- 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.
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 336. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- 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.
- Smigielski, Adam (1995). "Italy". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 195–218. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
- ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
External links
- Tragedy destroyer Quintino Sella 11 września 1943 r. (PL)
- Quintino Sella Marina Militare website
 Regia Marina | |
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 Kriegsmarine |
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 Swedish NavyPsilander class | |
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