Italian destroyer Nazario Sauro

Nazario Sauro was the lead ship of her class of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the 1920s. Completed in 1926, she served in World War II.

History
Kingdom of Italy
Name: Nazario Sauro
Namesake: Nazario Sauro
Builder: Odero-Terni-Orlando, Sestri Ponente
Laid down: 9 February 1924
Launched: 12 May 1926
Completed: 23 September 1926
Fate: Sunk by aircraft, 3 April 1941
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Sauro-class destroyer
Displacement:
Length: 90.16 m (295 ft 10 in)
Beam: 9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
Draught: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines
Speed: 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph)
Range: 2,600 nmi (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement: 155 (wartime)
Armament:

Design and description

The Sauro-class destroyers were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Sella class.[1] They had an overall length of 90.16 meters (296 ft), a beam of 9.2 meters (30 ft 2 in) and a mean draft of 2.9 meters (9 ft 6 in). They displaced 1,058 metric tons (1,041 long tons) at standard load, and 1,600 metric tons (1,570 long tons) at deep load. Their complement was 8–10 officers and 146 enlisted men.[2]

The Sauros were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Yarrow boilers.[1] The turbines were rated at 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW) for a speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) in service,[3] although Nazario Sauro reached a speed of 36.5 knots (67.6 km/h; 42.0 mph) from 37,000 shp (28,000 kW) during her sea trials while lightly loaded.[4] The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).[1]

Their main battery consisted of four 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure.[2] Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Sauro-class ships was provided by a pair of 40-millimeter (1.6 in) AA guns in single mounts amidships and a pair of 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns. They were equipped with six 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships.[3] The Sauros could also carry 52 mines.[2]

Construction and career

Nazario Sauro was laid down by Odero-Terni-Orlando at their Genoa-Sestri Ponente shipyard on 9 February 1924, launched on 12 May 1926 and commissioned on 23 September 1926.[1]

Citations
  1. Whitley, p. 160
  2. Fraccaroli, p. 47
  3. Gardiner & Chesneau, p. 298
  4. McMurtrie, p. 281

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.
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
  • McMurtrie, Francis E., ed. (1937). Jane's Fighting Ships 1937. London: Sampson Low. OCLC 927896922.
  • O'Hara, Vincent P. (2009). Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater, 1940–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-648-3.
  • 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.

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