Turbine-class destroyer

{{Short description|Italian naval ship class (1927–1943)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=Espero at anchor.jpg |image_caption= ''Espero'' at anchor }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview |name=''Turbine'' class |builders= |operators=*{{navy|Kingdom of Italy|name=''Regia Marina''}} *{{navy|Nazi Germany|name=''Kriegsmarine''}} |class_before={{sclass2|Sauro|destroyer|4}} |class_after={{sclass2|Navigatori|destroyer|4}} |cost= |built_range=1925–1928 |in_service_range= |in_commission_range=1927–1943 |total_ships_completed=8 |total_ships_lost=8 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption=(as built) |type=Destroyer |displacement=*{{cvt|1090|t|LT|lk=on}} (standard) *{{cvt|1700|t|LT|-1}} (full load) |length= {{convert|93.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |beam= {{convert|9.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |draught= {{convert|3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |power=*3 Thornycroft boilers *{{Cvt|40000|shp|lk=on}} |propulsion=2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |speed={{convert|33|kn|lk=in}} |range= {{convert|3200|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|14|kn}} |complement=179 |armament=* 2 × twin {{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}} guns * 2 × single {{cvt|40|mm|in|1}} AA guns * 4 × twin {{cvt|13.2|mm}} machine guns * 2 × triple {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes * 52 mines |notes= }} }} The '''''Turbine''-class destroyer''' was a group of eight destroyers built for the {{lang|it|Regia Marina}} (Royal Italian Navy) in the 1920s. The ships played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1937, supporting the Nationalists. All the ships of the class were lost during World War II.

==Design and description== The ''Turbine''-class destroyers were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding {{sclass|Sauro|destroyer|4}}. In an effort to improve their speed, they were lengthened and given more powerful propulsion machinery than the earlier ships. This provided more space for fuel oil which increased their endurance as well.<ref name=w9/>

They had an overall length of {{convert|93.2|m|ft|0|sp=us}}, a beam of {{convert|9.2|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a mean draft of {{convert|3|m|ftin|sp=us}}.<ref name=w9>Whitley, p. 161</ref> They displaced {{convert|1090|t|LT|sp=us|lk=on}} at standard load, and {{convert|1700|t|LT|sp=us|-1}} at deep load. Their complement was 12 officers and 167 enlisted men.<ref name=f8/>

The ''Turbine''s were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Thornycroft boilers. The turbines were rated at {{convert|40000|shp|lk=on}} for a speed of {{convert|33|kn|lk=in}} in service,<ref name=g0>Roberts, p. 299</ref> although the ships reached speeds in excess of {{convert|36|kn}} during their sea trials while lightly loaded.<ref>McMurtrie, p. 280</ref> They carried {{convert|274|t|LT}} of fuel oil which gave them a range of {{convert|3200|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|14|kn}}.<ref name=w9/>

Their main battery consisted of four {{convert|120|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}} guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure.<ref name=f8>Fraccaroli, p. 47</ref> Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the ''Turbine''-class ships was provided by a pair of {{convert|40|mm|in|1|adj=on|sp=us}} AA guns in single mounts amidships and a twin-gun mount for {{convert|13.2|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} machine guns. They were equipped with six {{convert|533|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us|0}} torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships.<ref name=g0/> The ''Turbine''s could carry 52 mines.<ref name=f8/>

{{clear}} ==Ships == {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:97%;" |+ Construction data |- ! scope="col" | Ship ! scope="col" | Builder ! scope="col" | Launched ! scope="col" | Date of loss ! scope="col" | Fate |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Aquilone|1927|2}} | Odero || 3 August 1927 || 17 September 1940 || Sunk on mines laid by aircraft from {{HMS|Illustrious|87|6}} outside Benghazi harbour with a loss of 13 men. |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Borea|1927|2}} | Ansaldo || 28 January 1927 || 17 September 1940 || Sunk by aircraft from {{HMS|Illustrious|87|6}} in Benghazi harbour with a loss of one man. |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Espero|1927|2}} | Ansaldo || 31 August 1927 || 28 June 1940 || Sunk by {{HMAS|Sydney|D48|6}} off Tobruk during a troop transport mission to Tobruk. |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Euro|1927|2}} | CNT || 7 July 1927 || 3 October 1943 || Sunk by German aircraft off Leros, Greece. |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Nembo|1927|2}} | CNT || 27 January 1927 || 20 July 1940 || Sunk by Swordfish torpedo bombers from {{HMS|Eagle|1918|6}} in Tobruk harbour with a loss of 25 men. |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Ostro|1928|2}} | Ansaldo || 2 January 1928 || 20 July 1940 || Sunk by Swordfish torpedo bombers from {{HMS|Eagle|1918|6}} in Tobruk harbour with a loss of 42 men. |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Turbine|1927|2}} | Odero || 21 April 1927 || 16 September 1944 || Sunk by rockets fired by USAAF aircraft in Salamis. |- ! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Zeffiro|1927|2}} | Ansaldo || 27 May 1927 || 5 July 1940 || Sunk by Swordfish torpedo bombers from {{HMS|Eagle|1918|6}} in Tobruk with a loss of 21 men. |}

== History == thumb|''Borea'' at high speed During the Spanish Civil War, the Italians supported the Spanish Nationalists not only by assisting them with war supplies, but also through undercover operations against enemy shipping. In the course of these missions, the destroyer ''Ostro'' torpedoed and sank the Spanish Republican freighter {{SS|Conde de Abasolo}} on 13 August 1937,<ref>González Etchegaray, Rafael (1977). ''La Marina Mercante y el Trafico Maritimo en la Guerra Civil''. Editorial San Martin, p. 416. {{ISBN|84-7140-150-9}} {{in lang|es}}</ref> while ''Turbine'' sank the Soviet cargo ship ''Timiryazev'' by the same means on 30 August, both of them off the coast of French Algeria.<ref>Rohwer, Jürgen and Monakov, Mikhail (2001). ''Stalin's ocean-going fleet: Soviet naval strategy and shipbuilding programmes, 1935-1953''. Routledge, p. 66. {{ISBN|0-7146-4895-7}}</ref>

When Italy declared war against Britain and France during World War II, all eight ships of the ''Turbine'' class were based in Tobruk, Libya. They were tasked with mine laying duties and transporting supplies from Taranto to Tobruk. On 16 June 1940, ''Turbine'' sank the British submarine {{HMS|Orpheus|N46|6}} just off Tobruk.<ref>[http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3396.html HMS ''Orpheus'' (N 46)] from u-boat.net</ref>

''Turbine'', ''Aquilone'', and ''Nembo'' took part in the shelling of the Egyptian port of Sollum on 14 June 1940. They repeated this action on 26 June.<ref name=sol>Rohwer, Jürgen, and Hümmelchen, Gerhard (1992). ''Chronology of the war at sea 1939-1945: the naval history of World War two''. Naval Institute Press, p. 24. {{ISBN|1-55750-105-X}}</ref>

On 28 June 1940, ''Espero'', ''Ostro'', and ''Zeffiro'' were in convoy, heavily loaded down with cargo, when they were intercepted by a British task force of five ships. In the ensuing battle, {{HMAS|Sydney|1934|6}} sank ''Espero'' as it lagged behind to allow the other two destroyers to reach Benghazi and later Tobruk safely.<ref>Greene & Massignani, pp. 63–65</ref>

On 5 July 1940, the British aircraft carrier {{HMS|Eagle|1918|6}} attacked Tobruk harbor. Its Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers sank ''Zeffiro'', and severely damaged ''Euro''. Later that month, on 20 July, during another attack on Tobruk harbour, Swordfish from HMS ''Eagle'' torpedoed and sank both ''Nembo'' and ''Ostro''. On 17 September of the same year, Swordfish from {{HMS|Illustrious|R87|6}} attacked Benghazi harbor where ''Aquilone'' and ''Borea'' were berthed, and both were sunk.<ref>[http://www.naval-history.net/WW2CampaignsCarriers.htm Aircraft Carrier Warfare, 1939-41], from Naval-History.net</ref> ''Euro'' was part of the escort of the ill-fated ''Duisburg'' convoy, when her commander lost the opportunity of torpedoing the cruiser {{HMS|Aurora|12|6}} due to an error of identification. On 3 July 1942, while escorting three freighters from Taranto to Benghazi along with the {{sclass2|Navigatori|destroyer|2}} ''Da Verrazzano'', ''Euro'' and ''Turbine'' shot down two Beaufort bombers.<ref>Shores, Cull & Malizia (1991). ''Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942''. Grub Street, p. 387. {{ISBN|0-948817-16-X}}</ref>

After Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile in September 1943, ''Euro'' participated in the Battle of Leros where she was sunk by German Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive bombers during an air raid on 3 October 1943.<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/1943.html Comando Supremo, Events of 1943]</ref> ''Turbine'' was seized by the ''Kriegsmarine'' and put into service in the Aegean Sea as a torpedo boat. On 19 June 1944, at Porto Lago, she was badly damaged by an explosion, which was thought to have been sabotage. She set in to the port of Salamis for repairs, but a US air strike on the port on 16 September sank her before they could be entirely completed.<ref>[http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/captured/torpedoboats/ta/ta14/index.html Kriegsmarine history page]</ref>

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography== * {{cite book|last=Brescia|first=Maurizio|title=Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45|year=2012|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-544-8}} *{{cite book |last=Campbell |first=John|title=Naval Weapons of World War Two |publisher=Naval Institute Press |date =1985 |location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn =0-87021-459-4}} *{{cite book |last1=Fraccaroli |first1=Aldo |title=Italian Warships of World War II |date=1968 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton, UK |isbn=0-7110-0002-6}} *{{cite book|last1=Greene|first1=Jack|last2=Massignani|first2=Alessandro|title=The Naval War in the Mediterranean, 1940–1943|publisher=Chatham Publishing|location=London|year=1998| name-list-style=amp|isbn=1-86176-057-4}} *{{cite book|last=Gustavsson |first=Hakan |title=Desert Prelude 1940-41: Early Clashes |year=2010 |publisher=Casemate Publishers |isbn= 978-8389450524}} *{{cite book |editor1-last=McMurtrie |editor1-first=Francis E. |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1937 |date=1937 |publisher=Sampson Low |location=London |oclc=927896922}} *{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Mayflower Books|location=New York|year=1980|isbn=0-8317-0303-2 |chapter=Italy |last1=Roberts |first1=John|pages=280–317}} * {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|authorlink=Jürgen Rohwer}} * {{cite book|first=M. J.|last=Whitley|title=Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia |year=1988|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=1-85409-521-8 |authorlink=Michael J. Whitley}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Turbine class destroyer}} *[http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=559 Uboat.net: ''Turbine'' class destroyers] *[http://www.steelnavy.com/RM%20Turbine.htm SteelNavy Ship Modeling: ''Turbine'' class] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016113519/http://www.steelnavy.com/RM%20Turbine.htm |date=16 October 2012 }}

Category:Destroyer classes Category:Turbine-class destroyers Category:Military units and formations of the Spanish Civil War (National faction)