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REGIA MARINA / ITALIAN NAVY (ITALY)

ESCORTS

GABBIANO corvettes (1942-1953)

Gabbiano 1943

Gabbiano 1955

Gabbiano 1963

Project history: Experience of the first year of war on Mediterranean sea has shown necessity to have purpose-built ASW ships for guards of escorts, and the requirement for them increased with each month, in process of growth of losses among light naval forces. Creation of enough fast ship close on the elements to torpedo boats of Spica or Pegaso classes was originally supposed, however they not so approached for this purpose as were originally designed for other tasks and did not carry sufficient anti-submarine armament. Besides torpedo boats were too large and expensive in a building that became unacceptable for the ship which building was planned to develop the big series, by shipbuilders without wide experience of naval shipbuilding. In the summer of 1941 from several preliminary variants "pure" escort has been chosen, with moderate dimensions and speed, but with extremely strong anti-submarine armament including even torpedoes (for attack of surfaced submarines).

Interesting feature of new ships classified as "an anti-submarine corvette" became installation, besides main diesels, of two 150hp electric motors intended for silent running during attack of submarine. Battery capacity sufficed on 16nm under electric motors. Similar combined machinery was installed on all corvettes, except completed by Germans Bombarda and Carabina.

In total 60 corvettes were ordered, from them till September, 1943 28 were commissioned by Italian Navy.

In September, 1943 many ships of this class had got into German hands, both completed but scuttled by crews and incomplete at shipyards.

Germans completed Capriolo, Alee, Renna, Melpomene, Colubrina, Bombarda, Carabina, Spingarda, Tuffetto and Marangone, commissioned them as UJ6083, UJ6084, UJ6085, UJ202, UJ205, UJ206, UJ207, UJ208, UJ2222 and UJ2223 respectively.

Modernizations: 1946, all survived and completed: - 2 x 1 - 450 TT, 8 DCT, 2 DCR, 2 Ginocchio ASW towed torpedoes; + mechanical, magnetic and acoustic minesweeping gear

1950 - 1953, all survived and completed: - 2 x 2 - 20/65, 3 x 1 - 20/70, minesweeping gear, S-Gerät sonar, hydrophone; + 1 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 3, 2 x 1 - 450 TT, 4 DCT (Bombarda, Crisalide and Farfalla were so completed)

1956, Ape, Chimera, Pellicano: - 1 x 1 - 100/47, 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk 10 ASWRL, 1 DCR, SO-13 radar, QCU-2 sonar

1956, Cormorano, Danaide: - 1 x 1 - 100/47, 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 1 DCR, SPS-6 radar, QCU-2 sonar

1956, Sfinge: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 DCR, SPS-6 radar, QCU-2 sonar

1956, Fenice, Flora, Folaga, Pomona, Sibilla: - 1 x 1 - 100/47, 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk 10 ASWRL, 1 DCR, NSM-8 radar, QCU-2 sonar

1956, Baionetta: - 1 x 1 - 100/47, 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, 1 x 1 - 24/178 Hedgehog Mk 15 DCT, 2 DCR, NSM-8 radar, QCU-2 sonar

1956, Driade, Farfalla, Gru, Ibis, Minerva, Scimitarra, Urania, Crisalide: - 1 x 1 - 100/47, 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, 1 x 1 - 24/178 Hedgehog Mk 15 ASWRL, 2 DCR, SO-13 radar, QCU-2 sonar

1956, Gabbiano, Bombarda: - 1 x 1 - 100/47, + 1 x 1 - 24/178 Hedgehog Mk 15 DCT, 2 DCR, SO-13 radar, QCU-2 sonar

late 1950s, Sfinge: - 1 x 1 - 100/47; + 1 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk 10 ASWRL

1964, Ape: was converted to commando transport with armament consisted of 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 3

mid-1960s, Chimera, Cormorano, Danaide, Fenice, Flora, Folaga, Pellicano, Sfinge: - 1 DCR; + 1 DCR (for 12 DC)

Naval service: Procellaria was lost on a mine 31.1.1943 W of Sicily. Cicogna was damaged by British aircraft at Messina 24.7.1943 and ran aground. Gazzella 5.8.1943 was lost on a mine N of Sardinia. Berenice was sunk 9.9.1943 by German field artillery at attempt to escape from Trieste harbour.

In September, 1943 many ships of this class had got into German hands, both completed but scuttled by crews and incomplete at shipyards.

Artemide, Antelope, Camoscio and Vespa were commissioned by Kriegsmarine as UJ2226, UJ6082, UJ6081 and UJ2221 respectively.

Germans completed also Capriolo, Alee, Renna, Melpomene, Colubrina, Bombarda, Carabina, Spingarda, Tuffetto and Marangone, commissioned them as UJ6083, UJ6084, UJ6085, UJ202, UJ205, UJ206, UJ207, UJ208, UJ2222 and UJ2223 respectively.

Carabina (UJ207) in February, 1944 was sunk at Venice by Allied aircraft. Colubrina (UJ205) was sunk by Allied aircraft 27.3.1944 at Venice. Marangone (UJ2223) was sunk by Allied aircraft 16.8.1944 at Genoa. Antelope (UJ6082) was sunk 16.8.1944 W of Toulon by American destroyer  Endicott. Camoscio (UJ6081) was sunk 17.8.1944 SE of Toulon by American destroyer Somers. Renna (UJ6085) was sunk by Allied aircraft 4.9.1944 at Genoa. Spingarda (UJ208) and Melpomene (UJ202) were sunk 1.11.1944 off Zadar by British escort destroyers Avon Vale and Wheatland. Capriolo (UJ6083), Alee (UJ6084), Tuffetto (UJ2222), Vespa (UJ2221), Artemide (UJ2226) were scuttled 24.4.1945 at Genoa. Bombarda (UJ206) was hard damaged at Venice by Allied aircraft 4.4.1944 and scuttled 25.4.1945.

Euterpe 1943

Chimera 1943

Minerva 1951

Danaide 1952

© Ivan Gogin, 2009-15