The Ciclone class were a group of torpedo boats or destroyer escorts built for the Italian Navy which fought in the Second World War. They were modified, slightly heavier, versions of the previous Orsa class, with improved stability and heavier anti-submarine armament. These ships were built as part of the Italian war mobilization programme and completed in 1942–43.
All units were fitted with a sonar, and also torpedo launchers were present in the same quantity and placement for all units of the class. However, there were three different gun configurations in the class:
Ghibli, Impavido, Impetuoso, Indomito were fitted with 3 single 100mm/47 guns, plus 4 dual 20mm/65 machine guns.
Aliseo, Ardente, Ciclone, Fortunale, Groppo, Monsone, Tifone, Uragano with 2 single 100mm/47 guns and 8 × 20mm/65 machine guns.
Animoso, Ardito, Ardimentoso, Intrepido with 2 single 100mm/47 guns, while the central mounting was fitted with a quadruple 20mm/65 mounting, for a total of 12 AA machine guns.
She sank submarine HMS Turbulent on 6 March 1943.[3] The vessel took part of the action off Bastia along Aliseo, but she was eventually captured by the Germans in September 1943 and served as TA26.[4] Either sunk 15 June 1944 by US Navy PT boats or destroyed by sabotage at Rapallo on 6 July 1944[5]
She took part in the shooting down of three Beaufort bombers and a Beaufighter while escorting a convoy to Libya between 20 and 21 August 1942.[6] Sunk by mines 8 March 1943
Fortunale
CRDA, Trieste
18 April 1942
Sank submarine HMS P222 on 12 December 1942. Reparation to the USSR, 1949 as destroyer Liotny (Лётный), sunk as target ship 1959
Ghibli
Navalmeccanica
28 February 1943
Seized by the Germans in September 1943, but not repaired. Scuttled in La Spezia 25 April 1945
Groppo
Navalmeccanica
19 April 1943
She claimed the shooting down of a Bristol Beaufort while escorting a convoy on 23 January 1943. The Italian freighter Verona was torpedoed and sunk in the action. Groppo also captured an RAF inflatable motor boat with two airmen aboard after their Lockheed Hudson bomber was shot down by German aircraft while escorting a convoy near the Skerki Banks on 22 February. Sunk 25 May 1943, by USAAF B-17 bombers at Messina[7]
Impavido
CT Riva Trigoso
24 February 1943
Captured by the Germans in September 1943, served as TA23. Struck a mine on 25 April 1944 and finished off by British MTBs while taken in tow[8]
Impetouso
CT Riva Trigoso
20 April 1943
Scuttled 11 September 1943
Indomito
CT Riva Trigoso
6 July 1943
War reparation to the Yugoslav Navy, 1949 as the Biokovo
Intrepido
CT Riva Trigoso
8 September 1943
Captured by the Germans in September 1943, served as TA25. Sunk by US PT boats 15 July 1944[9]
Monsone
Navalmeccanica
7 June 1942
She beat off the attack of three British MTBs off Marettimo on 16 February 1943, while escorting a four-ship convoy along with Sirio and the Gabbiano class corvettesGabbiano and Antilope. The motor torpedo boats were caught in advance by the escorts' sonar.[10] Sunk 1 March 1943 at Naples by USAAF aircraft[11]
Close escort of the Cigno convoy on 16 April 1943, when she shepherded the transport Belluno to Trapani. As part of the same mission, she delivered aviation fuel to Bizerte. After successfully repeating the ressuply operation in the first days of May, Tifone was damaged by USAAF aircraft and scuttled at Korbous, Tunisia, on 7 May 1943
Units of this class were heavily engaged in escort duties between Italy and Northern Africa, or in anti-submarine patrols. Some units were still incomplete when Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile, and were sabotaged by the Italians, or captured by the Germans, completed and reclassified as "Torpedoboot Ausland" (Foreign Torpedo-boat).
Five units survived the war, to be transferred to the USSR, Greece and Yugoslavia as reparation for war damages. None was left in service with Italian Navy.[14]
ReferencesEdit
^Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946
^Александр Широкорад: Чудо-оружие СССР -Тайны советского оружия, ISBN5-9533-0411-0, p. 119
^"HMS Turbulent (N 98) of the Royal Navy - British Submarine of the T class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
^Giorgerini, Giorgio (2001). La guerra italiana sul mare. La Marina tra vittoria e sconfitta 1940-1943 (in Italian). Mondadori. p. 550. ISBN8804405813.
^Torpediniera Monsone From trentoincina.it (in Italian)
^The Italian Regia Marina and the Armistice of 8 September 1943
^Axis History Forum • View topic - korsika bastia 1943
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The Ciclone class were a group of torpedo boats or destroyer escorts built for the Italian Navy which fought in the Second World War They were modified slightly heavier versions of the previous Orsa class with improved stability and heavier anti submarine armament These ships were built as part of the Italian war mobilization programme and completed in 1942 43 The Ciclone class torpedo boat AliseoClass overviewOperators Regia Marina Kriegsmarine Yugoslav Navy Soviet NavyBuilt1941 1943In commission1942 1949Completed16Lost11General characteristics 1 TypeTorpedo boatDisplacement910 long tons 920 t standard 1 625 long tons 1 651 t full loadLength82 5 m 270 ft 8 in pp 87 75 m 287 ft 11 in oaBeam9 9 m 32 ft 6 in Draught3 77 m 12 ft 4 in Propulsion2 shaft steam turbines 2 Yarrow type boilers 16 000 hp 11 900 kW Speed26 knots 48 km h 30 mph Complement154Sensors and processing systemsSonar and hydrophonesArmament2 100 mm 4 in 47 caliber guns 3 guns in some ships after refit 8 20 mm 0 79 in anti aircraft guns 4 450 mm 18 in torpedo tubes 4 6 depth charge throwers 2 x depth charge racks Contents 1 Armament 2 Ships 3 History 4 References 5 External linksArmament EditAll units were fitted with a sonar and also torpedo launchers were present in the same quantity and placement for all units of the class However there were three different gun configurations in the class Ghibli Impavido Impetuoso Indomito were fitted with 3 single 100mm 47 guns plus 4 dual 20mm 65 machine guns Aliseo Ardente Ciclone Fortunale Groppo Monsone Tifone Uragano with 2 single 100mm 47 guns and 8 20mm 65 machine guns Animoso Ardito Ardimentoso Intrepido with 2 single 100mm 47 guns while the central mounting was fitted with a quadruple 20mm 65 mounting for a total of 12 AA machine guns Ships EditShip Builder Launched Operational HistoryAliseo Navalmeccanica 20 September 1942 On 8 September 1943 Aliseo engaged and destroyed several German auxiliary vessels off Bastia right after the Cassibile armistice War reparation to the Yugoslav Navy 1949 as RE 51 Triglav it sl Animoso Ansaldo Genoa 15 April 1942 Reparation to the USSR 1949 as destroyer Ladny Ladnyj broken up 1958 sunk as target by P 15 missile 28 August 1959 2 Ardente Ansaldo Genoa 27 May 1942 Sank submarine HMS P48 on 25 December 1942 Sunk in collision with the destroyer Grecale 12 January 1943Ardimentoso Ansaldo Genoa 27 June 1942 Reparation to the USSR 1949 as destroyer Liuty Lyutyj broken up 1960Ardito Ansaldo Genoa 16 March 1942 She sank submarine HMS Turbulent on 6 March 1943 3 The vessel took part of the action off Bastia along Aliseo but she was eventually captured by the Germans in September 1943 and served as TA26 4 Either sunk 15 June 1944 by US Navy PT boats or destroyed by sabotage at Rapallo on 6 July 1944 5 Ciclone CRDA Trieste 1 March 1942 She took part in the shooting down of three Beaufort bombers and a Beaufighter while escorting a convoy to Libya between 20 and 21 August 1942 6 Sunk by mines 8 March 1943Fortunale CRDA Trieste 18 April 1942 Sank submarine HMS P222 on 12 December 1942 Reparation to the USSR 1949 as destroyer Liotny Lyotnyj sunk as target ship 1959Ghibli Navalmeccanica 28 February 1943 Seized by the Germans in September 1943 but not repaired Scuttled in La Spezia 25 April 1945Groppo Navalmeccanica 19 April 1943 She claimed the shooting down of a Bristol Beaufort while escorting a convoy on 23 January 1943 The Italian freighter Verona was torpedoed and sunk in the action Groppo also captured an RAF inflatable motor boat with two airmen aboard after their Lockheed Hudson bomber was shot down by German aircraft while escorting a convoy near the Skerki Banks on 22 February Sunk 25 May 1943 by USAAF B 17 bombers at Messina 7 Impavido CT Riva Trigoso 24 February 1943 Captured by the Germans in September 1943 served as TA23 Struck a mine on 25 April 1944 and finished off by British MTBs while taken in tow 8 Impetouso CT Riva Trigoso 20 April 1943 Scuttled 11 September 1943Indomito CT Riva Trigoso 6 July 1943 War reparation to the Yugoslav Navy 1949 as the BiokovoIntrepido CT Riva Trigoso 8 September 1943 Captured by the Germans in September 1943 served as TA25 Sunk by US PT boats 15 July 1944 9 Monsone Navalmeccanica 7 June 1942 She beat off the attack of three British MTBs off Marettimo on 16 February 1943 while escorting a four ship convoy along with Sirio and the Gabbiano class corvettes Gabbiano and Antilope The motor torpedo boats were caught in advance by the escorts sonar 10 Sunk 1 March 1943 at Naples by USAAF aircraft 11 Tifone CRDA Trieste 31 March 1942 Close escort of the Cigno convoy on 16 April 1943 when she shepherded the transport Belluno to Trapani As part of the same mission she delivered aviation fuel to Bizerte After successfully repeating the ressuply operation in the first days of May Tifone was damaged by USAAF aircraft and scuttled at Korbous Tunisia on 7 May 1943Uragano CRDA Trieste 3 May 1942 Sunk by mines 3 February 1943History EditUnits of this class were heavily engaged in escort duties between Italy and Northern Africa or in anti submarine patrols Some units were still incomplete when Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile and were sabotaged by the Italians or captured by the Germans completed and reclassified as Torpedoboot Ausland Foreign Torpedo boat Aliseo with Carlo Fecia di Cossato in command destroyed eight German auxiliary vessels near the port of Bastia Corsica 12 13 For this success di Cossato was given the highest Italian military decoration the Gold Medal of Military Valor Five units survived the war to be transferred to the USSR Greece and Yugoslavia as reparation for war damages None was left in service with Italian Navy 14 References Edit Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Aleksandr Shirokorad Chudo oruzhie SSSR Tajny sovetskogo oruzhiya ISBN 5 9533 0411 0 p 119 HMS Turbulent N 98 of the Royal Navy British Submarine of the T class Allied Warships of WWII uboat net uboat net Retrieved 2018 09 13 Destroyers of WW2 by M J Whitley page 174 TA25 Shores Cull amp Malizia 1991 Malta The Spitfire Year 1942 Grub Street pp 522 524 ISBN 0 948817 16 X Colombo Lorenzo 3 January 2016 Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo Groppo Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo in Italian Retrieved 2018 09 15 TA23 TA26 Giorgerini Giorgio 2001 La guerra italiana sul mare La Marina tra vittoria e sconfitta 1940 1943 in Italian Mondadori p 550 ISBN 8804405813 Torpediniera Monsone From trentoincina it in Italian The Italian Regia Marina and the Armistice of 8 September 1943 Axis History Forum View topic korsika bastia 1943 in Italian Italian navy website External links EditHistorical Ships Marina Militare websitePortals nbsp Italy nbsp Engineering nbsp World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ciclone class torpedo boat amp oldid 1145031267, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
