View source for Navigatori-class destroyer

{{Short description|Italian military ships}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=June 2023}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin|sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Nicolo Zeno at anchor.jpg
|Ship caption= {{ship|Italian destroyer|Nicolò Zeno||2}}
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=Navigatori class
|Builders=
|Operators=*{{navy|Kingdom of Italy|name=''Regia Marina''}}
* {{navy|Italy|navy-1947|name=''Marina Militare''}}
* {{navy|Nazi Germany|name=''Kriegsmarine''}}
|Class before={{sclass|Turbine|destroyer|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Freccia|destroyer|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=1928–1929
|In commission range=1929–1954
|Total ships completed=12
|Total ships lost=11
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship type=[[Destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=* {{cvt|1900|LT|t|lk=on|0}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
* {{cvt|2580|LT|t|0}} ([[full load]])
|Ship length={{convert|107.28|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|10.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|3.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts; 2 geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|32|kn|lk=in|1}}
|Ship range= {{cvt|3800|nmi|lk=on}} at {{convert|18|kn}}
|Ship power=* 4 [[water-tube boiler]]s
* {{Cvt|55000|hp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship complement=222–225 (wartime)
|Ship armament=*3 × twin [[120 mm Italian naval gun#50-calibre Ansaldo 1926|{{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] guns
* 2 × single [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|{{cvt|40|mm|in|1}}]] [[AA gun]]s
* 4 × twin [[Breda Model 1931 Machine Gun|{{cvt|13.2|mm}} machine guns]]
* 6 × {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
* 86–104 [[Naval mine|mines]]}}
|}
The '''Navigatori class''' were a group of Italian destroyers built in 1928–1929 for the {{lang|it|[[Regia Marina]]}} (Royal Italian Navy), named after Italian explorers. They fought in [[World War II]]. Just one vessel, ''Nicoloso Da Recco'', survived the conflict.

==Design==
These ships were built for the [[Regia Marina]] as a reply to the large ''contre-torpilleurs'' of the [[Chacal-class destroyer|''Jaguar'']] and {{sclass|Guépard|destroyer|5}} classes built for the [[French Navy]]. These ships were significantly larger than other contemporary Italian destroyers and were initially classed as ''esploratori'' or scouts. They were re-rated as destroyers in 1938.

The main armament was a new model [[120 mm Italian naval gun#50-calibre Ansaldo 1926|{{convert|120|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}}/50]] [[Naval artillery|gun]]<ref>Campbell, pp. 335–338</ref> in three twin turrets which allowed for 45° elevation. The [[torpedo]] launchers consisted of two triple banks, each unusually comprising two {{convert|533|mm|0|abbr=on}} separated by one {{convert|450|mm|0|abbr=on}}. Two [[Rangefinding telemeter|rangefinder]] positions were provided; one above the [[Bridge (ship)|bridge]] and one in the after [[Superstructure#Aboard ships and large boats|superstructure]].

Unit machinery was used comprising four [[boiler]]s in two widely spaced boiler rooms and two turbine rooms. The forward unit drove the port shaft and the aft unit drove the starboard shaft. Trials were run light and with overloaded machinery leading to speeds of up to {{convert|43.5|kn|lk=in}} which were not achievable under service conditions.

The ships were fast, but were found to lack stability and were rebuilt with clipper bows, increased beam and reduced superstructure in the late 1930s.

During the war the torpedoes were replaced by triple 21-inch tubes and extra [[anti-aircraft guns]] were added.

{{clear}}
==Ships==
{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data
|-
! scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" | Named after
! scope="col" | Builder
! scope="col" | Commissioned
! scope="col" | Operational history
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Alvise Da Mosto||2}}
|[[Alvise Cadamosto]]
|[[3. Maj|CNQ]], [[Fiume]]
|15 March 1931
|Sunk by {{HMS|Aurora|12|6}} and {{HMS|Penelope|97|6}} near Tripoli, 1 December 1941, while escorting the tanker ''Iridio Mantovani''
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Antonio da Noli||2}}
|[[Antonio da Noli]]
|[[Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso|CT]], [[Riva Trigoso]]
|29 December 1929
|Sunk by mines in the Strait of Bonifacio on 9 September 1943
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Nicoloso da Recco||2}}
|[[Nicoloso da Recco]]
|[[Cantiere navale di Ancona|CNR]], [[Ancona]]
|20 May 1930
|Decommissioned on 15 July 1954 and scrapped
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Giovanni da Verrazzano||2}}
|[[Giovanni da Verrazzano]]
|CNQ, Fiume
|25 September 1930
|Sunk 19 October 1942 by {{HMS|Unbending|P37|6}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Lanzerotto Malocello||2}}
|[[Lanzerotto Malocello]]
|[[Gio. Ansaldo & C.|Ansaldo]], [[Genoa]]
|18 January 1930
|Lost on 24 March 1943 to a mine north of [[Cape Bon]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Leone Pancaldo||2}}
|[[Leon Pancaldo]]
|CT, Riva Trigoso
|30 November 1929
|Bombed and sunk on 30 April 1943
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Emanuele Pessagno||2}}
|[[Emanuele Pessagno]]
|CNR, Ancona
|10 March 1930
|Torpedoed and sunk by British submarine {{HMS|Turbulent|N98|6}}, 29 May 1942
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Antonio Pigafetta||2}}
|[[Antonio Pigafetta]]
|CNQ, Fiume
|1 May 1931
|Captured by the Germans after the [[Armistice with Italy|Italian armistice with the Allies]], served as ''[[Torpedoboot Ausland|TA44]]''; sunk at Trieste by air raid on 21 February 1945
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Luca Tarigo||2}}
| [[Luca Tarigo]]
|Ansaldo, Genoa
|16 November 1929
|Sunk by British destroyers on 16 April 1941
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Antoniotto Usodimare||2}}
|[[Antoniotto Usodimare]]
|[[Cantieri navali Odero|Odero]], [[Sestri Ponente]]
|21 November 1929
|Sunk by the {{ship|Italian submarine|Alagi||6}}, 8 June 1942
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Ugolino Vivaldi||2}}
|[[Ugolino Vivaldi]]
|Odero, Sestri Ponente
|6 March 1930
|Following the Italian Armistice, she was damaged by German coastal artillery in the Strait of Bonifacio and bombed by German aircraft while attempting to reach internment in [[Spain]]. Unable to reach Spain, she was scuttled by her crew on 10 September 1943.
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian destroyer|Nicolò Zeno||2}}
|[[Nicolò Zeno]]
|CNQ, Fiume
|27 May 1930
|Scuttled in Trieste on 9 September 1943 to prevent capture by the Germans following the [[Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces|Italian Armistice]]
|}

==Notes==

{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Ando |first=Elio |editor-last=Preston |editor-first=Antony |editor-link=Antony Preston |series=Warship Special |title=Super Destroyers |chapter=The Italian ''Navigatori'' Class, 1928 |volume=II |year=1978 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |isbn=0-85177-131-9}}
* {{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, MD |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, MD |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 |isbn=0-7110-0002-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Roberts |first=John |editor-last=Chesneau |editor-first=Roger |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |chapter=Italy |pages=280–317 |publisher=Mayflower Books |location=New York |year=1980 |isbn=0-8317-0303-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Rohwer |first=Jürgen |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer |title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |year=2005 |edition=3rd. rev. |isbn=1-59114-119-2}}
* Shores, Cull & Malizia (1991). ''Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942''. Grub Street. {{ISBN|0-948817-16-X}}
* {{cite book  |last1=Smigielski |first1=Adam |editor1-last=Chumbley |editor1-first=Stephen |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995  |chapter=Italy |pages=195–218 |year=1995 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=1-55750-132-7}}
* {{cite book |first=M. J. |last=Whitley |author-link=Michael J. Whitley |title=Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopaedia |year=1988 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=1-85409-521-8}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last1=Cernuschi |first1=Enrico |editor-last=Jordan |editor-first=John |title=Warship 2022 |chapter=''Esploratori'' of the ''Regia Marina'', 1906—1939 |date=2022 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |pages=147–160 |isbn=978-1-4728-4781-2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Navigatori class destroyer}}
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=560&navy=IT "Navigatori class" from Uboat.net]

{{Navigatori class destroyer}}
{{Italian destroyers, frigates and corvettes post-1945}}
{{WWII Italian ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Navigatori-class destroyer}}
[[Category:Destroyer classes]]
[[Category:Navigatori-class destroyers| ]]