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Cacciatorpediniere Classe Sella

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Sella class destroyers

Built by the Officine e Cantieri Pattison at Naples. The Sella class was a strengthened and larger design, developed from the classes Palestro and Curtatone which were laid down at the ending of World War One and were finished in the first Twenties.
For the first time in the construction of an Italian destroyer were incorporated 21in(533mm) torpedoes, and 4.7in(120mm) guns none single and other twin mountings; at the same level that destroyers the main Navies were laying down. To allow the manipulation and launching of mines the structure wherefor the aft 120mm turret was elevated two and half meters over the level of afterdeck.

Yet in 1928, because excessive top weight and to certain structural lightness all the units of Sella class were refitted to improve the sea keeping. However they continued to have some problems with heavy seas.

In 1929 was introduced a twin turret at upper deck in place of the existent single gun to have four 120mm/45 guns. The Sella class twin turrets, unusual in other Navies, except Japanese Navy, were installed in all successive classes of Italian destroyers.

The Nicotera and the Ricasoli were sold to Sweden in May 1940, together with the torpedo boats Spica and Astore, and two M.A.S. motor torpedo launches. On the trip to Swedish ports, with Swedish flag and crew, and escorted by Swedish units there were an obscure incident during which the British intercepted and interned the convoy. After a short time and some diplomatic activities they were released to Sweden.

At the beginning of the war the Crispi and the Sella served mainly in the Aegean Sea Theatre during the hostilities.
Classe Sella
Top board view
Destroyer Sella
Destroyer Sella
Destroyer Sella
Afterdeck detail
 Destroyer Crispi
Top front view
Destroyer Sella

Cacciatorpediniere Sella
Top afterdeck view
Cacciatorpediniere Sella
Sella class

Destroyer Sella
Aft 120/45 turret

Profile

Quintino Sella class
Front board view
     
Plan views

Profile, plan and front
    

Technical information
Displacement 970Tm standard, 1279Tm normal, 1480Tm full
Measures(m) Length: 84.9 Beam: 8.6 Draught: 2.68 standard
Machinery 55000sHP, 2 Parsons geared turbines, 4 Thornycroft boilers, fuel 255Tm maximum
Performance Speed: 32 knots Range: 1800nautical miles at 14n
Fuel: 200Tm normal
Armament
3 120mm/45 guns, 2 40mm/39 Vickers-Terni, 2 Breda single 13.2mm AA, 2 twin 21in torpedo launchers. Mine rails to launch 40 mines
Modifications 1928: Refit to solve sea keeping and structural deficiencies
1928: 120mm twin turret at upper deck substituted the single gun
Crew 5 officials and 120 men

Ship details 3D images

Name and hull identification

Bettino Ricasoli RC
Francesco Crispi CP CR
TA-15 (German)
Giovanni Nicotera NT
Quintino Sella SE

 

Destroyer Crispi
Upperdeck minerails
Top bridge, DCT and
Turret A
Destroyer Nicotera
Funnels and others
Nicotera
Top afterdeck detail
Position of turret one deck over mine rails
Destroyer Ricasoli
Mine rails view
Cacciatorpediniere Sella
Upper deck
Destroyer Ricasoli
Fire director mid (DCT)

Bridge and funnels 3D images

The Sella class in the service of the Regia Marina

Bettino Ricasoli: The Ricasoli was laid down in the Pattison dockyard in 1925, launched in 1926 and entered service in the same year. She was sold to Sweden in May 1940 with the Nicotera, the torpedo boats Spica and Astore, and two M.A.S. motor torpedo launches.
In the Swedish Navy she was named Puke; during the voyage to Sweden and her service there were revealed weaknesses in the machinery that were never definitively resolved.

Francesco Crispi: the Crispi was laid down in the Pattison dockyard in 1923, launched in 1925 and entered into service in the Regia Marina in 1927. During the modifications made in 1936 the turbines were changed.
During Second World War she was in the Aegean Sea over the course of hostilities until she was lost. During the war there was substituted the 40/39with four machine guns 20mm/65 in single mountings; she was also painted with shapes of different colors for camouflaging during 1942.
At surrender of Italy in 1943 she was captured by the Germans in the Piraeus: she sank in March 1944 during an air raid on Crete in the East African Campaign.

Giovanni Nicotera: laid down in 1925 by Pattison, launched in 1926 and commissioned in 1927. Was sold to Sweden in 1940 along with other Italian units. In the Swedish Navy she was renamed Psilander; during service the poor state of machinery was evident.

Quintino Sella: the cacciatorpediniere Sella was laid down in 1922 by Pattison, launched in 1925 and commissioned in 1926.
For the first time an Italian destroyer incorporated in its construction torpedoes of 21 inches (533mm) and guns of 120mm (4.7in) matching the destroyers of other nations.
During the refit of 1936 was installed a new type of boilers. Served in World War II in which she was transferred to the Aegean Sea where she stayed until 1942 when she returned to the Adriatic; during the war the older 40/39 guns were changed by modern anti-aircraft machine guns 20mm/65 in single mountings, at surrender of Italy was attacked on September 8, 1943 by a German motor torpedo boat and was lost.

Destroyer Crispi
Top bridge detail
Destroyer Nicotera
Back funnels and bridge
Destroyer Crispi
Top board bridge detail

Destroyer Crispi
Top bridge and funnels
Destroyer Ricasoli
Funnels & boats		 Destroyer Crispi
Fore DCT detail		 Destroyer Nicotera
Aft DCT detail
Destroyer Crispi
Bridge front
   
Main 120/45 guns - 3D images
Destroyer Ricasoli
Mine rails and turret Y

Destroyer Sella
Aft 120/45 turret

Destroyer Crispi
Fore 120/45 turret
Destroyer Nicotera
Fore 120/45 turret
 
Aft turret on an elevated structure above mine rails
Destroyer Crispi
after deck 120/45 turret
Destroyer Sella
OTO 120/45 guns
  

AA weapons - 3D images

Destroyer Crispi
13.2mm AA and 40/39
Destroyer Nicotera
Antiaircraft weapons
Destroyer Ricasoli
Antiaircraft weapons
 Destroyer Ricasoli
Front from fore mast
 
Destroyer Crispi
Vickers-Terni 40/39 AA
Destroyer Nicotera
Vickers-Terni 40/39 AA
Destroyer Crispi
Breda 13.2mm AA
  

Mine warfare and torpedo tubes

Destroyer Sella
Minerails and torpedoes
Destroyer Crispi
torpedo launchers detail
Destroyer Ricasoli
Minerails top view
Aft turret on an elevated structure above mine rails
References
 Jane´s Warships of the WWII
Jane´s Warships of the WWI
 Destroyers, Frigates, & Corvettes By Robert Jackson
La storia della REGIA MARINA ITALIANA nella seconda guerra mondiale - Andrea Piccinotti
 Warships of World War II Válecné lode druhé svetové války
Marina Militare - Ministero della Difesa
http://www.regiamarina.it/
Sella class destroyer - Wikipedia
Cacciatorpediniere classe Sella - Wikipedia
Antonio Pigafetta - Wikipedia - Utente: Eduardo Beck
 Navi e armi italiani in 3D della 2GM di Pino Capitaneo
 Le navi della Marina Militare Italiana Di Alberto, Riccardo e Gastone Piccoli
La Regia Marina Italiana nella Seconda Guerra Mondiale
http://www.secondeguerre.net/main.htm
http://warships.idoneos.com/
Sweden - Destroyers - TRÍDA ROMULUS - Warships of World War II.htm

CLASSE QUINTINO SELLA
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