Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer

The Rosolino Pilo[lower-alpha 1] class was a class of eight destroyers of the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) constructed before and during the First World War. Like other obsolete Italian destroyers, they were reclassified as torpedo boats in 1929, and seven ships served throughout the Second World War. Two ships were sunk by mines while under Italian service during the Second World War, with two more being seized by Nazi Germany following the Italian Armistice in 1943. The remaining three ships survived the war and continued in use with the post-war Italian Navy, with the last two of the class being decommissioned in 1958.

Pilo Class
Fratelli Cairoli underway
Class overview
NamePilo class
Builders
Operators
Succeeded byGenerali-class destroyer
Built1913 - 1916
In service1915 - 1958
Completed8
Lost4
Retired4
General characteristics
Class and typePilo class torpedo boat
Displacement
  • 912 tons (max)
  • 770 tons (standard)
Length73 m (240 ft)
Beam7.3 m (24 ft)
Draught2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Installed power16,000 brake horsepower (12,000 kW)
Propulsion
Speed30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement69-79
Armament

German capture

Following Italy's surrender on 8 September 1943, Germany captured two of the Pilo-class vessels. Giuseppe Missori was renamed TA22, and Giuseppe Dezza was renamed TA35. These vessels were re-designated as torpedo boats and put into service with the Kriegsmarine. TA22 was attacked by the all-African American fighter group, the Tuskegee Airmen, who put her out of action. TA35 was sunk on 17 August 1944.

Operators

Ships
Name Pennant[1] Builder[1] Laid down [1] Launched[1] Completed[1] Operational History
Rosolino Pilo PN Odero, Sestri Ponente 19 August 1913 24 March 1915 25 May 1915 Stricken October 1954
Giuseppe Cesare Abba AB Odero, Sestri Ponente 19 August 1913 25 May 1915 6 July 1915 Stricken September 1958
Pilade Bronzetti BR Odero, Sestri Ponente 12 September 1913 26 October 1915 1 January 1916 Renamed Giuseppe Dezza 16 January 1921.
Scuttled 16 September 1943, but refloated by German Navy asTA35, re-commissioning 9 June 1944.
Sunk by mine 17 August 1944 but again refloated. Scuttled 3 May 1945.[1][2]
Giuseppe Missori MS Odero, Sestri Ponente 19 January 1914 20 December 1915 7 March 1916 Captured by Germany 10 September 1943, renamed TA22. Scuttled 3 May 1945.[1]
Antonio Mosto MO, MT Pattison, Naples 9 October 1913 20 May 1915 7 July 1915 Minesweeper 1953.
Stricken 15 December 1958.[1]
Ippolito Nievo NV Odero, Sestri Ponente 19 August 1913 24 July 1915 1 October 1915 Stricken 24 April 1938.[1]
Francesco Nullo CL Pattison, Naples 24 September 1913 12 November 1914 1 May 1915 Renamed Fratelli Cairoli 16 January 1921.
Sunk by mine off Libya 23 September 1940.[1]
Simone Schiaffino SF, SH Odero, Sestri Ponente 12 September 1913 11 September 1915 7 November 1915 She seized the Greek steamer Athinai off Messina on 20 October 1940[3][4]

Sunk by an Italian mine off Cap Bon 24 April 1941.[1]

Notes
  1. Also known as the Pilo class

Citations
  1. Fraccaroli 1970, p. 72.
  2. Fraccaroli 1985, p. 269.
  3. Colombo, Lorenzo. "Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo: Simone Schiaffino". Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  4. "SS Athinai". Wrecksite. Retrieved 20 December 2015.

References
  • Fraccaroli, Aldo (1970). Italian Warships of World War 1. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0105-7.
  • Fraccaroli, Aldo (1985). "Italy". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 252–290. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8.
  • Whitley, M.J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
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