Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer

The Rosolino Pilo^[a] 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
Name	Pilo class
Builders	Odero, Sestri Ponente Pattison, Naples
Operators	Regia Marina (1916–1943)  Kriegsmarine (1943–1944)
Succeeded by	Generali-class destroyer
Built	1913 - 1916
In service	1915 - 1958
Completed	8
Lost	4
Retired	4
General characteristics
Class and type	Pilo class torpedo boat
Displacement	912 tons (max) 770 tons (standard)
Length	73 m (240 ft)
Beam	7.3 m (24 ft)
Draught	2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Installed power	16,000 brake horsepower (12,000 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Tosi steam turbines 4 × Thornycroft boilers
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range	1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	69-79
Armament	1915–1918: 4 × 1 Cannon 76/40 Model 1916 2 × 1 76mm/30 AA 4 × 1 450mm torpedo tubes 10 mines 1919–1921: 5 × 1 102 mm (4.0 in)/35 guns 2 × 1 - 40 mm/39 AA 4 × 1 450mm torpedo tubes

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

•  Kingdom of Italy
•  Nazi Germany

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.

External links

• Rosolino Pilo (1915) Marina Militare website