Marasti class destroyer

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The Marasti class were a group of destroyers built in Italy for the Romanian Navy. The ships fought in both world Wars but for different owners and had a complex history.

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[edit] History

In 1913 the Romanian Government ordered a class of 4 large destroyers from the Pattison yard in Naples, Italy. The four ships were named Vifor, Viscol, Vârtej and Vijelia. The Italian Government requisitioned the ships in 1915 upon entering World War I, renaming them Aquila, Falco, Nibbio and Sparviero. These ships were significantly larger than contemporary Italian destroyers and were rated as Esploratori or scouts. The armament comprised 3 single 6 inch and 4 x 3 inch guns.

After the end of the First World War two of the ships were re-sold to the Romanians arriving in Constanţa in 1920, The other two ships were retained by Italy until sold to the Nationalist faction of Spain in 1937. The six inch guns proved to heavy for the Romanian Navy and were replaced by two twin 120mm guns in powered turrets and a single 120mm gun.

Both ships were active during the Naval war in the Black Sea in World War 2. Chiefly convoying supplies between Romania, the Crimea and the Bosphorus. Măraşeşti sank the Soviet M class submarine M31 in July 1943. Both ships were surrendered to the Soviets in August 1944 on the Capitulation of Romania and were incorporated into the Black Sea Fleet as the Lovky (ex Mărăşti) and Lyogki (ex Mărăşeşti) but were returned to Romania in 1946 and scrapped in the 1960's.

[edit] General Characteristics

  • Displacement: 1410 tons satndard, 1723 tons full load
  • Length: 94.18 m
  • Beam: 9.47 m
  • Draught: 3.5 m
  • Machinery: 2 shaft Tosi type turbined 5 thornycroft type boilers, 45,000 hp
  • Speed:34 knots
  • Range: 1700 nm at 15 knots
  • Armament:
    • 5 - 120mm guns (2x2, 1x1)
    • 4 - 76mm guns (4x1)
    • 2 - 13mm machine guns
    • 4 - 18 in torpedo tubes (2x2)
  • Crew: 139

[edit] Ships

Ship Launched Commissioned Fate
Marasti (ex Sparviero, ex Vijelia) 26 March 1917 15 July 1917 Deleted 1963
Marasesti (ex Nibbio, ex Vartei) 30 January 1918 15 May 1918 Deleted 1963

The former Aquila and Falco served in the Spanish Navy as Malilla and Cueta until 1949

[edit] References

  • Whitley, M.J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Cassell Publishing. ISBN 1-85409-521-8. 
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