Comandanti Medaglie d'Oro-class destroyer

Class overview
Name:	Comandanti Medaglie d'Oro class
Operators:	Regia Marina
Preceded by:	Soldati class
Succeeded by:	Impetuoso class
Built:	1942–1943
Planned:	20
Cancelled:	20
General characteristics
Type:	Destroyer
Displacement:	2,067 long tons (2,100 t) standard 2,900 long tons (2,900 t) full load
Length:	120.7 m (396 ft 0 in)
Beam:	12.30 m (40 ft 4 in)
Draught:	3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:	2 shaft Belluzzo or Parsons type turbines 3 Yarrow type boilers 60,000 hp (44,700 kW)
Speed:	35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h)
Range:	2,200 nmi (4,100 km) at 20 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Complement:	272
Sensors and processing systems:	Gufo Radar
Armament:	4 × 135 mm (5.3 in) guns (4 × 1) 12 × 37 mm AA guns (12 × 1) 6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes) 52 mines

The Comandanti Medaglie d'Oro class were a group of destroyers planned for the Italian Navy during World War II. Twenty ships were ordered but none were launched by the time of the Italian Armistice.

Design

The ships were to be significantly larger than the previous Italian destroyers, such as the Soldati class. The armament was increased to four single 135 mm guns (similar to those used in the Capitani Romani-class cruisers) in dual purpose mountings. Twelve 37 mm guns comprised the light AA armament and two fire control directors were to be fitted (with Gufo radar).

Ships

The ships were named after recipients of the Gold Medal of Military Valor. A total of 20 ships were ordered in 1941 from four shipyards; six from OTO Livorno, eight from CRDA Trieste, two from CNR Ancona and four from CT Riva Trigoso. Only nine ships were laid down and the hulls were broken up by the Germans or destroyed by Allied bombing.

References

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