Ciclone-class torpedo boat explained

The Ciclone class were a group of torpedo boats or destroyer escorts built for the Italian Navy which fought in the Second World War. They were modified, slightly heavier, versions of the previous, with improved stability and heavier anti-submarine armament. These ships were built as part of the Italian war mobilization programme and completed in 1942–43.

Armament

All units were fitted with a sonar, and also torpedo launchers were present in the same quantity and placement for all units of the class. However, there were three different gun configurations in the class:

Ships

ShipBuilderLaunchedOperational History
AliseoNavalmeccanica20 September 1942On 8 September 1943, Aliseo engaged and destroyed several German auxiliary vessels off Bastia, right after the Cassibile armistice. War reparation to the Yugoslav Navy, 1949 as the Biokovo
AnimosoAnsaldo, Genoa15 April 1942Reparation to the USSR, 1949 as destroyer Ladny (Ладный), broken up 1958, sunk as target by P-15 missile, 28 August 1959.[1]
ArdenteAnsaldo, Genoa27 May 1942Sank submarine HMS P48 on 25 December 1942. Sunk in collision with the destroyer Grecale 12 January 1943
ArdimentosoAnsaldo, Genoa27 June 1942Reparation to the USSR, 1949 as destroyer Liuty (Лютый), broken up 1960
ArditoAnsaldo, Genoa16 March 1942She sank submarine HMS Turbulent on 6 March 1943.[2] The vessel took part of the action off Bastia along Aliseo, but she was eventually captured by the Germans in September 1943 and served as TA26.[3] Either sunk 15 June 1944 by US Navy PT boats or destroyed by sabotage at Rapallo on 6 July 1944[4]
CicloneCRDA, Trieste1 March 1942She took part in the shooting down of three Beaufort bombers and a Beaufighter while escorting a convoy to Libya between 20 and 21 August 1942.[5] Sunk by mines 8 March 1943
FortunaleCRDA, Trieste18 April 1942Sank submarine on 12 December 1942. Reparation to the USSR, 1949 as destroyer Liotny (Лётный), sunk as target ship 1959
GhibliNavalmeccanica28 February 1943Seized by the Germans in September 1943, but not repaired. Scuttled in La Spezia 25 April 1945
GroppoNavalmeccanica19 April 1943She claimed the shooting down of a Bristol Beaufort while escorting a convoy on 23 January 1943. The Italian freighter Verona was torpedoed and sunk in the action. Groppo also captured an RAF inflatable motor boat with two airmen aboard after their Lockheed Hudson bomber was shot down by German aircraft while escorting a convoy near the Skerki Banks on 22 February. Sunk 25 May 1943, by USAAF B-17 bombers at Messina[6]
ImpavidoCT Riva Trigoso24 February 1943Captured by the Germans in September 1943, served as TA23. Struck a mine on 25 April 1944 and finished off by British MTBs while taken in tow[7]
ImpetousoCT Riva Trigoso20 April 1943Scuttled 11 September 1943
IndomitoCT Riva Trigoso6 July 1943War reparation to the Yugoslav Navy, 1949 as
IntrepidoCT Riva Trigoso8 September 1943Captured by the Germans in September 1943, served as TA25. Sunk by US PT boats 15 July 1944[8]
MonsoneNavalmeccanica7 June 1942She beat off the attack of three British MTBs off Marettimo on 16 February 1943, while escorting a four-ship convoy along with and the s Gabbiano and Antilope. The motor torpedo boats were caught in advance by the escorts' sonar.[9] Sunk 1 March 1943 at Naples by USAAF aircraft[10]
CRDA Trieste31 March 1942Close escort of the Cigno convoy on 16 April 1943, when she shepherded the transport Belluno to Trapani. As part of the same mission, she delivered aviation fuel to Bizerte. After successfully repeating the ressuply operation in the first days of May, Tifone was damaged by USAAF aircraft and scuttled at Korbous, Tunisia, on 7 May 1943
CRDA Trieste3 May 1942Sunk by mines 3 February 1943

History

Units of this class were heavily engaged in escort duties between Italy and Northern Africa, or in anti-submarine patrols. Some units were still incomplete when Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile, and were sabotaged by the Italians, or captured by the Germans, completed and reclassified as "Torpedoboot Ausland" (Foreign Torpedo-boat).

Aliseo, with Carlo Fecia di Cossato in command, destroyed eight German auxiliary vessels near the port of Bastia, Corsica.[11] [12] For this success, di Cossato was given the highest Italian military decoration, the Gold Medal of Military Valor.

Five units survived the war, to be transferred to the USSR, Greece and Yugoslavia as reparation for war damages. None was left in service with Italian Navy.[13]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Александр Широкорад: Чудо-оружие СССР -Тайны советского оружия,, p. 119
  2. Web site: HMS Turbulent (N 98) of the Royal Navy - British Submarine of the T class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net. uboat.net. en. 2018-09-13.
  3. Destroyers of WW2 by M. J. Whitley page 174
  4. http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/captured/torpedoboats/ta/ta25/index.html TA25
  5. Shores, Cull & Malizia (1991). Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942. Grub Street, pp. 522-524.
  6. Web site: Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo: Groppo. Colombo. Lorenzo. 3 January 2016. Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo. it. 2018-09-15.
  7. http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/captured/torpedoboats/ta/ta23/index.html TA23
  8. http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/captured/torpedoboats/ta/ta26/index.html TA26
  9. Book: Giorgerini, Giorgio . La guerra italiana sul mare. La Marina tra vittoria e sconfitta 1940–1943 . Mondadori . 550 . 2001 . 8804405813 . it.
  10. http://www.trentoincina.it/dbunita.php?unit=Monsone Torpediniera Monsone
  11. https://books.google.com/books?id=Dz5PXzFLi7sC&dq=torpedo+boat+aliseo&pg=PA30 The Italian Regia Marina and the Armistice of 8 September 1943
  12. http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=136361&sid=c5f3a94f5bfe4ef88f912e63c154e844&start=75 Axis History Forum • View topic - korsika bastia 1943
  13. Italian navy website.