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Giovanni Acerbi was the second of four Giuseppe Sirtori-class destroyers built for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) during World War I.

Giovanni Acerbi underway
History
Kingdom of Italy
Name	Giovanni Acerbi
Launched	14 February 1917
Fate	Sunk 4 April 1941
General characteristics
Class and type	Giuseppe Sirtori-class destroyer
Displacement	709 t (698 long tons) (normal) 914 t (900 long tons) (deep load)
Length	73.54 m (241 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam	7.34 m (24 ft 1 in)
Draught	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) (mean)
Installed power	4 × Thornycroft boilers 15,500 shp (11,600 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 steam turbines
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range	1,700 nmi (3,100 km; 2,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	98 officers and men
Armament	6 × single 102 mm (4 in) guns 2 × single 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns 2 × twin 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes 10 × mines

Design

The ships of the Giuseppe Sirtori class were 72.5 m (237 ft 10 in) long at the waterline and 73.54 m (241 ft 3 in) long overall, with a beam of 7.34 m (24 ft 1 in) and a mean draft of 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in). They displaced 709 t (698 long tons) standard and up to 914 t (900 long tons) at full load. They had a crew of 98 officers and enlisted men. The ships were powered by two steam turbines, with steam provided by four Thornycroft water-tube boilers. The engines were rated to produce 15,500 shaft horsepower (11,600 kW) for a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph), though in service they reached as high as 33.6 knots (62.2 km/h; 38.7 mph) from around 17,000 shp (13,000 kW). At a more economical speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph), the ships could cruise for 1,700 nautical miles (3,100 km; 2,000 mi).[1][2]

Giovanni Acerbi was armed with a main battery of six 102 mm (4 in) guns. Her light armament consisted of a pair of 40 mm (1.6 in) anti-aircraft guns and two 6.5 mm (0.26 in) machine guns. She was also equipped with four 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes in two twin launchers, one on each side of the ship. The ship also carried ten naval mines.[1]

Service history

Giovanni Acerbi was built at the Cantieri navali Odero shipyard in Sestri Ponente, and was launched on 14 February 1917.[1]

The ship was sunk by British aircraft on 4 April 1941 in the port of Massawa in Italian Eritrea.[1]

Notes

References

• Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
• Fraccaroli, Aldo (1970). Italian Warships of World War 1. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0105-7.
• Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
• Fraccaroli, Aldo (1985). "Italy". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 252–290. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
• Roberts, John (1980). "Italy". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 280–317. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.

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