Starting off with the Navigatori class. This was a class of large destroyers built in the late 20s as flotilla leaders. They were 107m overall and armed with 6 120mm guns in three twin mounts. They had two triple torpedo launchers and the AA armament consisted of four 40mm single mounts, later changed to two 40mm mounts and two 13,2mm mounts. Most of the ships were completed with a three deck fore superstructure and tripod fore-mast that made them very top heavy. They were rebuilt in the period of 1930-32 with a lowered superstructure and simple pole fore-mast.
Antoniotto Usodimare as commissioned in 1929:
Nicolò Zeno as she appeared in 1931:
Lanzerotto Malocello 1932 as she appeared in 1932:
Ugolino Vivaldi with her unique rebuilt bow in 1939:
Leone Pancaldo with the class-wide rebuilt bow in 1939-1940:
The Freccia class was an improvement over the previous Turbine class. It was larger and had a new design of twin 120mm mount, totalling 4 guns in two twin mounts. They had two triple torpedo launchers and the AA armament consisted of two 40mm mounts and two 13,2mm mounts.
Freccia as commissioned in 1931:
The Folgore class was a failed attempt of increasing the speed over the previous Freccia class by adding a little bit of length and removing a bit of beam. It kept the same armament as the Freccia class, and had overall the same appearance witht he exception of a clipper bow, as opposed to the raked bow of the Freccia class.
Folgore as commissioned in 1932:
The Maestrale class was a completely new design of a larger, faster destroyer with improved 120mm guns. The AA armament remained the same as the previous classes; two single 40mm mounts and two twin 13,2mm mounts. The torpedo armament also remained the same, two triple launchers.
Maestrale as commissioned in 1934:
The Oriani (also known as Poeti) class was a slight incremental improvement over the Maestrale. The powerplant was upgraded, though the incrase in speed was only slight. The 40mm guns were replaced with a pair of twin 13,2mm mounts. The only other difference of note was the move from the 1931 120mm mount to an even newer 1936 mount (same as used on the Soldati class.)
Alfredo Oriani as commissioned in 1937:
The Soldati class represented an incremental improvement over the Maestrale and Oriani classes. It had an improved 120mm mount and a more modern AA armament of four twin 13,2mm mounts and four single MG mounts, as opposed to the earlier mixed single 40mm/twin 13,2mm mounts. The Soldati shared the same hull and superstructure as the Maestrale and Oriani classes, and all had the same torpedo battery of two triple launchers. Two batches of Soldati class were built, with all but one of the second batch and some of the first batch replacing the amidships star shell gun with a single 120mm mount for increased firepower.
First batch
Carnicia Nera as commissioned in 1938:
Second batch
Mitragliere as commissioned in 1942:
Ship PORN at its best! 