The Capitani Romani class was a class of light cruisers acting as flotilla leaders for the (Italian Navy). They were built to outrun and outgun the large new French destroyers of the and classes. Twelve hulls were ordered in late 1939, but only four were completed, just three of these before the Italian armistice in 1943. The ships were named after prominent ancient Romans ( (lit. Roman Captains)).
Design The Capitani Romani class were originally designed as scout cruisers for ocean operations ("ocean scout", ), although some authors consider them to have been heavy destroyers.Sadkovich, p. 132 After the war the two units still in service were reclassified as flotilla leaders ().
The design was fundamentally a light, almost unarmoured hull with a large power plant and cruiser style armament. The original design was modified to sustain the prime requirements of speed and firepower. Given their machinery development of , equivalent to that of the 17,000-ton cruisers of the , the target speed was over , but the ships were left virtually unarmoured. As a result, the three completed warships achieved during trials. The Capitani Romani-class vessels shipped a main battery of eight DP guns, with a rate of fire of eight rounds per minute and a range of . They also carried eight torpedo tubes. The wartime load dropped the operational speed by , depending on the source.
Operational history
Only Scipione Africano and Attilio Regolo saw combat.
Scipione Africano detected and engaged four British Elco motor torpedo boats during the night of 17 July 1943 en route to Taranto, while passing the Messina straits at high speed off Punta Posso. She sank MTB 316 and heavily damaged MTB 313 between Reggio di Calabria and Pellaro. She laid down four minefields in the Gulf of Taranto and the Gulf of Squillace from 4 to 17 August, together with the old light cruiser .
Attilio Regolo was torpedoed by the submarine on 7 November 1942, and remained in drydock for several months with her bow shattered.
Ships Four of the ships were scrapped before launch. Five were captured by the Germans in September 1943, still under construction. All five were sunk in harbour, one was raised and completed. Three were completed before the Italian armistice.
+ Construction dataShipNamesakeBuilder Whitley, p. 142Laid downLaunchedCompleted Fraccaroli, pp. 37, 40 Operational history Marcus Atilius Regulus O.T.O., Livorno 28 September 1939 28 August 1940 15 May 1942 Commissioned in August 1942 and used as a mine-layer until seriously damaged by a torpedo in November. Ceded to France in 1948 renamed Châteaurenault. Germanicus Navalmeccanica, Castellammare di Stabia 3 April 1939 26 July 1941 19 January 1956 Captured by the Germans in Castellammare di Stabia while under completion, and scuttled by them on 28 September 1943. Raised and completed for the Italian Navy after the war. Renamed San Marco, she served as a destroyer leader until her decommission in 1971.Pompeo Magno Pompey the Great CNR, Ancona 23 September 1939 24 August 1941 4 June 1943 Renamed San Giorgio, served as a destroyer leader until 1963; decommissioned and scrapped in 1980 Scipio Africanus O.T.O., Livorno 28 September 1939 12 January 1941 23 April 1943 Ceded to France in 1948 and first renamed S7, then renamed Guichen; scrapped 1979
+ Uncompleted Capitani Romani–class cruisersShipNamesakeBuilder Whitley, p. 142Laid downLaunched Operational history Caio Mario Gaius Marius O.T.O., Livorno 28 September 1939 17 August 1941 Captured by the Germans in La Spezia, with only the hull completed; used as a floating oil tank and scuttled in 1944Claudio Druso Nero Claudius Drusus Cantiere del Tirreno, Riva Trigoso 27 September 1939 Construction cancelled June 1940, scrapped between 1941 and February 1942Claudio Tiberio Emperor Tiberius O.T.O., Livorno 28 September 1939 Construction cancelled June 1940; scrapped between November 1941 and February 1942Cornelio Silla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Ansaldo, Genoa 12 October 1939 28 June 1941 Captured by the Germans in Genoa while fitting out; sunk in an air raid in July 1944Ottaviano Augusto Emperor Augustus CNR, Ancona 23 September 1939 28 April 1941 Captured by the Germans in Ancona while under completion; sunk in an air attack on 1 November 1943Paolo Emilio Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus Ansaldo, Genoa 12 October 1939 Construction cancelled in June 1940, scrapped between October 1941 and February 1942Ulpio Traiano Emperor Trajan CNR, Palermo 28 September 1939 30 November 1942 Sunk 3 January 1943 by British human torpedo attack while fitting out in PalermoVipsanio Agrippa Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Cantiere del Tirreno, Riva Trigoso October 1939 Construction cancelled June 1940; scrapped between July 1941 and August 1942
Post-war French service
Attilio Regolo and Scipione Africano were transferred to France as war reparations. They were renamed Chateaurenault and Guichen respectively. The ships were extensively rebuilt for the French Navy by La Seyne dockyard with new anti-aircraft-focused armament and fire-control systems in 1951–1954. The ships were decommissioned in 1961.
General characteristics as rebuilt Displacement Length Beam Draught Machinery - unchanged Armament 6 – 105 mm guns (three twin turrets of German origin) 10 – 57 mm guns (5 twin turrets) 12 – 550 mm torpedo tubes Sensors: Radar DRBV 20 A, DRBV 11, DRBC 11, DRBC 30, Sonar Crew: 353
Post-war Italian service
Giulio Germanico and Pompeo Magno served in the post war Marina Militare, being renamed San Marco (D 563) and San Giorgio (D 562) respectively and reclassified as destroyers. Both ships were extensively rebuilt in 1951–1955 and fitted with American weapons and radar. Characteristics included:
General characteristics as rebuilt Six guns in twin turrets fitted in 'A', 'X' and 'Y' positions, with anti-aircraft capability a Menon anti-submarine mortar fitted in 'B' position fitting of 20 Bofors AA guns SPS-6 and SG-6B radar, SQS-11 sonar and the Mk37 fire control system for the 127 mm guns
San Marco was further rebuilt as a cadet training ship in 1963–1965 when she was fitted with new CODAG machinery. New guns replaced the 40 mm and 'X' 127 mm mounting. San Marco was decommissioned in 1971, San Giorgio following in 1980.
Notes
Bibliography
External links
Classe Capitani Romani Marina Militare website San Giorgio (D 562) Marina Militare website San Marco (D 563) Marina Militare website Photos of Capitani Romani ships Details of Regia Marina ships captured by the Germans