Andrea Bafile-class Escort Torpedo Boat, Ernesto Giovannini - Last One Standing

[R_nminbiY_n 159]

Andrea Bafile-class Escort Torpedo Boat, Ernesto Giovannini 

 

History:

The Andrea Bafile-class escort gunboats were developed near the end of WW1 as convoy escorts, protecting ships against submarines. The design was based on an enlarged version of the PN-class torpedo boats, with similar armament layout but larger guns. 6 ships of the class were built by Pattison in Naples in the early 1920s, though 1 was destroyed by a fire a year after commissioning. As the Great War was over when they finished development, they were never used as escort ships and were relegated to auxiliary roles. By 1939 all but one of the ships had been decommissioned.

 

Ernesto Giovannini, named after a decorated WW1 frigate captain, was the third ship of its class. It was the only ship to remain after 1939, and underwent a small refit. During the Second World War, it was used as a coastal surveillance ship in the Adriatic, and was based at Split by the time of the Italian Armistice. It was able to evade German capture and retreated to either Taranto or Brindisi, and spent the rest of the war based in Messina patrolling the Aeolian Islands. It was finally decommissioned in 1950 and scrapped.

 

Specifications: (1940)

Armament: 

2x1 102mm/35 Schneider-Armstrong Model 1914-15

1x1 13.2mm/76 Breda Model 1931

1x2 450mm Torpedo Tubes

2 Depth charge racks

 

Displacement:

260 tons standard

284 tons full

 

Length:  52.2m

 

Beam: 5.7m

 

Draft:  1.8m

 

Propulsion: 2 vertical-triple-expansion steam engines and 2 boilers, 2400hp, driving 2 shafts

 

Speed:  23.3 knots (43.2 km/h)

 

Range: 1100 nmi (11 knots)

 

Crew: 53

 

Systems: 

Rangefinder

 

Images:

Spoiler

Post-war Picture

Drawings:

 

Sources:

https://digilander.libero.it/carandin/giovannini.htm

http://www.agenziabozzo.it/navi_da_guerra/C-Navi_da_Guerra_2/C-3559_RN_Andrea_Bafile_1921_cannoniera_di_scorta_in_movimento_alla_Spezia.htm

http://navyworld.narod.ru/Cannoniere.htm#Ernesto_Giovannini

Gogin, I. (2021) Fighting ships of World War Two 1937 - 1945. Volume VI. Italy (pp. 88). Kindle Edition. 

https://www.naviearmatori.net/ita/foto-209442-4.html

Edited October 20, 2022 by RenminbiYen

[super_cacti 1,071]

Open for discussion 

[Conte_Baracca 4,547]

Nice low level sub chaser. Good ship to add. 

[Milocat 4,857]

+1, would enjoy having this in the game.  

[OpusAudereSemper 80]

+1 very nice subchaser ! its neeeded !

[LukTroy 124]

+1 Great looking hull! 

[Conte_Baracca 4,547]

On 22/10/2022 at 16:12, LukTroy said:

+1 Great looking hull! 

It's drop dead sexy.