WŁOSKI LEKKI KRĄŻOWNIK SCIPIONE AFRICANO, NISZCZYCIEL ANTONIO PIGAFETTA

Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian WWII destroyer. The keel was laid in 1928, the launch took place in November 1929, and in 1931 the ship was commissioned. Its length at the time of launching was 107.3 meters and a width of 10.2 meters. Full displacement reached about 2,700 tons, and maximum speed - to about 39-40 knots. The armament included: 6 120 mm guns, 2 40 mm AA guns and 6 533 mm torpedo tubes. Antonio Pigafetta was one of the Navigatori-class destroyers. Units of this class were built as the so-called flotilla leaders and emphasized the highest possible artillery armament. The expected enemy for units of this type were French destroyers - especially the Jaguar class. Antonio Pigafetta was built at a shipyard in the city of Fiume in Italy. Shortly before the country entered the Second World War, the unit underwent modernization, which improved its stability and sea bravery, but lowered the maximum speed. During World War II, the unit took an active part by participating, among others, in the Battle of Cape Stilo in 1940. Later, he was primarily responsible for covering Italian convoys to and from North Africa. In 1942, he participated in the rescue of survivors from the sunken destroyer Pessagno. After Italy's surrender, Antonio Pigafetta was seized by the Germans in September 1943. From 1944, the unit was used - under the German flag - in the Adriatic under the name TA-44. The destroyer was sunk on February 17, 1945 as a result of an Allied air raid.Scipione Africano was an Italian, and later a French, light cruiser (different classification: flotilla leader) from the Second World War and the post-war period. The keel was laid under this vessel in 1939, the launch took place in January 1941, and in April 1943 - the ship was commissioned. Its length at the time of launching was 142.2 meters and a width of 14.4 meters. Full displacement reached about 5,400 tons, and maximum speed - to about 41-43 knots. The armament included: 8 135 mm guns, 8 37 mm cannons and 8 533 mm torpedo tubes. The Scipione Africano was one of the ships of the Capitani Romani class. The ships of this type were built as a kind of Italian response to the French La Fantasque and Mogador class ships. In the new ships, special emphasis was placed on maximum speed and the strongest possible artillery armament. The Scipione Africano was built at the Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando shipyard in Livorno. She was also the only ship of her class that took part in the naval combat during World War II. The event took place in July 1943, and the opponent of Scipione Africano were British torpedo boats. After the war, the unit was taken over by the French and renamed Guichen. In the years 1951-1954 it underwent a thorough modernization, which consisted in installing more modern electronic equipment and strengthening the anti-aircraft weapons. The unit was finally decommissioned in 1961.