Marasti class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The Mărăști class were a group of destroyers built in Italy for the Romanian Navy. The ships fought in both world wars but for different owners and had a complex history.
s. The armament comprised three single 6 inch and 4 x 3 inch guns.
After the end of the First World War, two of the ships (Sparviero and Nibbio) were re-sold to Romania, arriving in Constanţa
in 1920. The other two ships were retained by Italy until sold to the Nationalist faction of Spain
in 1937. The six inch guns proved too heavy for the Romanian Navy and were replaced by two twin 120 mm guns in powered turrets and a single 120 mm gun.
Both ships were active during the Naval war in the Black Sea
in World War II. Chiefly convoying supplies between Romania, the Crimea and the Bosphorus. Măraşeşti sank the Soviet M class submarine
M-31 in July 1943. Both ships were surrendered to the Soviets in August 1944 on the Capitulation of Romania and were incorporated into the Black Sea Fleet as the Lovkiy (Ловкий, ex-Mărăşti) and Lyogkiy (Лёгкий, ex-Mărăşeşti) but were returned to Romania in October 1945, served in Naval Forces of Romanian People's Republic
under the numbers D12 and D11 and scrapped in the 1960s.
Aquila and Falco were sold to the Nationalist Spanish Navy , which, in 1937 only had one destroyer available (Velasco). They were renamed Melilla and Ceuta, and saw heavy service, in spite of their poor condition. To conceal the fact that Italy was selling ships to Franco's side, they were often referred as Velasco-Ceuta and Velasco-Melilla. After the war, they were retained by the Spanish Navy.
The former Aquila and Falco served in the Spanish Navy
as Melilla and Ceuta until 1949
History
In 1913, the Romanian government ordered a class of four large destroyers from the Pattison yard in Naples, Italy. The four ships were named Vifor, Viscol, Vârtej and Vijelia. The Italian government requisitioned the ships in 1915 upon entering World War I, renaming them Aquila, Falco, Nibbio and Sparviero. These ships were significantly larger than contemporary Italian destroyers and were rated as Esploratori or scout cruiserScout cruiser
A scout cruiser was a type of warship of the early 20th Century, which were smaller, faster, more lightly armed and armoured than protected cruisers or light cruisers, but larger than contemporary destroyers...
s. The armament comprised three single 6 inch and 4 x 3 inch guns.
After the end of the First World War, two of the ships (Sparviero and Nibbio) were re-sold to Romania, arriving in Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
in 1920. The other two ships were retained by Italy until sold to the Nationalist faction of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1937. The six inch guns proved too heavy for the Romanian Navy and were replaced by two twin 120 mm guns in powered turrets and a single 120 mm gun.
Both ships were active during the Naval war in the Black Sea
Black Sea Campaigns (1941-44)
The Black Sea Campaigns are the operations of the Axis and Soviet naval forces in the Black Sea and its coastal regions during World War II between 1941 and 1944, including in support of the land forces, and non-combat operations....
in World War II. Chiefly convoying supplies between Romania, the Crimea and the Bosphorus. Măraşeşti sank the Soviet M class submarine
Soviet M class submarine
The M-class submarines, also Malyutka-class , were a class of small, single-, or 1½-hulled submarines built in the Soviet Union and used during World War II. The submarines were built in sections so they could easily be transported by rail...
M-31 in July 1943. Both ships were surrendered to the Soviets in August 1944 on the Capitulation of Romania and were incorporated into the Black Sea Fleet as the Lovkiy (Ловкий, ex-Mărăşti) and Lyogkiy (Лёгкий, ex-Mărăşeşti) but were returned to Romania in October 1945, served in Naval Forces of Romanian People's Republic
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
under the numbers D12 and D11 and scrapped in the 1960s.
Aquila and Falco were sold to the Nationalist Spanish Navy , which, in 1937 only had one destroyer available (Velasco). They were renamed Melilla and Ceuta, and saw heavy service, in spite of their poor condition. To conceal the fact that Italy was selling ships to Franco's side, they were often referred as Velasco-Ceuta and Velasco-Melilla. After the war, they were retained by the Spanish Navy.
Ships
| Ship | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mărăşti (ex Sparviero, ex Vijelia) | 26 March 1917 | 15 July 1917 | Deleted 1963 |
| Mărăşeşti (ex Nibbio, ex Vârtej) | 30 January 1918 | 15 May 1918 | Deleted 1963 |
The former Aquila and Falco served in the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
as Melilla and Ceuta until 1949
Name |
Name in Italian Service |
Builder |
Launched |
Transferred to Spain |
Decommissioned |
Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Melilla |
Aquila | Patison - Naples | 1916 | 1937 | 1950 | Scrapped |
Ceuta |
Falco | Patison - Naples | 1919 | 1937 | 1948 | Scrapped |