Italian Magnetic Minesweeper

[ptdockyard]

There is a nice picture of one of these on this forum:

 

http://www.forum-mar...ic,17729.0.html

 

Can anyone offer a descrition of ehat these ships did and how many there were?

 

Dave G

The PT Dockyard

[Pinin]

They were requested ships. Depending on system they could a cargo ships but mostly were sailing+motor ships

 

Systems were CAM40, CAM41(Build by SanGiorgio) and 42 - CAM 42 was heavier and at least 7 DM's could not get it (needs at least 650-800t), SSG.

 

At end of September 1940 there were ready 3 dragamine a sciabica, 2 "a cannone",was finishing setup one "a cannone" and a CAM. Oltre 4 unitè dovevone iniziare i lavoro.

 

The use of CAM40,Sciabica, and Cannone against anchored(moored) British magnetic mines is not advisable since it needs to be too near the mine.

 

They had the DM reference

 

 

 

DM1 Luigi Razza (1938/113BRT)

DM2 Balear

DM3 Tenacemente (1935/81BRT) (SSG)

DM4 Leonardo Tumbiolo (.../90t)

DM5 Sivigliano

DM6 Eritrea (1918/2515BRT)

DM7 Emilia Madre (1920/289BRT)

DM8 Massaua (1913/1524BRT)

DM9 Fiammetta (1922/393BRT)

DM10 Aquila (1904/305BRT)

DM11 Paola Giovanna (1918/362BRT)

DM12 Guglielmo Marconi (1914/304BRT)

DM13 Clara (1921/366BRT)

DM14 Vanna Galleano (1919/418BRT/CAM)

DM15 Dora (1922/336BRT)

DM16 Ichnusa (1928/1242BRT)

DM17 Milano (1919/379BRT/CAM)

DM18 Fratelli Bertolli (1920/429BRT)

 

DM20 Drin (1920/426BRT)

DM21 Pietrino (1891/667BRT)

DM22 Cesare Battisti (1921/246BRT)

DM23 Rosina S. (1917/299BRT)

DM24 Ersilia (1920/370BRT)

DM25 Eros (1920/499BRT)

DM 26 Giacomo Altieri

DM27 Giuseppina V (1919/367BRT)

DM28 Efisia Serra (1926/354BRT?) (CAM)

 

DM30 Proteo (1919/399BRT?) (CAM)

DM31 Paris Merica (1920/374BRT)

 

DM33 Sandrina (1920/271BRT)

DM34 Raffaelluccia (1921/351BRT)

DM35 Eolos (1941/349BRT)

DM36 Equita (1918/409BRT)

DM37 Mars (1939/369BRT)

DM38 Janus (.../345BRT?) (CAM)

DM39 Galluzza (1941/348BRT/CAM)

DM40 Santa Rita (1883/504BRT)

DM41 Libia (1939/40BRT)

DM42 Misocche (1940/325BRT?)

DM Maestrale

DM ? Celestina

 

DM 16 Ichnusa with system a "cannone"

http://www.cherini.eu/mmi/17%20Marina%20Mercantile/7%20servizi%20speciali/slides/1941%20-%20Piroscafo%20'Ichnusa'%20-%20dragamine%20magnetico.html

 

http://www.naviearmatori.net/ita/foto-3136-1.html

 

The photos of this ships with their systems are very rare. I have only other identified as DM31 Paris Merica

[Zailan]

A magnetic device for sweeping magnetic mines was experimented on the Orsa without success in 1942.

 

There is a picture here.

 

http://eleri.interfree.it/ilterzonano/Guerre/XX_secolo/Seconda%20guerra%20mondiale/Marina%20militare/SM93-01_torpediniere.htm