Italian destroyer Francesco Nullo (1925)

Francesco Nullo was one of four Sauro-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the 1920s. Completed in 1927, she served in World War II.

Design and description
The Sauro-class destroyers were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding Sella-class destroyer. They had an overall length of 90.16 m, a beam of 9.2 m and a mean draft of 2.9 m. They displaced 1058 t at standard load, and 1600 t at deep load. Their complement was 8–10 officers and 146 enlisted men.

The Sauros were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Yarrow boilers. The turbines were rated at 36000 shp for a speed of 31 kn in service, although Francesco Nullo reached a speed of 37 kn from 45000 shp during her sea trials while lightly loaded. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2600 nmi at a speed of 14 kn.

Their main battery consisted of four 120 mm guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Sauro-class ships was provided by a pair of 40 mm AA guns in single mounts amidships and a pair of 13.2 mm machine guns. They were equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. The Sauros could also carry 52 mines.

Construction and career
Francesco Nullo was laid down by Cantieri navali del Quarnaro at their Fiume shipyard on 9 October 1924, launched on 14 November 1925 and commissioned on 15 April 1927.