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Lampo-class destroyer

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Lampo circa 1900, just after delivery
Class overview
NameLampo class
BuildersSchichau-Werke, Elbing
Operators Regia Marina
Preceded byFulmine
Succeeded byNembo class
Built1899–1902
In commission1900–1924
Completed6
Lost1
Scrapped5
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
  • 315 long tons (320 t) normal
  • 348 long tons (354 t) full load
Length
  • 60.00 m (196 ft 10 in) pp
  • 62.05 m (203 ft 7 in) oa
Beam6.50 m (21 ft 4 in)
Draught2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
Speed31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph)
Range
  • 290 nmi (540 km; 330 mi) at 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
  • 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement59
Armament

The Lampo class was a class of six destroyers of the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) built by the German Schichau shipyard from 1899–1901. They served in the Italo-Turkish War (where one was lost) and the surviving ships in the First World War, before being disposed of between 1920 and 1924.

Design

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In 1899,[1] the Italian Navy ordered six destroyers from the German shipyard Schichau-Werke of Elbing, Prussia (now Elbląg in Poland). The design was typical for Schichau-designed destroyers of the period, with a raised turtleback[a] forecastle, a ram bow and two funnels.[3]

The ships were 60.00 metres (196 ft 10 in) long between perpendiculars and 62.05 metres (203 ft 7 in) overall, with a beam of 6.50 metres (21 ft 4 in) and a draught of 2.60 metres (8 ft 6 in).[4] Displacement was 315 long tons (320 t) normal and 348 long tons (354 t) full load.[1][4] They were powered by two triple expansion steam engines fed by four Thornycroft water-tube boilers which were rated at 6,000 ihp (4,500 kW) driving two shafts to give a design speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).[4][5] Sufficient coal was carried to give an endurance of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) or 290 nautical miles (540 km; 330 mi) at 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).[1][4]

Gun armament varied between ships. Lampo, Freccia, Dardo and Euro carried a single 76 mm (3 in)/40 calibre gun (capable of firing a 5.9 kilograms (13 lb) shell to a range of 9,850 metres (32,320 ft) at a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute per gun[6]) and five 57 mm/43 guns, while Strale and Ostro carried six 57 mm guns. Torpedo armament consisted of two 356 mm (14 in) torpedo tubes.[4] The ships' crew consisted of 59 officers and men.[1]

The six ships were laid down between 1899 and 1900 and completed between 1900 and 1902.[5] While the ships were fast, reaching speeds of over 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) during sea trials (corresponding to a realistic sea speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)),[5] seaworthiness was poor.[3][4][7]

Service

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The ships of the class were active during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912. One ship, Freccia ran aground in a storm off Tripoli, Libya, on 12 October 1911,[5][8] a few days after the city was captured by the Italians.[9] Other ships in the class took part in operations along the coast of Libya,[10] and in the Dodecanese.[11]

In 1914, the remaining ships of the class formed part of the 6th Destroyer Division, based in Libya.[3] During the First World War, the ships of the class were modified for minelaying, being fitted to carry at least 12 mines.[4] The ships were used as escorts in North African waters and in the Tyrrhenian Sea,[3][12] and as such carried depth charges and anti-submarine sweeps.[1]

The ships of the class were disposed of during the early 1920s, with the last one stricken in November 1924.[5]

Ships

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Ship Laid down[5] Launched[5] Completed[5] Operational History
Lampo 6 May 1899 7 October 1899 23 June 1900 Disposed of 18 March 1920[4]
Freccia 1899 23 November 1899 25 May 1902 Ran aground off Tripoli, 12 October 1911[4][5]
Dardo 17 August 1899 7 February 1900 16 March 1901 Disposed of 18 March 1920[4]
Strale 7 November 1899 19 May 1900 6 July 1901 Disposed of 13 January 1924[5]
Euro 9 January 1900 27 August 1900 11 October 1901 Reclassified as torpedo-boat 17 January 1921. Used as target ship 1923–24
Renamed Strale 9 September 1924
Disposed of 13 November 1924[4][5]
Ostro 23 March 1900 9 February 1901 8 December 1901 Disposed of 30 September 1920[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ A turtleback is an arched structure over the deck of a ship, normally at the ship's bow.[2]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Lampo: Cacciatorpediniere" (in Italian). Marina Militare. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  2. ^ "turtleback: Definitions". wordnik.com. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare, p. 1616.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Chesneau and Kolesnik 1979, p. 355.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Fraccaroli 1970, p55.
  6. ^ Fraccaroli 1970, pp. 281–282.
  7. ^ Fraccaroli 1970, p. 56.
  8. ^ "Il cacciatorpediniere "Freccia" riprendera presto il mare". La Stampa (in Italian). 16 October 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  9. ^ Beehler 1913, pp. 20–21.
  10. ^ Beehler 1913, pp. 35, 47.
  11. ^ Beehler 1913, pp. 69, 74.
  12. ^ Fraccaroli 1970, pp. 59, 265–266, 268–269, 272.

References

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  • Beehler, William Henry (1913). The History of the Italian-Turkish War, Sept. 29, 1911 to Oct. 18, 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Advertiser-Republican.
  • Chesneau, Roger; Kolesnik, Eugene M (1979). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
  • Fraccaroli, Aldo (1970). Italian Warships of World War 1. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0105-7.
  • "Lampo". Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare. London: Phoebus Pub. Co.: 1616 1978–1979.
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