Lampo-class destroyer

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.

Lampo circa 1900, just after delivery
Class overview
Name: Lampo class
Builders: Schichau-Werke, Elbing
Operators:  Regia Marina
Preceded by: Fulmine
Succeeded by: Nembo class
Built: 1899–1902
In commission: 1900–1924
Completed: 6
Lost: 1
Scrapped: 5
General characteristics
Type: Destroyer
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
Beam: 6.50 m (21 ft 4 in)
Draught: 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)
Propulsion:
Speed: 31 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)
Complement: 59
Armament:

Design

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[lower-alpha 1] 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

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 on during the early 1920s, with the last one stricken in November 1924.[5]

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

Citations
  1. "Lampo: Cacciatorpediniere" (in Italian). Marina Militare. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  2. "turtleback: Definitions". wordnik.com. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  3. Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare, p. 1616.
  4. Chesneau and Kolesnik 1979, p. 355.
  5. 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
  • 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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