Folgore-class destroyer

The Folgore-class destroyers were extremely similar to the preceding {{sclass|Freccia|destroyer|4}}; their beam was reduced to improve their speed over that achieved by the earlier ships but this was a failure. The Folgores had an overall length of {{convert|96.05|m|ftin|sp=us}}, a beam of {{convert|9.2|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a mean draft of {{convert|3.3|m|ftin|sp=us}} and {{convert|4.3|m|ftin|sp=us}} at deep load.Whitley, p. 166Brescia, p. 116 They displaced {{convert|1238|t|LT|sp=us|lk=on}} at standard load, and {{convert|2090|t|LT|sp=us}} at deep load. Their complement during wartime was 185 officers and enlisted men.Roberts, p. 300

The Folgores were powered by two Belluzzo geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Thornycroft boilers. The turbines were designed to produce {{convert|44000|shp|lk=on}} and a speed of {{convert|30|kn|lk=in}} in service, although the ships reached speeds of {{convert|38|–|39|kn}} during their sea trials while lightly loaded. They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of {{convert|3600|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|12|kn}}.

Their main battery consisted of four 50-caliber 120 mm Italian naval gun#50-calibre Ansaldo 1926 guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure.Fraccaroli, p. 53 Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Folgore-class ships was provided by a pair of 39-caliber QF 2 pounder naval gun AA guns in single mounts amidships and a pair of twin-gun mounts for Breda Model 1931 Machine Gun. They were equipped with six {{convert|533|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us|0}} torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. Although the ships were not provided with a sonar system for anti-submarine work, they were fitted with a pair of depth charge throwers. The Folgores could carry 52 mines.

• {{ship|Italian destroyer|Baleno||2}}

:Built by CNQ Fiume, completed 15 June 1932.

:On 14 June 1940 she sank the submarine {{HMS|Odin|N84|6}} in the Gulf of Taranto.

:She was disabled on 16 April 1941 by British destroyers {{HMS|Jervis|F00|2}}, {{HMS|Nubian|F36|2}}, {{HMS|Mohawk|F31|2}} and {{HMS|Janus|F53|2}} during the Battle of the Tarigo Convoy, ran aground and sank on the following morning. Only 37 of her crew survived, among the killed there was the commanding officer, Lt. Cdr. Giuseppe Arnaud.

• {{ship|Italian destroyer|Folgore||2}}

:Built by OC Partenopei, Naples, completed 1 July 1932.

:She was sunk on 2 December 1942 by British cruisers of Force Q during the Battle of Skerki Bank, while trying to protect the convoy she was escorting. 124 men, including the commanding officer Lt. Cdr. Ener Bettica, went down with the ship.

• {{ship|Italian destroyer|Fulmine|1931|2}}

:Built by CNQ Fiume, completed 14 September 1932.

:She was sunk on 9 November 1941 by British surface ships of Force K during the Battle of the Duisburg Convoy. 141 men were lost, among them the CO Lt. Cdr. Mario Milano.

• {{ship|Italian destroyer|Lampo|1931|2}}

:Built by OC Partenopei, Naples, completed 13 August 1932.

:Disabled by British destroyers on 16 April 1941 during the Battle of the Tarigo Convoy, she ran aground with 141 of her 205 crew killed in action, but she was later salvaged and put back into service. She was sunk by bombers on 30 April 1943 off Cape Bon, while carrying ammunition to Tunisia, with the loss of 60 out of 213 crewmen.

Four similar ships were built in Italy for the Turkish Navy:

• The {{sclass|Tinaztepe|destroyer|1}}s were similar to the Italian ships but fitted with two funnels. These ships were built by Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso.
• The {{sclass|Adatepe|destroyer|1}}s were altered to have four single guns rather than two twin guns and were lengthened to compensate. These ships were built by Ansaldo in Genoa.

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|last=Brescia|first=Maurizio|title=Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45|year=2012|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-544-8}}
• {{cite book |last=Campbell |first=John |title =Naval Weapons of World War Two |publisher =Naval Institute Press |date =1985 |location =Annapolis, Maryland|isbn =0-87021-459-4}}
• {{cite book |last1=Fraccaroli |first1=Aldo |title=Italian Warships of World War II |date=1968 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton, UK |isbn=0-7110-0002-6}}
• {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Mayflower Books|location=New York|year=1980|isbn=0-8317-0303-2 |chapter=Italy |last1=Roberts |first1=John|pages=280–317}}
• {{cite book |last1=Rohwer |first1=Jürgen |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer |last2=Hümmelchen |first2=Gerhard |title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |year=2005|edition=3rd rev. |isbn=1-59114-119-2}}
• {{cite book|first=M. J.|last=Whitley|title=Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia |year=1988|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=1-85409-521-8|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

• [https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/ABCD/baleno_cacciatoperdiniere.aspx Folgore-class destroyer] Marina Militare website

{{Portal bar|Italy|Engineering}}

{{Folgore class destroyer}}

{{WWII Italian ships}}

Category:Destroyer classes

Category:Destroyers of the Regia Marina