Lampo-class destroyer
{{short description|Italian destroyer class}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |infobox caption=}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Lampo NH 47659.jpg |Ship caption=Lampo circa 1900, just after delivery }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Lampo class |Builders=Schichau-Werke, Elbing |Operators={{navy|Kingdom of Italy|name=Regia Marina}} |Class before={{ship|Italian destroyer|Fulmine|1898|2}} |Class after={{sclass|Nembo|destroyer|4}} |Subclasses= |Built range=1899–1902 |In commission range=1900–1924 |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=6 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost=1 |Total ships retired= |Total ships scrapped=5 |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Destroyer |Ship displacement=*{{convert|315|LT|t|abbr=on}} normal
|Ship length=*{{convert|60.00|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pp
|Ship beam={{convert|6.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draught={{convert|2.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draft= |Ship propulsion=*2 × Vertical triple-expansion steam engines
|Ship speed={{convert|31|kn}} |Ship range=*{{convert|290|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|26|kn}}
|Ship complement=59 |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=*1 × 76 mm (3 in)/40 gun
|Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
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
In 1899,{{cite web|title=Lampo: Cacciatorpediniere |url=http://www.marina.difesa.it/storiacultura/storia/almanacco/Pagine/LMNO/lampo01.aspx |publisher=Marina Militare |accessdate=2 January 2015|language=Italian}} 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{{#tag:ref|A turtleback is an arched structure over the deck of a ship, normally at the ship's bow.{{cite web|title=turtleback: Definitions|url=https://www.wordnik.com/words/turtleback|website=wordnik.com|accessdate=2 January 2015}}|group=lower-alpha}} forecastle, a ram bow and two funnels.Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare, p. 1616.
The ships were {{convert|60.00|m|ftin}} long between perpendiculars and {{convert|62.05|m|ftin}} overall, with a beam of {{convert|6.50|m|ftin}} and a draught of {{convert|2.60|m|ftin}}. Displacement was {{convert|315|LT|t}} normal and {{convert|348|LT|t}} full load. They were powered by two triple expansion steam engines fed by four Thornycroft water-tube boilers which were rated at {{convert|6000|ihp|kW|abbr=on|lk=in}} driving two shafts to give a design speed of {{convert|30|kn}}. Sufficient coal was carried to give an endurance of {{convert|2000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|12|kn}} or {{convert|290|nmi}} at {{convert|26|kn}}.
Gun armament varied between ships. {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Lampo|1899|2}}, {{ship|Italian destroyer|Freccia|1899|2}}, {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Dardo|1900|2}} and {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Euro|1900|2}} carried a single QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun calibre gun (capable of firing a {{convert|5.9|kg}} shell to a range of {{convert|9,850|m}} at a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute per gunFraccaroli 1970, pp. 281–282.) and five 57 mm/43 guns, while {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Strale|1900|2}} and {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Ostro|1901|2}} carried six 57 mm guns. Torpedo armament consisted of two {{convert|356|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} torpedo tubes. The ships' crew consisted of 59 officers and men.
The six ships were laid down between 1899 and 1900 and completed between 1900 and 1902. While the ships were fast, reaching speeds of over {{convert|31|kn}} during sea trials (corresponding to a realistic sea speed of {{convert|25|kn}}), seaworthiness was poor.Fraccaroli 1970, p. 56.
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,{{cite news|title=Il cacciatorpediniere "Freccia" riprendera presto il mare|url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,2/articleid,1197_01_1911_0287_0002_17908015/anews,true/|accessdate=3 January 2015|work=La Stampa|date=16 October 1911|page=2|language=Italian}} a few days after the city was captured by the Italians.Beehler 1913, pp. 20–21. Other ships in the class took part in operations along the coast of Libya,Beehler 1913, pp. 35, 47. and in the Dodecanese.Beehler 1913, pp. 69, 74.
In 1914, the remaining ships of the class formed part of the 6th Destroyer Division, based in Libya. During the First World War, the ships of the class were modified for minelaying, being fitted to carry at least 12 mines. The ships were used as escorts in North African waters and in the Tyrrhenian Sea,Fraccaroli 1970, pp. 59, 265–266, 268–269, 272. and as such carried depth charges and anti-submarine sweeps.
The ships of the class were disposed of during the early 1920s, with the last one stricken in November 1924.
==Ships==
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col" width="100px"|Ship
!scope="col" width="130px"| Laid downFraccaroli 1970, p55. !scope="col" width="130px"| Launched !scope="col" width="130px"| Completed !scope="col" width="300px"| Operational History |
|---|
| {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Lampo|1899|2}}
| 6 May 1899 | 7 October 1899 | 23 June 1900 | Disposed of 18 March 1920Chesneau and Kolesnik 1979, p. 355. |
| {{ship|Italian destroyer|Freccia|1899|2}}
| 1899 | 23 November 1899 | 25 May 1902 | Ran aground off Tripoli, 12 October 1911 |
| {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Dardo|1900|2}}
|17 August 1899 |7 February 1900 |16 March 1901 |
| {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Strale|1900|2}}
|7 November 1899 |19 May 1900 |6 July 1901 |
| {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Euro|1900|2}}
|9 January 1900 |27 August 1900 |11 October 1901 |Reclassified as torpedo-boat 17 January 1921. Used as target ship 1923–24 |
| {{Ship|Italian destroyer|Ostro|1901|2}}
|23 March 1900 |9 February 1901 |8 December 1901 |
Notes
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Citations
{{reflist|30em}}
References
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book|last=Beehler|first=William Henry|title=The History of the Italian-Turkish War, Sept. 29, 1911 to Oct. 18, 1912|year=1913|publisher=Advertiser-Republican|location=Annapolis, Maryland, USA}}
- {{cite book|last1=Chesneau|first1=Roger|last2=Kolesnik|first2=Eugene M|title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905|year=1979|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-133-5}}
- {{cite book|last=Fraccaroli|first=Aldo|title=Italian Warships of World War 1|year=1970|publisher=Ian Allan|location=London|isbn=0-7110-0105-7}}
- {{cite journal|title=Lampo|journal=Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare|location=London|publisher=Phoebus Pub. Co.|year=1978–1979|page=1616}}
{{refend}}
External links
- [https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/LMNO/lampo01.aspx Classe Lampo ] Marina Militare website
{{Portal bar|Italy|Engineering}}
{{Lampo class destroyer}}
{{WWI Italian ships}}