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,[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 (196ft 10in)long between perpendiculars and 62.05 metres (203ft 7in)overall, with a beam of 6.50 metres (21ft 4in) and a draught of 2.60 metres (8ft 6in).[4]Displacement was 315 long tons (320t) normal and 348 long tons (354t) full load.[1][4] They were powered by two triple expansion steam engines fed by four Thornycroftwater-tube boilers which were rated at 6,000ihp (4,500kW) driving two shafts to give a design speed of 30 knots (56km/h; 35mph).[4][5] Sufficient coal was carried to give an endurance of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700km; 2,300mi) at 12 knots (22km/h; 14mph) or 290 nautical miles (540km; 330mi) at 26 knots (48km/h; 30mph).[1][4]
Gun armament varied between ships. Lampo, Freccia, Dardo and Euro carried a single 76mm (3in)/40 calibre gun (capable of firing a 5.9 kilograms (13lb) shell to a range of 9,850 metres (32,320ft) 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 57mm guns. Torpedo armament consisted of two 356mm (14in)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 (57km/h; 36mph) during sea trials (corresponding to a realistic sea speed of 25 knots (46km/h; 29mph)),[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 of during the early 1920s, with the last one stricken in November 1924.[5]
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. ISBN0-85177-133-5.
Fraccaroli, Aldo (1970). Italian Warships of World War 1. London: Ian Allan. ISBN0-7110-0105-7.
"Lampo". Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare. London: Phoebus Pub. Co.: 1616 1978–1979.
