-- warship classes -->
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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 forecastle, a ram bow and two funnels.[2]
The ships were 60m (200feet) long between perpendiculars and 62.05m (203.58feet) overall, with a beam of 6.5m (21.3feet) and a draught of 2.6m (08.5feet). Displacement was 315LT normal and 348LT full load.[1] They were powered by two triple expansion steam engines fed by four Thornycroft water-tube boilers which were rated at 6000abbr=onNaNabbr=on driving two shafts to give a design speed of . Sufficient coal was carried to give an endurance of 2000nmi at or at .[1]
Gun armament varied between ships.,, and carried a single 76abbr=onNaNabbr=on/40 calibre gun (capable of firing a shell to a range of at a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute per gun[3]) and five 57 mm/43 guns, while and carried six 57 mm guns. Torpedo armament consisted of two 356abbr=onNaNabbr=on torpedo tubes. 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. While the ships were fast, reaching speeds of over during sea trials (corresponding to a realistic sea speed of), seaworthiness was poor.[2] [4]
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] a few days after the city was captured by the Italians.[6] Other ships in the class took part in operations along the coast of Libya,[7] and in the Dodecanese.[8]
In 1914, the remaining ships of the class formed part of the 6th Destroyer Division, based in Libya.[2] 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,[2] [9] 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.
| Ship | Laid down[10] | Launched | Completed | Operational History | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May 1899 | 7 October 1899 | 23 June 1900 | Disposed of 18 March 1920[11] | ||
| 1899 | 23 November 1899 | 25 May 1902 | Ran aground off Tripoli, 12 October 1911 | ||
| 17 August 1899 | 7 February 1900 | 16 March 1901 | Disposed of 18 March 1920 | ||
| 7 November 1899 | 19 May 1900 | 6 July 1901 | Disposed of 13 January 1924 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 23 March 1900 | 9 February 1901 | 8 December 1901 | Disposed of 30 September 1920 |