Design and description
The Folgore-class destroyers were extremely similar to the preceding Freccia class, although their beam was reduced in an unsuccessful attempt to improve their speed over that achieved by the earlier ships. [1] The Folgores had an overall length of 96.05 meters (315 ft 1 in), a beam of 9.2 meters (30 ft 2 in) and a mean draft of 3.3 meters (10 ft 10 in) [2] and 4.3 meters (14 ft 1 in) at deep load. [1] They displaced 1,238 metric tons (1,218 long tons ) at standard load, and 2,090 metric tons (2,060 long tons) at deep load. [3] Their complement during wartime was 185 officers and enlisted men. [4]
The Folgores were powered by two Belluzzo geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Thornycroft boilers. [4] The turbines were designed to produce 44,000 shaft horsepower (33,000 kW ) and a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) in service, although the ships reached speeds of 38–39 knots (70–72 km/h; 44–45 mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded. They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 3,600 nautical miles (6,700 km; 4,100 mi) at a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). [1]
Their main battery consisted of four 50-caliber Cannone da 120 mm (4.7 in)/50 A Modello 1926 guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. [3] Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Folgore-class ships was provided by a pair of 39-caliber Cannone da 40 mm (1.6 in)/39 AA guns in single mounts amidships and a pair of twin-gun mounts for Breda 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) Modello 1931 machine guns. They were equipped with six 533-millimeter (21 in) 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. [1] The Folgores could carry 52 mines. [3]
The Maestrale class were a group of destroyers built for the Regia Marina and served in World War II. They formed the basis for subsequent Italian destroyer designs; the Oriani and Soldati classes.
The Sauro class were a group of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. They were based in the Red Sea Italian colony of Eritrea and all fought in World War II being sunk during the East African Campaign in 1941.
The Mirabello class were a group of three destroyers(originally scout cruisers) built for the Regia Marina during World War I. Carlo Alberto Racchia was sunk by a mine in the Black Sea during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War in 1920. The remaining two ships, obsolescent by 1938, were re-rated as destroyers and participated in World War II. Carlo Mirabello was also lost to a mine while escorting a convoy in 1941. The last surviving ship, Augusto Riboty, was reconfigured as a convoy escort in 1942–1943. The torpedo tubes were removed and depth charges and 20 mm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft guns added. She survived the war and was transferred to the Soviet Union as war reparations in 1946. The ship was scrapped five years later.
The Pisa class consisted of three armored cruisers built in Italy in the first decade of the 20th century. Two of these were for the Royal Italian Navy and the third was sold to the Royal Hellenic Navy and named Georgios Averof. This ship served as the Greek flagship for the bulk of her active career and participated in the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, fighting in two battles against the Ottoman Navy. She played a minor role in World War II after escaping from Greece during the German invasion in early 1941. Influenced by communist agitators, her crew mutinied in 1944, but it was suppressed without any bloodshed. Georgios Averof returned to Greece after the German evacuation in late 1944 and became a museum ship in 1952. She is the only surviving armored cruiser in the world.
The Italian cruiser Pisa was the name ship of her class of two armored cruisers built for the Royal Italian Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The ship participated in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912, during which she supported the occupations of Tobruk, Libya and several islands in the Dodecanese and bombarded the fortifications defending the entrance to the Dardanelles. During World War I, Pisa's activities were limited by the threat of Austro-Hungarian submarines, although the ship did participate in the bombardment of Durazzo, Albania in late 1918. After the war she became a training ship and was stricken from the Navy List in 1937 before being scrapped.
The Italian destroyer Audace was originally ordered by Japan from Yarrow Shipbuilders in Scotland under the name of Kawakaze, but was transferred to Italy in 1916 while still under construction. She served as the command ship for the radio-controlled target ship San Marco in 1937–1940 and then was rearmed for convoy escort and patrolling duties when World War II began. Audace was captured by the Germans in 1943 and used by them as a minelayer and escort ship in the Adriatic Sea until she was sunk by a pair of British destroyers in late 1944.
Alvise Da Mosto was one of twelve Navigatori-class destroyers, built for the Regia Marina between the late 1920s and the early 1930s. During World War II, she participated in several minelaying missions in the Sicilian Channel and escorted convoys between Italy and Libya until her sinking by the British Force K.
Grantiere was one of nineteen Soldati-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Completed in early 1939, she was one of the last of the first batch of a dozen ships to enter service.
Scirocco was one of four Maestrale-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1934, she served in World War II.
Libeccio was one of four Maestrale-class destroyer built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1934, she served in World War II.
Fulmine was one of four Folgore-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she served in World War II.
Lampo was one of four Folgore-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she served in World War II.
Folgore was the lead ship of her class of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she served in World War II.
Baleno was one of four Folgore-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the early 1930s. Completed in 1932, she served in World War II.
Nicolò Zeno was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.
Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian destroyer, and one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1931, she served in World War II. She was captured by German forces, but was later sunk by Allied aircraft in 1945.
Giovanni da Verazzano was one of a dozen Navigatori-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina in the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she served in World War II.
Augusto Riboty was one of three Mirabello-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina during World War I.
Carlo Alberto Racchia was one of three Mirabello-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina during World War I.
Carlo Mirabello was one of three Mirabello-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina during World War I.
This page is based on this
Wikipedia article Text is available under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Regia Marina 
