Scirocco at anchor
| |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Maestrale class |
Operators | |
Preceded by | Folgore class |
Succeeded by | Oriani class |
Built | 1931–1934 |
In commission | 1934–1965 |
Completed | 4 |
Lost | 3 |
Scrapped | 1 |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Type | Destroyer |
Displacement | |
Length | 106.7 m (350 ft 1 in) |
Beam | 10.15 m (33 ft 4 in) |
Draught | 3.31–4.3 m (10 ft 10 in – 14 ft 1 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |
Speed | 32–33 knots (59–61 km/h; 37–38 mph) |
Range | 2,600–2,800 nmi (4,800–5,200 km; 3,000–3,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Complement | 7 officers and 166 men |
Armament |
|
The Maestrale class were a group of destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) and served in World War II. They formed the basis for subsequent Italian destroyer designs; the Oriani and Soldati classes.
The Maestrale-class destroyers were a completely new design intended to rectify the stability problems of the preceding Folgore class.[1] They had a length between perpendiculars of 101.6 meters (333 ft 4 in) and an overall length of 106.7 meters (350 ft 1 in). The ships had a beam of 10.15 meters (33 ft 4 in) and a mean draft of 3.31 meters (10 ft 10 in)[2] and 4.3 meters (14 ft 1 in) at deep load.[1] They displaced 1,640 metric tons (1,610 long tons) at normal load, and 2,243 metric tons (2,208 long tons) at deep load.[3] Their complement during wartime was 190 officers and enlisted men.[4]
The Maestrales were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by a trio of three-drum boilers.[4] The turbines were designed to produce 44,000 shaft horsepower (33,000 kW) and a speed of 32–33 knots (59–61 km/h; 37–38 mph) in service, although they reached speeds of 38–39 knots (70–72 km/h; 44–45 mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,600–2,800 nautical miles (4,800–5,200 km; 3,000–3,200 mi) at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) and 690 nmi (1,280 km; 790 mi) at a speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph).[1]
Their main battery consisted of four 50-caliber 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure.[3] Amidships were a pair of 15-caliber 120-millimeter star shell guns. Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Maestrale-class ships was provided by four 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) 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 Maestrales could carry 56 mines.[3]