Leone class destroyer

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The Leone class were a group of destroyers built for the Italian Navy in the early 1920s. Five ships were planned and three completed. All three ships were based at Massawa, Eritrea during World War II and were sunk during the East African Campaign.

[edit] Design

These ships were large, fast and well armed. They were initially ordered in 1917, but postponed due to steel shortages, and re-ordered in 1920. The gun armament comprised four twin 4.7-inch (119 mm) guns in powered turrets on the centre line. Initially they were rated as Scouts but were re-rated as destroyers in the 1930s. The ships were modernised for colonial service in 1936 and transferred to the Red Sea.

[edit] General characteristics

• Displacement:
  • 1,743 tons standard,
  • 2,648 tons full load
• Length: 113.4 m
• Beam: 10.36 m
• Draught: 3.1 m
• Machinery: 2 shaft geared turbines, 4 Yarrow type boilers, 42,000 hp (31,300 kW)
• Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h)
• Range: 2,400 nautical miles (4,440 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h)
• Armament:
  • 8 120 mm guns (4x2)
  • 2 40 mm pom pom anti-aircraft guns
  • 4 20 mm machine guns
  • 4 533 mm torpedo tubes (2x2)
  • 60 mines
• Crew: 206

[edit] Ships

All ships were built by Ansaldo in Genoa

Two more ships Lince and Leopardo were cancelled in 1920 or 1921

[edit] References

• Whitley, M.H. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Cassell Publishing. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.