Italian cruiser Calatafimi
 Calatafimi's sistership Partenope c. 1895 | |
| History | |
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| Name: | Calatafimi |
| Namesake: | Battle of Calatafimi |
| Builder: | Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia |
| Laid down: | 15 September 1891 |
| Launched: | 18 March 1893 |
| Commissioned: | 16 January 1894 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap in March 1907 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Partenope-class torpedo cruiser |
| Displacement: | Normal: 839 metric tons (826 long tons; 925 short tons) |
| Length: | 73.1 m (240 ft) |
| Beam: | 8.22 m (27.0 ft) |
| Draft: | 3.48 m (11.4 ft) |
| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: | 18.1 to 20.8 knots (33.5 to 38.5 km/h; 20.8 to 23.9 mph) |
| Complement: | 96–121 |
| Armament: |
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Calatafimi was a torpedo cruiser of the Partenope class built for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) in the 1880s.
Design
Calatafimi was 73.1 meters (240 ft) long overall and had a beam of 8.22 m (27.0 ft) and an average draft of 3.48 m (11.4 ft). She displaced 839 metric tons (826 long tons; 925 short tons) normally. Her propulsion system consisted of a pair of horizontal triple-expansion steam engines each driving a single screw propeller, with steam supplied by four coal-fired locomotive boilers. Specific figures for Calatafimi's engine performance have not survived, but the ships of her class had top speeds of 18.1 to 20.8 knots (33.5 to 38.5 km/h; 20.8 to 23.9 mph) at 3,884 to 4,422 indicated horsepower (2,896 to 3,297 kW). The ship had a cruising radius of about 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). She had a crew of between 96–121.[1]
Calatafimi was armed with a main battery of one 120 mm (4.7 in) /40 gun and six 57 mm (2.2 in) /43 guns mounted singly. She was also equipped with three 37 mm (1.5 in) /20 guns in single mounts. Her primary offensive weapon was her six 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes. The ship was protected by an armored deck that was up to 1.6 in (41 mm) thick; her conning tower was armored with the same thickness of steel plate.[1]
Service history
The new cruiser was originally to have been named Tersicore, but she was renamed Calatafimi the day construction began. The last member of her class, Calatafimi was laid down on 15 September 1891 at the Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia (Royal Dockyard in Castellammare di Stabia), and was launched on 18 March 1893. After fitting-out work was completed, the ship was commissioned into the fleet on 16 January 1894.[1] The following year, she was assigned to the 2nd Division of the Permanent Squadron, which included her sister ship Euridice, the ironclad battleship Francesco Morosini, and the protected cruiser Etruria. The Squadron was based at La Spezia at the time, though Calatafimi was stationed primarily in Taranto and Naples, along with most of the other torpedo cruisers of the Italian fleet.[2]
In 1898, Calatafimi was assigned to the Reserve Squadron, which included the ironclads Lepanto, Francesco Morosini, and Ruggiero di Lauria, three protected cruisers, and the torpedo cruiser Goito.[3] The ship was sold for scrap in March 1907 and subsequently broken up.[1]
Notes
References
- Garbett, H., ed. (1898). "Naval Notes – Italy". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution (London: J. J. Keliher) XLII: 199–204. OCLC 8007941.
- Garbett, H., ed. (1895). "Naval and Military Notes – Italy". Journal of the Royal United Service Institution (London: J. J. Keliher). XXXIX: 81–111. OCLC 8007941.
- Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
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