Leone-class destroyer
 Pantera
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Ansaldo, Genoa |
| Operators |  Regia Marina |
| Built | 1921–1924 |
| In commission | 1924–1941 |
| Planned | 5 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Cancelled | 2 |
| Lost | 3 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 113.41 m (372 ft 1 in) ( o/a ) |
| Beam | 10.36 m (34 ft) |
| Draught | 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in) (mean) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) |
| Range | 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 10 officers and 194 enlisted men |
| Armament |
|
The Leone class were a group of
Design and description
The ships were designed as
The Leones were powered by two
Their
Operational history
The ships were outfitted for colonial service, and by 1935 they were deployed in the naval base of Massawa, Eritrea.[4] The ships were re-rated as destroyers in 1938 and fought in World War II, when the Italian entry in the war left Italian East Africa isolated from Italy.[5]
Attack on convoy BN 7
The only appreciable action in which the destroyers were involved was the
Last mission
The destroyers remained at dock in Massawa until the very end of ground operations in East Africa. Their commander ordered them to steam out on 31 March 1941, for a naval bombardment against targets around the Suez Canal, in a mission without return. Leone ran aground off Massawa, and was then destroyed by her sister ships. After being spotted and harassed by British aircraft, Pantera and Tigre reached the Arabian shores, where their crews scuttled them.[7]
Ships
| Ship | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leone | 23 November 1921 | 1 October 1923 | 1 July 1924 | Wrecked on uncharted rock 1 April 1941 |
| Pantera | 19 December 1921 | 18 October 1923 | 28 October 1924 | Scuttled 3/4 April 1941 |
| Tigre | 23 January 1922 | 7 August 1924 | 10 October 1924 | Scuttled 3/4 April 1941 |
Two more ships Lince and Leopardo were cancelled in 1920 or 1921.
Notes
- ^ a b c d e Gray, p. 267
- ^ a b Whitley, p. 158
- ^ McMurtrie, p. 281
- ^ Cacciatorpediniere Tigre (in Italian)
- ISBN 88-8421-170-0(in Italian)
- ^ O'Hara, p. 103
- ISBN 1-85285-417-0
Bibliography
- Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
- Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
- Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
- Gray, Randal, ed. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8.
- O'Hara, Vincent P. (2009). Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater, 1940–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-648-3.
- Roberts, John (1980). "Italy". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 280–317. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
- ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
- ISBN 1-85409-521-8.
Further reading
- Cernuschi, Enrico (2022). "Esploratori of the Regia Marina, 1906—1939". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2022. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 147–160. ISBN 978-1-4728-4781-2.
External links
- Classe Leone Marina Militare website
