Sirio-class torpedo boat
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Schichau-Werke, Elbing |
| Operators |  Regia Marina |
| Preceded by | Pellicano |
| Succeeded by | Pegaso class |
| Built | 1904–1906 |
| In commission | 1905–1923 |
| Completed | 6 |
| Lost | 3 |
| Retired | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | High-seas Torpedo boat |
| Displacement | 210 t (210 long tons) |
| Length | |
| Beam | 6.0 m (19 ft 8 in) |
| Draught | 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Range | 500 nmi (580 mi; 930 km) at full speed |
| Complement | 3 officer + 35 men |
| Armament |
|
The Sirio class (also known as the Saffo classFirst World War.
Design
In 1904, work began at the German shipyard of
draught of 1.60 metres (5 ft 3 in).[1] Two Coal-fired Schultz-Thornycroft boilers fed Vertical triple-expansion steam engines rated at 3,000–3,100 indicated horsepower (2,200–2,300 kW), giving a rated speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph),[1][5] which corresponded to an in-service sea speed of about 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph).[4][c] Sufficient coal was carried to give a range of 598 nmi (688 mi; 1,107 km) at 23 kn (26 mph; 43 km/h) or 1,920 nmi (2,210 mi; 3,560 km) at 8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h).[7] Displacement was 210 tonnes (207 long tons).[4]
Three 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes were fitted, with a gun armament of three 47 mm guns. The ships had a crew of 38 officers and men.[1]
Service
On delivery, the ships of the class equipped the 1st Squadron of High Seas Torpedo Boats, based first at
First World War, with the remaining ships being rearmed, with two 76 mm anti-aircraft guns replacing the 47 mm guns.[4] A third ship, Saffo was lost after running aground off Turkey on 2 April 1920.[4] The surviving ships were disposed of in 1923.[4]
Ships
| Ship | Laid down[4] | Launched[4] | Completed[4] | Operational History |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirio | 27 December 1904 | 13 May 1905 | 29 September 1905 | Discarded 4 March 1923[4] |
| Sagittario | 20 December 1904 | 31 May 1905 | 3 November 1905 | Discarded 4 January 1923[4] |
| Spica | 14 January 1905 | 15 July 1905 | 22 November 1905 | Discarded 4 March 1923[4] |
| Scorpione | 17 January 1905 | 14 September 1905 | 13 December 1905 | Sank following collision with French gunboat Surveillente 15 May 1917[1][5][d] |
| Serpente | 1905 | 30 October 1905 | 12 February 1906 | Sank after collision with Italian merchant ship Citta di Bari 28 June 1916[1][5] |
| Saffo | 1905 | 30 November 1905 | 1 March 1906 | Lost after running aground Scalanova Bay, Turkey, 2 April 1920[4] |
Notes
- ^ Chesneau and Kolesnik,[1] Fock[2] and the current Italian Navy[3] refer to the class as the Sirio class, while Fraccaroli[4] and Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare[5] refer to the Saffo class.
- ^ Work also begun in at the Pattison shipyard of Naples on four torpedo boats of similar size to a design by the British torpedo-craft specialist Thornycroft, the initial members of the Pegaso-class torpedo boat.[6]
- ^ Speeds of up to 25.7 knots (47.6 km/h; 29.6 mph) were reached during sea trials.[4]
- ^ Fraccaroli swaps the dates and circumstances of the loss of Scorpione and Serpente.[4]
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f Chesneau and Kolesnik 1979, p. 359.
- ^ Fock 1979, p. 141
- ^ a b c "Sezione Torpediniere: Sottosezione Torpediniere da costa: Classe Sirio". Marina Militare. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Fraccaroli 1970, p. 78.
- ^ a b c d Purnell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare, p. 2138.
- ^ Fraccaroli 1970, p. 80.
- ^ Fock 1979, p. 142
- ^ Beehler 1913, pp. 87–90.
References
- Beehler, William Henry (1913). The History of the Italian-Turkish War, Sept. 29, 1911 to Oct. 18, 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Advertiser-Republican.
- Chesneau, Roger; Kolesnik, Eugene M (1979). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
- Fock, Harald (1979). Schwartze Gesellen: Band 1: Torpedoboote bis 1914 (in German). Herford, Germany: Koehlers Verlagsgesellsachft mbH. ISBN 3-7822-0193-0.
- Fraccaroli, Aldo (1970). Italian Warships of World War 1. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0105-7.
External links
- Classe Sirio (1905) Marina Militare website
