NAVYPEDIA

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Climene

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate	Modification
Astore	AS		BSN, Napoli	1933	22.4.1934	6.1935	to Sweden 3.1940 (Remus)	Spica group
Spica	SP		BSN, Napoli	5.1933	11.3.1934	5.1935	to Sweden 3.1940 (Romulus)	Spica group
Canopo	CA		CT, Riva Trigoso	12.1935	1.10.1936	3.1937	sunk 3.5.1941	Climene group
Cassiopea	CS, 1953- F553		CT, Riva Trigoso	12.1935	22.11.1936	4.1937	discarded 10.1959	Climene group
Castore	CT		CNR, Ancona	1.1936	27.9.1936	1.1937	sunk 2.6.1943	Climene group
Centauro	CO		CNR, Ancona	5.1934	19.2.1936	6.1936	sunk 4.11.1942	Climene group
Cigno	CG		CNR, Ancona	3.1936	24.11.1936	4.1937	sunk 16.4.1943	Climene group
Climene	CN, CE		CNR, Ancona	7.1934	7.1.1936	4.1936	sunk 28.4.1943	Climene group
Aldebaran	AL		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1935	14.6.1936	12.1936	sunk 20.10.1941	Perseo group
Altair	AT		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1935	26.7.1936	12.1936	sunk 20.10.1941	Perseo group
Andromeda	AD		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1935	28.6.1936	12.1936	sunk 17.3.1941	Perseo group
Antares	AN		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1935	19.7.1936	12.1936	sunk 28.5.1943	Perseo group
Perseo	PS		CNQ, Fiume	11.1934	9.10.1935	2.1936	sunk 4.5.1943	Perseo group
Sagittario	SG, 1953- F557		CNQ, Fiume	11.1935	21.6.1936	10.1936	discarded 7.1964	Perseo group
Sirio	SI, 1953- F554		CNQ, Fiume	11.1934	16.11.1935	3.1936	discarded 10.1959	Perseo group
Vega	VG		CNQ, Fiume	11.1935	21.6.1936	10.1936	sunk 10.1.1941	Perseo group
Airone	AO		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1936	23.1.1938	5.1938	sunk 20.10.1941	Alcione group
Alcione	AC		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1936	23.12.1937	5.1938	sunk 11.12.1941	Alcione group
Aretusa	AU, 1953- F556		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1936	6.2.1938	7.1938	discarded 8.1958	Alcione group
Ariel	AE		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1936	14.3.1938	7.1938	sunk 12.10.1940	Alcione group
Calipso	CI		Ansaldo, Genoa	9.1937	12.6.1938	11.1938	sunk 5.12.1940	Alcione group
Calliope	CP, 1953- F551		Ansaldo, Genoa	5.1937	15.4.1938	10.1938	discarded 8.1958	Alcione group
Circe	CC		Ansaldo, Genoa	9.1937	29.6.1938	10.1938	collision 27.11.1942	Alcione group
Clio	CL, 1953- F555		Ansaldo, Genoa	10.1936	3.4.1938	10.1938	discarded 10.1959	Alcione group
Libra	LB, 1953- F552		CNQ, Fiume	12.1936	3.10.1937	1.1938	discarded 4.1964	Alcione group
Lince	LC		CNQ, Fiume	12.1936	15.1.1938	4.1938	sunk 28.8.1943	Alcione group
Lira	LR		CNQ, Fiume	12.1936	12.9.1937	1.1938	scuttled 9.9.1943	Alcione group
Lupo	LP, LU		CNQ, Fiume	12.1936	7.11.1937	2.1938	sunk 2.12.1942	Alcione group
Pallade	PD		BSN, Napoli	2.1937	19.12.1937	10.1938	sunk 5.8.1943	Alcione group
Partenope	PN		BSN, Napoli	3.1937	27.2.1938	11.1938	scuttled 11.9.1943	Alcione group
Pleiadi	PL		BSN, Napoli	1.1937	5.9.1937	7.1938	damaged 13.10.1941, never repaired	Alcione group
Polluce	PC		BSN, Napoli	2.1937	24.10.1937	8.1938	sunk 4.9.1942	Alcione group

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	Spica group: 638 Climene group: 780 Perseo group: 775 Alcione group: 785
Displacement full, t	Spica group: 885 Climene group: 995 Perseo group: 1005 Alcione group: 1035
Length, m	Spica group, Canopo, Cassiopea, Perseo, Sagittario, Sirio, Vega, Alcione group: 75.0 pp 80.4 oa others: 75.0 pp 82.0 oa
Breadth, m	Spica, Climene, Perseo groups: 8.20 Alcione group: 7.92
Draught, m	2.83 - 3.09
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets Tosi geared steam turbines, 2 Yarrow boilers
Power, h. p.	19000
Max speed, kts	34
Fuel, t	oil 207
Endurance, nm(kts)	1900 - 1960(15)
Armament	Spica group: 3 x 1 - 100/47 OTO 1931, 2 x 2 - 40/39 Vickers-Terni 1917, 2 x 2 - 13.2/76, 4 x 1 - 450 TT, 2 DCT, 18 - 28 mines Climene group except Centauro and Climene: 3 x 1 - 100/47 OTO 1931, 4 x 2 - 13.2/76, 4 x 1 - 450 TT, 2 DCT, 18 - 28 mines Centauro, Climene: 3 x 1 - 100/47 OTO 1931, 4 x 2 - 13.2/76, 1 x 2 - 450 TT, 2 x 1 - 450 TT, 2 DCT, 18 - 28 mines Perseo group: 3 x 1 - 100/47 OTO 1931, 4 x 2 - 13.2/76, 2 x 2 - 450 TT, 2 DCT, 18 - 28 mines Alcione group except Libra, Lince, Lira, Lupo: 3 x 1 - 100/47 OTO 1937, 4 x 2 - 13.2/76, 2 x 2 - 450 TT, 2 DCT, 18 - 28 mines Libra, Lince, Lira, Lupo: 3 x 1 - 100/47 OTO 1937, 4 x 2 - 13.2/76, 4 x 1 - 450 TT, 2 DCT, 18 - 28 mines
Complement	99

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

In the early thirties for replacement of out-of-date torpedo boats the decision to build a series of new ships of such type was accepted, thus their standard displacement was limited by 600t. It allowed to take advantage of an opening in total documents of the London Naval Conference of 1930 according to which the ships with displacement under 600t did not fall under limitations and could be built in any number. According to naval shipbuilding experts, to create something except coastal torpedo boat with low seaworthiness and low endurance, it was impossible. For Italy, whose interests have been centred on Mediterranean sea with its rather small distances and good weather conditions, the endurance and seaworthiness paled into insignificance. It is clear to use desire of Italians this opening for the renewal torpedo fleets, not spending on it precious contractual tonnage and having left it on rigorous destroyers.

It is interesting, that determination to build the 600t ships had, besides economic also political underlying reason as Italy, after France, did not ratify total documents of the London conference and formally had the full right not to follow any limitations.

First two torpedo boats laid down in 1933 structurally presented strongly moderated version of Freccia class destroyer with 100mm main guns and 450mm torpedoes. In total 32 ships were completed differing from each other by an arrangement of torpedo banks. On trials many have exceeded 37kts, however, after commission speed was significantly decreased at the expense of overload (to 630-670t design standard displacement it was added from 115-150t) and has averaged 30kts.

Successful from the point of view of an applied naval architecture design of 600t torpedo boat at the same time had doubtful practical value as approached for the decision of the majority of the tasks facing destroyer a little. For operations against enemy destroyers she has been too small and poorly armed. For torpedo attacks on enemy surface ships on the contrary, she was too large and had in side salvo only 2-4 weak 450mm torpedoes. Much in larger degree 600t torpedo boats approached for patrol and escort services, but also in this case their anti-aircraft and anti-submarine armaments were too weak.

Modernizations

1939 - 1941, all survived: were armed with 3 x 1 - 100/47 OTO 1931/1937, 3 x 2 - 20/65 Breda 1935, 1 x 2 - 13.2/76, 2 x 2 - 450 TT, 2 DCT, 18 - 28 mines, hydrophone

1941 - 1942, all survived: + 2 DCT (40 DC at all)

1942 - 1943, all survived: - 1 x 2 - 13.2/76; + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Scotti-Isotta Fraschini 1939

early 1950s, all survived: + radars, sonar

1952, Cassiopea: - 2 x 2 - 450 TT; + 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk 10 ASWRL

1952, Sirio: - 2 x 1 - 100/47, 2 x 2 - 450 TT; + 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog MK 10 ASWRL

1952, Clio, Libra; 1953, Aretusa, Calliope: - 1 x 1 - 100/47, 2 x 2 - 450 TT; + 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog Mk 10 ASWRL

1958, Sirio: - 1 x 1 - 100/47; + 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3

1958, Clio, Libra, Aretusa, Calliope: - 2 x 1 - 100/47; + 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3

Naval service

Airone and Ariel 12.10.1940 were sunk by British cruiser Ajax E off Malta. Calipso 5.12.1940 was sunk on mines laid by British submarine Rorqual E off Tripoli. Andromeda 18.3.1941 was sunk by British aircraft at coast of Albania. Canopo was sunk 3.5.1941 by British aircraft at Tripoli. Pleiadi 31.5.1941 was wrongly damaged by Italian aircraft at Tobruk, towed off to Tripoli, 13.10.1941 hard damaged by British aircraft and was not repaired. Aldebaran and Altair 20.10.1941 were sunk by mines laid by British submarine Rorqual off Piraeus. Alcione 11.12.1941 was sunk by British submarine Truant N off Crete. Vega 10.1.1942 was damaged by gunfire of British cruiser Bonaventure off Pantelleria and sunk by a torpedo from British destroyer Hereward. Polluce 4.9.1942 was sunk by British aircraft N off Tobruk. Centauro 4.11.1942 was sunk by American aircraft at Bengasi. Circe 27.11.1942 was sunk at collision with auxiliary cruiser Citta di Tunisi at Sicily. Lupo 2.12.1942 was sunk by British cruisers Aurora, Argonaut and Sirius off Kirkenah. Cigno 16.4.1943 was sunk by gunfire and torpedoes of British destroyers Paladin and Pakenham W off Sicily. Climene 28.4.1943 was sunk by British submarine Unshaken W off Sicily. Perseo 4.5.1943 was sunk by British destroyers Nubian, Paladin and Petard at coast of Tunisia. Antares 28.5.1943 was sunk as result of American air raid to Leghorn. Castore was sunk 2.6.1943 by gunfire of British destroyer Jervis and Greek Vasilissa Olga off Calabria. Lince 4.8.1943 ran aground at Taranto and 28.8.1943 was finished by British submarine Ultor. Pallade 5.8.1943 was sunk by American aircraft at Naples. Lira was captured by German troops in September, 1943, renamed TA49 and sunk 4.11.1944 by Allied aircraft at La Spezia. Partenope was captured by German troops in September, 1943 and 11.9.1943 blown up at Naples.

Some ships after war were modernised as fast corvettes: Cassiopea (1950-1952), Sirio (1951-1952), Aretusa (1952-1953), Calliope (1952-1953), Clio (1951-1952), Libra (1950-1952). Sagittario in 1952-1953 was converted to armament trials ship.