 Saetta, date unknown | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Kingdom of Italy | |
| Name | Saetta |
| Builder | Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia |
| Launched | 30 May 1887 |
| Commissioned | 16 February 1888 |
| Stricken | 14 May 1908 |
| Fate | Broken up, 1908 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Folgore-classtorpedo cruiser |
| Displacement | 364long tons (370 t) |
| Length | 56.7 meters (186 ft) |
| Beam | 6.31 m (20 ft 8 in) |
| Draft | 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 ×double-expansionsteam engines |
| Speed | 17knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Complement | 57–70 |
| Armament |
|
Saetta was aFolgore-classtorpedo cruiser built for the ItalianRegia Marina (Royal Navy) in the 1880s. Armed with three 14 in (356 mm)torpedo tubes and six light guns, she was capable of a top speed of 17knots (31 km/h; 20 mph). She was built in the mid-1880s, waslaunched in May 1887, and wascompleted in February 1888.Saetta spent the first decade of her career serving in the main Italian fleet, where she conducted peacetime training exercises. In 1897, she was withdrawn from front-line service and employed as a gunnerytraining ship, a role she filled for another decade. TheRegia Marina ultimately soldSaetta for scrap in May 1908.
Saetta was 56.7 meters (186 ft)long overall and had abeam of 6.31 m (20 ft 8 in) and an averagedraft of 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in). Shedisplaced 364long tons (370 t) normally. Her propulsion system consisted of a pair of horizontaldouble-expansionsteam engines each driving a singlescrew propeller, with steam supplied by four coal-firedlocomotive boilers.Saetta could steam at a speed of 17knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) from 2,130indicated horsepower (1,590 kW). She had a crew of between 57 and 70.[1]
The primary armament forSaetta was three 14 in (356 mm)torpedo tubes. For defense againsttorpedo boats, she was also equipped with two57 mm (2.24 in) /43 guns and four 37 mm (1.5 in) /25 guns, all mounted singly. The ship carried no armor protection.[1]
Saetta was built at theRegio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia (Royal Dockyard inCastellammare di Stabia). She waslaunched on 30 May 1887, and was completed on 16 February 1888.[1] That year, she took part in the annual fleet maneuvers, along with fiveironclads, aprotected cruiser, the torpedo cruisersTripoli,Goito, andFolgore, and numerous smaller vessels. The maneuvers consisted of close-order drills and a simulated attack on and defense of La Spezia. Later that year, the ship was present during a naval review held for theGerman KaiserWilhelm II during a visit to Italy.[2] In 1892, theRegia Marina usedSaetta to conduct experiments with oil-fired boilers.[1]
In 1893,Saetta waslaid up inNaples for the year; at the time, the Italian fleet mobilized only a handful of vessels for the annual training maneuvers, preferring to keep the most modern vessels in reserve to reduce maintenance costs.[3] The following year,Saetta was commissioned for two months to take part in the annual fleet maneuvers; she spent the rest of the year in reserve.[4] She took part in the annual fleet maneuvers in the Reserve Division, along with the ironcladItalia andAndrea Doria and the torpedo cruiserUrania.[5]Saetta was stationed inLa Spezia in the 1st Maritime Department, along with hersister shipFolgore in 1895,[6] though the latter had been badly damaged in a collision and was decommissioned.[1]
From 1897 to 1900, the ship served as a torpedo training ship. The following year, she was transferred to the gunnery school, where she train gunners for the fleet. In 1902, her gun armament was expanded to increase the types of weapons available for training.[1] These included one3 in (76 mm) gun, four 57 mm guns, two47 mm (1.9 in) guns, one 37 mm gun, and one 37 mm revolvingHotchkiss gun.[7] That year, the gunnery school also included the old ironcladsRegina Maria Pia andAffondatore;Saetta was used only for target practice at sea.[8] She was still serving in this capacity in 1904–1905, along with the oldironcladEnrico Dandolo.[9]Saetta was ultimately discarded on 14 May 1908 and subsequentlybroken up for scrap.[1]
