Pantera

Pantera was one of three s built for the (Royal Italian Navy) in the early 1920s. Design and description The ships were designed as scout cruisers (esploratori), essentially enlarged versions of contemporary destroyers. They were initially ordered in 1917, but postponed due to steel shortages, and re-ordered in 1920. They had an overall length of , a beam of and a mean draft of . They displaced at standard load, and at deep load. Their complement was 10 officers and 194 enlisted men. The Leones were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by four Yarrow boilers. The turbines were rated at for a speed of in service, although Pantera reached from during her sea trials. The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of at a speed of . Their main battery consisted of eight guns in four twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure and the remaining turrets positioned between the funnels and the torpedo tube mounts amidships. Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Leone-class ships was provided by a pair of AA guns in single mounts amidships. They were equipped with six torpedo tubes in two triple mounts. The Leones could also carry 60 mines.