A topic to talk about the elegant and speedy line ships of the Regia Marina, italiy s Royal navy.
( edite post rep)
Launching of the cruiser Armando Diaz belonging the second series of the Condottieri class
http://www.archivioluce.com/archivio/jsp/schede/videoPlayer.jsp?tipologia=&id=&physDoc=873&db=cinematograficoDOCUMENTARI&findIt=false§ion=/
The Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) has two lines of battleship, Cavour (and Andrea Doria that was similar) and Littorio.
Cavour and Andrea Doria
These classs of battleship was created during WWI. The principal idea of using battleships in WWII was to use them against France only in Meditteranean theatre. All choises about construction of capital ships are based upon this plan.
Like Germany, Italy has few boatyards capable of construct boats of this size. At the same time the resources needed are very rare so the introduction of entire new battleship class is too demanding. France has two types battleship, old Lorreine and new acquired Dunkerque. Italy choose to follow at the beginning the English way of totally remodernize his old ships. The renewed battleships can beat old Lorraine easily and still make a serious threat to Dunkerque class, while Italian battleships have less effective and smaller main gun the similar protection and superior speed gave them some advantage.
Armament was huge, and especially some AA smaller guns were very modern. In Andread Doria class some AA guns are the same mounted on Littorio class. The main guns as usual for Italian biggest naval guns have a very short life, about 150 rounds.
The armors is good. All the battleships use the “cilindri assorbitori Pugliese”, an underwater protection system against torpedo, it was a system of cylinders between armor and hull that absorbes explosions. Today the debate about real benefit of this protection system is still in progress between historians.
Class Name: Andrea Doria
Displacement: about 29.300 tonn at max
Lenght: 186.9 m
Beam: 28 m
Draught: 10.35 m
Propulsion: 8 Yarrow boilers, 2 boilers Belluzzo with total 85.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 27 knots
Range: 4250 nautic miles @ 12 knots
Armament: ten cannons 320/44 (main anti ship)
twelve cannons 12 x 135/4 (secondary anti ship)
ten cannons 90/50 (dual use)
twelve cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
sixten cannons 20/65 (anti aircraft)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 100 mm
(max) Vertical 250 mm
(max) Turrets 280 mm
(max) Barbettes 305 mm
(max) Main turrets 260 mm
Men: 1495
Class Name: Cavour
Displacement: about 29.100 tonn at max
Lenght: 186.4 m
Beam: 28 m
Draught: 10.35 m
Propulsion: 8 Yarrow boilers, 2 boilers Belluzzo with total 93.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 28 knots
Range: 3100 nautic miles @ 20 knots
Armament: ten cannons 320/44 (main anti ship)
twelve cannons 120/50 (secondary anti ship)
eight cannons 100/47 (dual use)
sixten cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
twelve cannons 20/65 (anti aircraft)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 100 mm
(max) Vertical 250 mm
(max) Turrets 280 mm
(max) Barbettes 305 mm
(max) Main turrets 260 mm
Men: 1436
Littorio class
This class rapresents the best battleship class in Europe at the time when it is created. This class has huge hitting power, heavy armor while keeping high speed, highest than his competitors. Only drawback: like others two italian capitol ship class the only theatre of operation is the Mediterranean, so the range is smaller compared with others battleship. The class broke every aspect of Naval Treaty of Washington.
The armament was very good, main 381 mm gun has a better range than Iowa and Yamato battleship class and highest muzzle velocity. This remarkable abilities means that barrels must be changed every 142 shots (Bismark 180 and English 335). Also recharging was slow, 1.3 shot every minute, for example Bismark shots 2.3 shot every minute, only France has a battleship with slower rate of fire, Richeliu. Another excellent gus was the dual-purpose 90/50 Modello 1939, that is slightly better than well-known 88 mm.
The armors is good. All the battleships use the “cilindri assorbitori Pugliese”, an underwater protection system against torpedo, it was a system of cilenders between armor and hull that absorbe explosions. Today the debate about real benefit of this protection system is still in progress between historians.
The Rome battleship, a Littorio class, was the first ship to be sunked in 1943 by a stand-off weapon, a primitive anti-ship missile Fritz-x launched from a Do 217 for revenge against treacher of Italy.
After 1943 Churchill himself wants to use this new battleships in the Pacific theatre. US don’t allow British to do this, because it means that they will acquire capitol ships so they must accept that in some operations the commander will be UK admiral on his new battleship. So the Italian battleships start the trip to Asia, but they halted at Suez Channel. After end of WWII Churchill don’t let that Italy keep any battleship on active duty so after 1948 Allies impose to Italy to scrap his battleships.
Class Name: Littorio
Displacement: about 46.215 tonn at max
Lenght: 240.7 m
Beam: 32.9 m
Draught: 10.5 m
Propulsion: 8 Yarrow boilers, 4 boilers Belluzzo with total 140.000 hp on 4 shafts
Speed: (max) 30 knots
Range: 4580 nautic miles @ 16 knots, 3920 @ 20 knots
Armament: nine cannons 381/50 (main anti ship)
twelve cannons 152/55 (secondary anti ship)
twelve cannons 90/50 (dual use)
twenty cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
twentyeight cannons 20/65 (anti aircraft)
unknown number heavy machine gun 13.2/76
Armor: (max) Horizontal 207 mm
(max) Vertical 350 + 36 + 24 mm
(max) Turrets 350 mm
(max) Barbettes 350 mm
(max) Main turrets 280 mm
Men: 1920
Aircraf: 3 Reggiane Re.2000
Tante grazie, great information Burp !
The Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) has:
- one line of aircraft;
- two lines of heavy cruiser;
- two lines of light cruiser;
Italy starts war knowing that it needs aircraft carriers, also Mussolini know it. But for a rural country like Italy in '30 the budget for defense upgrade are so poor that it can concentrate his resource on few objectives. High Admirals choose, with stupidity, that the priority is the construction of battleships.
After attack to battleship in Taranto base by English torpedo bomber and the disastrous battle of Matapan in 1941 the same high admirals must admit that Navy needs too much aircraft carrier. In real the problem of Navy was his total lack of any type of coordination with Air Force. In 1942/1943 the renewed collaboration with Italian and Nazi Air Force prove that airplanes from Sicily and Greece can be an invaluable wepon against English Meditteranean Fleet, without using aircraft carrier. This obviosly is true only in Meditteranean theatre of operation.
The cruiser, both heavy and light, are constructed as usual thinking about “traditional” foe, the France. At the start they are similar to french cruiser: heavy guns, high speed and pathetic armour. After some waste of precious resources in these type of ships, the Italy starts to construct good cruiser with excellent fire power, mobility and armour.
Like Germany, Italy wasn’t able to use his aircraft carriers.
Aquila and Sparviero
Like Germany, Italy find that he needs aircraft carrier and doesn’t have resources and time for construction of new ships.
Aquila is a truly aircraft carrier while Sparviero is an escort aircraft carrier. Both of them inherit from aircraft carrier previous projects, from project Gagnotto they inherit the concept of modify an already existing civilian ship, from project Bozzoni they inherite the use as anti torpedo armor additional bilges underwater and filled with reinforced concrete; this a was a cheaper version of steel armor.
Aquila was constructed starting from Roma, the biggest civilian transatlantic that Italy had at the time. Aquila has one flying deck with central island on the right, and a deck below that will be used as shelter for airplanes. The additionals bilges also gives to it a more streamlined hull. The anti-aircraft armament was very huge, the eight guns 135/45 are very huge, some historian say that they will be used as dual-purpose guns. The guns are placed in special tees on island and on border of hull. The airplanes used will be fighter-bomber Reggiane Re.2001 borrewed by Royal Italian Air Force. This airplane uses Daimler Benz licence-build with 1175 hp will be available in 3 configurations:
- fighter, with 2 heavy machine gun 12.7 mm and 2 light machine gun 7.7 mm;
- night-fighter, with 2 heavy machine gun 12.7 mm and 2 light machine gun 7.7 mm and 1 20 mm gun;
- fighter-bomber, with 2 heavy machine gun 12.7 mm and 2 light machine gun 7.7 mm and a single 640 kg bomb;
The Re.201 can reach the speed of 540 km/h. The version with folding wing never reach the operational status, so
the Aquila can have only 55 Re.2001. Re.2001 will be launched from two steam catapults, one every 30 seconds. There will be 4 lifter on flying deck.
The armour over the water is not common. Only gas depot and ammo depot have it.
Acquila was hit by bomber in 1942. At the armistice, 8 september 1943, the unit is available for test at sea, with 90% of constructions finished. The crew disable Aquila before Nazi can get it. On 16 June 1944 was hit by american bombardiers. In 19 April 1945 was attacked by frogmen special unit of Royal Italian Navy, to deny the
possibility that German sink it at the gate of his harbour. It was retaken in 24 april 1945 and then scrapped in 1952.
Name: Aquila
Displacement: about 29.300 tonn at max
Lenght: 232.5 m
Beam: 29.4 m
Draught: 7.39 m
Lenght flight deck: 216.2 m
Beam flight deck: 25.3 m
Propulsion: 8 Yarrow boilers, 4 boilers Parson with total 148.000 hp on 4 shafts
Speed: (max) 30 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 135/45 (dual use)
12 cannons 65/45 (anti aircraft)
135 machine gun 20/65 (anti aircraft)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 76 mm, only flight deck
(max) Vertical 600 mm (a combined steel and reinforced concrete only in
underwater hull)
(max) Gas depo 60 mm
(max) Ammo depo 80 mm
Men: 1375 (Navy) + 253 (Air Force)
Airplane:55
Sparverio is the cheap version of Aquila. It was constructed starting from the twin ship of Roma, Augustus. It doesn’t have the central island and new propulsion system. For weight saving the use armor above water was denied.
At the armistice, 8 september 1943 the work was just started. It was sunked on 15 october 1944 at the entrance of Genoa harbour as obstruction against naval assault by Allies. It was moved in 1947 in dock and then scrapped.
Name: Sparviero
Displacement: about 29.300 tonn at max
Lenght: 232.5 m
Beam: 29.4 m
Draught: 7.39 m
Speed: (max) 20 knots
Armament: 12 cannons 135/45 (dual use)
12 cannons 65/45 (anti aircraft)
unknown number of machine gun 20/65 (anti aircraft)
Armor: (max) Vertical 600 mm (a combined steel and reinforced concrete only in underwater hull)
Men: 1375 (Navy) + 253 (Air Force)
Airplane:34 Re.2001 or 16 Re.2001 and 9 torpedo bomber
Trento
This class, like europen cruiser of that time, especially French, has weak armour and great speed and guns. The speed was his best advantage and greater disadvantage: to get more speed builders save every tons of armor they can. This mean they have greater speed than their foes. The guns are huge but too bulky for an hull like these so they aren’t too much accurate when fired togheter. The Italian try to slower muzzle velocity and use projectile lighter but this problem was never totally resolved.
For some times, while waiting new battleships, Trento cruiser class ship were the flagships of Italian Navy.
In combat these type of ship prove to bee to much fragile to heavy weapons.
Class Name: Trento
Displacement: about 14.600 tonn at max
Lenght: 197 m
Beam: 20.6 m
Draught: 6.8 m
Propulsion: 10 Yarrow boilers, 4 turbin Parsons with total 150.000 hp on 4 shafts
Speed: (max) 35 knots
Range: 4160 nautic miles @ 16 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 203/50 (anti ship)
16 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
4 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
8 torpedo launcher 533 mm (anti ship)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 50 mm
(max) Vertical 70 mm
(max) Turrets 100 mm
(max) Barbettes 100 mm
(max) Main turrets 100 mm
Men: 781
Aircraf: 3 launched from a catapult on stern
Zara
A heavy cruiser, fast and deadly and with a good armor for his class.
Class Name: Zara
Displacement: about 14.762 tonn at max
Lenght: 182.8 m
Beam: 20.6 m
Draught: 7.2 m
Propulsion: 8 Yarrow boiler, 2 turbin Parsons with total 95.000 hp on 4 shafts
Speed: (max) 33 knots
Range: 5.361 nautic miles @ 16 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 203/50 (anti ship)
16 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
8 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
8 torpedo launcher 533 mm (anti ship)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 70 mm
(max) Vertical 70 mm
(max) Turrets 150 mm
(max) Barbettes 150 mm
(max) Main turrets 150 mm
Men: 852
Aircraf: 2 launched from a catapult on stern
Bolzano
Similar to Trento, some historian confused Bolzano and Trento class. Bolzano is still designed to be fast, ignoring needing of good armor. Bolzano is named “beatiful error”, because it lacks armors but his profile is beatiful to see.
Class Name: Bolzano
Displacement: about 13.885 tonn at max
Lenght: 197 m
Beam: 20.6 m
Draught: 6.8 m
Propulsion: 10 Yarrow boiler, 4 turbin Parsons with total 150.000 hp on 4 shafts
Speed: (max) 35 knots
Range: 4.432 nautic miles @ 16 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 203/53 (anti ship)
16 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
8 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
8 torpedo launcher 533 mm (anti ship)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 50 mm
(max) Vertical 75 mm
(max) Turrets 100 mm
(max) Barbettes 152 mm
(max) Main turrets 100 mm
Men: 788
Aircraf: 3 launched from a catapult on stern
Good info here on these ships and more.
http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/italian_cruisers.htm
Deaf
Thanks for the link Deaf Smith.
The Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) has:
- one line of aircraft;
- two lines of heavy cruiser;
- two lines of light cruiser;
Italy starts war knowing that it needs aircraft carriers, also Mussolini know it. But for a rural country like Italy in '30 the budget for defense upgrade are so poor that it can concentrate his resource on few objectives. High Admirals choose, with stupidity, that the priority is the construction of battleships.
After attack to battleship in Taranto base by English torpedo bomber and the disastrous battle of Matapan in 1941 the same high admirals must admit that Navy needs too much aircraft carrier. In real the problem of Navy was his total lack of any type of coordination with Air Force. In 1942/1943 the renewed collaboration with Italian and Nazi Air Force prove that airplanes from Sicily and Greece can be an invaluable wepon against English Meditteranean Fleet, without using aircraft carrier. This obviosly is true only in Meditteranean theatre of operation.
Well, if you think about it wasnt that stupid, after all the close scenario of the mediterranean is not the best aircraft carrier scenario and the italians have no previous experience with carriers, not even in ww1.
Hey, nice specs and info.
What would be the reasoning behind putting the 3 12’’ guns in the middle of the Andrea Doria?
As i wrote, i suggest that for particular conditions (Italy lost war and never go outside his sea, except for Betasom and get help of Nazi Air Force) the choice is correct.
But when it was taken:
- if Italy beat UK Royal Meditteranean Fleet it means that must go on oceans to keep fighting with UK Home Fleet;
- Mussolin give order to create an oceanic fleet;
- no one knows that German can give help;
- Italian admirals think that they can use same tactic (bombing while flying in orizontal line from high altitude) with success while foreign and Italians aviators don’t agree with it;
For me it was a mistake. But for Italy enter at war in 1941 was a big mistake. Like Germany, new fleet will be finished for 1946.
Thanks. Andrea Doria class was a WWI era battleship. In these times was not so uncommon this type of structure or similar (guns that are in turrets that cannot freely rotate). I must admitt that i don’t know exactly why, perhaps it’s a way to have a greater number of guns.
So where were the bridge and other accommodations and planning rooms? In the bottom of the Ship?
Yes. But remember two facts:
- using them in Medditeranean means short trip so crew can afford to have cramped spaces;
- for modern standard the accomodations are too much spartan and little;
Di Giussano class
This class of light cruiser is like their heavy counterpart fast but without a sufficient armor.
Class Name: Di Giussano
Displacement: (max) 7.000 tonn
Lenght: 169 m
Beam: 15.5 m
Draught: 5.3 m
Propulsion: 6 Yarrow boilers, 2 turbines Parson with total 95.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 37 knots
Range: 3800 nautic miles @ 16 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 152/52 (main anti ship)
6 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
8 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
4 torpedo launchers 533 mm (anti ship)
96 naval mines (anti ship)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 40 mm
(max) Vertical 25 mm
(max) Turrets 25 mm
(max) Barbettes 25 mm
(max) Main turrets 40 mm
Men: 521
Aircraf: 2 launched from a catapult in the middle of ship
Diaz class
A slightly better version of Di Giussano class. Still with not sufficient armor to be effective in war.
Class Name: Diaz
Displacement: (max) 7.900 tonn
Lenght: 169.3 m
Beam: 15.5 m
Draught: 5.5 m
Propulsion: 6 Yarrow boilers, 2 turbines Parson with total 95.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 36.5 knots
Range: 3088 nautic miles @ 16 knots, 2500 nautic miles @ 25 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 152/52 (main anti ship)
6 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
8 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
4 torpedo launchers 533 mm (anti ship)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 70 mm
(max) Vertical 42 mm
(max) Turrets 40 mm
(max) Barbettes 20 mm
(max) Main turrets 70 mm
Men: 544
Aircraf: 2 launched from a catapult in the middle of ship
Montecuccoli class
The first truly capable class of light cruiser. This class has a sufficient level of armored protecion.
Class Name: Montecuccoli
Displacement: (max) 8.995 tonn
Lenght: 182.2 m
Beam: 16.6 m
Draught: 6 m
Propulsion: 6 Yarrow boilers, 2 turbines Parson with total 106.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 37 knots
Range: 4152 nautic miles @ 18 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 152/55 (main anti ship)
6 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
8 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
8 torpedo launchers 533 mm (anti ship)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 30 mm
(max) Vertical 85 mm
(max) Turrets 70 mm
(max) Barbettes 70 mm
(max) Main turrets 100 mm
Men: 638
Aircraf: 2 launched from a catapult in the middle of ship
Duca d’Aosta class
Better then Montecuccoli class. Slower but well procted.
Class Name: Duca d’Aosta
Displacement: (max) 10.834 tonn
Lenght: 187 m
Beam: 17.5 m
Draught: 6.5 m
Propulsion: 6 Yarrow boilers, 2 turbines Parson with total 110.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 36.5 knots
Range: 3900 nautic miles @ 14 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 152/53 (main anti ship)
6 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
12 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
6 torpedo launchers 533 mm (anti ship)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 35 mm
(max) Vertical 105 mm
(max) Turrets 100 mm
(max) Barbettes 100 mm
(max) Main turrets 100 mm
Men: 694
Aircraf: 3 launched from a catapult in the middle of ship
Duca degli Abruzzi class
The best ligh cruiser class produced by Italy. This class was used after 1943 by Allies in South Atlantic as escort. Soviet Navy uses it until 1957. Slower than other class it counts on superior weapons and armor to beat his opponents.
Class Name: Duca degli Abruzzi
Displacement: (max) 11.262 tonn
Lenght: 187 m
Beam: 18.9 m
Draught: 6.8 m
Propulsion: 8 Yarrow boilers, 2 turbines Parson with total 100.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 35 knots
Range: 4125 nautic miles @ 13 knots
Armament: 10 cannons 152/55 (main anti ship)
8 cannons 100/47 (dual use)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
10 heavy machine gun 13.2/76 (anti aircraft)
6 torpedo launchers 533 mm (anti ship)
6 rocket launcher (anti submarine)
Armor: (max) Horizontal 65 mm
(max) Vertical 100 + 30 mm
(max) Turrets 135 mm
(max) Barbettes 135 mm
(max) Main turrets 140 mm
Men: 892
Aircraf: 4 launched from two catapults in the middle of ship
Capitani Romani class
Not truly a light cruiser, with his small sizes it was more similar to heavy destroyer than light cruiser. It rely only on his speed to dodge his opponents: with his small size it cannot has the armor needed to sustain damage from heavy guns. It was used by Italy and French after 1945.
Class Name: Capitani Romani
Displacement: (max) 5.510 tonn
Lenght: 14.2 m
Beam: 14.4 m
Draught: 4.1 m
Propulsion: 4 Yarrow boilers with total 100.000 hp on 2 shafts
Speed: (max) 43 knots
Range: 4.350 nautic miles @ 18 knots
Armament: 8 cannons 135/45 (main anti ship)
8 cannons 37/54 (anti aircraft)
8 cannons 20/65 (anti aircraft)
8 torpedo launchers 533 mm (anti ship)
70 naval mines (anti ship)
Men: 418
True, but what about places such as the planning room or the mess hall?
Go to this link for another information
http://www.italie1935-45.com/RM/photoscopes/flotte.html
Friendly Fred
Hi.
This drawing doesn’t represent the Di Giussano class of light cruiser, but the 1938 project for the transformation of these vessels in anti-aircraft ship.
However, the Di Giussano class hasn’t been modified in this way.
Weneto Hello, the drawing represents a project that ultimately was never completed, the ship was left as it was launched. The Italians having perceived that the lack of shielding of these units were not a good solution, the four units were also lost quite quickly. The Alberico di Giussano when peru was to him at the Battle of Cape Bon.
Regards Fred
Weneto for more details, I asked for help to the webmaster of Italy 1935-45, who told me this.
The transformation project in Giussano antiaircraft cruiser, studied
in 1937-38 by Maricominav and yards OTO does La Spezia
never materialized, both for a cost issue and because of
lack of stability of the cruiser
Regards Fred
I know it, I pointed out only that the draft didn’t represent the Di Giussano as it was commissioned on february 5, 1931.
I would add only that during trials (with the ship in light load) the Di Giussano reached 42 knots of maximum velocity, never achieved in war conditions.