Italian battleship Sicilia
Encyclopedia
Sicilia was a pre-dreadnought battleship built for the Italian Navy
in the 1880s. She was the second ship of her class
to be laid down, but was the last to be completed. Decommissioned before World War I
she was used during the war as a depot ship at Taranto and then became a repair ship. She was stricken again in 1923.
of 76 foot and a draft
of 28 foot. Normally she displaced 13058 long tons (13,268 t) and displaced 14842 long tons (15,080 t) at full load. She was built with a ram bow.
s provided steam to the engines. On trials, the ship had a top speed of 20.1 knots. She carried enough coal to give her a range of 4000–6000 nmi (7,408–11,112 km) at 10 knots. She had three funnels, but, unusually, the two forward funnels were side-by-side.
guns mounted in twin barbette
s fore and aft. These guns had a maximum elevation of 13.5° and could depress to -3°. They fired a 1250 pounds (567 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity
of about 2016 ft/s (614.5 m/s) to a range of about 11950 yards (10,927.1 m) at maximum elevation. They had a rate of fire about 2–3 minutes per round.
The eight 6 inches (15 cm) 40-caliber guns were mounted on pivot mounts on the upper deck. They were protected by gun shield
s 2 inches (51 mm) thick. The anti-torpedo boat
armament consisted of sixteen 4.7 inches (11.9 cm) 40-caliber guns. Twelve of these were in casemate
s on the main deck and four were mounted in the fore and aft superstructures, protected by gun shields. Twenty 57 millimetres (2.2 in) six-pounder and ten 37 millimetres (1.5 in) one-pounder guns were mounted in the superstructure. Sicilia carried five 17.7 inches (450 mm) torpedo tube
s, all above water.
. The side of the hull between the barbettes was completely protected with a maximum thickness of 4 inches (10 cm) of armor. The barbette
s were 13.75 inches (35 cm) thick and the guns were unprotected. The conning tower
had 11.8 inches (30 cm) walls. The armor deck was 3 inches (8 cm) thick.
. She was built by the Venice
Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 3 November 1884, launched on 6 July 1891, and completed on 4 May 1895. She was stricken on 9 July 1914 and became a depot ship at Taranto before becoming a repair ship during the war. She was stricken again in 1923.
Italian Navy
Italian Navy may refer to:* Pre-unitarian navies of the Italian states* Regia Marina, the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Italy * Italian Navy , the navy of the Italian Republic...
in the 1880s. She was the second ship of her class
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
to be laid down, but was the last to be completed. Decommissioned before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
she was used during the war as a depot ship at Taranto and then became a repair ship. She was stricken again in 1923.
General characteristics
Sicilia was 400 in 3 in (122 m) between perpendiculars and 418 foot long overall. She had a beamBeam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 76 foot and a draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 28 foot. Normally she displaced 13058 long tons (13,268 t) and displaced 14842 long tons (15,080 t) at full load. She was built with a ram bow.
Propulsion
Sicilia had two vertical compound steam engines with a total designed output of 19131 ihp. Eighteen cylindrical boilerBoiler (steam generator)
A boiler or steam generator is a device used to create steam by applying heat energy to water. Although the definitions are somewhat flexible, it can be said that older steam generators were commonly termed boilers and worked at low to medium pressure but, at pressures above this, it is more...
s provided steam to the engines. On trials, the ship had a top speed of 20.1 knots. She carried enough coal to give her a range of 4000–6000 nmi (7,408–11,112 km) at 10 knots. She had three funnels, but, unusually, the two forward funnels were side-by-side.
Armament
Sicilias main armament consisted of two pairs of breech-loading British BL 13.5 inches (343 mm) Mk I–IV 30-caliberCaliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
guns mounted in twin barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
s fore and aft. These guns had a maximum elevation of 13.5° and could depress to -3°. They fired a 1250 pounds (567 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
of about 2016 ft/s (614.5 m/s) to a range of about 11950 yards (10,927.1 m) at maximum elevation. They had a rate of fire about 2–3 minutes per round.
The eight 6 inches (15 cm) 40-caliber guns were mounted on pivot mounts on the upper deck. They were protected by gun shield
Gun shield
thumb|A [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine]] manning an [[M240 machine gun]] equipped with a gun shieldA gun shield is a flat piece or section of armor designed to be mounted on a crew-served weapon such as a machine gun or artillery piece, or, more rarely, to be used with an assault rifle...
s 2 inches (51 mm) thick. The anti-torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
armament consisted of sixteen 4.7 inches (11.9 cm) 40-caliber guns. Twelve of these were in casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s on the main deck and four were mounted in the fore and aft superstructures, protected by gun shields. Twenty 57 millimetres (2.2 in) six-pounder and ten 37 millimetres (1.5 in) one-pounder guns were mounted in the superstructure. Sicilia carried five 17.7 inches (450 mm) torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s, all above water.
Armor
Sicilias steel armor was made by the French company Schneider et CieSchneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers, Eugène and Adolphe Schneider.In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing...
. The side of the hull between the barbettes was completely protected with a maximum thickness of 4 inches (10 cm) of armor. The barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
s were 13.75 inches (35 cm) thick and the guns were unprotected. The conning tower
Conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
had 11.8 inches (30 cm) walls. The armor deck was 3 inches (8 cm) thick.
Service
Sicilia was named after the island of SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. She was built by the Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 3 November 1884, launched on 6 July 1891, and completed on 4 May 1895. She was stricken on 9 July 1914 and became a depot ship at Taranto before becoming a repair ship during the war. She was stricken again in 1923.