Littorio class battleship
Encyclopedia
The Littorio class, also known as the Vittorio Veneto class,Vittorio Veneto and Littorio were laid down
on the same date, so ambiguity exists in the naming of the class. was a class
of battleship
of the Regia Marina
, the Italian navy. The class was composed of four ships: Littorio
, Vittorio Veneto
, Roma
, and Impero
. Only the first three ships of the class were completed, however. Built between 1934 and 1942, they were the most modern battleships used by Italy during World War II
. The Littorio class ships were developed in response to the French s, and were armed with 381 millimetres (15 in) guns and had a top speed of 30 knots (16.3 m/s). The design was considered by the Spanish Navy, but the outbreak of World War II interrupted construction plans.
The first two ships, Littorio and Vittorio Veneto, were operational by the early months of Italy's participation in World War II. They formed the backbone of the Italian fleet, and conducted several sorties into the Mediterranean to intercept British convoys, though without any notable success. The two ships were repeatedly torpedo
ed throughout their careers: Littorio was hit by a torpedo during the attack on Taranto in November 1940 and again in June 1942 and Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed during the Battle of Cape Matapan
in March 1941 and while escorting a convoy to North Africa in September 1941. Roma joined the fleet in June 1942, though all three ships remained inactive in La Spezia
until June 1943, when all three were damaged in a series of Allied
air attacks on the harbor.
In September 1943, Italy capitulated and signed an Armistice with the Allies. Littorio was then renamed Italia. The three active battleships were transferred to Malta before they were to be interned in Alexandria
. While en route to Malta, German bombers attacked the fleet with Fritz-X radio-guided bombs, damaging Italia and sinking Roma. Nevertheless, Italia and Vittorio Veneto reached Malta and were interned. The incomplete Impero was seized by the Germans after Italy withdrew from the war and used as a target, until she was sunk by American bombers in 1945. Italia and Vittorio Veneto were awarded to the United States and Britain, respectively, as war prizes. Italia, Vittorio Veneto, and Impero were broken up for scrap between 1947 and 1948.
of 1922 allotted Italy an additional 70000 LT of total capital ship tonnage, which could be used in 1927–1929, while other powers were observing the "holiday" in battleship construction prescribed by the treaty. France, which was given parity with Italy, also possessed 70,000 tons of capital ship tonnage. Both countries were put under significant pressure from the other signatories to use their allotted tonnage to build smaller battleships with reduced caliber main batteries. The first Italian design, prepared in 1928, called for a 23000 LT ship armed with a main battery of six 381 mm (15 in) guns in twin turrets. They opted for this design because this allowed three ships under the 70,000-ton limit. Protection and radius of action were sacrificed for speed and heavy armament, though the Italians did not value range, as they operated primarily in the confined waters of the Mediterranean.
Later in 1928, the design staff prepared an alternative ship, with a displacement of 35000 LT, armed with 406 mm (16 in) guns and protected against guns of the same caliber. Funding was not allocated to begin construction, however, as the Italian Navy did not want to instigate an arms race with the French Navy. The London Naval Treaty
of 1930 extended the building holiday to 1936, though Italy and France retained the right to build 70,000 tons of new capital ships. Both countries rejected British proposals to limit new battleship designs to 25000 LT and 305 mm (12 in) guns. After 1930, the Italian Navy abandoned the smaller designs altogether. By 1932, Germany had begun to build the ships, armed with six 280 mm (11 in) guns, and France had in turn laid down the s to counter them. The French vessels were armed with eight 330 mm (13 in) guns. In late 1932, Italian constructors responded with a design similar to the Deutschland class, but armed with six 343 mm (13.5 in) guns in triple turrets on a 18000 LT displacement.
The Italian Navy decided that the smaller design was impractical, and that a larger design should be pursued. A 26500 LT design was then prepared, which mounted eight 343 mm guns in twin turrets. This was ultimately abandoned in favor of a 35,000 ton design to be armed with 406 mm guns. The 406 mm gun was abandoned in favor of the 381 mm gun because there were no designs for the larger gun, which would delay construction. The 381 mm gun had been designed for the canceled . Ultimately, nine 381 mm guns in three triple turrets were adopted as the primary battery for the ships, on a displacement in excess of 40000 LT, despite the fact that this violated the established naval treaties.
The ships of the class varied slightly in dimensions. Littorio and Vittorio Veneto were 224.05 metres (735.1 ft) long between perpendiculars and 237.76 m (780.1 ft) long overall, while Roma and Impero were 240.68 m (789.6 ft) long overall. All four ships had a draft
of 32.82 m (107.7 ft) and a beam
of 9.6 m (31.5 ft). Littorio displaced 40724 metric tons (40,080.7 LT) as designed and 45236 MT (44,521.4 LT) at full load. Vittorio Veneto displaced 40517 MT (39,877 LT) and 45029 MT (44,317.7 LT), respectively. Romas displacement increased slightly as compared to the other ships, to 40992 MT (40,344.5 LT) and 45485 MT (44,766.5 LT), respectively. As Impero was not completed, her final displacement is unknown. As built, the ships were fitted with bulbous bow
s to increase their speed, but they were found to cause serious vibration, which forced a modification to the bow.
Littorio and Vittorio Veneto had a standard crew of 80 officers and 1,750 enlisted men; while serving as a flagship
, the crew was increased by a command staff of between 11 and 31 additional officers. The standard crew for Roma and Impero was increased by 100 enlisted men. Aircraft facilities were located on the quarterdeck
, where it was initially planned to base six La Cierva
autogyro
s. Instead, a single catapult
was fitted. The ships were equipped with three Ro.43
reconnaissance seaplanes or navalized Re.2000
fighters. The Re.2000 fighter was a wheeled aircraft and had to land on an airfield.
The ships' propulsion system consisted of four Belluzo geared steam turbine
s powered by eight oil-fired Yarrow boiler
s. The engines were rated at 128200 shp and a top speed of 30 knots (16.3 m/s). On sea trials, both Littorio and Vittorio Veneto exceeded the design specifications for their power plant. Littorio reached 137649 shp and 31.3 kn (17 m/s), while Vittorio Veneto made 133771 shp and 31.4 kn (17.1 m/s), both at light loadings. In service, however, the ships averaged 28 kn (15.2 m/s). Figures for Romas speed trials have not been recorded. The ships carried 4140 MT (4,074.6 LT) of fuel oil, which enabled a maximum range of 4580 nautical miles (8,482.2 km) at a cruising speed of 16 kn (8.7 m/s). At 14 kn (7.6 m/s), the ships' range increased slightly to 4700 nmi (8,704.4 km). The entire machinery system accounted for about 5.6 percent of the total displacement.
guns in three triple turrets, two in a superfiring pair
forward and one aft. These long-barrel, high-velocity guns were chosen to compensate for the smaller 381 mm shell as compared to the 406 mm gun originally desired. The 381 mm guns had a maximum elevation of 35 degrees, which allowed them to engage targets out to 42260 m (138,648.3 ft). The guns fired a 885 kg (1,951.1 lb) armor-piercing
(AP) shell at a muzzle velocity
of 870 m/s. High explosive shells weighed 774 kg (1,706.4 lb). The high muzzle velocity of the guns reduced their service life and increased the dispersion of the fall of shot. Shell rooms were located below the propellant
magazines beneath the gun house in the turret structure. The guns' rate of fire
was one shot every 45 seconds.
The ships' secondary battery consisted of twelve 152 mm (6 in) L/55 Ansaldo Model 1934 guns in four triple turrets. Two were placed abreast the No. 2 main battery turret and two on either side of the rear turret. These guns fired a 50 kg (110.2 lb) AP shell at a muzzle velocity of 910 m/s. They could elevate to 45 degrees, permitting a maximum range of 25740 m (84,448.8 ft). They had a rate of fire of slightly better than four rounds a minute. Four 120 mm (4.7 in) L/40 guns supplemented the 152 mm guns. The ships' anti-aircraft armament was composed of a powerful battery of twelve 90 mm (3.5 in) L/50 guns closely arranged amidships, twenty 37 mm (1.5 in) L/54 guns, and sixteen 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) L/65 guns. The 90 mm guns provided long-range anti-aircraft protection, and were mounted in quadriaxially stabilized single turrets. They had a rate of fire of 12 rounds per minute and had a ceiling of approximately 10800 m (35,433.1 ft). The 37 mm and 20 mm guns were designed for close-range defense and had effective ranges of 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) and 2500 m (8,202.1 ft), respectively.
was designed to defeat 380 mm shells at ranges over 16000 m (52,493.4 ft), and was inclined at 11 degrees. The belt was layered as follows: a 70 mm (2.8 in) hardened steel belt was used to de-cap armor-piercing projectiles. A 250 mm (9.8 in) wide gap separated the outer layer from the main belt armor, which was 280 mm (11 in) thick and was backed with 50 mm (2 in) of timber and 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) skin plating. Another 140 mm (5.5 in) wide gap separated the main belt from a 36 mm (1.4 in) thick splinter screen. Another 25 mm thick screen was placed further inboard. The main section of the belt armor was closed on either end by 70 mm (2.8 in) thick transverse bulkheads. The bow was protected by a 60 m (196.9 ft) thick belt, while the stern was given 125 mm (4.9 in) of armor protection.
Horizontal protection over the magazine consisted of a 162 mm (6.4 in) thick armored deck. Over the machinery spaces, the deck was reduced in thickness to 110 mm (4.3 in), and on the outboard portions of the ships, the deck was reduced further to 90 mm (3.5 in). The aft steering rooms and auxiliary machinery spaces were protected by a 105 mm (4.1 in) thick deck. The main conning tower
was protected by 50–130 mm thick side armor.
Above the deck, the main battery barbette
s that housed the turret assemblies for the 381 mm guns were protected with 350 mm (13.8 in) thick armor, while below deck the thickness was reduced to 280 mm. The faces of the main battery turrets were 350 mm thick, with 200 mm (7.9 in) thick sides and roofs. The secondary gun turrets were housed in barbettes 150 mm (5.9 in) thick above deck and 100 mm (3.9 in) thick below deck. The turret faces were 350 mm thick, with 75 millimetre thick sides and 150 mm thick roofs. Below the third deck, neither the primary or secondary barbettes were protected by armor. The anti-aircraft guns were protected with gun shields ranging in thickness from 12 mm (0.47244094488189 in) to 40 mm (1.6 in).
extended inboard from the base of the main belt before curving down to meet the bottom of the hull. This formed a void which housed an empty drum 380 mm (15 in) wide with 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in) thick walls; the rest of the void was filled with liquid. The drum ran the length of the torpedo defense system, and was designed to collapse to contain the explosive pressure of a torpedo hit. The torpedo bulkhead would prevent any splinters or explosive effects from entering the ships' vitals. The system was designed to protect the ship from torpedo warheads up to 350 kg (771.6 lb).
The system did not perform as effectively as expected, however. This was due to two major defects in the design. The riveted joint that connected the interior torpedo bulkhead to the bottom of the hull was not strong enough to sustain the tremendous shear loadings associated with a direct contact explosions. The joints failed even in cases of non-contact explosions; this prevented the hollow drum from collapsing as designed and resulted in massive flooding. The fineness of the hull shape prevented the 380 mm thickness from being maintained for the entire central citadel; the width of the drum was reduced significantly abreast of the main battery, down to 228 mm (9 in). The ability of the drum to absorb explosive shock correspondingly fell in relation to its size.
The keel
s for Vittorio Veneto and Littorio were laid on the same day, 28 October 1934, at the Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico shipyard in Trieste
and the Ansaldo shipyard in Genoa
, respectively. Vittorio Veneto was launched on 22 July 1937, with Littorio following exactly one month later on 22 August. While incomplete, Vittorio Veneto went to sea on 23 October 1939 to conduct machinery trials. She was delivered to the Italian Navy in Trieste, still incomplete, some six months later on 28 April 1940. She departed Trieste on 1 May for final fitting out at the dockyard in La Spezia
. After completion on 15 May 1940, she went to Taranto
to join the fleet. Littorio underwent the same pattern of machinery trials prior to completion; she was delivered to the fleet on 6 May 1940.
Two additional ships were laid down four years later. Roma was built by the CRDA shipyard, starting on 18 September 1938. She was launched on 9 June 1940 and was completed on 14 June 1942, after which she joined the fleet in La Spezia and replaced Littorio as the fleet flagship. Impero was laid down at the Ansaldo shipyard on 14 May 1938. She was launched on 15 November 1939, but she was never completed. After the entrance of Italy to World War II, the Italian Navy moved the unfinished ship from Genoa to Brindisi
, out of fears of French attacks on the vessel. Work was not resumed.
Littorio and Vittorio Veneto were declared operational on 2 August 1940, and were assigned to the 9th Division of the 1st Squadron. On 31 August, the two ships, along with three of the older battleships steamed with a force of ten cruiser
s and thirty-one destroyer
s to engage the Operation Hats convoy, but poor reconnaissance prevented the Italian force from engaging the British ships. The ships made another unsuccessful sortie to attack another Malta convoy on 29 September. During the attack on Taranto on 12 November 1940, Littorio was hit twice by torpedo
s, suffering serious damage. Significant flooding caused the ship to settle by the bow. The ship was dry-docked on 11 December, with repairs completed by 11 March 1941. Vittorio Veneto, however, emerged from the attack undamaged. While her sister was being repaired, she took over flagship duties and was transferred to Naples
.
Vittorio Veneto sortied on 26 November and encountered British forces south of Sardinia
. During the resulting Battle of Cape Spartivento
, Swordfish
torpedo bombers from the carrier attacked Vittorio Veneto, though she successfully evaded the torpedoes. She briefly engaged British cruisers with her rear main battery turret, without scoring any hits. During the engagement, one of her Ro.43 reconnaissance planes was shot down by a Skua
fighter. On the night of 8–9 January 1941, the Royal Air Force
attacked Naples with heavy bombers, but failed to hit the ship. In February, Vittorio Veneto, Andrea Doria and Giulio Cesare
attempted to attack what was believed to be a Malta convoy. The British squadron was in fact Force H
, steaming to bombard Genoa. The two fleets did not make contact, however, and the Italians returned to port.
On 26 March 1941, Vittorio Veneto departed port to attack British convoys to Greece. Germany pressured the Italian Navy to begin the operation, under the impression that they had disabled two of the three battleships assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet
. This resulted in the Battle of Cape Matapan
the following day, during which Vittorio Veneto engaged British cruisers. She was then attacked by torpedo bombers from ; the first wave failed, but the second scored a single hit on both Vittorio Veneto and the heavy cruiser
Pola
. The battleship was flooded with some 4000 MT (3,936.8 LT) of water, though she got underway after ten minutes and eventually reached Taranto on 29 March. Repairs lasted until July.
Littorio and Vittorio Veneto had both returned to active duty by August 1941, and on the 22nd the two ships sortied to attack a convoy. They returned to port without encountering any British forces, however. On 26 September, the two battleships attempted to intercept the Operation Halberd
convoy, but they broke off the operation without attacking the convoy. While escorting a convoy to North Africa, Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed by the British submarine
; repairs lasted until Spring, 1942. Shortly thereafter, on 13 December, Littorio escorted another convoy to North Africa. This operation resulted in the First Battle of Sirte
, which ended inconclusively. She provided distant cover to another convoy on 3–6 January 1942. On 21 March, she sortied to attack a British convoy, which led to the Second Battle of Sirte
. During the engagement, she badly damaged the destroyers and .
Repairs to Vittorio Veneto were completed in time for her to join Littorio on attacks on the convoys Vigorous
and Harpoon
, which had departed Alexandria and Gibraltar to reinforce Malta simultaneously in mid-June. Combat was limited to the opposing light forces, and Littorio and Vittorio Veneto did not see action. While returning to port, Littorio was hit by a bomb from an American B-24 Liberator
heavy bomber; the bomb struck the forward gun turret, though it did minimal damage. Before returning to port, a British Wellington
bomber torpedoed the ship. The torpedo struck her starboard bow, though she successfully returned to port. Repairs were completed and on 12 December, both ships were moved from Taranto to La Spezia in response to the Allied landings in North Africa
. Roma joined the fleet shortly after the attacks on the two convoys, and joined her sisters for the move to La Spezia. There, she replaced Littorio as the fleet flagship.
In June 1943, a series of Allied air raids attacked La Spezia in an attempt to neutralize the three battleships. On 5 June, she was hit by two large bombs that struck her port side. She was transferred to Genoa for repairs, which were not completed before the Armistice that ended Italian participation in the war. Littorio was hit by three bombs on 19 June, a week after her sister was damaged. She was renamed Italia after Benito Mussolini
's regime collapsed. Roma was damaged during the 5 June attack and again in a third attack on 23 June. In September 1943, following the withdrawal of Italy from the war, all three ships and a significant portion of the Italian fleet left port to be interned in Malta. While en route, German bombers laden with Fritz-X radio-guided bombs attacked the formation. One hit Italia in the bow forward the main battery turrets, causing serious damage. Two hit Roma; one passed through the ship and exploded under her keel, and the second hit near the forward magazines. The bomb detonated the magazines, causing a massive explosion that destroyed the ship with heavy casualties.
Italia and Vittorio Veneto successfully reached Malta, where they remained until 14 September, when they were transferred to Alexandria. They remained at the Great Bitter Lake
in the Suez Canal
for the rest of the war. On 6 June 1946, Vittorio Veneto steamed to Augusta in Sicily, where, under the Treaty of Peace with Italy, she was allocated to Britain. On 14 October 1946, she was moved to La Spezia, paid off on 3 January 1948, and broken up for scrap. Italia left Great Bitter Lake on 5 February 1947, to join her sister in Augusta. Allocated to the United States, she was stricken on 1 June 1948 and scrapped in La Spezia. The incomplete Impero had meanwhile been seized by the retreating Germans in 1943, who used her as a target, until she was sunk by American bombers on 20 February 1945. In October 1947, the ship was raised and towed to Venice
, where she was broken up.
briefly considered a naval building program after seizing power in the Spanish Civil War
. Franco concluded several agreements with the Italian government that would have seen the building of four Littorio class battleships in Spain. The Italians promised to provide all necessary technical and material support for the construction of the ships. The Italian Navy pushed to modernize and enlarge the existing shipyards in Spain, so that they could handle a vessel as large as the Littorio class. The project was abandoned after Italy became involved in World War II, and as a result of limited Spanish industrial capacity.
In the early 1930s, the Soviet Navy
began a naval construction program, and sought advice from foreign shipbuilders for a new class of battleships. On 14 July 1939, Ansaldo
completed a design proposal for the Soviet Navy, for a ship largely based on the Littorio class, designated U.P. 41. The design was for a 42000 MT (41,336.5 LT) ship armed with nine 406 mm guns in triple turrets. The Italians did not disclose the specifications of the Pugliese system and instead used a multiple-torpedo bulkhead
system. Regardless, the Soviet Navy did not use the U.P. 41 design as the basis for the s they laid down in the late 1930s. They were, however, equipped with the Pugliese system.
Citations
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
on the same date, so ambiguity exists in the naming of the class. was a 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....
of battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
of the Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
, the Italian navy. The class was composed of four ships: Littorio
Italian battleship Littorio
|-External links:...
, Vittorio Veneto
Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto
Vittorio Veneto was the lead ship of her class of battleships that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. She was named after the Italian victory at Vittorio Veneto, during World War I.-Construction:...
, Roma
Italian battleship Roma
Roma was the name of three battleships of the Regia Marina , and may refer to:, a broadside ironclad, the lead ship of the Roma class, completed in 1869 and stricken in 1895, a predreadnought battleship of the Regina Elena class completed in 1908 and stricken in 1927, a dreadnought battleship of...
, and Impero
Italian battleship Impero
The Impero was an Italian battleship built for Italy's Regia Marina during the Second World War. She was the fourth ship of her class and was named after the Italian word for "empire," in this case referring to the newly conquered Italian Empire in East Africa as a result of the Second...
. Only the first three ships of the class were completed, however. Built between 1934 and 1942, they were the most modern battleships used by Italy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Littorio class ships were developed in response to the French s, and were armed with 381 millimetres (15 in) guns and had a top speed of 30 knots (16.3 m/s). The design was considered by the Spanish Navy, but the outbreak of World War II interrupted construction plans.
The first two ships, Littorio and Vittorio Veneto, were operational by the early months of Italy's participation in World War II. They formed the backbone of the Italian fleet, and conducted several sorties into the Mediterranean to intercept British convoys, though without any notable success. The two ships were repeatedly torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed throughout their careers: Littorio was hit by a torpedo during the attack on Taranto in November 1940 and again in June 1942 and Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed during the Battle of Cape Matapan
Battle of Cape Matapan
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
in March 1941 and while escorting a convoy to North Africa in September 1941. Roma joined the fleet in June 1942, though all three ships remained inactive in La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
until June 1943, when all three were damaged in a series of Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
air attacks on the harbor.
In September 1943, Italy capitulated and signed an Armistice with the Allies. Littorio was then renamed Italia. The three active battleships were transferred to Malta before they were to be interned in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. While en route to Malta, German bombers attacked the fleet with Fritz-X radio-guided bombs, damaging Italia and sinking Roma. Nevertheless, Italia and Vittorio Veneto reached Malta and were interned. The incomplete Impero was seized by the Germans after Italy withdrew from the war and used as a target, until she was sunk by American bombers in 1945. Italia and Vittorio Veneto were awarded to the United States and Britain, respectively, as war prizes. Italia, Vittorio Veneto, and Impero were broken up for scrap between 1947 and 1948.
Design
The Washington Naval TreatyWashington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
of 1922 allotted Italy an additional 70000 LT of total capital ship tonnage, which could be used in 1927–1929, while other powers were observing the "holiday" in battleship construction prescribed by the treaty. France, which was given parity with Italy, also possessed 70,000 tons of capital ship tonnage. Both countries were put under significant pressure from the other signatories to use their allotted tonnage to build smaller battleships with reduced caliber main batteries. The first Italian design, prepared in 1928, called for a 23000 LT ship armed with a main battery of six 381 mm (15 in) guns in twin turrets. They opted for this design because this allowed three ships under the 70,000-ton limit. Protection and radius of action were sacrificed for speed and heavy armament, though the Italians did not value range, as they operated primarily in the confined waters of the Mediterranean.
Later in 1928, the design staff prepared an alternative ship, with a displacement of 35000 LT, armed with 406 mm (16 in) guns and protected against guns of the same caliber. Funding was not allocated to begin construction, however, as the Italian Navy did not want to instigate an arms race with the French Navy. The London Naval Treaty
London Naval Treaty
The London Naval Treaty was an agreement between the United Kingdom, the Empire of Japan, France, Italy and the United States, signed on April 22, 1930, which regulated submarine warfare and limited naval shipbuilding. Ratifications were exchanged in London on October 27, 1930, and the treaty went...
of 1930 extended the building holiday to 1936, though Italy and France retained the right to build 70,000 tons of new capital ships. Both countries rejected British proposals to limit new battleship designs to 25000 LT and 305 mm (12 in) guns. After 1930, the Italian Navy abandoned the smaller designs altogether. By 1932, Germany had begun to build the ships, armed with six 280 mm (11 in) guns, and France had in turn laid down the s to counter them. The French vessels were armed with eight 330 mm (13 in) guns. In late 1932, Italian constructors responded with a design similar to the Deutschland class, but armed with six 343 mm (13.5 in) guns in triple turrets on a 18000 LT displacement.
The Italian Navy decided that the smaller design was impractical, and that a larger design should be pursued. A 26500 LT design was then prepared, which mounted eight 343 mm guns in twin turrets. This was ultimately abandoned in favor of a 35,000 ton design to be armed with 406 mm guns. The 406 mm gun was abandoned in favor of the 381 mm gun because there were no designs for the larger gun, which would delay construction. The 381 mm gun had been designed for the canceled . Ultimately, nine 381 mm guns in three triple turrets were adopted as the primary battery for the ships, on a displacement in excess of 40000 LT, despite the fact that this violated the established naval treaties.
General characteristics
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 32.82 m (107.7 ft) and a beam
Beam (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 9.6 m (31.5 ft). Littorio displaced 40724 metric tons (40,080.7 LT) as designed and 45236 MT (44,521.4 LT) at full load. Vittorio Veneto displaced 40517 MT (39,877 LT) and 45029 MT (44,317.7 LT), respectively. Romas displacement increased slightly as compared to the other ships, to 40992 MT (40,344.5 LT) and 45485 MT (44,766.5 LT), respectively. As Impero was not completed, her final displacement is unknown. As built, the ships were fitted with bulbous bow
Bulbous bow
A bulbous bow is a protruding bulb at the bow of a ship just below the waterline. The bulb modifies the way the water flows around the hull, reducing drag and thus increasing speed, range, fuel efficiency, and stability...
s to increase their speed, but they were found to cause serious vibration, which forced a modification to the bow.
Littorio and Vittorio Veneto had a standard crew of 80 officers and 1,750 enlisted men; while serving as a flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, the crew was increased by a command staff of between 11 and 31 additional officers. The standard crew for Roma and Impero was increased by 100 enlisted men. Aircraft facilities were located on the quarterdeck
Quarterdeck
The quarterdeck is that part of a warship designated by the commanding officer for official and ceremonial functions. In port, the quarterdeck is the most important place on the ship, and is the central control point for all its major activities. Underway, its importance diminishes as control of...
, where it was initially planned to base six La Cierva
Cierva Autogiro Company
The Cierva Autogiro Company was a British developer of autogyros established in 1926.It was set up to further the designs of Juan de la Cierva with the financial backing of James George Weir, a Scottish industrialist and aviator.-History:...
autogyro
Autogyro
An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
s. Instead, a single catapult
Aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships—in particular aircraft carriers—as a form of assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in...
was fitted. The ships were equipped with three Ro.43
IMAM Ro.43
|-Newsreel clip:An Italian newsreel footage of a Ro.43 launching from a catapult aboard the Italian light cruiser Eugenio di Savoia can be viewed at YouTube as .-References:...
reconnaissance seaplanes or navalized Re.2000
Reggiane Re.2000
The Caproni-Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I was an Italian all metal, low-wing, monoplane with a Curtiss-style retractable undercarriage, used in the first part of World War II. This lightly built and highly manoeuvrable interceptor/fighter, similar to the Seversky P-35, flew for the first time in 1939...
fighters. The Re.2000 fighter was a wheeled aircraft and had to land on an airfield.
The ships' propulsion system consisted of four Belluzo geared steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s powered by eight oil-fired Yarrow boiler
Yarrow boiler
Yarrow boilers are an important class of high-pressure water-tube boilers. They were developed byYarrows and were widely used on ships, particularly warships....
s. The engines were rated at 128200 shp and a top speed of 30 knots (16.3 m/s). On sea trials, both Littorio and Vittorio Veneto exceeded the design specifications for their power plant. Littorio reached 137649 shp and 31.3 kn (17 m/s), while Vittorio Veneto made 133771 shp and 31.4 kn (17.1 m/s), both at light loadings. In service, however, the ships averaged 28 kn (15.2 m/s). Figures for Romas speed trials have not been recorded. The ships carried 4140 MT (4,074.6 LT) of fuel oil, which enabled a maximum range of 4580 nautical miles (8,482.2 km) at a cruising speed of 16 kn (8.7 m/s). At 14 kn (7.6 m/s), the ships' range increased slightly to 4700 nmi (8,704.4 km). The entire machinery system accounted for about 5.6 percent of the total displacement.
Armament
The ships' main battery consisted of nine 381 mm L/50 Ansaldo 1934381mm / 50 Model 1934 naval gun
The 381 mm/50 Ansaldo was the main battery gun of Italy's most modern battleships: Vittorio Veneto, Littorio, and Roma. These built-up guns consisted of a liner, a cylinder over the chamber and part of the rifle bore, a full length cylinder, and a 3/4 length jacket with a hydro-pneumatically...
guns in three triple turrets, two in a superfiring pair
Superfire
The idea of superfire is to locate two turrets in a row, one behind the other, but with the second turret located above the one in front so that the second turret could fire over the first...
forward and one aft. These long-barrel, high-velocity guns were chosen to compensate for the smaller 381 mm shell as compared to the 406 mm gun originally desired. The 381 mm guns had a maximum elevation of 35 degrees, which allowed them to engage targets out to 42260 m (138,648.3 ft). The guns fired a 885 kg (1,951.1 lb) armor-piercing
Armor-piercing shot and shell
An armor-piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armor-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armor carried on many warships. From the 1920s onwards, armor-piercing weapons were required for anti-tank missions...
(AP) 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 870 m/s. High explosive shells weighed 774 kg (1,706.4 lb). The high muzzle velocity of the guns reduced their service life and increased the dispersion of the fall of shot. Shell rooms were located below the propellant
Propellant
A propellant is a material that produces pressurized gas that:* can be directed through a nozzle, thereby producing thrust ;...
magazines beneath the gun house in the turret structure. The guns' rate of fire
Rate of fire
Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. It is usually measured in rounds per minute , or per second .-Overview:...
was one shot every 45 seconds.
The ships' secondary battery consisted of twelve 152 mm (6 in) L/55 Ansaldo Model 1934 guns in four triple turrets. Two were placed abreast the No. 2 main battery turret and two on either side of the rear turret. These guns fired a 50 kg (110.2 lb) AP shell at a muzzle velocity of 910 m/s. They could elevate to 45 degrees, permitting a maximum range of 25740 m (84,448.8 ft). They had a rate of fire of slightly better than four rounds a minute. Four 120 mm (4.7 in) L/40 guns supplemented the 152 mm guns. The ships' anti-aircraft armament was composed of a powerful battery of twelve 90 mm (3.5 in) L/50 guns closely arranged amidships, twenty 37 mm (1.5 in) L/54 guns, and sixteen 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) L/65 guns. The 90 mm guns provided long-range anti-aircraft protection, and were mounted in quadriaxially stabilized single turrets. They had a rate of fire of 12 rounds per minute and had a ceiling of approximately 10800 m (35,433.1 ft). The 37 mm and 20 mm guns were designed for close-range defense and had effective ranges of 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) and 2500 m (8,202.1 ft), respectively.
Armor
The ships' belt armorBelt armor
Belt armor is a layer of heavy metal armor plated on to or within outer hulls of warships, typically on battleships, battlecruisers and cruisers, and on aircraft carriers converted from those types of ships....
was designed to defeat 380 mm shells at ranges over 16000 m (52,493.4 ft), and was inclined at 11 degrees. The belt was layered as follows: a 70 mm (2.8 in) hardened steel belt was used to de-cap armor-piercing projectiles. A 250 mm (9.8 in) wide gap separated the outer layer from the main belt armor, which was 280 mm (11 in) thick and was backed with 50 mm (2 in) of timber and 25 mm (0.984251968503937 in) skin plating. Another 140 mm (5.5 in) wide gap separated the main belt from a 36 mm (1.4 in) thick splinter screen. Another 25 mm thick screen was placed further inboard. The main section of the belt armor was closed on either end by 70 mm (2.8 in) thick transverse bulkheads. The bow was protected by a 60 m (196.9 ft) thick belt, while the stern was given 125 mm (4.9 in) of armor protection.
Horizontal protection over the magazine consisted of a 162 mm (6.4 in) thick armored deck. Over the machinery spaces, the deck was reduced in thickness to 110 mm (4.3 in), and on the outboard portions of the ships, the deck was reduced further to 90 mm (3.5 in). The aft steering rooms and auxiliary machinery spaces were protected by a 105 mm (4.1 in) thick deck. The main 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....
was protected by 50–130 mm thick side armor.
Above the deck, the main battery 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 that housed the turret assemblies for the 381 mm guns were protected with 350 mm (13.8 in) thick armor, while below deck the thickness was reduced to 280 mm. The faces of the main battery turrets were 350 mm thick, with 200 mm (7.9 in) thick sides and roofs. The secondary gun turrets were housed in barbettes 150 mm (5.9 in) thick above deck and 100 mm (3.9 in) thick below deck. The turret faces were 350 mm thick, with 75 millimetre thick sides and 150 mm thick roofs. Below the third deck, neither the primary or secondary barbettes were protected by armor. The anti-aircraft guns were protected with gun shields ranging in thickness from 12 mm (0.47244094488189 in) to 40 mm (1.6 in).
Pugliese torpedo defense system
All four ships incorporated a unique underwater protection system named after its designer, Umberto Pugliese. A 40 mm thick torpedo bulkheadTorpedo bulkhead
A torpedo bulkhead is a type of armor common on the more heavily armored warships, especially battleships and battlecruisers of the early 20th century. It is designed to keep the ship afloat even if the hull was struck underneath the belt armor by a shell or by a torpedo...
extended inboard from the base of the main belt before curving down to meet the bottom of the hull. This formed a void which housed an empty drum 380 mm (15 in) wide with 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in) thick walls; the rest of the void was filled with liquid. The drum ran the length of the torpedo defense system, and was designed to collapse to contain the explosive pressure of a torpedo hit. The torpedo bulkhead would prevent any splinters or explosive effects from entering the ships' vitals. The system was designed to protect the ship from torpedo warheads up to 350 kg (771.6 lb).
The system did not perform as effectively as expected, however. This was due to two major defects in the design. The riveted joint that connected the interior torpedo bulkhead to the bottom of the hull was not strong enough to sustain the tremendous shear loadings associated with a direct contact explosions. The joints failed even in cases of non-contact explosions; this prevented the hollow drum from collapsing as designed and resulted in massive flooding. The fineness of the hull shape prevented the 380 mm thickness from being maintained for the entire central citadel; the width of the drum was reduced significantly abreast of the main battery, down to 228 mm (9 in). The ability of the drum to absorb explosive shock correspondingly fell in relation to its size.
Construction
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
s for Vittorio Veneto and Littorio were laid on the same day, 28 October 1934, at the Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico shipyard in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
and the Ansaldo shipyard in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, respectively. Vittorio Veneto was launched on 22 July 1937, with Littorio following exactly one month later on 22 August. While incomplete, Vittorio Veneto went to sea on 23 October 1939 to conduct machinery trials. She was delivered to the Italian Navy in Trieste, still incomplete, some six months later on 28 April 1940. She departed Trieste on 1 May for final fitting out at the dockyard in La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
. After completion on 15 May 1940, she went to Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
to join the fleet. Littorio underwent the same pattern of machinery trials prior to completion; she was delivered to the fleet on 6 May 1940.
Two additional ships were laid down four years later. Roma was built by the CRDA shipyard, starting on 18 September 1938. She was launched on 9 June 1940 and was completed on 14 June 1942, after which she joined the fleet in La Spezia and replaced Littorio as the fleet flagship. Impero was laid down at the Ansaldo shipyard on 14 May 1938. She was launched on 15 November 1939, but she was never completed. After the entrance of Italy to World War II, the Italian Navy moved the unfinished ship from Genoa to Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
, out of fears of French attacks on the vessel. Work was not resumed.
Service history
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and thirty-one destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s to engage the Operation Hats convoy, but poor reconnaissance prevented the Italian force from engaging the British ships. The ships made another unsuccessful sortie to attack another Malta convoy on 29 September. During the attack on Taranto on 12 November 1940, Littorio was hit twice by torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
s, suffering serious damage. Significant flooding caused the ship to settle by the bow. The ship was dry-docked on 11 December, with repairs completed by 11 March 1941. Vittorio Veneto, however, emerged from the attack undamaged. While her sister was being repaired, she took over flagship duties and was transferred to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
Vittorio Veneto sortied on 26 November and encountered British forces south of Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. During the resulting Battle of Cape Spartivento
Battle of Cape Spartivento
The Battle of Cape Spartivento, known as the Battle of Cape Teulada in Italy, was a naval battle during the Battle of the Mediterranean in the Second World War...
, Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
torpedo bombers from the carrier attacked Vittorio Veneto, though she successfully evaded the torpedoes. She briefly engaged British cruisers with her rear main battery turret, without scoring any hits. During the engagement, one of her Ro.43 reconnaissance planes was shot down by a Skua
Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm which combined the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. It was designed in the mid-1930s, and saw service in the early part of the Second World War...
fighter. On the night of 8–9 January 1941, the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
attacked Naples with heavy bombers, but failed to hit the ship. In February, Vittorio Veneto, Andrea Doria and Giulio Cesare
Italian battleship Giulio Cesare
Giulio Cesare , motto Caesar Adest was a Conte di Cavour-class battleship that served in the Regia Marina in both World Wars before joining the Soviet Navy as the Novorossiysk. Her keel was laid down on 24 June 1910 at Cantieri Ansaldo, Genoa...
attempted to attack what was believed to be a Malta convoy. The British squadron was in fact Force H
Force H
Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany....
, steaming to bombard Genoa. The two fleets did not make contact, however, and the Italians returned to port.
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
. This resulted in the Battle of Cape Matapan
Battle of Cape Matapan
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
the following day, during which Vittorio Veneto engaged British cruisers. She was then attacked by torpedo bombers from ; the first wave failed, but the second scored a single hit on both Vittorio Veneto and the heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
Pola
Italian cruiser Pola
The Pola was a Zara class heavy cruiser of the Italian Regia Marina. She was built in the OTO shipyard at Livorno and entered service in 1932...
. The battleship was flooded with some 4000 MT (3,936.8 LT) of water, though she got underway after ten minutes and eventually reached Taranto on 29 March. Repairs lasted until July.
Littorio and Vittorio Veneto had both returned to active duty by August 1941, and on the 22nd the two ships sortied to attack a convoy. They returned to port without encountering any British forces, however. On 26 September, the two battleships attempted to intercept the Operation Halberd
Operation Halberd
-Summary:During World War II, Operation Halberd was a British naval operation in September 1941 to escort a convoy from Gibraltar to Malta....
convoy, but they broke off the operation without attacking the convoy. While escorting a convoy to North Africa, Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed by the British submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
; repairs lasted until Spring, 1942. Shortly thereafter, on 13 December, Littorio escorted another convoy to North Africa. This operation resulted in the First Battle of Sirte
First Battle of Sirte
The First Battle of Sirte was fought between the British Royal Navy and the Regia Marina during the Mediterranean campaign of the Second World War. The engagement took place on 17 December 1941, southeast of Malta, in the Gulf of Sirte...
, which ended inconclusively. She provided distant cover to another convoy on 3–6 January 1942. On 21 March, she sortied to attack a British convoy, which led to the Second Battle of Sirte
Second Battle of Sirte
The Second Battle of Sirte was a naval engagement in which the escorting warships of a British convoy to Malta frustrated a much more powerful Regia Marina squadron. The British convoy was composed of four merchant ships escorted by four light cruisers, one anti-aircraft cruiser, and 17 destroyers...
. During the engagement, she badly damaged the destroyers and .
Repairs to Vittorio Veneto were completed in time for her to join Littorio on attacks on the convoys Vigorous
Operation Vigorous
Operation Vigorous was a World War II Allied operation to deliver a supply convoy that sailed from Haifa and Port Said on 12 June 1942 to Malta. The convoy encountered heavy Axis air and sea opposition and returned to Alexandria on 16 June....
and Harpoon
Operation Harpoon (1942)
Not to be confused with Operation Harpoon Operation Harpoon was one of two simultaneous Allied convoys sent to supply Malta in the Axis-dominated Mediterranean Sea in mid-June 1942, during the Second World War. One convoy, Operation Vigorous, left Alexandria. The other, Operation Harpoon, travelled...
, which had departed Alexandria and Gibraltar to reinforce Malta simultaneously in mid-June. Combat was limited to the opposing light forces, and Littorio and Vittorio Veneto did not see action. While returning to port, Littorio was hit by a bomb from an American B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy bomber; the bomb struck the forward gun turret, though it did minimal damage. Before returning to port, a British Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
bomber torpedoed the ship. The torpedo struck her starboard bow, though she successfully returned to port. Repairs were completed and on 12 December, both ships were moved from Taranto to La Spezia in response to the Allied landings in North Africa
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
. Roma joined the fleet shortly after the attacks on the two convoys, and joined her sisters for the move to La Spezia. There, she replaced Littorio as the fleet flagship.
In June 1943, a series of Allied air raids attacked La Spezia in an attempt to neutralize the three battleships. On 5 June, she was hit by two large bombs that struck her port side. She was transferred to Genoa for repairs, which were not completed before the Armistice that ended Italian participation in the war. Littorio was hit by three bombs on 19 June, a week after her sister was damaged. She was renamed Italia after Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's regime collapsed. Roma was damaged during the 5 June attack and again in a third attack on 23 June. In September 1943, following the withdrawal of Italy from the war, all three ships and a significant portion of the Italian fleet left port to be interned in Malta. While en route, German bombers laden with Fritz-X radio-guided bombs attacked the formation. One hit Italia in the bow forward the main battery turrets, causing serious damage. Two hit Roma; one passed through the ship and exploded under her keel, and the second hit near the forward magazines. The bomb detonated the magazines, causing a massive explosion that destroyed the ship with heavy casualties.
Italia and Vittorio Veneto successfully reached Malta, where they remained until 14 September, when they were transferred to Alexandria. They remained at the Great Bitter Lake
Great Bitter Lake
The Great Bitter Lake is a salt water lake between the north and south part of the Suez Canal. It is adjoined by the Small Bitter Lake . Before the Canal was built, their site was occupied by dry salt valleys. Together, the Bitter Lakes now have a surface area of about 250 km²...
in the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
for the rest of the war. On 6 June 1946, Vittorio Veneto steamed to Augusta in Sicily, where, under the Treaty of Peace with Italy, she was allocated to Britain. On 14 October 1946, she was moved to La Spezia, paid off on 3 January 1948, and broken up for scrap. Italia left Great Bitter Lake on 5 February 1947, to join her sister in Augusta. Allocated to the United States, she was stricken on 1 June 1948 and scrapped in La Spezia. The incomplete Impero had meanwhile been seized by the retreating Germans in 1943, who used her as a target, until she was sunk by American bombers on 20 February 1945. In October 1947, the ship was raised and towed to 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...
, where she was broken up.
The Littorio class in foreign service
In 1939, Spain's General Francisco FrancoFrancisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
briefly considered a naval building program after seizing power in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Franco concluded several agreements with the Italian government that would have seen the building of four Littorio class battleships in Spain. The Italians promised to provide all necessary technical and material support for the construction of the ships. The Italian Navy pushed to modernize and enlarge the existing shipyards in Spain, so that they could handle a vessel as large as the Littorio class. The project was abandoned after Italy became involved in World War II, and as a result of limited Spanish industrial capacity.
In the early 1930s, the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
began a naval construction program, and sought advice from foreign shipbuilders for a new class of battleships. On 14 July 1939, Ansaldo
Gio. Ansaldo & C.
Ansaldo was one of Italy's oldest and most important engineering companies, existing for 140 years from 1853 to 1993.-From foundation to World War I:...
completed a design proposal for the Soviet Navy, for a ship largely based on the Littorio class, designated U.P. 41. The design was for a 42000 MT (41,336.5 LT) ship armed with nine 406 mm guns in triple turrets. The Italians did not disclose the specifications of the Pugliese system and instead used a multiple-torpedo bulkhead
Torpedo bulkhead
A torpedo bulkhead is a type of armor common on the more heavily armored warships, especially battleships and battlecruisers of the early 20th century. It is designed to keep the ship afloat even if the hull was struck underneath the belt armor by a shell or by a torpedo...
system. Regardless, the Soviet Navy did not use the U.P. 41 design as the basis for the s they laid down in the late 1930s. They were, however, equipped with the Pugliese system.
Endnotes
NotesCitations