World Battleships List: Italian Dreadnoughts

Revised 7 October 2001
Version 1.21
Compiled and Maintained by: Andrew Toppan (actoppan@hazegray.org)
URL: http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/battleships/


This list includes all Italian post-Dreadnought battleships.


General Notes: 
Italian WWI dreadnought production was intended to counter the
Austro-Hungarian fleet.  The fleet was completely reconstructed between
the wars.  The ships menaced Allied shipping in the Mediterranean,
although several ships were put out of action by British strikes. The
entire fleet was to sail to Malta for surrender to the Allies under the 8
Sept 1943 surrender agreement.  Ships that could not sail were scuttled
and fell into German hands; the rest put to sea on the evening of the 8th,
one being sunk en route to Malta. The fleet was returned to the new
Italian government, although 3 ships were assigned to the Allies as
reparations postwar. The last Italian battleships were stuck in 1956. 



Dante Alighieri battleship
Displ: 19,552 tons normal; 21,600 tons design full load
Dim: 551.5 x 87 x 29 feet
Prop: Steam turbines, 23 boilers, 4 shafts, 32,190 hp, 22.83 knots
Crew: 981
Arm: 3 triple 12/46, 4 dual, 12 single 4.7/50, 13 3/40, 3 17.7 inch TT (sub)
Armor: KC: 10 inch belt, 1.5 inch deck, 10 inch turrets, 12 inch CT
	First ship with triple main turrets, first with secondary guns
	(partially) in turrets instead of casemates.   Was overweight
	upon completion.

Dante Alighieri
	Built by Castellammare Yard.  Laid down 6 June 1909, launched
	20 Aug 1910, completed 15 Jan 1913.  All 3/40 replaced by 16 3/50,
	4 3/50 AA in 1915.  Stricken 1 July 1928, scrapped.



Cavour class battleships
Displ: 22,992 tons normal; 24,500 to 24,801 tons full load
Dim: 557.5 x 92 x 30.5-32 feet
Prop: Steam turbines, 20 boilers, 4 shafts, 31,278 hp, 22.2 knots
   (Cesare 24 boilers, 30,700 hp, 21.6 knots, Da Vinci 32,300 hp, 21.6 knots 
Crew: 1232-1235
Arm: 3 triple, 2 dual 12/46, 18 single 4.7/50, 12 3/50, 3 17.7 inch TT (sub)
Armor: KC: 10 inch belt, 4.4 inch deck, 10 inch turrets, 11 inch CT
	Survivors reconstructed 1930's: new machinery installed, center
	turret removed, bow lengthened, superstructure replaced, 
	guns re-bored to 12.59 inch.  Details as follows:
		Displ: 29,032 tons deep load
		Dim: 611.5 x 92 x 34 feet
		Prop: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 2 shafts, 75,000 hp, 
			27 knots
		Arm: 2 triple, 2 dual 12.59/43.8, 6 dual 4.72/50, 
			4 triple 3.93/47, 6 dual 37 mm, 12 13.2 mm 
		Armor: 10 inch belt, 11 inch barbettes, 10 inch CT
	
Conte Di Cavour
	Built by La Spezia Yard.  Laid down 10 Aug 1910, launched 10 Aug 1911,
	completed 1 April 1915.  Reconstructed 10/1933 to 7/1937 at Trieste.
	Sunk by torpedo 11 Nov 1940, salvaged and stripped of most guns,
	reconstruction cancelled.  Scuttled 1943, captured and raised 
	by the Germans, laid up for use as a blockship.  Bombed and sunk
	15 Feb 1945 at Trieste, salvaged 1947, scrapped 1950-1952. 
	
Giulio Cesare
	Built by Ansaldo, Genoa.  Laid down 24 June 1910, launched
	15 Oct 1911, completed 14 May 1914.  Reconstructed 10/1933 to
	10/1937 at Genoa.  To Allied control 9/1943.  Renamed Z11 after WWII. 
	To Russia as Novorossiysk 15 Dec 1948, sunk 29 Oct 1955.

Leonardo Da Vinci
	Built by Odero, Sestri Ponente.  Laid down 18 July 1910, launched
	14 Oct 1911, completed 17 May 1914.  Capsized and sunk at Taranto
	by sabotage explosion 2 Aug 1916.  Refloated 17 Sept 1919, 
	reconstruction plans cancelled, righted 1/1921, sold for scrapping
	26 March 1923.



Doria class battleships
Displ: 22,956 tons normal; 24,729 tons full load 
	(Duilio: 22,994 tons normal; 24,715 tons full load) 
Dim: 557.5 x 92 x 31 feet 
Prop: Steam turbines, 20 boilers, 4 shafts, 30,000 hp, 21 knots 
      (Duilio: 31,090 hp, 21.3 knots)
Crew: 1233
Arm: 3 triple, 2 dual 12/46, 16 single 6/45, 13 single 3/50, 6 3/50 AA,
     3 17.7 inch TT (sub)
Armor: KC: 10 inch belt, 3.9 inch deck, 11 inch turrets, 11 inch CT
	Reconstructed 1930's: similar to Cavour class reconstruction:
		Displ: 29,032 tons deep load
		Dim: 611.5 x 92 x 34 feet
		Prop: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 2 shafts, 75,000 hp, 
			26 knots
		Arm: 2 triple, 2 dual 12.59/43.8, 4 triple 5.31/45, 
			10 single 3.54/10, 6 dual, 3 single 37 mm, 8 dual 20 mm
		Armor: 10 inch belt, 11 inch barbettes, 10 inch CT

Andrea Doria
	Built by La Spezia Yard.  Laid down 24 March 1912, launched
	30 March 1913, completed 13 March 1916.  Reconstructed 
	8 April 1937 to 26 Oct 1940 at Trieste.  To Allied control
	9/1943, returned 1944, used as training ship.  Laid up 6/1953, 
	stricken 1 Nov 1956, scrapped 1957-1961.

Caio Dulio
	Built by Castellammare Yard.  Laid down 24 Feb 1912, launched
	24 April 1913, completed 10 May 1915.  Reconstructed 1 April 1937 
	to 15 July 1940 at Genoa.  Torpedoed at Taranto 11 Nov 1941, repaired 
	by 5/1941. Under refit from 3/1942 until Italian surrender, to Allied 
	control 9/1943.  Returned 1944, used as training ship.  Fleet 
	flagship 1947-1949, then training again.  Laid up 1953, stricken 15 
	Sept 1956, scrapped 1957-1961.



Caracciolo class battleships
Displ: 31,400 tons normal; 34,000 tons full load
Dim: 695 x 97 x 31 feet
Prop: Steam turbines, 20 boilers, 4 shafts, 105,000 hp, 29 knots
Crew: ???
Arm: 4 dual 15/40, 12 single 6/45, 8 single 4/45, 12 40 mm, 8 17.7 inch TT (sub)
Armor: KC: 11.9 inch belt, 2 inch deck, 15.8 inch turrets, 15.8 inch CT

Francesco Caracciolo
	Built by Castellammare Yard, laid down 16 Oct 1914. Suspended
	3/1916, resumed 10/1919, launched 12 May 1920.  Sold for
	merchant conversion 25 Oct 1920, but scrapped instead. 

Cristoforo Colombo
	Laid down 14 March 1915 at Ansaldo, Genoa, suspended 3/1916
	when 5.5% complete.  Stricken 2 Jan 1921, scrapped.

Marcantonio Colonna
	Laid down 3 March 1915 at Odero, Sestri Ponente, suspended
	soon after started.  Stricken 2 Jan 1921, scrapped.

Francesco Morosini
	Laid down 26 June 1915 at Orlando, Leghorn, suspended
	soon after started.  Stricken 2 Jan 1921, scrapped.



Littorio class battleships
Displ: 40,517-40,992 tons normal; 45,752-46,215 tons full load
Dim: 780 x 107.5 x 31.5 feet (Impero, Roma: 789.5 x 107.5 x 31.5 feet)
Prop: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 128,200 hp, 30 knots
Crew: 1830-1950
Arm: 3 triple 15/50, 4 triple 6/55, 4 4.7/40, 12 3.5/50, 8 dual, 4 single
     37 mm, 6 dual 20 mm
Armor: 13.8 inch belt, 3.5-6.4 inch deck, 11-13.8 inch barbettes,
       13.8 inch turrets, 10.2 inch CT
	First two intended as a reply to the French Dunkerque class,
	second two ordered to a slightly modified design in 1938.

Littorio
	Built by Ansaldo, Genoa.  Laid down 28 Oct 1934, launched 22 Aug 1937, 
	completed 6 May 1940.  Torpedoed 11 Nov 1940, under repair until 
	4/1941.  Renamed Italia 30 July 1943.  Damaged by German guided 
	bombs while steaming to surrender 9 Sept 1943, to Allied control upon 
	surrender.  Returned 1946, to USA as reparations 1947, discarded 
	1 June 1948, scrapped 1948-1955.

Vittorio Veneto
	Built by CRDA, Trieste.  Laid down 28 Oct 1934, launched
	22 July 1937, complete 28 April 1940.  Torpedoed 3/1941,
	under repair until 8/1941, torpedoed 11/1941, under
	repair until 3/1942.  To Allied control 9/1943.   Returned 
	1946, to UK as reparations 1947, discarded 1 Feb 1948, scrapped
	1948-1951.

Impero
	Built by Ansaldo, Genoa.  Laid down 14 May 1938, launched
	15 Nov 1939.  Captured incomplete by the Germans, used as
	target, sunk by Allied bombers 20 Feb 1945.  Raised 1947,
	scrapped at Venice 1948-1950.

Roma
	Built by CRDA, Trieste.  Laid down 18 Sept 1938, launched
	9 June 1940, completed 14 June 1942.  Destroyed by German 
	guided bombs while steaming to surrender 9 Sept 1943.