ITALY

CAPITAL SHIPS
Firenze as completed

MILANO class
Displacement: Dimensions: Machinery: Armour: Armament: Compliment: Name FIRENZE GENOVA MILANO NAPOLI (ex-Riachelo) TORINO VENEZIA (ex-Rio de Janeiro) 25,365 t standard; 26,449 t normal; 27,210 t full load 690ft oa 86ft 26ft at normal load 210.31m 26.21m 7.92m 2-shaft Belluzo geared turbines, 8 Thornycroft boilers, 95,600shp = 28.3kts Oil 2340t. Range 8,000nm at 12kts 12.6in (320mm) belt, 10in (250mm) bulkheads, 9in (230mm) barbettes, 9in (280mm) turret faces, 12in (305mm) CT, 6in (152mm) decks 7-12.6in (32cm)/43.8cal (13,22), 13-6in (15.2cm)/50 mod36 (13,42), 12-3.9in (10cm)/47calAA (62), 8-40mm AA(81),12-13.2mm AA(62) 1,036 Builder Ansaldo, Genoa CRDA, Trieste OTO, Leghorn CRDA, Trieste Ansaldo, Genoa STT Laid down 8.10.1934 28.10.1934 18.2.1937 28.9.1937 17.3.1938 14.5.1938 Launched 21.7.37 22.7.37 9.12.38 22.7.39 24.8.39 15.11.39 Comp 20.4.39 28.6.39 14.5.40 1.2.41 28.4.41 12.9.41 Fate BU 194851 BU 194851 Sunk 9.9.43 to Brazil Sunk 2.2.45 to Brazil

The origin of this class lay in a 1931 proposal to rebuild the Brazilian Minas Gerais class battleships. They were to have their wing turrets removed and new machinery fitted. The wing turrets would then be used in two new ships for the Italian Navy with additional triple turrets provided from the recently scrapped Alighieri. When it was found that Sao Paulo was in such poor condition Brazil agreed to scrap both ships in exchange for two additional units and two further ships for Italy. It was decided to utilise the twoshaft, lightweight machinery plant of the Zara class cruisers, which weighed only 1400t. Firenze and Genova were provided under the 1934 Programme, Milano under the 1936 Programme and Torino under the 1937 Programme. Riachelo and Rio de Janeiro were seized on the out break of war and renamed Napoli and Venezia repectively. Citadel protection consisted of a 230mm belt, taper ing to 150mm at the lower edge, extending from the fore side of A barbette to the aft side of Y barbette, covered by a 152mm main deck and closed at the ends by 250mm (upper) and 152mm (lower) bulkheads. Bar bettes were 320mm above the upper deck and 250mm below and the communication tube 120mm above and 100mm below. The conning tower had 320mm walls, 152mm floor and 100mm roof and was surmounted by a director with

120mm walls and a 95mm roof. Fuze initiation was pro vided by a 20mm upper deck and 30mm sides above the belt and the steering gear was protected by a 75mm lower deck and 100mm sides. There was no protection forward. The underwater protection system, developed by Pugliese. A 25mm torpedo bulkhead extended inboard before curving downward to meet the outer bottom. Within the space formed by this bulkhead and the void double bottom was a liquid- filled compartment containing a void longitudinal drum of 380cm diameter with 6mm walls. This system, designed to resist 6001b TNT, is said not to have performed as well as expected due to insufficient care in the construction of the compartments. As defence against explosions under the hull a Ferrari double bottom with outer liquid and inner void spaces was incorporated.The unit machinery was arranged, from forward, as follows: No 1 boiler room (2 boilers), forward engine room with turbine to starboard and auxiliaries and No 2 boiler room (1 boiler) to port, Nos 3 and 4 boiler rooms (2 boilers each), after engine room with turbine to port and auxiliaries and No 5 boiler room (1 boiler) to starboard. Normal machinery power was 76,000hp with designed overload to 95,000hp for 27kts at 270rpm. On official full power trials Firenze achieved 28.3kts with 97,900hp at 270rpm on 27,389t;

Genova 29.0kts with 100,120hp at 289rpm on 27,375t; and Milano 29.2kts with 106,010hp at 266rpm on 27,265t. No trials appear to have been run for the last three units as they completed after the outbreak of war, but they are reported to have reached 29kts in service without difficulty. Torino and Venezia differed from the other units of the class in having a bridge structure similar to the Dulio Class battleships, and no flutes in the forecastle side plating. The old 305mm guns were rebored to 320mm/43.8 calibre. The mountings were modified to give 27 elevation for a range of 31,000yds. The forward turrets were the triple turrets from the Alighieri, and midship turrets from Cavour and Duilio class ships. During 1940 2120mm/15 guns (2x1) were mounted abreast the conning tower for use as starshell weapons, but these were replaced by 437mm/54 AA Milano on 5.10.1939

(2x2) in 1942. In 1943 the 13.2mm MGs removed and 2220mm/65 added (8x2, 6x1). Venzia was the first Italian battleship fitted with radar, receiving a Gufo EC3 on her completion in September 1941; it was later upgraded and eventually became fully operational at the end of 1942. Torino and Milano were fitted with Gufo in 1943. Genova and Milano were hit by one torpedo each on the port side at Taranto on 11 November 1940, they were under repair until April 1941. Milano subsequently received minor damage in the Battle of Sirte in March 1942 and in air attacks in July 1942 and January 1943. Firenze was hit by an aerial torpedo, on the port side abaft X turret, during the Battle of Matapan in March 1941, and was under repair until July 1941. Genova was torpedoed by the submarine Utmost in August 1941, on the port side abreast Y turret, and was out of action until March 1942. Torino and Napoli received minor bomb damage during air raids on La Spezia in June 1943. While on route to Malta to surrender on 9 September 1943, Milano was hit twice by German glider bombs. The first bomb striking amidships, passing through the ship and exploding under the bottom, and the second hitting abreast the bridge and detonating the forward magazines with the result that the ship broke in two and sank. Torino was captured by the Germans following the Italian surrender but was later sunk by Italian-manned Chariots at La Spezia, the wreck being broken up in 1946.Napoli and Venezia were returned to Brazil in 1944. In 1947 the last pair were assigned, as war reparations, to the USA (Firenze) and UK (Genova) who ordered their scrapping.