italian battleship regina class pre dreadnought battleship built italian regia marina royal_navy member ship class included lead ship armed main battery inch guns capable speed knots mph saw action took attack libya amphibious assaults islands rhodes remained service world war saw action result cautious policies italian austro hungarian navies remained italian inventory stricken naval register august subsequently broken scrap design meters long overall beam maximum draft displaced metric tons long tons short tons combat load propulsion system consisted vertical cylinder triple expansion engines rated indicated horsepower steam engines provided coal fired boilers ship propulsion system provided speed knots mph range approximately nautical miles knots mph crew officers enlisted men built ship armed caliber guns placed single gun turrets forward aft ship equipped guns twin turrets amidships close range defense torpedo boats provided battery guns equipped torpedo tubes placed hull waterline protected krupp steel manufactured main belt thick deck thick conning tower protected armor plating main battery guns thick plating inch gun turrets thick sides service history keel laid october launched september completed august served active duty squadron included sisters regina class battleships time battleships represented italy line battle fleet active duty squadron typically service seven months year training rest year placed reserve italo turkish war september italy declared war ottoman_empire order seize libya duration conflict served 1st division 1st squadron sister ships command vice admiral outbreak war sister armored cruisers sent blockade tripoli north_africa october battleship training squadron arrived relieve ships left rejoin flagship october detached reinforce armored cruisers 2nd division arrived libya company request sent defending ottoman garrison surrender rejected armored cruisers bombarded town span minutes razed town italians attempted land contingent infantry heavy turkish fire repulsed assault prompted bombardment italian fleet october turks retreated town occupied italian army meantime rejoined october unit escorted convoy italian fleet bombarded city morning ottoman garrison refused surrender bombardment parties ships infantry went ashore italians quickly forced ottomans withdraw city evening short siege ottoman forces withdrew october leaving city italians november ottomans launched major attempt retake town end month italians launched counter attack consisted battalions infantry men december ships 1st squadron dispersed ports remained early fleet including withdrew italy repairs refit leaving small force cruisers light craft patrol north african coast april left taranto bound island rhodes escorted convoy island italian heavy ships demonstrated city rhodes transports landed expeditionary force miles south soldiers quickly advanced city supported artillery fire italian fleet turks surrendered city following day involved seizure islands crete rhodes june rest 1st division stationed rhodes months ships cruised prevent turks attempting launch amphibious operations retake islands italy seized returned italy late august repairs replaced battleships 2nd squadron left port october recalled later day ottomans agreed sign peace treaty end war world war italy declared neutrality outbreak world war august july triple convinced italians enter war italy traditional naval rival primary opponent conflict lay directly narrow adriatic_sea admiral italian naval chief staff understood austro hungarian submarines presented threat capital ships mount active fleet policy instead decided implement blockade relatively safer southern end adriatic battle fleet smaller vessels boats conducted raids austro hungarian ships installations battleships preserved confront austro hungarian battle fleet event sought decisive engagement result ship particularly active war war sisters assigned 2nd division spent war rotating bases taranto combat light cruisers austro hungarian navy raided barrage ensuring sisters raised steam assist allied warships italian commander refused permit join battle fear loss submarine infested adriatic early world major navies including italy signed according terms treaty italy sisters newer dreadnought battleships small size age ships particularly comparison modern dreadnoughts italians kept ships service indefinitely replaced new battleships normal practice treaty system provided replacements ship years old retained years stricken naval register august sold scrap
Italian battleship Napoli