italian battleship lead ship class battleship served italian regia marina royal_navy world war named italian ancient times bearer roman adopted symbol italian sister built response french battleships italy modern battleships ton capital ships nation laid terms laid october launched august completed shortly commissioning badly damaged british air raid taranto november action following march took sorties catch failed result action notable exception second battle march damaged british warships renamed july fall fascist government september italian fleet attacked german bombers way action saw destruction sister hit radio controlled bomb causing significant damage bow armistice agreement interned malta alexandria finally great bitter lake suez_canal remained awarded united_states war prize scrapped description sister designed response french class battleships meters long overall beam draft designed standard displacement long tons violation long ton restriction combat loading displaced long tons ship powered geared steam turbines rated shaft horsepower steam provided oil fired yarrow boilers engines provided speed knots mph range nmi mph crew course career main armament consisted millimeter caliber model guns triple turrets turrets placed forward superfiring arrangement located aft secondary anti surface armament consisted model guns triple turrets amidships supplemented model guns single mounts guns old weapons primarily intended fire star shells equipped anti aircraft battery comprised model guns single mounts guns twin single mounts sixteen guns twin mounts guns twin mounts installed received radar set august updated version april proved unsuccessful service finally model september ship protected main armored belt thick second layer steel thick main deck thick central area ship reduced critical areas main battery turrets thick lower turret structure housed barbettes thick secondary turrets thick faces conning tower thick sides fitted catapult stern equipped reconnaissance float planes fighters service history laid shipyards genoa october commemorate march rome sister laid day changes design lack armor plating led delays building schedule causing month slip launch date original plan launched august ceremony attended italian dignitaries sponsored wife employee launch fitting period lasted early time bow modified vibration reduce bow ran series sea trials period months october december commissioned running additional trials month transferred taranto joined command rear admiral august september sortied italian force battleships cruisers thirty destroyers intercept british naval forces taking operation hats contact group poor reconnaissance action occurred similar outcome resulted movement british operation september october battleships cruisers destroyers attempted intercept convoy carrying troops malta attack taranto night november launched air raid harbor taranto torpedo bombers launched aircraft carrier attacked italian fleet waves italian base defended anti aircraft guns dozens smaller guns seven barrage balloons defenders possess radar caught surprise arrived battleships provided sufficient anti torpedo nets wave struck followed second hour later planes scored hits hit torpedoes struck hit bow struck stern stern hit destroyed rudder shock explosion damaged ship steering gear forward hits caused major flooding led settle bows decks main battery turrets brought dock december fourth torpedo discovered keel removing torpedo proved task shift magnetic field torpedo detonate magnetic repairs lasted march convoy operations repairs completed participated unsuccessful sortie intercept british forces august month later led attack allied convoy operation september british force escorting convoy included battleships nelson prince wales italian reconnaissance reported presence powerful escort italian commander orders engage possessed strong numerical superiority broke operation returned port december participated sweep catch convoy malta attempt broken torpedoed british submarine days later steamed escort operation supply convoy italian german forces north_africa british success breaking code increasingly difficult axis convoys reach north_africa italians committed battle fleet convoy effort better protect transports day took rest distant covering force engaged escort british convoy heading malta happened run convoy late day opened fire extreme range yards scored hits heavy italian fire forced british force withdraw cover convoy reached north_africa damage january tasked convoy escort support operation port january march participated second battle flagship italian force attempting destroy british convoy bound malta fall darkness british destroyers close range attack heavy fire main secondary guns forced destroyers retreat destroyers withdrew hit single inch shell caused minor damage ship battle hit seriously damaged destroyers kingston hit cruiser inflict significant damage kingston returned malta repairs later destroyed bombing raid muzzle blast rear turret set fire damage ship resulted fired total shells main battery course engagement italian fleet unable directly attack convoy forced transports sunk day air attack months later june participated interception operation vigorous convoy malta alexandria cruisers destroyers sent attack convoy british quickly located approaching italian fleet launched night air strikes attempt prevent reaching convoy aircraft scored hits searching convoy day hit bomb dropped bomb hit roof turret caused damage rangefinder hood barbette splinter damage deck turret remained remained fleet italians broke chase returned port shortly midnight evening struck torpedo dropped british wellington bomber causing long tons water flood ship bow crew counter flooded long tons water correct list ship able return port repairs meantime threat forced british convoy mission repair work lasted august remained taranto december fleet moved fate inactive months severe fuel shortages fuel available recently commissioned sister fuel june american bombing raid targeted harbor hit bombs renamed july government fell power september italy signed armistice allies ending active participation world war days later rest italian fleet sailed malta interned remainder war route air_force attacked italian fleet armed radio controlled bombs hit forward turret passed ship exited hull exploding water beneath causing damage sunk attack moved alexandria egypt great bitter lake suez_canal egypt september remained end war february finally permitted return italy treaty peace italy signed days later february allocated war prize united_states stricken naval register june broken scrap
Italian battleship Littorio