italian battleship regina class pre dreadnought battleship built italian regia marina ship armed main battery inch guns capable speed knots mph saw combat including bombardment tripoli october destroyed internal explosion world war september killed ship crew design meters long overall beam draft displaced metric tons long tons short tons combat load propulsion system consisted triple expansion engines steam engines provided coal fired belleville boilers ship propulsion system provided speed knots mph range approximately nautical miles knots mph crew officers enlisted men built ship armed caliber guns placed twin gun turrets forward aft ship equipped guns casemates superstructure guns casemates hull close range defense torpedo boats provided battery guns ship carried pair guns guns maxim guns equipped torpedo tubes placed hull waterline ship protected harvey steel manufactured main belt thick deck thick conning tower guns protected armor plating main battery guns stronger armor protection thick service ship built shipyard keel laid january completed hull launched november presence king queen italy government officials italian mediterranean squadron fitting work lasted years completed september took long primarily non delivery material particularly heavy armor entered active service ship assigned squadron usually activated seven months year peacetime occupied training maneuvers rest year ships placed reserve consisted sister class battleships ships participated annual maneuvers late september early october command vice admiral remained active duty squadron time fourth regina class ship completed bringing total number line battleships italo turkish war september italy declared war ottoman_empire order seize libya italo turkish war assigned 1st division 2nd squadron sister battleships served squadron flagship vice admiral early october arrived tripoli relieve blockade duty outside port october participated bombardment fortifications protecting tripoli italian fleet medium caliber guns preserve ammunition heavy guns turkish counter battery fire completely ineffective april rest squadron sailed rendezvous squadrons met april day fleet steamed northern cut turkish submarine telegraph cables ships italian fleet bombarded fortresses protecting dardanelles unsuccessful attempt lure turkish fleet torpedo boats detached cut additional cables rhodes july rest division withdrawn italy replace worn gun barrels repairs ship inch guns added increasing battery pieces world war italy declared neutrality outbreak world war august april triple convinced italians enter war primary naval opponent duration war austro hungarian navy admiral planned distant blockade battle fleet smaller vessels boats conducted raids heavy ships italian fleet preserved potential major battle austro hungarian fleet emerge bases result ship career war limited addition cautious italian strategy long reduced training ship sister ship september destroyed huge explosion harbor result austro hungarian sabotage total officers ratings survived members crew including rear admiral died ship inch guns salvaged wreck reused coastal guns protecting venice
Italian battleship Benedetto Brin