italian ironclad lead ship class ironclad turret ships built italian regia marina royal_navy named roman admiral ship laid january launched completed january armed main battery inch guns largest gun afloat capable speed mph career uneventful spent decades service primarily tasked training maneuvers exercises withdrawn line duty employed training ship role lasted converted floating oil tank renamed ship ultimate fate unknown design meters long overall beam average draft displaced metric tons long tons short tons normally long tons short tons load propulsion system consisted vertical compound steam engines driving single screw propeller steam supplied coal fired rectangular boilers engines produced speed knots mph indicated horsepower steam nautical miles speed knots mph crew officers men later increased armed main battery caliber guns mounted turrets placed amidships largest naval guns use time customary capital ships period carried torpedo tubes protected belt armor thick strongest section protected ship magazines machinery spaces ends belt connected transverse bulkheads thick armored deck thick gun turrets armored steel plate ship bow stern armored extensively subdivided cellular intended reduce risk flooding service history laid shipyard january day keel sister ship laid construction proceeded faster sister launched completed january years finished march shortly entered service guns exploded inexperienced gun crew accidentally double loaded gun annual fleet maneuvers held served 1st joined sister protected cruiser sloop attacked defending eastern squadron conflict operations conducted took annual fleet maneuvers ironclads protected cruiser torpedo cruisers numerous smaller vessels maneuvers consisted close order drills simulated attack defense later year ship present naval review held german kaiser visit italy received secondary battery caliber guns defend ship torpedo boats served 1st fleet maneuvers ironclad served divisional flagship torpedo cruiser torpedo boats maneuvers lasted august september ships reserve squadron defended simulated attack french attack italian fleet periodic fleet maneuvers assigned included ironclads protected cruiser ship secondary battery supplemented guns caliber quick firing guns caliber revolver cannon ship removed line service employed boys training ship time flagship considered rebuilding ship lines sister cost project proved abandoned plan early stricken naval register june disarmed ship converted coal oil storage hulk renamed ultimate fate unknown
Italian ironclad Caio Duilio