italian battleship class dreadnought battleships built 1910s served world wars little saw combat ship supported operations spent rest decade reserve rebuilt powerful guns additional armor considerably speed sister ship participated july lightly damaged present british torpedo bombers attacked fleet taranto november damaged escorted convoys north_africa participated late battle late designated training ship early escaped malta italy surrendered ship transferred soviet_union renamed soviets training sunk old german exploded salvaged following year later scrapped description named meters long waterline meters overall ship beam meters draft meters displaced long tons normal load long tons deep load crew officers enlisted men ship machinery consisted parsons steam turbines driving propeller shaft steam turbines provided boilers half burned fuel oil half burning oil coal designed reach maximum speed knots mph shaft horsepower failed reach goal sea trials despite generally exceeding rated power turbines ship maximum speed knots mph shp cruising radius nautical miles knots mph ship armed main battery thirteen guns triple gun turret twin gun turrets designated rear secondary battery comprised eighteen guns mounted casemates sides hull armed fourteen guns customary capital ships period equipped submerged torpedo tubes protected krupp cemented steel manufactured belt armor thick main deck thick conning tower main battery turrets protected worth armor plating modifications reconstruction shortly end world war number caliber guns reduced mounted turret tops new caliber anti aircraft guns installed abreast aft funnel addition license built pounder guns mounted forecastle deck foremast replaced legged mast moved forward funnels upgraded ship equipped handle seaplane mounted center turret time ships equipped fixed aircraft catapult port forecastle began extensive reconstruction october del shipyard genoa lasted october new bow section existing bow increased length meters meters beam increased meters ship draft deep load increased meters changes increased displacement long tons standard load long tons deep load ship crew increased officers enlisted men propeller shafts removed existing turbines replaced geared steam turbines rated shp boilers replaced yarrow boilers sea trials december reconstruction fully completed reached speed knots mph shp service maximum speed knots mph range nautical miles speed knots mph main guns bored millimeters center turret torpedo tubes removed existing secondary armament guns replaced dozen guns twin gun turrets millimeter guns twin turrets addition ship fitted dozen millimeter light guns twin gun mounts millimeter anti aircraft machine guns twin mounts machine guns replaced millimeter guns twin mounts received twin mounts additional guns twin mounts forecastle turrets mast replaced new forward conning tower protected millimeter thick armor atop conning tower fire control director fitted large stereo base length meters deck armor increased reconstruction total millimeters engine boiler rooms millimeters magazines distribution decks multiple layers meant considerably effective single plate thickness armor protecting barbettes reinforced millimeter plates armor weighed total long tons existing underwater protection replaced torpedo defense system consisted large cylinder surrounded fuel oil water intended absorb blast torpedo lacked depth fully effective contemporary torpedoes major problem reconstruction ship increased draft meant waterline armor belt completely submerged significant load construction service named laid shipyard genoa june launched october completed served flagship southern adriatic_sea world war saw action spent little time sea admiral italian naval chief staff believed austro hungarian submarines operate effectively narrow waters adriatic threat underwater weapons capital ships use fleet active way instead decided implement blockade relatively safer southern end adriatic battle fleet smaller vessels torpedo boats conducted raids austro hungarian ships installations battleships preserved confront austro hungarian battle fleet event sought decisive engagement port visits levant supported italian operations italian general staff murdered satisfied greek government response ordered italian troops occupy island gunnery training ship having reserve reconstructed del genoa ships participated naval review adolf_hitler covered invasion albania world war early world war ship took known july 1st battle squadron commanded admiral engaged major elements british escorting convoy malta alexandria italians finished escorting naples libya admiral commander mediterranean_fleet attempted ships italians base taranto crew fleets spotted middle afternoon battleships opened fire range nearly meters leading british battleships replied minute later minutes opened fire shells began small turn increased speed throw italian ship aim time shell struck distance meters shell pierced rear funnel detonated inside blowing hole nearly meters fragments started fires smoke drawn boiler rooms forcing boilers line operators breathe reduced ship speed knots mph uncertain severe damage ordered battleships turn away face superior british numbers successfully repairs completed end august ships unsuccessfully attempted intercept british convoys malta august september night november italian battleships anchor taranto harbor attacked torpedo bombers british aircraft carrier warships torpedo sank shallow water hit attack participated november got close british ships fire ship damaged january splinters near miss air raid naples bombers royal_air_force repairs genoa completed early february february sailed intercept italians thought malta convoy actually raid genoa failed contact british forces participated december providing distant cover convoy bound libya firing main armament provided distant cover convoy north_africa early january reduced training ship taranto later german submarine unsuccessfully attacked ship early march italian surrender september steamed taranto putting mutiny enduring ineffective attack german aircraft route sailed malta arrived september interned ship remained june returned taranto remained years soviet service war allocated soviet_union war moved sicily december unsuccessful attempt sabotage ship ship stricken naval register december turned soviets february temporary albania renamed soviet city black_sea soviets training ship undergoing hands remaining italian light guns replaced eighteen guns twin mounts singles replaced fire control systems added radars exact changes unknown soviets intended guns loss anchor night october likely detonated large german left world war explosion blew hole completely ship making meter hole forecastle forward turret flooding controlled later capsized loss men including men sent ships assist cause explosion unclear officially named cause regarded probable magnetic laid germans world war triggered dragging battleship anchor chain time subsequent searches located mines types meters explosion damage consistent explosion kilograms tnt detonated nonetheless explanations ship loss proposed popular sunk italian wartime special operations unit years cessation hostilities transfer italian battleship ussr sinking behalf nato stricken naval register february salvaged subsequently scrapped
Italian battleship Giulio Cesare