italian battleship italian class battleship served world war world war named roman fleet commander laid february launched april completed initially armed main battery thirteen guns major reconstruction late 1930s replaced guns saw action world war owing inactivity austro hungarian fleet conflict cruised mediterranean 1920s involved incident world war participated numerous patrols sorties mediterranean escort italian convoys north_africa attempts catch november british launched air raid taranto hit torpedo launched torpedo bomber caused significant damage repairs lasted months ship returned convoy escort duties fuel shortage bulk italian surface fleet remained service italian surrender september interned malta allies permitted return italian waters survived war continued serve post war italian navy primarily training ship placed reserve final time remained italian navy inventory years stricken naval register late sold scrapping following year design meters long overall beam draft combat load displaced metric tons long tons short tons crew officers enlisted men powered parsons steam turbines steam provided oil fired coal oil burning yarrow boilers boilers large funnels engines rated shaft horsepower provided speed knots mph cruising radius nautical miles mph ship armed main battery thirteen caliber guns triple turrets twin turrets secondary battery comprised sixteen caliber guns mounted casemates forward aft main battery turrets armed thirteen caliber guns anti aircraft 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 heavily rebuilt genoa forecastle deck extended aft reached mainmast stern bow rebuilt increasing length ship displacement grew long tons short tons old machinery replaced efficient equipment boilers replaced oil fired models new power plant rated shp speed increased mph ship amidships turret removed remaining guns bored secondary battery completely overhauled guns replaced guns triple turrets amidships anti aircraft battery significantly improved include guns guns sixteen guns later world war guns installed guns removed emerging modernization crew numbered officers enlisted men service history laid february launched april completed saw action world war given fact austro hungarian fleet italy main naval rival remained port duration conflict addition 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 boats conducted raids austro hungarian ships installations battleships preserved confront austro hungarian battle fleet event sought decisive engagement result went patrols war operational total hours based taranto starting november april time deployed november january april sent help dispute ownership area confrontation greek armored cruiser greeks landed troops occupy june relieved old pre dreadnought battleship allowing constantinople deployment turkey entered black_sea support russian civil war june july period transferred returned completing deployment black_sea remained september relieved battleship returned taranto september placed reserve placed service went albania june support contingent occupying country participated withdrawal september following year assigned cruised eastern mediterranean returned constantinople allied fleet july november incident greece including deployed island secure greek apology following murder later year escorted battleship state visit spain magazine explosion april wrecked turret barbette ship went reserve repairs effected lasted april underwent taranto march june went reserve august august flagship starting march taken genoa extensive reconstruction began del shipyard work completed july point recommissioned 1st squadron based taranto wartime patrol took place august rest fleet sailed intercept british battleship steaming alexandria convoy sailing malta italian fleet sufficient aerial reconnaissance bad weather prevented italians locating british forces taranto september sea september attempt catch italian intelligence faulty force process attacking returned taranto remained early november attack taranto night november launched surprise air raid harbor taranto torpedo bombers launched aircraft carrier attacked italian fleet waves scored hit hits torpedo hit starboard tore meter hole hull flooded forward main battery magazines water tanker smaller craft pushed battleship aground shallow water prevent sinking harbor temporary repairs effected january refloated sent genoa permanent repairs began january dock repairs departed normal role convoy escort western mediterranean early february attack genoa admiral surface ships fired thousand shells port aircraft carrier dropped magnetic mines harbor ships sunk hit attack attack anti aircraft battery fired rounds british aircraft repair work completed taranto 1st squadron later service flagship italian fleet sailed november cover italian convoy north_africa escorted cruiser destroyers sailed december cover convoy italian fleet forced break convoy escort torpedoed returned port 14th departed cover convoy days later stationed south cruisers destroyers convoy operation british forces attacked resulting battle group far away engage royal_navy returned taranto december escorted convoy january successfully reached tripoli convoy followed january transports convoy reached tripoli operation sortie british convoy bounded alexandria malta february departed taranto february pair light cruisers seven destroyers force locate british ships returned port mere presence sea forced british escort transport castle previously disabled german aircraft 21st escorted convoy point italian fleet began suffer severe shortage fuel curtailed operations situation bad placed reserve drained fuel order escort craft operational taranto italy surrendered allies september september taken malta interned rest italian fleet june allies allowed return italian ports spent rest war taranto syracuse survived war continued serve italian navy fleet flagship november based taranto moved removed active service remained stricken naval register september sold scrapping following year
Italian battleship Caio Duilio