italian ironclad lead ship class armored frigates built united_states italian regia marina royal_navy early 1860s laid new_york november launched april completed year later september class ships italian ironclads built united_states ships broadside ironclads armed battery pounder guns thirty guns initially served flagship italian fleet replaced turret ship shortly battle center melee rudder disabled austrian vessel austrian flagship rammed tore large hole hull quickly rolled sank taking crew ship including captain design meters long overall beam average draft displaced metric tons long tons short tons normally long tons short tons load hull built green wood crew ship propulsion system consisted single expansion steam engine drove single screw propeller steam supplied coal fired rectangular boilers engine produced speed knots mph indicated horsepower steam nautical miles speed knots mph long distance travel fitted masts barque rigged broadside ironclad armed main battery pounder guns thirty rifled muzzle loading guns ship equipped spur shaped ram bow ship hull wrought iron armor thick rudder propellers protected armor service history built shipyard new_york_city laid november launched april ship arrived italy april commissioned italian fleet september years later june italy declared war austria italian war independence fought concurrently italian fleet commander admiral initially adopted cautious course action unwilling risk battle despite fact austrian fleet weaker claimed simply waiting ironclad ram route britain weakened morale fleet subordinates openly accusing rear admiral brought austrian fleet june attempt draw italians time italian ships disarray ships entire armament problems engines fire burning coal held council war aboard ironclad determine sortie engage time austrians withdrawn making decision minister navy urged act suggested island restore italian confidence defeat battle previous month july left conducted sweep adriatic encountered austrian ships returned 13th july took italian fleet bound arrived 18th brought troop transports carrying soldiers italian warships began bombarding austrian forts island intention landing soldiers fortresses response austrian navy sent fleet attack italian ships time flagship 2nd division ironclad coastal defense ship arriving 18th sent ships bombard town unable effect landing morning ordered attack ironclads force harbor defenses rest fleet attempt suppress outer fortifications second attack proved failure decided attempt day bulk fleet try disable outer forts preparation landing italians begin attack dispatch boat arrived bringing news approach fleet disarray ships admiral miles northeast main force ironclads away west immediately ordered ships form line abreast formation line ahead formation fourth ship italian line ships shortly action began decided leave transfer subordinates ships aware change left fight individuals direction dangerously stopping allowed significant gap open ships rest fleet took fleet gap ships failed ram italian vessels pass austrians turned ships took heavy fire austrian ships concentrated fire paying particular attention stern attempts ram austrian ships destroyed rudder leaving captain attempted escape melee steer ship engines blocked austrian ironclad ordered ship reverse course stopped rammed austrian flagship austrian ship ram tore hole hull quickly rolled port sank crew men saved remaining went ship including
Italian ironclad Re d'Italia