italian ironclad regina ironclad warship second member class built italian regia marina 1860s like sister ships built france laid july launched september completed november ships broadside ironclads mounting battery inch guns broadside saw action battle fought italian war independence center action head italian main body ships division vessel survive battle war ship career uneventful result emergence modern ironclads severe reduction italian naval budget following defeat rebuilt central battery ship time modernized late 1880s ship eventually broken scrap design meters long overall beam average draft crew officers men broadside ironclad initially armed main battery guns guns armament changed career ship protected iron belt armor thick extended entire length hull waterline battery deck protected iron plate displaced metric tons long tons short tons normally long tons short tons load 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 ship initially schooner rigged supplement steam engine masts later reduced barque rig ultimately lost sailing rig completely having replaced pair military masts fighting tops service history keel laid shipyard france july launched september completed november 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 ironclads fit action regina formed prepare attack ships held council war aboard determine sortie engage time austrians withdrawn making decision minister navy urged act suggested island restore italian confidence defeat battle previous month july left conducted sweep adriatic encountered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 assigned 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 center italian line shortly action began decided leave flagship 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 initially engaged ships embroiled ensuing melee captain attempted come aid ship unable prevent austrian flagship sinking immediately ordered crew lower boats pick men water fast approaching leave ship stationary target instead ordered small pick italian survivors came fire forced abandon effort battle collided ram bow twisted causing leaks hull shortly broke engagement consolidate forces ships low coal ammunition badly crews rallied half hearted attempt launch attack italian fleet began withdraw followed austrians night began fall opposing fleets completely heading respectively hit numerous times armor penetrated shell succeed penetrating timber backing twice engagement ship set fire austrian shells crew able fires battle replaced ordered attack main austrian naval base war ended operation carried later career rest long career served variety roles main fleet italy colonial empire war italian government naval budget significantly fleet great difficulty ironclad squadron attack port september wars italian unification instead ships laid sailors man sent home time ship rebuilt central battery ship guns located central armored guns placed bow chase guns mounted stern time armament revised guns bow guns broadside stern took annual fleet maneuvers ironclads protected cruiser torpedo cruisers numerous smaller vessels maneuvers consisted close order drills simulated attack defense ship barque rig replaced military masts time rearmed guns smaller guns close range defense torpedo boats included guns guns hotchkiss revolver cannons received torpedo tubes ship assigned fleet newly commissioned protected cruiser torpedo cruiser ship stricken naval register broken scrap
Italian ironclad San Martino