italian ironclad class ironclad battleships built italian regia marina royal_navy ship named island laid october launched september completed february armed main battery inch guns speed knots mph albeit cost armor protection warships equipped wireless telegraph spent decade career italian fleet transferred took italo turkish war escorted convoys north_africa supported italian forces ashore bombarding ottoman troops world war served flagship naval forces defending venice possible attack austro hungarian navy city threatened following november ship withdrawn later taranto continued serve guard ship took allied operations turkey returning italy broken scrap design meters long overall beam average draft displaced metric tons long tons short tons normally long tons short tons load propulsion system consisted pair triple expansion steam engines driving single screw propeller steam supplied eighteen coal fired cylindrical fire tube boilers italian warship equipped triple expansion engines propulsion system produced speed knots mph indicated horsepower specific figures cruising radius survived ships class steam nautical miles speed knots mph crew officers men warships equipped new wireless telegraph armed main battery caliber guns mounted twin gun turrets end ship carried secondary battery guns placed singly shielded mounts atop upper deck broadside close range defense torpedo boats provided battery sixteen guns casemates upper deck broadside supported guns guns customary capital ships period carried torpedo tubes water launchers ship lightly armored size protected belt armor thick armored deck thick conning tower armored steel plate turrets thick faces supporting barbettes thick steel service history named island built keel laid october launched september completed february entering service assigned 2nd flagship older ironclad torpedo cruiser time ships based joined ironclads cruisers visit united_kingdom july later year squadron stopped germany celebration held mark opening accidentally ran aground canal blocking entrance days active service seven months rest year spent reduced crews sisters service kept service months year months reduced commission following year ships transferred class ironclads ironclad cruisers sixteen torpedo boats squadron entered active service months year training maneuvers rest year spent reduced crews sisters battleships time kept service seven months year italo turkish war september italy declared war ottoman_empire order seize libya time sisters assigned old armored cruiser command rear admiral october sisters tasked bombarding protecting western approach tripoli ships inch guns attack fort preserve stock inch shells morning 4th ships gunfire guns fort allowing landing forces ashore capture city ships alternated tripoli support italian garrisons cities included major ottoman attack tripoli october supported italian left flank ottoman assaults engagement aircraft help direct fire guns time aircraft role december ships stationed tripoli replaced old ironclads sisters arrived ammunition supplies patrolled coast saw action following month sisters torpedo boats escorted convoy carrying infantry brigade ports libya ottoman control italian force arrived town june landing taking city italian forces moved rest ships continued supporting advance italians secured city july returned italy joined escort convoy august time port ottoman hands ships covered landing miles east days later joined supporting attacks west south capture city italy controlled entire coast october ottomans agreed sign peace treaty end war later career italy declared neutrality start world war july triple convinced italians enter war admiral italian naval chief staff believed threat austro hungarian submarines naval mines narrow waters adriatic use fleet active way instead decided implement blockade relatively safer southern end adriatic main fleet smaller vessels boats conducted raids austro hungarian ships installations austro hungarians adopted similar strategy unwilling risk heavy units fleet flagship italy entered war included old battleships cruisers smaller craft ships tasked defending venice austro hungarian attacks service lasted november italians austro hungarians willing risk main units fleets uneventful career war ship transferred use harbor defense ship reason withdrawal major italian defeat battle german austro hungarian advance threatened continue venice secondary light guns removed leaving main battery guns equipped small battery anti aircraft guns consisting guns machine guns june moved taranto continued serving guard ship took allied operations constantinople end war november april ship remain service long returning italy stricken january subsequently broken scrap
Italian ironclad Sardegna