Giussano-class cruiser

Last updated
Olasz konnyucirkalo.jpg
Bartolomeo Colleoni in Venice
Class overview
NameGiussano class
OperatorsFlag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Regia Marina
Built1928–1930
In commission1931–1942
Completed4
Lost4
General characteristics
Type Cruiser
Displacement
  • 6,570 tonnes (6,470 long tons) standard
  • 6,954 tonnes (6,844 long tons) full load
Length169.3 m (555 ft)
Beam15.5 m (51 ft)
Draft5.3 m (17 ft)
Propulsion95,000 hp (71,000 kW)
Speed
  • 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph)
  • (42 knots (78 km/h; 48 mph) in trials)
Range3,800  nmi (7,000 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement507
Armament
Armor
Aircraft carried2 × CANT 25AR (later Ro.43) seaplanes
Aviation facilities1 × catapult launcher

The Alberto di Giussano class of light cruisers were a sub-class of the Condottieri class built before World War II for the Italian Regia Marina , to gain predominance in the Mediterranean Sea. They were designed by general Giuseppe Vian and were named after Condottieri (military commanders) of the Italian Mediaeval and Renaissance periods.

Contents

Between the World Wars, the world powers started a rush to gain the supremacy on the seas. In 1926, France started to produce the Le Fantasque class of destroyers, which were superior in displacement and firepower to other destroyers of that period. To counter the French menace, the Regia Marina decided to produce a new class of cruiser that would be of intermediate size between the new French destroyer class and cruisers. The Italian ships equated to the British Leander-class cruisers.

There were 4 ships, all laid down in 1928: Alberto di Giussano, Alberico da Barbiano, Bartolomeo Colleoni and Giovanni delle Bande Nere.

Meant to hunt down and overwhelm the big French destroyers, the emphasis on firepower and speed resulted in these ships being virtually unprotected against gunfire and underwater threats; this was a major factor in all four ships being sunk by torpedoes.

Ships

Ships of the Alberto di Giussano class [1] [2]
ShipBuilder Laid down LaunchedCompletedFate
Alberico da Barbiano Ansaldo, Genoa 16 April 192823 August 19309 June 1931Sunk 13 December 1941, by a group of Royal Navy and Dutch destroyers during the Battle of Cape Bon.
Alberto di Giussano Ansaldo, Genoa29 March 192827 April 19305 February 1931
Bartolomeo Colleoni Ansaldo, Genoa21 June 192821 December 193010 February 1932Sunk 19 July 1940, during the Battle of Cape Spada.
Giovanni delle Bande Nere R. C. di Castellammare di Stabia 31 October 192827 April 193027 April 1931Sunk 1 April 1942, torpedoed by British submarine HMS Urge while off Stromboli.

See also

References

  1. Gay, Franco; Gay, Valerio (1987). The Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-453-9.
  2. Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War 2. London: Ian Allan. ISBN   0-7110-0002-6.

Further reading

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Di Giussano class cruiser at Wikimedia Commons