In 1925, the Regia Marina ordered two training ships to a design by General Lieutenant Francesco Rotundi of the Italian Navy Engineering Corps, inspired by the style of large late 18th century 74-cannon ships of the line (like the Neapolitan ship Monarca). The first, the Cristoforo Colombo, was put into service in 1928 and was used by the Italian Navy until 1943. After World War II, this ship was handed over to the USSR as part of the war reparations and was shortly afterwards decommissioned.[1]
The second ship was the Amerigo Vespucci, built in 1930 at the (formerly Royal) Naval Shipyard of Castellammare di Stabia (Naples). She was launched on 22 February 1931,[2] and put into service in July of that year.
The vessel is a full-rigged three-masted steel hull 82.4m (270ft) long, with an overall length of 101m (331ft) including the bowsprit and a maximum width of 15.5m (51ft). She has a draught of about 7m (23ft) and a displacement at full load of 4146tons. Under auxiliary diesel-electric propulsion the Amerigo Vespucci can reach 10 knots (19km/h) and has a range of 5450nm at 6.5knots.
The Amerigo Vespucci in the harbor of Oslo, 2005. Akershus Fortress in the background.The Amerigo Vespucci, after the modernization works, in the harbor of La Rochelle, 2018.
The three steel masts are 50, 54 and 43 metres high, and carry sails totaling 2,824m2 (30,400sqft). The Amerigo Vespucci has 26 sails – square sails, staysails, and jibs: all are traditional canvas sails. When under sail in severe sea and wind conditions she can reach 12 knots (22km/h). The rig, some 30km of ropes, uses only traditional hemp ropes; only the mooring lines are synthetic, to comply with port regulations.
The hull is painted black with two white stripes, harking back to the two gun decks of the ships her design is based on, but she carries only two 6pdr saluting guns in pivot mountings on the deck, forward of the mainmast. The deck planks are of teak wood and must be replaced every three years. Bow and stern are decorated with intricate ornaments; she has a life-size figurehead of Amerigo Vespucci. The stern gallery is accessible only through the Captain's saloon.
In 1964, the ship was fitted with two 4-stroke, 8-cylinder FIAT B 308 ESS diesel engines, which replaced the original 2-stroke 6-cylinder FIAT Q 426 engines. These engines generated electric power for one electric propulsion motor that produced up to about 1,471kW (1,973hp).[citation needed]
After update works, between 2013 and 2016, the ship has been fitted with two 4-stroke, 12-cylinder MTU, 1,32 MW each diesel engine generators and two 4-stroke, 8-cylinder MTU, 760kW each diesel engine generators,[3] and one NIDEC (Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali) electric engine.[4][5] During the same work, the ship has been fitted with new radar GEM Elettronica AN/SPS-753(V)5, new satellite antenna ORBIT AL-7103.
When carrying cadets, the ship is usually steered from the manual stern rudder station, which is operated by four steering wheels with two men each. At other times, the hydraulically assisted steering on the bridge is used. Except for the anchor winch, the winches aboard are not power operated. The bridge is equipped with sophisticated modern electronic navigation instruments.
Other than during World War II, the Amerigo Vespucci has been continually active. Most of her training cruises are in European waters, but she has also sailed to North and South America, and navigated the Pacific. In 2002, she undertook a voyage around the world.
While sailing the Mediterranean Sea in 1962, the American aircraft carrierUSS Independence flashed the Amerigo Vespucci with the light signal asking: "Who are you?" The full-rigged ship answered: "Training ship Amerigo Vespucci, Italian Navy." The Independence replied: "You are the most beautiful ship in the world."[7] In 2022 the Amerigo Vespucci sailed by the American aircraft carrierUSS George H.W. Bush, which saluted the ship and commented: "You are still, after 60 years, the most beautiful ship in the world."[8]
The Amerigo Vespucci often takes part in sailing parades and Tall Ships' Races, where she is in amicable rivalry with the Gorch Fock. When she is berthed in port, public tours of the vessel are usually offered. The ship circumnavigated the globe in 2003. The "Vespucci" from 2013 depends directly on the Commander in Chief Naval Fleet.
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The R-class or Romolo-class submarine was a group of submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy during World War II. They were designed as blockade running transport submarines for transporting high-value cargo from Europe to Japan and vice versa. Axis-occupied Europe lacked strategic materials such as tungsten, tin and some commodities such as rubber.
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Dunay was a tall ship serving with the Soviet Navy, first launched as Cristoforo Colombo, laid at the Castellammare yards on 15 April 1926. It was destroyed in a fire in 1963.
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Giuseppe Finzi was one of three Calvi-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1930s. Completed in 1936, she played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists. The submarine made multiple patrols in the Atlantic Ocean during the Second World War, sinking five Allied ships. Gisueppe Finzi began conversion into a transport submarine in 1943, but was captured by the Germans in September 1943 before it was completed and redesignated as UIT-21. She was scuttled by them in August 1944 to prevent her capture.
Pietro Calvi was the lead ship of its class of two submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1930s. Completed in 1936, she played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists. The submarine made multiple patrols in the Atlantic Ocean during the Second World War, sinking seven Allied ships. Pietro Calvi was rammed and sunk by a British convoy escort in July 1942.
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Flavio Gioia was a screw corvette of the Italian Regia Marina built in the late 1870s and early 1880s.
Amerigo Vespucci was a screw corvette of the Italian Regia Marina built in the late 1870s and early 1880s.
Caracciolo was a screw corvette of the Italian Regia Marina built in the 1860s. She was the first vessel of that type built after the unification of Italy, though the Italian fleet inherited several screw corvettes from the navies of Naples, Tuscany, and Sardinia. The ship was armed with a main battery of six 160 mm (6.3 in) guns. Originally built with both steam and sail propulsion, Caracciolo later had her engine removed for use as a training ship.
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