|
|
|
|
|
||||
Italian Obsolete Cruisers(ex German Units)
|
||||
|
||||
Cruiser Taranto(ex Strassburg)
|
||||
| The Strassburg was launched in Wilhemshave (Germany) in 1911 along with three more units (Magdeburg, Breslau, Stralsund) which made up a class of large explorer. These units were the first in the period to have armor in the form of a vertical belt of 60 mm, a horizontal protection of 50 mm, and a double hull for underwater protection. The power plan included 16 boilers, both coal and fuel oil-fired, and power was distributed over two axles. The original armament included twelve 105/45 mm built by Krupp and four 500-mm torpedo launchers. During World War I, the Kaiserliche Marine altered the ship’s configuration replacing all guns with seven 150/45 mm and two 88/45 mm, but leaving the torpedo launchers. Three of the 150 mm guns were place aft, one forward and one on each side. Four were astern, one to each side of the mast, one immediately astern of the mast and one further down. This layout was, for the time, optimal making for a robust and well-armed ship. The Strassburg was included in the list of ships to be transferred to Italy as part of war reparations, and it was delivered in Cherbourg (France) on July 20th, 1920. | ||||
|
||||
| The ship underwent some repair work and alterations; the 88 mm guns were
removed and replaced by two 76/40 mm. Later, the torpedo launchers were completely
removed. In 1929 the ship, renamed Taranto, was reclassified as a cruiser and
began an intense period of activity including several cruises, station duties in the Red
Sea, and visits to ports in Spain and Albania. In 1935, the Taranto entered the
shipyard for new and more extensive modernization work. The two foremost boilers were
removed, along with their corresponding funnel, thus reducing power to 13,000 HP and speed
to 21 knots. In addition, the ship was equipped with some antiaircraft guns. At the beginning of the hostilities, the Taranto already obsolete and heavily worn out, was assigned to the defense of the port of Taranto. After the invasion of Greece, the unit was engaged in numerous bombardment missions along the Adriatic coast, and some mine-laying activities. In 1941, when the invasion of Malta appeared imminent, the unit was to participate to the landing operations, but the mission, for several reasons, never took place. In 1942 the ship war removed from service and on September 9th 1943 was scuttled to avoid capture by the Germans. The Taranto was later salvaged to be utilized as an obstruction near the outer jetty, but after 31 years of service, its carrier was ended by Allied bombing. |
||||
Cruiser Bari(ex Pillau)
|
||||
| The cruiser Bari, part of war reparations from Germany, was delivered to
Italy on July 20th, 1920. The ship was originally built for the Russian Navy by
the Schichau shipyard of Danzic. At the outbreak of World War I, the ship was incorporated
in the German Navy and named Pillau. When delivered to the Regia Marina, the ship was
equipped with eight 150/45-mm guns in shielded single mounting and two 88/45-mm guns. After a few minor changes, the unit was used until 1934 as a training vessel. Later, the Regia Marina decided to transform the ship into a "colonial" cruiser. The six coal-burning boilers were removed along with the foremost funnel. The space was used to build a new oil bunker and more comfortable quarters more suitable for the tropical weather the ship was operate in. Anti-aircraft defenses were augmented with the installation of a few machineguns. At the end of the alterations, the ship was transferred to the Read Sea where it operated until 1937 when the newly built Eritrea replaced it. After her return to Italy, the ship remained under repair until the outbreak of war when it was assigned to the defense of Taranto. |
||||
|
||||
| On October 25, 1940, the unit became the flagship for the special naval force engaged in operations against Greece. Here, the Bari was utilized for mine laying and naval bombardment against the Adriatic coast where her German-built guns proved quite effective. In 1941, when the invasion of Malta appeared imminent, the unit was to participate to the landing operations, but the mission, for several reasons, never took place. In 1943, in an attempt of improving convoy escort, the Regia Marina studied a transformation project, which would have equipped the Bari with eight 90-mm guns and several machineguns. While in Livorno to install eight 37/54 mm and eight 20/70-mm guns, the Bari was sunk during an Allied aerial bombardment. | ||||
Technical Data |
 |
||
|
|
||
| © 1996-2007 REGIAMARINA (TM) - Terms and Conditions | ||
