LITTORIO (renamed ITALIA on July 30, 1943)
VITTORIO VENETO
IMPERO
ROMA
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Notes.- Designed by Engineer Inspector-General Umberto Pugliese. Though trials of first two ships started in Dec. 1939, it was not until four or five months later that delivery was accepted from builders. Completion of Impero, though planned for 1941, has been delayed considerably for reasons still to be explained. Though shortage of steel has been alleged as an excuse, it seems more likely that the ship suffered damage of some kind subsequent to her launch. Italia`s name was changed in August, 1943.
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LITTORIO (ITALIA) |
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 ITALIA |
 ITALIA |
 ITALIA |
 ITALIA |
 Italia sailing south on Sept. 9,1943 towards Malta. |
 Littorio and Roma at La Spezia on June 5,1943 under attack by USAF. |
 Littorio in the Central Mediterranean, Sept. 1st, 1940, on combat sweep, shortly after becoming operational. |
 Littorio in summer of 1940, flagship of the Ninth Division. |
 Littorio followed by Veneto, during a gunnery exercise in the Gulf of Tarano in the Summer 1940. |
 Littorio down by the bow, due to damage sustained during the British attack on Tarano. |
 Littorio moored in Tarano, May 5,1942 in new standard light and dark gray camouflage. |
 Littorio flying the fflag of the Commander of Naval Forces in the Spring of 1941. |
 Italia outside Augusta in 1947, upon her return from internment in Egypt. Note the EC.3 Gufo radar is mounted on top of the range finders. The ship flies a small national flag, not naval jack, which was still being redesigned, following the fall of the monarchy in 1946. |
 Bridgeworks of Littorio, taken from 1942 publication, showing the antenna of the EC.3 Gufo unit, mounted above the bridge, on the lower rangefinder. |
 Littorio in the Tarano Canal, March 1941, following completion of repairs sustained the previous November. The ship has been painted in an experimental camouflage scheme of dark grey and light yellow/green. |
 Littorio from the bridge of Veneto on the afternoon of June 14,1942. |
 A view ofdamage to one of Littorio`s 6" turrets, sustained during the second Battle of Sirte, March 22,1942. |
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VITTORIO VENETO |
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 VITTORIO VENETO |
 VITTORIO VENETO (1940) |
 The hull of Veneto, at the C.D.R.A. yard in Trieste in July 1937, nearly ready for launching. Note the single hawsehole for the anchor to starboard, a second was added later. |
 Veneto during trials, at the beginning 1940. Prior modification of the bow and still not fully equipped. Most noticable is the absence of 3.5 inch and smaller AA guns. |
 Veneto during trials, at the beginning 1940. Ready to be turned over from the builders to the Navy. |
 Veneto in the port of Naples on March 23,1941 before leaving for the eastern Mediterranean and the Battle of Cape Matapan. |
 Veneto and Doria, conducting gunnery exercises in the Tyrrhenian Sea, on Jan. 11,1941 |
 Veneto i nTarano, June 1941, undergoing repairs following the Battle of Matapan. |
 Veneto on excercises in the nothern Tyrrhenian in the spring of 1943. |
 Veneto, spring 1945, interned in the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal, Egypt. |
 Veneto, Sept. 13, 1943, Malta. |
 Veneto, La Spezia, 1950. Through officially disarmed, actual scrapping has not begun, some 3.5inch AA guns have been dismounted. |
 The after main gun turret of VEneto showing two of the gun barrels sheared off, as ordered by the Allies in 1951. |
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ROMA |
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 ROMA |
 Roma is launched in Trieste, June 9, 1940. |
 Roma, Nov 9,1941, undergoing initial trials of her engines. Note the absence of 3.5inch mounts, the presence of scaffolding on the main turrets, as fitting out continues and the camouflaged bridge works. |
 Roma June 1942. ready to be handed over to the Navy. |
 Roma with Veneto in backgorund and taken from Littorio, Dec 1942, three same class ships being transferred from Tarano to La Spezia. |
 Roma in the Gulf of La Spezia, spring 1943. |
 Roma sinking on Sept 9,1943. Note the absence of B turret which was blown away by the explosion of the magazine, also damage of the forward turret and bridgeworks. |
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IMPERO |
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 The hull of Impero,on November 15, 1939 at the Ansaldo yard at Sestri Ponente (Genoa), ready for launching. |
 The hull of Impero, moored in Lagoon of Venice, summer 1948 awaiting demolition. |
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The outer anchorage (Mar Grande) at Tarano, a few days prior to the suprise attack
by British torpedo planes on the evening of Nov. 11/12, 1940. Five battleships
(among other vessels) are present.
Lesft to right: 1) Cavour, 2) Littorio, 3) Veneto, 4) Cesare, 5) Doria
