Were Italian battleships any good?

The bottom line is that Italian ships were effective daylight surface combatants, but poor night-fighters. That was the clear benefit of the British radar equipment aboard the Mediterranean Fleet’s battleships. Otherwise, in terms of gunnery performance (using optical guidance) they were theoretically a fair match.

What was the most successful battleship in World War II?

The USS Missouri has been described as the most famous battleship ever built. Nicknamed “Mighty Mo,” the Missouri was an Iowa-class battleship that saw combat in World War II, the Korean War and the Gulf War.

How good was the Roma battleship?

Roma had an innovative underwater protection system, 350 mm thick armour, and powerful armament. As a result, she was one of the most modern and powerful battleships of her time. Roma was not simply a capable ship in terms of mechanics, but she was beautiful as well.

What happened to the Italian fleet after WW2?

After the war, the two surviving ships (as well as several older Italian battleships) were assigned by lot as war reparations to the Allied powers; the United States won Italia, and the British Vittorio Veneto. Both ships were physically returned to Italy, and scrapped in the early 1950s.

Why did the Germans sink the battleship Roma?

View of the bridge and forward turrets on the Italian battleship ‘Roma’. The Italian fleet, under the command of Admiral Carlo Bergamini on the battleship Roma, had been scheduled to sail towards Salerno to attack Allied ships during the invasion of Sicily. …

What happened to the Italian battleships after WW2?

After the war, the two surviving ships — as well as several older Italian battleships — were assigned by lot as war reparations to the Allied powers. The United States won Italia, and the British Vittorio Veneto. Both ships were physically returned to Italy, and scrapped in the early 1950s.

How effective was Italy’s Navy in WW2?

Italy had an effective and big navy during WWII, able to rule the Mediterranean in the first phase of the conflict. Later, the lack of fuel and the completely wrong Supermarina’s directives led to the defeat. How good were the Italian battleships compared to the British battleships in WW2?

How good were the Littorio class battleships?

Littorio class: nine 15″ (380mm) guns firing an 885kg shell for 42,300 metres. The two modern Littorio-class ships were somewhat better than the British; but in turn the British battleships were significantly better than the older Italian ships which made up the majority of their fleet, with more firepower and longer range.

What happened to the American battleships in the Pacific in 1944?

In any case, the American, British and French navies had overwhelming superiority in the Pacific by 1944. After the war, the two surviving ships (as well as several older Italian battleships) were assigned by lot as war reparations to the Allied powers; the United States won Italia, and the British Vittorio Veneto.