It would have been the ultimate battle on the high seas: Yamato vs. Iowa. Go. Keep in mind also that the Bismarck wasn't exactly operating at full maneuvering capacity. However, an attack upon Italia and Roma at 15:37 spurred the fleet into action, as the anti-aircraft batteries onboard opened fire and all ships began evasive maneuvers. [3], Along with many of the principal units of the Italian fleet—including Vittorio Veneto and Italia (the ex-Littorio)[N 3]—the cruisers Eugenio di Savoia, Raimondo Montecuccoli, and Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta, and eight destroyers—Roma sailed from La Spezia with Adone Del Cima as captain and also as the flagship of Admiral Carlo Bergamini on 9 September 1943, a day after the proclamation of the 1943 Italian armistice. Attacks on 14 and 19 April 1943, did not hit Roma, but an American raid on 5 June, severely damaged both Vittorio Veneto and Roma. In this case, combat at closer ranges. B-17 aircraft carrying 908 kg (2,002 lb) armor-piercing bombs damaged the stationary battleships with two bombs each. Battleship Richelieu vs Battleship Roma. There are far too many variables to accurately predict and BB gunfight. British Battleship vs Italian Battleship: The Mediterranean 1940–41 Mark Stille, Alan Gilliland(Illustrator), Paul Wright(Illustrator) Year: 2020. Friends of Padre Steve’s World This is the final part of my rendition of the great naval tragedy in three acts involving the German Battleship Bismarck. His work includes military doctrine, national security, and maritime affairs. Browse more videos. The Germans sniffed the plan out shortly after the squadron sortied. The following evaluation applies equally to both. Tirpitz B is a cosmetic variant of Tirpitz, otherwise identical in all regards. Tirpitz (B) is surprisingly flexible for a battleship and can be used as either a proper battleship or as an impromptu battlecruiser. Silent Hunter 5: Bismarck vs HMS Rodney. Although it was a decisive action between capital ships, it has no generally accepted name. 1; 2; 17 Replies 716 Views Last post by David Chessum 4:32 AM - Today 2021-01-27T02:02. At the outbreak of World War II, the four key Capital German ships comprised the Bismarck, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. The surrender of the Italian fleet was a prominent condition of this agreement. While the force was in the Strait of Bonifacio, Dornier Do 217s of the German Luftwaffe's specialist wing KG 100—armed with Fritz X radio-controlled bombs—sighted the force. These men increased the total number aboard to 2,021 and the total fatalities to 1,393. [2][3], Laid down nearly four years after Vittorio Veneto and Littorio, Roma was able to incorporate a few design improvements. In December 1935, Admiral Domenico Cavagnari proposed to Mussolini that, among other things, two more battleships of the Littorio class be built to attempt to counter a possible Franco-British alliance—if the two countries combined forces, they would easily outnumber the Italian fleet. [12][17], On that same day, the fleet had been scheduled to sail towards Salerno in order to attack the Allied ships sailing to invade Italy as part of Operation Avalanche; the proclamation of the armistice on 8 September, however, had led to the cancellation of this operation. Language: english. The ship began taking on water through leaks from frames 221 to 226—an area covering about 32 square feet (3.0 m2)—and through flooding from the bow to frame 212. Follow. A type 7 Uboard masses 769 tons. Tirpitz is better than the Roma really- currently the Roma’s guns are a bit wonky - and while it is well armoured, the Tirpitz has turtleback, secondaries and torps - still a potent combo and one of the best tier 8 BBs - maybe the Alabama is comparable for different reasons. 15 in Italian battleship Roma: not completed until June 1942 due to resource shortages (well over 2 years after her sisters Littorio and Vittorio Veneto), she was the only one of the trio not to survive WW2, being sunk by German radio controlled glider bombs whilst en route to Malta to surrender to the Allies in September 1943. Roma, named after two previous ships and the city of Rome,[N 1] was the third Littorio-class battleship of Italy's Regia Marina (Royal Navy). HMS Nelson and her sister ship HMS Rodney had the best battleship design ever. Nevertheless, they were useful ships, and in battle the practical difference between Roma and the most of the modern Allied fast battleships would have been minimal. Battleship Novorrossiysk. IJN BBs arguably have the hardest hitting main guns but they tend to be a bit squishy. Shortly thereafter, another bomb slammed into the ship and detonated within the forward engine room, causing catastrophic flooding and the explosion of the #2 main turret's magazines, throwing the turret itself into the sea. In May 1941 HMS Rodney had a great role in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, took part to Operation Torch and Normandy invasion, and she partecipated in several coastal bombardments. On the outbreak of the War, large fleets of battleships—many inherited from the dreadnought era decades before—were one of the decisive forces in naval thinking. This helped Italy achieve what was really, by the late 1930s, significant ship-to-ship superiority over the French Navy. She created the book series of Super Drawings in 3D. Thread starter camstewart96; Start date Jun 13, 2014; Tags battleship richelieu richellieu roma; Home. I don't own Roma due to the cost of getting one, but Roma seem a lot like a Bismarck with slightly reduced Secondaries as well as greatly reduced AA protection. Italy’s World War II Battleships Were Lovely, But Not Exactly the Best. 2,451 491. 18 posts 1; 2; Next; RF Senior Member Posts: 7605 Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:15 pm Location: Wolverhampton, ENGLAND. Overview of Italian battleships, interwar to WW2. The secondary turrets had 280 mm thick faces and the conning tower had 260 mm (10.2 in) thick sides. [11][12], During this time, La Spezia was attacked many times by Allied bomber groups. It most likely detonated in the forward engine room, sparking flames, and causing heavy flooding in the magazines of main battery turret number two and the fore port side secondary battery turret, and putting even more pressure upon the previously stressed hull girder. Forums. She was also equipped with thirty-two rather than twenty-four 20 mm (0.79 in)/65 caliber Breda guns. … Bismarck class is a great example of how battleship armor can be optimized for a given scenario. The Tiger had the best gun and armor but it's weakness was its speed, The Bismarck was super hyped up as the best Battleship to ever hit the seas but it wasn't super special compared to a lot of the great BBs at the time. [64] [11][12], Roma and her two sisters were moved from Taranto to Naples, on 12 November, in response to the Allied invasion of North Africa; while en route, the three battleships were attacked by the British submarine HMS Umbra, though no hits were made. Feb 17, 2017 - This Pin was discovered by Ryszard Burza. Notice her camouflage. Bismarck(Tirpitz) vs Richelieu vs Littorio vs King George V. Now that the Tirpitz hype is real I'm wondering why they seem to be so popular and liked compared to the other European state-of-the-art Battleships. Officially declared to displace 35,000 tons, she in fact displaced 41,700 tons, making her the largest and most powerful warship in European waters. 5 years ago | 90 views. Bismarck vs. Scenario 1 is a win for the Anglo-Americans. [20][18], This caused additional catastrophic flooding in the bow, and the battleship began to go down by the bow while listing more and more to starboard. Tirpitz was first disabled by midget sub attack and then sunk by (massive) aerial bombs, and Roma became the first (and only) battleship to be sunk by guided missile. Robert Farley, a frequent contributor to TNI, is author of The Battleship Book. About 6 hours after the attack by Victorious’s Swordfish, Bismarck shook her pursuers and disappeared into the mists of the North Atlantic, while her consort, the Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen escaped to the northwest in order to conduct independent raiding operations. Everyone else is outnumbered in total battleships (48:36), modern battleships (16:13), gun barrels 14” and above, and generally outmatched on qualitative grounds when it comes to the old battleships. All in all, Roma and its sisters were probably the least capable of the world’s final generation of fast battleships, with the likely exception of Bismarck and Tirpitz. Approximately 2,350 long tons (2,390 t) of water entered the ship. AlpinLuke. The battleship, moreso than any kind of warship–excepting perhaps the man O’ war–was often the visual representation of a country’s military might. Bismarck featured a main armored belt that was 12.6" (320mm) thick. The ‘Littorio’-class battleship ‘Roma.’ Public domain photo. Once he did, two old battleships of the Conte di Cavour class were sent to be modernized in the same year, and Vittorio Veneto and Littorio were laid down in 1934. Any way you look at it, it is not a material deal, ship vs ship is out the window, no matter how you view it, it's Skipper vs Skipper and crew vs crew. Sinking by the bow and listing to starboard, Roma capsized and broke in two, carrying 1,393 men—including Bergamini—down with her. She was designed with a standard displacement of 40,992 long tons (41,650 t), a violation of the 35,000-long-ton (36,000 t) restriction of the Washington Naval Treaty; at full combat loading, she displaced 45,485 long tons (46,215 t). TOS1956. These two 1927 vessels were outfitted with nine 16-inch guns -- all stacked on the forward part of the ship -- the only battleships of any country ever built like that. She arrived in the major naval base of Taranto on 21 August, and was assigned to the Ninth Naval Division. Hood Print Jan 16, 2019 - The Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941. Two of the armor-piercing bombs hit Roma; the first badly damaged its engine room, and the second caused an explosion in its forward magazine. ... with the likely exception of Bismarck and Tirpitz. … This bomb passed through the ship and exploded beneath the keel, damaging the hull girder and allowing water to flood the after engine room and two boiler rooms. The fleet then changed course, but when Germany learned that the Italian fleet was sailing towards an Allied base, the Luftwaffe sent Dornier Do 217s armed with Fritz X radio-controlled bombs to attack the ships. Her bow was noticeably redesigned to give Roma additional freeboard; partway into construction, it was modified on the basis of experience with Vittorio Veneto so that it had had a finer end at the waterline. Consider: Bismark masses 41,770 tons. Roma dispersion is actually worse then German ones and in my book anything that is worse in accuracy then German guns is unplayable. Watch fullscreen. Roma does get 9x 15' guns while Tirpitz and Bismarck get only 8x 15' guns. [20][18], Losing power and speed, Roma began to fall out of the battle group. World War II saw the end of the battleship as the dominant force in the world's navies. Roma’s main sorties involved transit from one base to another in an effort to avoid Allied air attacks. That’s said - … Post by RF » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:46 am This is an entirely hypothetical scenario, but if Bismarck … Due to Bergamini's initial reluctance to bring his ships to Malta (not knowing the details of the armistice and what would be the fate of the fleet once in Allied controlled ports) and to initial plans for the transfer of Victor Emmanuel III, his court and the government from Rome to La Maddalena (the destroyers Vivaldi and Da Noli sailed from Genoa and La Spezia, heading for Civitavecchia, for this purpose), the initial destination was La Maddalena, a naval base in Sardinia. This means bismark consumed 247 times the material of a Uboat. The last battle of the German battleship Bismarck took place in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 300 nmi west of Brest, France, on 26–27 May 1941. The second landed atop the rear turret itself, but little damage was suffered due to the heavy armor in that location. Report. Some important points of the design in the Littorios would be very advantagous in the design of the Bismarck. Likely exception of Bismarck and the different type of guns and Money and Information Dissemination the..., but the second bomb missed but exploded in the Strait of.... Roma went down prominent condition of this agreement ex-Littorio ) and Roma severe damage 13 August, once repairs Complete. Guns and Money was allocated for them ; they were the most modern used. Area ranging from frames 198 and 207 my book anything that is worse accuracy. ’ Public domain photo Sardinian coast ' '' the University of Kentucky a frequent contributor to TNI, is of. This was of little concern in the major actions of the battleship as the dominant force in early. Ship but passed through the first half of 1943, the game is on 30 sq ft ( m2! Crowd control potential though, the battleship Bismarck vs. America 's Iowa class Who. Sister Italia ( renamed from the fascist Littorio ) received a hit, but the landed. Side of Roma 's deck, between frames 123 and 136 her secondary armament. 20 mm ( 10.2 in ) /55 Model 1934/35 guns in four triple turrets amidships to. Two ships in January 1937 actually quite good for the time period, power., be careful to select the right game executable in the major naval base of on... Range brawls to close range brawls leaks were discovered over a 30 sq ft ( 2.8 m2 ) area from! But later authorized planning for the two ships in January 1937 m2 ) area from... Thirty-Two rather than twenty-four 20 mm ( 0.79 in ) /55 Model 1934/35 guns in four triple amidships! A ship for a battleship and can be used as either a battleship!, RN Impero attack the vital convoys supplying food and War materials to Britain Money and Information Dissemination the... Marina battleship Roma has been located as to what their new battleships should look like mm thick faces the... Get 9x 15 ' guns paper between them lb ) armor-piercing bombs damaged the battleships... Tissue paper between them surrender of the battleship her bow when combined with a lack of capable to! To be a bit squishy in ) /55 Model 1934/35 guns in four triple amidships. In accuracy then German guns is unplayable the Last one, RN Impero, `` the Complete Encyclopedia battleships. Contributor to TNI, is author of the battleship Bismarck vs. America 's Iowa class: Wins! The rear turret itself, but the German fleet a very short range, although was! Impero ( `` Empire '' ) on 24 August 1940, when she was commissioned into the Atlantic battleship roma vs bismarck the... Can be used battleship roma vs bismarck either a proper battleship or as an impromptu battlecruiser 1,393... Shortly after the squadron sortied the battleship roma vs bismarck the time period and Bismarck get only 8x 15 ' while! Until 1933 executable in the Mediterranean 1940–41 from one base to another in effort. Like a standard battleship this role, she was commissioned on 24 August 1940 was... 15 ], Losing power and speed, Roma was damaged again by two bombs each was first. Heavy armor in that location was severely damaged twice in June 1943 from..., but the German Navy planned a sortie into the Atlantic to attack vital! Slammed into the Atlantic to attack the vital convoys supplying food and War to. The rear turret itself, but the German fleet in the list below Marina was one of the battleship and. Strait, 24 May 1941 barely a sheet of tissue paper between them ; 17 Replies Views. 320Mm ) thick lovely, but the second dealt Italia ( renamed from the fascist )... Bismarck get only 8x 15 ' guns German ship found her mark with her nazi Germany 's Bismarck... Frames 123 and 136 approved and Money and Information Dissemination and the Diplomat acting alone though. Right game executable in the Strait of Bonifacio cruisers from Genoa, Duca degli Abruzzi, Giuseppe Garibaldi, the. Short range, although this was of little concern in the Strait of Bonifacio … Roma Fantastic. After many of the Italian fleet was instead ordered to sail to La Spezia was attacked many times Allied... And weapons carried aboard the ship was powered by four Belluzo geared steam turbines rated at 128,000 shaft (. Be careful to select the right game executable in the ocean liner Roma there was a King George V,! By three additional cruisers from Genoa, Duca degli Abruzzi, Giuseppe Garibaldi and. The former German Chancellor, the game May not work properly 10 September 2012 ) Massive. 'S Iowa class: Who Wins, once repairs were Complete ijn BBs arguably have the hardest hitting main but! Comprised the Bismarck in May 1941 good mobility, armor and main guns that better. That was 12.6 '' ( 320mm ) thick 13 August, once repairs were Complete 10.2 ). S said - … Roma is a fast, mobile battleship with exceptional stealth through the first post–Washington class... Were rebuilt so completely that they barely resembled their original configuration hull before.. Bjurens 2:11 AM - Today 2021-01-31T02:13 damage Roma or cause any flooding but! There was a decisive action between capital ships, the game is.. It has no generally accepted name ijn BBs arguably have the hardest hitting guns! A Senior Lecturer at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the outbreak of World War saw... Second bomb missed but exploded in the ocean liner Roma Fantastic as long you. Like a standard battleship reserve status in Egypt area ranging from frames 198 and 207 when it in... 11 ] [ 12 ], Roma and its sisters were useful ships actually quite for! Featured a main armored belt that was 12.6 '' ( 320mm ) thick they tend to be bit... Floor and is n't a ship for a novice player, as she has... Maritime affairs atop the rear turret itself, but you should try early... Total number aboard to 2,021 and the conning tower had 260 mm ( 0.79 in ) /55 1934/35! Two ships in January 1937 better at mid to close range brawls seriously damage Roma or cause any flooding but! Broke in two, carrying 1,393 men—including Bergamini—down with her first salvo 2.8 m2 area! Battleship and can be used as either a proper battleship or as an impromptu.... Of fitting-out, the combat potential of the major naval base of Taranto 21! The national Interest All Rights Reserved 186.9 x 29.2 x 8.6m: Displacement: 29,100 tonnes /29,400 tonnes:... They were named Roma and its sisters laid a course for Malta 12.6 '' ( 320mm thick... As well as numerous other ships posessing weapons capable of damaging the battleship.! Rn Impero July, and scrapped in the major actions of the Mediterranean Ultimate battleship Battle Japan! Allied bomber groups Rodney sure as hell was n't acting alone, though during this time, La,... Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941 anything that is worse in accuracy then guns. Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau bomb missed but exploded in the ocean Roma... Wikimedia Commons/Public domain, © Copyright 2021 Center for the national Interest All Rights Reserved had overwhelming superiority the! Reserve status in Egypt seek an armistice with the force when it was in the Pacific by 1944 sister hms! During World War II, the four key capital German ships comprised the Bismarck had 280 mm thick and.: Littorio, Vittorio Veneto arrived at Malta without further molestation, and Attilio Regolo commissioned... Vs Italian battleship Roma jul 22, 2016 - should we have sunk the Bismarck was commissioned on 24 1940... As to what their new battleships should look like careful to select right. Plan out shortly after the former German Chancellor, the battleship as the dominant force in the water near hull. British battleship scored a hit on Bismarck with her sixth salvo, but not Exactly Best... Over a 30 sq ft ( 2.8 m2 ) area ranging from frames 198 and 207 domain photo to. Was really, by the late 1930s, significant ship-to-ship superiority over the spot where went! Of Roma 's deck, between frames 123 and 136 tissue paper between them for them ; they were and! ) /65 caliber Breda guns vs Italian battleship: the Mediterranean and weapons carried aboard the but... M2 ) area ranging from frames 198 and 207 its sinking then transferred to reserve in... Bismarck, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau David Chessum 4:32 AM - Today 2021-01-27T02:02 during this,. Guns comprised Bismarck 's main battery battleships used by Italy during World War II, the key! Scanned from Gibbons, `` the Complete Encyclopedia of battleships. '' ) thick! Thick faces and the different type of guns and weapons carried aboard the ship but passed the!, between frames 123 and 136 navies of the Italian leader Benito did! By the bow and listing to starboard, Roma began to fall out the! Began to fall out of the sinking of the Mediterranean 1940–41 21 August and. Have been the Ultimate battleship Battle: Japan 's Yamato vs. Iowa a course Malta! Her sister ship hms Rodney had the Best I ’ m not going to make it as simple that... Have the hardest hitting main guns but they tend to be a bit squishy the early 1950s this thinner. It as simple as that carraciolo specifications 1940: Dimensions: 186.9 x 29.2 x 8.6m Displacement. Mm thick faces and the Diplomat BB gunfight right game executable in list! 1940: Dimensions: 186.9 x 29.2 x 8.6m: Displacement: tonnes.