Andrea Doria class
RM ANDREA DORIA
The inception of the Andrea Doria class was driven by the build-up of worldwide battleship arsenals especially the new French Bretagne category. Feeling threatened, the Italians wanted to boost their numbers of capital ships and since their Cavour class featured notable specifications, the design of the new class would be very similar. The two proposed ships would serve as an interim upgrade for the Regia Marina (Royal Navy).
Both ships were fitted with 30,000shp engines that provided a top speed of 21 knots allowing them to travel 5,523 miles. Their length remained 577ft 5in, with a beam of 91ft 10in, and 30ft of draft. Regarding basic structure, the only alteration to the Cavour design was the conning tower and the ships retained the 13 x 12in main battery guns in the 3×3 plus 2×2 layout, the amidships battery, and three torpedo tubes.
One of the major differences between the classes of ships was the improvement in secondary armament. The 4.8in gun design of the Cavour battleships were upgraded with 16 x 6in guns and 19 light 3in guns were added, but no AA guns were installed.
The main armour belt dimensions remained the same, but the deck was fortified by over half the thickness to 3.9in. The lead ship Andrea Doria was launched in 1916 with her sister ship Caio Duilio close behind.
By 1937, both ships were considered obsolete, and the Italians decided to radically modernise them. The engines were replaced by ones capable of producing 75,000shp which increased speed by six knots to 26-27 knots and the centre turret was removed along with her torpedo tubes. The remaining 10 x 12in guns were rebored and morphed into 12.6in highvelocity models and with that, the number of anti-ship secondary armament were reduced by half and four 5in guns and 10 dual purpose 3.5in guns were installed in place of the 19 x 3in guns. The empty space left behind was filled with an AA battery of 31 x 1.5in and 0.8 guns. Secondary turrets were clad with 4.8in of armour and the decks were built up to 5.3in, and a shortened version of the Pugliese torpedo defence system was installed on the hull. The alterations increased the displacement to 29,863 tonnes.
Both vessels were undergoing reconstruction at the start of Italy’s involvement in WWII and were late to the game. Andrea Doria participated in several convoy catching operations against the British in the Mediterranean, most notable were the January 1941 Operation Excess engagements. By the end of the year, Doria moved to escorting Axis convoys from Italy to North Africa that included Operation M41 on 13 December and Operation M42 four days later. Also, that month during the First Battle of Sirte Andrea Doria and the battleship Giulio Cesare damaged the British destroyer HMS Kipling. By early 1943, British and American convoy-killing actions in the Mediterranean had severely limited Italy’s fuel supply and the battleships sailed no more. After Italy capitulated in 1943, both Andrea Doria class battleships were interred at Malta.
RM Andrea Doria
Class: Andrea Doria
Displacement: 28,882 tonnes
Length: 186.9m (613ft 2in)
Beam: 28m (91ft 10in)
Draft: 9.4m (30ft 10in)
Speed: 26 knots
Range: 8,851km (5,500 miles)
Crew: 1,033 men
Armament: 13 × 305mm guns • 16 × 152mm guns • 13 × 76mm guns • 6 × 76mm AA guns • 3 × 450mm torpedo tubes
Armour: Deck – 98mm (3.86in), Waterline belt – 254mm (10in)