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Post by aiolife on May 25, 2020 15:51:24 GMT -6
10 January 26 (continued):
As Mr.Rota suggested during the budget meeting some days ago, we also needed to replenish the war losses in our Fleet Destroyers' ranks. So we look-up the old blueprints of the really good Antonino Cascino class vessel from 1920. A fine 33-knots ship, with really good sea-handling capabilities, and a tough design, with 3, single mounted 120mm, 45calibers long, high velocity, OTO guns. We then looked at the now available technologies and we looked at each other, we both knew that we could make a new, even better, ship. The main guns were still nice weapons, with good armor penetration, capable to worry even some not-too-armored cruiser, but we now had available a Fire Control System with a rangefinder compact enough to be fitted to the superstructure of a 1500 tons destroyer. So we made space for a larger mast, just behind the main forward bridge, to support the rangefinder, and a second back-up fire control position was installed on a raised platform just forward of the aft superfiring gun. The Fire control system allowed for accurate shots even at higher distances, so the shielded gun mountings were modified to allow increased elevation accordingly. The 4, 76mm guns were replaced by the same number of new dual purpose model, always from Ansaldo Workshop in Genoa. And the triple torpedo launchers were replaced by the quadruple ones, for a total of 8 torpedo broadside. 7 Breda Anti-Air machine guns were installed as well.
The increase in weight due to the new equipment installed, was worrying me about the capability of mantaining the 33knots maximum speed. But Mr.Rota had already made some calculation, and with some twitching here and there he can make the rest of the structure lighter to compensate, and to retain the same maximum speed. So we gave birth to the Antonino Cascino Secondo Lotto (2nd batch), and we started ordering 5 of them. They will need 15 months from start to commissioning, and then we'll decide wether to order another 3rd batch, or to upgrade the ships from the 1st batch to the new standard, depending on the situation we'll see next year.
The minesweepers we left as last to manage, in our winter afternoon, were instead a long and hard journey for our minds. We finished some cup of coffee, and my only remaining eye was sore from the long day spent on the blueprints and sketches. It was really late in the evening when we came out with a final design.
We thought about using existing ships like large fishing boats, or trawlers, but it was not the case... re-fitting the old Regina Pacis design was out of consideration, the construction was old and even if the frame was quite big, it was outdated. The only solution was to came up with a completely new design, a military ship classified as corvette, with a pretty narrow beam to width ratio and a nice curvy line for a 700 tons hull. The main guns were mounted high on the supestructure, a pair of 100mm OTO guns, derived from the Skoda used by our allied German navy, one aft and one forward, directed by a single rangefinder. We decided to use a pair of Ansaldo 76mm dual purpose as well, the mountings on the broadsides. The engines were a couple of new oil-fired boilers moving a single turbine on a single shaft. The fine designed hull allowing for 20knots even with little power. The space saved by the compact machinery could now be stuffed with all sort of ASW equipment, with a lot of depth charges, and all the minesweeping gear needed. And we decided to add 4 Breda AA machineguns for self protection against low flying aircrafts.
A pair of twin-mounted Breda 13.2mm AA machine-guns.
In the end we gave the minesweeper project the first name we could come up with, since the only thing we wanted to do was go home and have a sleep. Mr. Rota's wife was Adelina, so we decided for Adelina Class Minesweeping Corvettes. Since the new vessel was quite complex, the budget allowed only 5 of them. We wanted to put also some more minelaying submarines on the slip-ways, but I think they will have to wait for the second half of this year, as soon as Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino finishes working on our new Bolzano general purpose cruisers.
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Post by aiolife on May 26, 2020 14:44:20 GMT -6
12 January 1926:
During the first War Council of the new year, I met the Chief of the newly born Regia Aeronautica. His name is Pier Ruggiero Piccio, and he was a general in the Army. But he shared with me the same passion for this new ability that mankind acquired just a few years ago: flight.
I remember him in the latest years of the 1910's, he was a firm supporter of the use of airships, and later of aircrafts as military equipment. We together examined some of the first aircraft prototypes, and I, as commander of the Porta Aeromobili Squadron, was in charge of all naval aircraft operations.
Count Pier Ruggiero Piccio as a young Lieutenent in the Army, during the Austro-Ungarian War in 1911.
We spent a lot of time discussing about the future strategies and cooperation between the Regia Marina and Regia Aeronautica. Together we shared the same view that, both our arms must cooperate tightly, in order to achieve full control of the Mediterranean Sea.
In the end of the War Council, I agreed with Count Piccio, that all land based squadron must be transferred to the Regia Aeronautica. So, beginning from the newly trained squadrons equipped with the new Reggiane Torpedo Bomber, will be moved under his command. The Accademia Aeronautica in Pozzuoli will be the training center for the pilots of the Regia Aeronautica, so they will no longer need our facilities. Therefore we can concentrate on training the new air crews that will operate aboard the two Falco Class Carriers.Since we don't have anymore aircraft carriers, the training capacity for carrier trained crews is very limited. Finally, after long time the needed units are below the maximum capacity cap.
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Post by oldpop2000 on May 26, 2020 14:55:46 GMT -6
Just some suggestions:
Change the engine priority to speed for destroyers
click on unimachinery which protects machines from damage and click on magazine box.
Eliminate seconary guns, just use light and medium AA guns.
Click on minesweeping gear to protect the fleet when sailing.
Quelli Bella Navi, Mi amico. Sorry my italian is a bit rusty
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Post by aiolife on May 27, 2020 10:41:18 GMT -6
Just some suggestions: Change the engine priority to speed for destroyers click on unimachinery which protects machines from damage and click on magazine box. Eliminate seconary guns, just use light and medium AA guns. Click on minesweeping gear to protect the fleet when sailing. Quelli Bella Navi, Mi amico. Sorry my italian is a bit rusty Thank you very much Amico Mio! No problem for the Italian! Sounds perfect... and by the way no one really speaks Italian in the right way without hand gesture! ^_^ I didn't add unit machinery for this one since I didn't want it to change more than 10% from the previous design, in order to save some time and cost! And I left the 3 inch secondary battery because I still don't have developed HAA machine guns yet... so I wanted to retain some punch against those flying pests! Nice suggestion for the speed and minesweeping, I definitely should try it for my next series of Destroyers! For sure a Batch 3 of the Antonino Cascino Class will be needed... maybe right in the second half of 1926! I hope to develop HAA machineguns to get rid of secondary battery... I have quite good 4inch guns, so maybe I shall downsize mainbattery as well and use Dual Purpose? What do you think? A question for "MAgazine Box" option... does it work even for unarmoured ships like DDs??? Thats a question I have been asking myself since long time. Thank you for the suggestions, hope you are enjoying the storytelling!
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Post by oldpop2000 on May 27, 2020 11:28:44 GMT -6
Just some suggestions: Change the engine priority to speed for destroyers click on unimachinery which protects machines from damage and click on magazine box. Eliminate seconary guns, just use light and medium AA guns. Click on minesweeping gear to protect the fleet when sailing. Quelli Bella Navi, Mi amico. Sorry my italian is a bit rusty Thank you very much Amico Mio! No problem for the Italian! Sounds perfect... and by the way no one really speaks Italian in the right way without hand gesture! ^_^ I didn't add unit machinery for this one since I didn't want it to change more than 10% from the previous design, in order to save some time and cost! And I left the 3 inch secondary battery because I still don't have developed HAA machine guns yet... so I wanted to retain some punch against those flying pests! Nice suggestion for the speed and minesweeping, I definitely should try it for my next series of Destroyers! For sure a Batch 3 of the Antonino Cascino Class will be needed... maybe right in the second half of 1926! I hope to develop HAA machineguns to get rid of secondary battery... I have quite good 4inch guns, so maybe I shall downsize mainbattery as well and use Dual Purpose? What do you think? A question for "MAgazine Box" option... does it work even for unarmoured ships like DDs??? Thats a question I have been asking myself since long time. Thank you for the suggestions, hope you are enjoying the storytelling! Yea, my mother's family could never talk without the hand movements, it was hilarious. About the Magazine box, I think so. I don't take chances. I just click the box. Good question though.
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Post by aiolife on May 28, 2020 15:48:40 GMT -6
19 January 1926:
The first test for the freshly created brotherhood between the old Regia Marina and the newborn Regia Aeronautica, came only few days after the War Council. Col.Vigevano from the information service told us that the French next and only move could be to disrupt our industry and convoys. Economic warfare was left as only option to hope for a long war of attrition, and for protests to break out in our nation as well...
So what would have been the only safe target for the Marine Nationale to reach?
Steelmaking factories in Portoferraio.
Due to its proximity to Corsica, Elba's iron ore mines and the Portoferraio steelmaking industries will be for sure the next targets for French raiders. Enemy ships will be able to reach our coast, while remaining within range of their aircraft, based on Corsica airstrips and land bases. So I asked to Count Piccio to reinforce and put on alert the patrolling squadrons in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea. Flying boats loaded and fighters ready to scramble. While I recalled all non actively employed ships to gather in La Spezia, ready at combat stations. Admiral Fioravanzo Battle squadrons were employed in blockade enforcing missions west of Sardinia, and most of the cruiser fleet was busy protecting our convoys to bring supplies to the North African front, now moved between Tunisia and Algeria.
So, in the morning of the 19 January, all we had available in La Spezia was Battlecruiser RN Lombardia, the 30°Divisione Incrociatori with RN Catania and RN Civitavecchia, and a division of 5 fleet destroyers.
h0625 - Reports from Regia Aeronautica frantically signalling enemy warships sailing E-SE leaving Nice towards the Italian coast; h0630 - Order is given to Admiral Riccardi aboard RN Lombardia, to intercept the enemy formation and engage; h0700 - 32°Divisione Incrociatori with RN Milano, RN Cagliari and RN Rimini, returning from convoy escort duty joins Admiral Riccardi and his formation to meet the French and assumes scouting position ahead of the main column; h0746 - In fact lookouts aboard RN Cagliari sight smoke ahead, 2 ships, supposed light cruisers; h0758 - RN Lombardia opens fire to the 2 targets at extreme range, one is identified as Linois class 6000-tons modern and fast protected cruiser, armed with 155mm guns, other is unknown;
A Linois Class modern French 6000-Tons Cruiser. They are capable of 30 knots and have 5 single 155mm guns.
h0803 - The second salvo of 330mm main battery from RN Lombardia scores the first hits on the French cruiser, crew experience and the new rangefinders are marking great improvements in long range hit ratio. Behind the 2 cruisers, sighting of bigger ships aproaching; h0804 - Aircraft support is required from land based groups; h0809 - Scouting cruisers identify the other ship as 1 enemy Battlecruiser, charging headlong towards our main formation; h0811 - Splashes begin landing around RN Lombardia - judging from the columns of water raising up from the waves it must be a Condè class battlecruiser, a fearsome foe for sure;
The fore superfiring twin turrets of the Condè class French Battlecruiser, armed with the accurate 340mm/45-calibers guns.
h0832 - 30°Divisione Incrociatori is ordered to detach from main battleline and harass trailing enemy seaplane tenders. A group of 6 Reggiane Torpedo Bombers approach the enemy formation; h0842 - Keeping a continuous barrage of fire on the enemy, RN Lombardia scores 4 330mm hits out of a single broadside. What a remarkable display of gunnery! Meanwhile torpedo bombers attack is repelled by small AA fire from the enemy battlecruiser; h0848 - The first 2 hits scored by the enemy to RN Lombardia, one pierces the armour belt and explodes in the engine rooom! Admiral Riccardi is forced to reduce speed; h0850 - Now that the French has the speed advantage they try to close the range to compensate for our better accuracy. So the first secondary battery hits land on the superstructures. A second wave of torpedo bombers approach the enemy ship, but still they were put under AA fire and did not manage to launch their torpedoes; h0910 - Enemy try to disengage covered by torpedo salvoes and smoke screen from escort destroyers. Admiral Riccardi avoids all of them by manouvering bravely and accurately, showing a great knowledge of both the ship and crew; enemy destroyers are shelled hard in return by our secondary guns; h1022 - After a 1-hour long chase, the enemy manages to come back to Saint Florent port on the northern top of Corsica; h1105 - Our ships turn towards La Spezia but have come now in range of enemy bombers, a formation releases their deadly payload and score a hit on the Y turret of the RN Lombardia. The bomb did not penetrate the turret roof, but the force of the explosion jammed the bearings in their rails, disabling the turret, and wounded some of the crew inside.
The overall results are positive. The French didn't reach Portoferraio and all of our ships returned safely to La Spezia with just some minor damage. RN Lombardia was hit 4 times by the 340mm guns of the Condè, but none of them was significant. The enemy battlecruiser instead was hit 9 times, and right from the second salvo. The second shell penetrated the forward turret armor and detonated the magazines disabling both A and B turret. One of the last shells completely destroyed the aft turret, effectively crippling the enemy ship, left with only a 2 guns broadside.
Our accuracy was much better than the enemy's, but still we did not reach a major victory, we just sunk an enemy destroyer that happened to come too close for a torpedo run, but was met by heavy fire from our cruisers and destroyers.
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Post by aiolife on May 29, 2020 8:27:06 GMT -6
25 February 1926:
February has been a really confused and tumultuous month, mainly on the diplomatic and political front. Following a general strike in Paris, organized by the socialists and communist party, some radicals forced the entrance to the Parliament, and stormed inside the Assemblèe Nationale. Five policemen and two protesters were killed and several other wounded in the process. They managed to overthrow the right-wing government, and replace several ministers with their own representatives. This led to a change in the foreign policy, with a more willing attitude towards the ending of this war against the Italo-German Axis.
General Strike in Paris - February 1926
So a Peace Table was arranged, thanks also to the English mediation, and the Duce with all the Defence Ministry Staff (me too), were due to meet with their French counterpart on the British Battleship HMS Formidable.
In the meantime a 72-hours ceasefire was arranged, to allow for both diplomatic groups to meet without fear of being ambushed by enemy submarines.
The peace talks though were not easy at all. The French foreign minister, a hard-leftist, one of the radicals that just a week before had stormed the Assemblèe Nationale, stubbornly repeated that the status-quo prior to the war must be restored, and that we had to return Tunisia under French control. For sure it cannot be done, since that was the very reason we wanted this war in the beginning. So the discussion went on for hours without the Duce or the French minister to back down from their requests. We started by asking Corsica as war reparation, but then we decided that money was good as well... but the French wanted Tunisian oil fields back in their hands, no matter what!
After a 2 days tug of war, where neither of the 2 counterparts moved a single inch back or forth, the Duce left the table raging and shouting at the French! If this was their thought, well he had to give them what they deserved!
We left HMS Formidable and returned aboard RN Pompeo Magno, heading back to Naples, aware of the fact that the ceasefire end was a few hours ahead. In fact it happened that even before we were able to return to home port and give order to restart operations against the French, because no mutual agreement on the pease was reached, the Marine Nationale had already resumed their operations in the Mediterranean and North sea. So, in the general confusion following that day, it happened that 3 of our submarines, unaware of the resumed hostilities, found themselves surrounded by enemy vessels, and have been sunk. Fortunately, one of them managed to sunk one of the ASW corvettes before beaching itself due to damage taken. French aircraft did also attack one of our convoys, and exploiting the delay in the information about the ceasefire ending, were able to sink 7 transport ships before the Anti-Air response managed to repel the enemy planes.
Our german ally suffered from the same issue, and lost a couple of small vessels and a seaplane tender to enemy submarines.
The only good news came on the 25 of February, when I received a notice from our shipyards, that work on the 5 new destroyers and minesweeping corvettes have started according to the schedule.
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Post by aiolife on May 30, 2020 15:36:45 GMT -6
04 March 1926:
Following the latest operations of the Marine Nationale, I decided, together with Count Piccio, to organize a tight program of combined air-navy patrol groups in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea. This Task Force groups allowed us to spot earlier any French ship trying to force the blockade and run for Elba Island, where the steelmaking factories and iron ore mines are located.
But in the first week of March, the really bad weather conditions, prevented many of our task force patrol groups to even leave their stations. Despite a 2 days-long heavy storm that covered the sky with thick black clouds, and strong wind and gale, our RN Goffredo Mameli submarine spotted, in the morning of 04 March, a formation of enemy capital ships heading E-SE.
RN Goffredo Mameli submarine in heavy sea
The report arrived at La Spezia where Admiral Riccardi and his Battlecruiser Division were ready at combat stations. Due to the really bad weather, no air operation can be performed, leaving Riccardi ships without air support. But he could not wait for the sky to clear-up, so I immediately ordered that he should leave port again, full steam ahead! Together with Riccardi flagship: RN Lombardia and RN Francesco Ferruccio with the usual escorting 30°Divisione Incrociatori (3 Salerno class cruisers), today are sailing also the 34°Divisione incrociatori with other 2 modern Bologna class cruisers and their escorts.
h1249 - Scouting RN Catania sights smoke, and signals back to Riccardi. Enemy Intecepted! h1254 - RN Catania lookouts identify enemy ship as the only French available battleship MN Libertè. But bad weather and heavy rain makes identification difficult, and it's hard to think that they managed to escape German blockade at Brest and come into the Mediterranean unnoticed; h1314 - After 20 minutes of difficult chase in a stormy and rough sea, a heavy caliber salvo, out of nowhere, straddles RN Ferruccio. One of the shells bounces off the main armor belt. Judging from the splashes and the damage on the ship's side, they must be the 305mm guns from an old Nantes class Battlecruiser, probably being some of the modern 340mm guns that early lucky shot would have caused a lot more troubles. h1328 - RN Catania lookouts signal again while the thunderstorm rages on the horizon... Ships in sight, 2 more Battlecruisers with their escorts... a total of 3 enemy capital ships. Admiral Riccardi is once more outnumbered, he must choose wisely the timing and range, and maybe exploit his seamanship in such rough sea conditions; h1330 - Enemy ships try to manouver in waves 20 feet high. They are trying to form a tidy battle line. Riccardi orders the scouting cruisers and their destroyers to go for a torpedo salvo, and try to keep the old Nantes class Battlecruiser lagging even more behind the other 2 ships; h1338 - The storm is right upon the enemy formation, the masts and funnels of the enemies are swallowed by the squall. Visibility is nearly zero. Contact lost!
RN Lombardia firing a salvo in the storm - picture taken from the RN Ferruccio bow. Note the ships rolling and pitching
h1345 - Lookouts on the RN Lombardia's deck see a long dark shadow in the rain, rolling and pitching on the high waves. One of the enemy battlecruiser turned East again to avoid the centre of the storm, and now is at nearly point-blank range of our battlecruisers broadside! Admiral Riccardi orders: "All stations... FIRE AT WILL!" h1346 - After less than a minute the enemy ship is blown up by 2 main battery hits from the RN Ferruccio and 3 from RN Lombardia. Superstructures are lit-up by the secondary 5-Inch guns, firing High Explosive rounds. h1351 - Also the other 2 battlecruisers exit the storm, and they engage in a deadly melee at less than 5000 meters. On the first salvo one shell from RN Lombardia hits the conning tower of an enemy Condè class. Actions from our brave destroyers deny the enemy ships the time and chance to regroup and form a line; h1352 - The first enemy salvo is deadly too. One 330mm shell penetrates the A turret of the RN Lombardia completely destroying it and killing all of the crew. Only luck avoided the explosion to ignite the turret magazines. h1356 - The third ship is now identified as a Leon-Gambetta class BC, but is immediately hit by 3 torpedoes almost simoultaneously. The explosion can clearly be seen even throug the heavy storm, louder than thunder; h1403 - Lost without control in the middle of the storm, the Leon-Gambetta BC stumbles in the middle of our Destroyer Division... Another torpedo salvo and this time he is dead in the water, and begin listing more and more with every wave; (He will roll over at 15:10, most of the crew will drown in the gale) h1433 - The other enemy ships try many times to come to the rescue of the sinking battlecruiser, but are forced to retreat from our accurate gunfire; h1445 - A heavy melee between RN Ferruccio and the Condè class at a range closer than 3000 meters. RN Ferruccio stands still despite the heavy battering, in return he manages to rip apart one of the enemy funnels with a passthrough hit. h1449 - RN Ferruccio manages to score a hit with a torpedo salvo from the underwater tubes! The enemy battlecruiser is taking water! h1451 - The enemy ship is in flame, without power after 3 penetrating hits in the engine rooms. (It will sink beneath the waves at 15:43), the Nantes class in the meantime reappears!
h1504 - RN Lombardia and Admiral Riccardi comes to the rescue of the RN Ferruccio. He manages to hit one of the forward turrets with a close range broadside. The magazines detonates, sending both the A and B turrets of the enemy battlecruiser flying out of their rails! The enemy tries to disengage and run away. h1505 - The storm ends, and clouds open - 7 Reggiane torpedo bombers approach the enemy crippled ships, but the sea is too rough and they cannot release safely their torpedoes; h1519 - Also a second Torpedo bomber squadron arrives and scores 3 hits this time; h1540 - During the chase we came into range of the enemy land-based bombers from Corsica, and now the sky is clearing from the storm. We achieved our goal, better not to risk our ships for one single fleeing last battlecruiser; h1605 - On the way back we stopped to recover the survivors of the 2 sinking enemy ships. But suddenly the weather is worsening again. So we are forced to stop. Only 144 out of the 2 sinking battlecruisers are rescued.
The result is an astonishing victory for the Regia Marina! Experience, tactics and greater seamanship in harsh conditions allowed us a great success!
FRANCE: 2 battlecruisers sunk, and 1 heavily damaged (29 heavy shell hits), 1 Destroyer lost in the storm. ITALY: RN Lombardia suffered some damage, losing one of the turrets. RN Ferruccio took some minor damage to the superstructures as well. Some light damage to the lighter vessels too, not to enemy fire but mainly due to the heavy sea conditions.
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Post by aiolife on May 31, 2020 6:48:31 GMT -6
12 March 1926:
I was sitting in my office, reading a paper sheet that I was holding in my left hand... while sipping some coffee from the cup with the right hand... the Duce sent me a message, stating that he was really pleased by the recent victory, with the sinking of 2 French Battlecruisers. He furthermore suggested to award Admiral Riccardi with the Croce al merito di Guerra (War Distinction Cross).
Croce al Merito di Guerra, an award to those who fought bravely and distinguished themselves in heroic actions.
Riccardi was standing in front of my desk, with the new cross on his uniform, not a sign of pride in his gaze. I asked him "Did you see their eyes?". "Of course I did Sir... and they haunt me in my nightmares... waves 3-story high crashing into the upside-down keel, that now was their only chance of salvation... even through the thick rain, I could see their eyes, staring at my ship and asking for mercy... but we couldn't get closer... the storm was raging and I ordered to back off from the stranding wreck". "No more... I understand" I stopped him, i could sense his voice trembling at the terrible memory he was recalling "You are a good man..."
Our discussion was interrupted by someone knocking on the door. It was Mr.Rota and another young guy. They told me that Count Piccio wanted his Regia Aeronautica Design Bureau to ask for suggestions to our Ufficio Progetti. In fact it was still me, last winter who asked for a new type of aircraft, and now it was time to inspect the technical specifications and prototypes submitted by our airplane manufacturers. We had a look at the following airframes, and the results of the tests on the prototypes:
The new guy from the Airforce design bureau was quite smart for his youg age, but he wanted a confirmation from my side anyway. It was obvious from the trials that the Savoia Marchetti prototype was by far the most performing design.
Savoia Marchetti SM.89 prototype medium bomber.
It was a twin engine, two seater, medium range bomber. It had a nice streamlined fuselage, with a glass canopy to allow for optimum visibility. Engineers from Savoia Marchetti wanted to do their best, supplying it with all sort of newest technologies, such as a retractable hydraulic landing gear, that allowed for faster speed and fuel efficiency during flight. The two radial engines were quite powerful Piaggio Stella IX, 9-cylinder radial engines, delivering almost 600hp each, thus the relatively high maximum speed for a plane of its size. The bomb can be strapped into a recess under the belly of the plane and was mechanically released by the bombing position under the nose of the plane. A couple of light Breda machineguns were mounted in the rear of the Canopy for self-defence purpose.
Mr.Rota and the youg man, went out of my office, still talking about technical details... but the decision was taken. I hope that these figures could be maintained for the mass production too... I used to think that what you don't have, cannot break down. We'll see...
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Post by aiolife on Jun 2, 2020 15:27:50 GMT -6
05 April 1926:
Convoy warfare in the Mediterranean is beginning to be my biggest Nemesis! For everything I tried in this year I was in charge of Regia Marina has always been a failure against French submarines and raiding cruisers! We broke the French secret code... they got a new one in less than a month! We sunk their submarines... they still got more than us! Almost every single one of our cruisers is on patrol duty night and day, in tightly scheduled and organized task forces... they still manage to run the blockade unnoticed!
Our men's strength of will is beginning to crumble and fall apart... It's a delicate situation. I have to think about our morale even though we are winning the war by a fairly large margin!
Also last week I learn from reports that we lost 9 Transport ships in an ambush by French submarines. During the engagement, one of our brave destroyers RN Calatafimi of the modern Antonino Cascino class, has been torpedoed to death by the pack of enemy submarines, but before going down he took two of them down with him! The convoy was taking the Krupp made armor plates of our new ships from Germany, to the La Spezia shipyards. This loss therefore caused more than 4 weeks of delay to the construction of the new battleship RN Monte Grappa.
Armor plates for our battleships being taken out of the heat treatment furnace in ThyssenKrupp workshop - Essen, Germany.
15 April 1926:
I learn from allied Reichsmarine command that the French have moved, two nights ago, all their battlecruisers and any other big ship from Marseille to Brest, leaving in practice, the Mediterranean Sea, unprotected. This is for sure good news, since now we are effectively in control of Mare Nostrum, but on the other hand this shows AGAIN, a radical problem in our secret service... It's really embarassing that this piece of information has been given to us by our ally... while we should have informed them of the enemy moves well in advance!
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Post by aiolife on Jun 3, 2020 15:20:09 GMT -6
25 April 1926
He was standing there, quite a short man, but he stood proud and upright, even if I could sense every muscle of his body tense and rigid, and some sweat drops shining on the forehead... Spring was in his full, and the two of us closed in my small office have rised the temperature to a certain degree.
"So Captain Bergamini, you are saying that heavy caliber shells landed in proximity to your ship, that afternoon of 23 April?" "Yes Sir!" "Please... Captain Bergamini, continue with your report." "Yes Sir! It was 10:35 in the morning of 23 April, when we received reports from Task-Force 28 that sighting of the enemy convoy was confirmed. The French were moving North to Marseille, probably they turned home when they realised they were spotted. I received the reports and calculated the enemy course... we could have intercepted them!" "So you ordered your Task-force 62 to join?" "Yes Sir! I ordered starboard turn and form line of battle, RN Genoa under my command leading the line, followed by RN Civitavecchia and 3 escort Destroyers. We knew that the convoy was large... and thought it could be heavily protected." "Right judgement son... continue..." "We steamed at 25knots, the Salerno Class cruiser is a fine vessel... even in rough sea... yes because wind was building and a thunderstorm had gathered in the area. At around 12:45 we could see big clouds of smoke on the horizon, and against the dark grey thundering sky the glimmering of fires beyond our visual range. As the lookouts begun to see, it was after 13:00... and..."
French convoy in flames, as seen from RN Genoa of Task Force 62
The sweat drops on his forehead had reached the eyebrows, and now his voice was trembling too.
"Please Captain... continue..." "Sir... it's hard... there was oil everywhere, the Sea had turned into the flames of Hell... my ship alone picked up more than 160 survivors... they were dying on the deck of my ship... burned to the bone... covered in thick greasy oil... and the ones who where still on fire... we had to push them down with the rifles... or they'll have set my ship on fire too... i could not let them aboard... we smashed through burning corpses with the bow... I went down from the bridge to help pick up some of those... those..."
He was on the edge of bursting into tears, so I stopped him by raising my hand. "Please Captain, sit down... do you remember how many ships you counted?" "Yes... Sir... every one of them... 7 big oil tankers... all ablaze, then 4 capsized, hit by torpedoes, we rescued many of them sitting upon the keel of those ships... trying not to slide down, oil makes steel very slippery... 5 others were already sinking... plus 1 corvette... broken in half and sinking..." "Thanks Captain, and how many prisoners did you take?" "We managed to lift from the wrecks a total of 364... many did not survive... we had to throw the dead over the bulwark to make space for the ones who were still alive..."
"And then, what happened?" I asked him politely; "We received news from Task Force 28 that they were heading further north-west to hunt down some of the ships who escaped the slaughter, so we decided to follow, to regroup with them and ask for assistance with the prisoners... and the wounded... and then, around 14:40, we saw those splashes... high as the funnels... shower of water upon us... not even useful to relieve the burned men on the deck... I ordered every men to combat stations, and signalled to Task Force 28, that we were under heavy fire. I runned up the stairs to the lookout position... and saw funnels on the horizon, at least 4 ships... probably French cruisers!" "Yes, and then Task Force 28 turned back south and came to support you." "Sir... we re-joined at 15:25... and we assumed scouting formation... but after more than 2 hours search, after 17:30 we could not find any sign of the enemy cruisers, and we decided to turn home..."
I dismissed him finally. He was almost crying. A good hearted man he is, and a good Officer too. After hearing personally the reports of all the commanding officers that took part in the action against the French convoy named "Saturno", with the sinking of 18 transport ships, and 2 enemy corvettes I came to a bitter conclusion. The rumors that a 4 cruiser strong French division had attacked Task Force 62 that afternoon... are false... Captain Bergamini, and probably many other men and officers, were too shocked by the wrecks of the enemy convoy... so they felt guilty of murdering so easily all those sailors... still enemy, but fellow sailors in the end, just with a different flag on their ships. And picturing an enemy threat upon them, maybe some French heavy cruisers, served to justify at least a little part of their actions, and make them look as bald warriors, and not cold blooded murderers...
Anyway. The important thing is that now French troops in Algeria are left without fuel and ammunitions, French Navy is missing 18 between tankers and heavy transports, and 2 more escort ships, and our cruisers came back home without a scratch.
I can call it a day... finally!
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Post by aiolife on Jun 6, 2020 15:04:21 GMT -6
01 May 1926:
As every first wednesday of the month, me and Count Piccio are having a coffee together in his new office at the Ministero dell'Aeronautica (Ministry of the Air-force).
The Ministry of Air-Force building in Rome.
As always, he wants to have a chat and some advice on the newly born Regia Aeronautica, since he shares with me the passion for flight, and such new, fast-growing machines, that Airplanes are! Just a few years ago when we begun flying, we had wooden frames, with textile wings... now we can count on steel and aluminium frames, and increasingly powerful engines!
But today something is bothering him. He really lost his trust in Savoia Marchetti Engineers. They always present really good prototypes and awesome figures when we send out requests for new models... but every time the development leads to a different machine, often unable to ensure the performances promised during the trial phase! Last week he had the same idea. They released for production the SM.89 twin-engine, long-range, bomber, but it was expected to carry the new 1ton bomb, a design dedicated by the ordinance bureau solely for this airplane, but the plane becomes really unstable due to the heavy load. On the prototype, they used a dummy weight to simulate the payload of this new device. Now that they loaded the real bomb, the mass distribution is said to be completely different! So the plane is really umbalanced and unwieldy, both on take-off and in mid-air manouvering.
So, after a bitter confrontation with Savoia Marchetti owner and chief engineer, he ordered to release the new bomber design anyway, but he will carry the older 800kg bomb.
1 ton bomb (2000lb) - design developed for the new SM-89 bomber.
As I am returning in my office, a NCO stops me in the corridor before the door. "Sir! Sir! Pardon me Sir, a message from the Duce. It's very important!" He says whilst holding a paper envelope in his hand.
I read the letter whithout paying to much attention. As always the important bit of the message is below the first 10 or 20 lines. I try to sum up the long and boring rant. It is said that the sinking of the "Saturno" convoy, in the end of last month, has left the French troops in North Africa, completely out of fuel and supplies. So, by diverting some of the money from Regia Marina's budget, to the Army, they will be able to deliver the final blow, reach Algeri, and throw the enemy out of the African continent! It sounded really logic, on paper... it was said that 6 Million Lire every month will be needed to invest in FIAT workshop in Turin, and mass produce Tank engines and Armoured cars.
Armoured cars of the Ariete motorized division. Cavalry regiments use this veichle to scout ahead of the main formation.
Unfortunately it was not said for how long... Well it seemed to me that I had no real choice about it. So I would have had to find another way to raise those money, since 6 Millions less every month meant that my budget was 4,5 Million in red!
Since the Marine Nationale had moved in the beginning of April all of their capital ships in the Atlantic, I could put in reserve all my 5 Francesco Caracciolo class battleships. They are beginning to show the signs of aging. Maintaining those older ships operative is becoming a pain in the ass! Also the old Nino Bixio cruisers, are no longer of use as trade protection ships, their 24Kn speed is no match for the faster and modern French raiders. So I put them in reserve. But to replace them I recall admiral Cattaneo's raiders squadron of modern 29Knots supercruisers operating in support of the Germans... they will be better suited than the Nino Bixio cruisers to hunt down any French ship foolish enough to come into their 6x245mm main battery's range.
I managed to save something here and there, cutting some accessory expense, this way I can limit the negatives to 1,8 Milion Lire a Month... I could cope with such loss for quite a lot of time... but I expect that the Enemy won't last long in this war.
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Post by aiolife on Jun 10, 2020 8:21:51 GMT -6
15 June 1926:
The first relief about the latest cuts in the Regia Marina's budget, comes from the news of the launching of the RN Merano from the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino Slipways. This is the first of the 4 general-purpose Bolzano class Cruisers. We will be paying less and less with more of them coming out of the ShipYards.
They are meant to fulfill different roles inside the Navy, they are fast enough to be used in the main battle line as scouts, for this reason they have a catapult launched scout floatplane. They can serve as an Anti-Air platform to screen heavier and more important assets in the battle fleet with 10 dual purpose 76mm guns in 4 shielded mounts per broadside, and a couple superfiring from a upper platform around the first funnel. A dozen Breda light machineguns have been scattered around the deck and superstructures to scare low flying enemy planes. They can be used as minelaying cruisers in low intensity conflict waters, as the Mediterranean is now, without enemy capital ships, but with lots of submarines and small craft dealing with trade and convoy warfare. And they still mantain a powerful main armament with 2 triple torpedo tubes, one on each side, just behind the raised forecastle, and a perfectly respectable 4 twin turrets in ABXY superfiring configuration, boasting the reliable 152/53 OTO/Ansaldo guns.
An intimidating view down the barrell of the 152mm guns on A and B turrets from the bow of the RN Merano, Bolzano-class cruiser.
24 June 1926:
Bad news from the colonies. One of our colonial cruisers RN Termoli, has been hit in the night by an enemy submarine that managed to circumnavigate Africa and Reach Djibouti French base. From there it was able to launch a night raid on our port in Massaua. Avoiding mines and torpedo nets he managed to score 2 hits on the lightly protected cruiser, which sank while still at anchor. Unfortunately the damage is too much, and the facilities in Massaua not enough to re-float the ship and try some repairs, thus I suggest the Eritrea's governor to leave the ship where it is.
25 June 1926: I received reports of an enemy submarine being found beached in shallow waters some miles south of Massaua port just this morning. The deck gun and torpedo tubes were blown shut, and any internal device destroyed by the abandoning crew. Now our army is out to find any surviving sailor that escaped by land. I suppose this must be the very same submarine that sunk RN Termoli in port last night. Maybe we can get some intel from any French we'll manage to capture. The coast of Eritrea is very tricky to navigate, due to very shallow waters and lots of rocks and little isles, if you do not have accurate maps you are lickely to get stuck!
29 June 1926: Col.Vigevano from the secret service, calls for a very reserved meeting. He wants to share with the Duce and all the chief of the Arms (Regia Marina, Regio Esercito and Regia Aeronautica) some interesting news he received from his men in Paris. He was gladly informed that a Right-wing politician is planning, with the help of the higher ranks of the French army, a Coup d'Etat to regain control of the parliament from the communists that stormed the Assemblèe Nationale in February of this year. For sure he will have the support of the people which are fed up of this situation and would like to finally end this war that lead to famine and poverty. For sure this political chaos will spread some more fuel on the fire to finally destabilize the faltering French government.
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Post by vonfriedman on Jun 10, 2020 9:51:35 GMT -6
Excellent AAR, that I read on Italian Navy Day, in memory of the sinking of the battleship St. Istvan by Luigi Rizzo's MAS 15.
Perhaps Agilulfo Emo Bertrandino dei Guildiverni e degli Altri di Corbentraz e Sura, knight of Selimpia Citeriore and Fez was one of the ancestors of Admiral de Agilulfis?
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Post by aiolife on Jun 11, 2020 4:56:53 GMT -6
Excellent AAR, that I read on Italian Navy Day, in memory of the sinking of the battleship St. Istvan by Luigi Rizzo's MAS 15. Perhaps Agilulfo Emo Bertrandino dei Guildiverni e degli Altri di Corbentraz e Sura, knight of Selimpia Citeriore and Fez was one of the ancestors of Admiral de Agilulfis? Damn vonfriedman you got me! Admiral DeAgilulfis' uncle Italo used to tell him about the tale of a valiant ancestor Knight which existence was constantly questioned! Thank you! I hope to be able to show even more human side of the men that fought the bitter war out at sea... such as the heroic deeds of Luigi Rizzo and his fellows!
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