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Italian Heavy Cruiser Bolzano

Bolzano

Italian Heavy Cruiser Bolzano

Bolzano was a heavy cruiser of the Italian Regia Marina. Based on the Trento-class and sometimes considered part of that class, Bolzano was launched on 31 August 1932 and commissioned on 19 August 1933.

Not long after Italy’s entry into World War Two, Bolzano took part in the Battle of Calabria (9 July1940) where she was hit by three 6″ shells fired by HMS Neptune. This damaged was repaired and on the night of 11/12 November 1940, she was at Taranto when the British launched an attack on the Italian fleet. As she did not fire on the attacking aircraft her position was not revealed and she received no damage.

Bolzano took part in the Battles of Cape Spartivento (26 November 1940) and Cape Matapan (27-29 March 1941). She then undertook convoy escort to and from North Africa. During a convoy escort in July 1941 she was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Triumph. After repairs, she resumed convoy duty in November 1941.

On 11 August 1942 while attempting to intercept a British convoy, she was torpedoed by the submarine HMS Unbroken. The torpedo started a fire which threatened to spread to the forward magazine. The crew flooded to area to prevent a detonation and then grounded her to prevent the ship sinking. First towed to Naples for temporary repairs, she was later transferred to La Spezia. At this stage of the war, Italy was unable to repair the ship and she was still at La Spezia when Italy surrendered in September 1943.

On the night of 21–22 June 1944, a team of British and Italian frogmen—Italy having re-entered the war on the side of the Allies—entered La Spezia using Chariot manned torpedoes to sink Bolzano and Gorizia to prevent the Germans from sinking them as blockships. They succeeded in sinking Bolzano but Gorizia remained afloat. In September 1949, salvage workers raised the ship and she was subsequently broken up for scrap.

Under Construction

In Service

Armament

Interior

Aircraft

Torpedo Damaged Caused by HMS Unbroken

Letov S-328 in Czech Service

Letov S-328

Letov S-328 in Czech Service

Initially developed for a Finnish requirement for a two seat biplane reconnaissance, the Letov S-28 first flew in 1929. Although not taken up by the Finish Air Force, Czechoslovakia bought 12 production Letov S-128s. These were followed by 4 S-228s for Estonia which were delivered in 1932. Production then shifted to the main S-328 version. A total of 470 of all versions were built.

Following the Sudetenland Crisis and the splitting of Czechoslovakia, the new state of Slovakia inherited a large number of S-328s while Germany took control of the rest. Some of these and new built machines were sold to Bulgaria.

Letov S-328s of the Czech Air Force

Letov S-328 Floatplane

Letov S-328 on Skis

Letov S-328 Internal Structure

Letov S-328 Crashes

Hawker Sea Fury in Dutch Service

Dutch Hawker Sea Fury

Hawker Sea Fury in Dutch Service

The Netherlands purchased ten Hawker Sea Fury F.50s (equivalent to the Fleet Air Arm’s F.X) in 1946. These operated from the Royal Netherlands Navy aircraft carrier HNLMS Karel Doorman QH1 (ex-HMS Nairana) as 860 Squadron. As the ship operated in conjunction with the Royal Navy, it was common to have Dutch Sea Furies on British ships.

In 1947, the Sea Furies operated from Karel Doorman against insurgents in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia). In 1948 this aircraft carrier was returned to Britain and replaced by the Colossus-class aircraft carrier HMS Venerable (R63). Once in Dutch service it was renamed HNLMS Karel Doorman R-81.

In January 1950 an order for twelve Sea Fury FB.50s (equivalent to the Fleet Air Arm’ FB.11) was placed with Hawker. In addition a licence was purchased, and Dutch manufactured aircraft brought the total operated to 48. In June 1956, No. 860 Squadron transferred its aircraft to No. 3 Squadron and the role ship board fighter was taken over by the Hawker Sea Hawk.