Intended as a replacement for the Heinkel He 114, the Focke-Wulf Fw 62 was a reconnaissance floatplane designed for Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine.
Two variants were built, to evaluate single and twin main floats. The V1 (D-OFWF) and V2 (D-OKDU) prototypes had conventional twin floats, while the V3 (D-OHGF) and V4 (D-OMCR) had a central float and two smaller outboard stabilizing floats.
Despite meeting requirements, the competing Arado Ar 196 was superior, resulting in only four prototypes being built.
Littorio was the lead ship of her class of battleships (along with Vittorio Veneto and Roma and in incomplete Impero). Launched on 22 August 1937, she was commissioned into the Italian Regia Marina on 6 May 1940.
Littorio was badly damaged when struck by three torpedoes dropped by Fairey Swordfish torpedo-bombers during the Battle of Taranto on the night of 1 November 1940. Repairs lasted until 11 March 1941.
For the remainder of the Second World War, Littorio undertook convoy escort duties, while also attempting to intercept British convoys. She participated in the First and Second Battles of Sirte (17 December 1941 and 22 March 1942 respectively), causing severe damage to the Royal Navy destroyers HMS Havock and Kingston and minor damage to the light cruiser Euryalus during the later battle.
During the attempted interception of convoy Operation Vigorous, Littorio was hit on Number 1 Turret by a bomb dropped by a Consolidated B-24 Liberator on 15 June 1942. This caused only minor damage and the turret remained in operation. Shortly before midnight that evening, Littorio was struck by a torpedo dropped by a British Wellington bomber, causing some 1,500 long tons (1,500 t) of water to flood the ship’s bow. Her crew counter-flooded to correct the list. The ship was able to return to port for repairs that lasted until 27 August 1942.
Along with her two sisters, Littorio was moved to La Spezia in December 1942. On 19 June 1943 she was struck by three bombs during an American raid.
With the overthrow of the Mussolini Fascist Government, she was renamed Italia and moved to Malta to be interned for the remainder of the war. During transit to Malta, the fleet was attacked by Luftwaffe Dornier Do 271 bombers armed with Fritz X radio-controlled bombs. One Fritz X hit Italia just forward of turret no. 1; it passed through the ship and exited the hull, exploding in the water beneath and causing serious damage. Roma was meanwhile sunk in the attack.
Post war, Italia was allocated to the United States. Having no use for the battleship, she was sold for scrap and broken up at La Spezia.
Littorio under constructionConstruction of the Littorio March 31, 1936, shows elements of the Pugliese torpedo defense systemOne of the rudders of the Italian battleship Littorio about to be fitted, GenoaTurbines for the Italian battleship Littorio,1936Elements of a 381 mm triple turret being fitted onto the Italian battleship Littorio being fitted out, 1938Incomplete Italian battleship Littorio, Genoa, December 1938
Littorio at Sea
Littorio on first trial 1937Littorio seen on or about May 6, 1940 at the time of commissioningLittorio in the summer of1940 while on gunnery exercises.Littorio photographed on a gunnery exercise in the summer of 1940.Littorio firing her main guns during the Battle of Punta Stilo, 9 July 1940Littorio in 1941Littorio and Vittorio Veneto at sea in 1942Littorio at sea, 1942Littorio undergoing gunnery practice in the Ligurian Sea, in the spring of 1943Littorio in La Spezia, spring 19431943 during their transfer to La Spezia. From the closest Roma, Littorio and Vittorio VenetoAll three Littorio class battleships as photographed by a RAF reconnaissance aircraft on 18 April 1943 in La Spezia base of the Regia MarinaItalia (formerly the Littorio) steaming past Cape Corso on Sept. 9th, 1945LittorioLittorioLittorioLittorio-class battleshipLittorioLittorioLittorio
Taranto Raid and Repairs
LIttorio on November 12, 1940, after Taranto attackSalvage operations on Italian battleship Littorio, hit by 3 torpedoes in the Battle on TarantoLittorio in the Bacino Ferrati of Taranto, under repair after being torpedoed during the Taranto AttackLittorio following repairs from the Taranto Attack
Damage From Operation Vigorous
Damage suffered by the battleship Littorio on 15 June 1942, during Operation Vigorous
Armament
Littorio, after completing repairs in drydock for torpedo damage, Taranto, 19 March 1941The secondary armament of Italian battleship Littorio
Littorio’s Aircraft
IMAM Ro.43 seaplane aboard the battleship Littorio, August-September 1940
Scrapping
Italia (ex-Littorio) and Vittorio Veneto awaiting scrappingItalia (ex-Littorio) during her scrapping in the early 1950s at La Spezia
The lead-ship of her class of two heavy cruisers, Trento was launched on 8 October 1927. She was commissioned into the Regia Marina on 3 April 1929.
During the Second World War, she took part in the Battles of Calabria (July 1940), Cape Spartivento (November 1940), and Cape Matapan (March 1941).
She was also present during the First and Second Battles of Sirte (December 1941 and March 1942), and at the latter she severely damaged the British destroyer HMS Kingston. Trento was also frequently tasked with escorting convoys to supply Italian forces in North Africa as well as interdicting British convoys to Malta. During one of the latter missions to attack the British Operation Harpoon convoy in June 1942, Trento was torpedoed twice, first by a Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber and then sunk by the submarine HMS Umbra with very heavy loss of life on 15 June 1942.
Trento being launchedTrento sailing through the Suez Canal on its way to the Far East, 9 February 1932Trento with destroyer Espero tied up next her, Shanghai, China. 1932Trento in the mid-1930’sTrento in Chinese portTrento in 1942Trento Gulf of Sirte March 22 1942TrentoTrentoSavoia-Marchetti S.55 landing on water near the Italian heavy cruiser TrentoTrentoTrentoTrentoTrentoTrentoTrento on Feb 21, 1942TrentoFront turrets of the Italian heavy cruiser Trento. In Genoa, May 1938Bridge and main batteries of Italian heavy cruiser RN Trento
