Vittorio Veneto

Littorio-Class Battleships were built for the  built for the Regia Marina during the years of 1934 to 1942. They were developed in response to the French Dunkerque-class battleships. Of the 4 planned, 3 were built.

Littorio-Class Battleships served between the years of 1940 to 1948.

Preceded by:  Andrea Doria class

Succeeded by: N/A

Littorio-Class Battleships were RM Littorio, Vittorio Veneto & Roma. The first two ships, Littorio and Vittorio Veneto, were operational by the early months of Italy's participation in World War II. They conducted several sorties into the Mediterranean to intercept British convoys,  without much success. The two ships were repeatedly torpedoed throughout their careers. Littorio was hit by a torpedo during the attack on Taranto in November 1940 and again in June 1942. Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed during the Battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941 and while escorting a convoy to North Africa in September 1941. Roma joined the fleet in June 1942, although all three ships remained inactive in La Spezia until June 1943, when all three were damaged in a series of Allied air attacks on the harbor. In September 1943, Italy capitulated, and Littorio was then renamed Italia. The three active battleships were transferred to Malta before they were to be interned in Alexandria. While en route to Malta, German bombers attacked the fleet with Fritz X radio-guided bombs, damaging Italia and sinking Roma.