2 replies to this topic

[eamon diaz]

I have read many places that Italian navy ships were suited for the med not 'open sea'.  That they had speed at cost of protection.

They look good but loods can fake you out.

What is the truth of the matter?

[captain01]

Hello Eamon Dias,

Without entering a very sophisticated and/or technical details, let say that a ship is build for a specific purpose and also (in general) for specific areas of navigation (seas and/or oceans).

The wavelengthand the amplitude (see Wikipedia) are quite different from sea to sea, and thusthe length, the width, etc. of the ship must be adapted to those circumstanceswhen building it. Thewaves, currents and tide systems in the the North Sea is not the same than the one in the Med. or the Atlantic.

Hopethis helps.

Captain.

[michaeldr]

I would tend to agree with the above
The Italian navy's job was centred upon the Mediterranean: the home country's peninsula, and the colonies on the north African shore. Their only other interest was on the Horn of Africa; Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. These latter did not require great transoceanic voyages, so their fleet probably suited their needs very well