The RM Zara firing on something.
The Zara-class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the early 1930s, considered by many to be one of the best cruiser designs of World War II. Four ships of the class were completed, Zara, Fiume, Pola and Gorizia, all of which saw extensive service during the war. Three of the ships, Zara, Fiume and Pola, were sunk or scuttled during the Battle of Cape Matapan on 29 March 1941. The fourth, Gorizia, was scuttled at anchor in La Spezia to prevent her capture by Germany after Italy surrendered on 21 December 1941.
Specifications[]
- Type: Heavy Cruiser
- Service Period: 1931-1941
- Characteristics:
- Length: 600 feet (182.88 meters)
- Beam: 67 feet 7 inches (20.6 meters)
- Draft: 23 feet 7.5 inches (7.2 meters)
- Displacement: 12,955 tons (Standard); 14,405 tons (Full Load)
- Crew: 830
- Propulsion: 8 three-drum Thornycroft boilers, 2 Parsons geared turbines, 95,000 hp (71 MW)
- Range: 4,500 nautical miles (8,334 kilometers) at 16 knots (29.63 km/h)
- Speed: 32.5 knots (60.19 km/h)
- Armament:
- 8 × 8-inch (203-mm) /53-caliber Model 1929 guns (4x2)
- 16 × 100mm (3.9 in)/47-caliber (8x2) AA (as built)
- 14 x 100mm (6x2, 2x1) AA guns (1940)
- 4 × 40mm/39-caliber Vickers-Terni Model 1915 (4x1) (as built)
- 8 x 37mm/54-caliber Breda anti-aircraft guns (1937)
- 16 x 37mm/54-caliber Breda anti-aircraft guns (1940)
- 8 x 13.2mm AAMG (4x2)
- Armour:
- Belt: 100–150 mm (3.9–5.9 in)
- Deck: 70 mm (2.75 in)
- Turrets: 120–140 mm (4.7–5.5 in)
- Barbettes: 140–150 mm (5.5–5.9 in)
Unit Run[]
- RM Zara - Scuttled, Battle of Cape Matapan, 29 March 1941
- RM Fiume - Sunk, Battle of Cape Matapan, 29 March 1941
- RM Pola - Scuttled, Battle of Cape Matapan, 29 March 1941
- RM Gorizia - Scuttled, La Spezia, 21 December 1941