The last cruiser class was the Condotterri I, which were reasonably fast with adequate armour and firepower but unsuitable for real cruiser operations. The designers increased the displacement by about 2000tons giving a much larger, more seaworthy hull. Essentially the same powerplant was installed, a 2-shaft design with the machinery laid out on the unit principle.
The firepower is increased from Condottierri I. The 152mm/53 guns being of new construction, model 1928 which feature a few remedies to the earlier gun's faults. The guns are mounted further apart in the turret, about 2m apart. The new gun is able to fire twice as fast as the previous gun, about 8rpm up from 4rpm. The secondary armament is comprised of 6x130mm/45 guns. The large shells serve to augment the 152mm battery and are capable of AA barrage fire.
The armour is much improved from the previous class. There is a 30mm thick plate on the outer hull which is approximately 4m deep. Behind this is a 100mm belt angled at 12 degrees which joins the bottom of the 30mm section at the outer hull by a curved portion lower down. On top of this lies a 40mm lamina of deck armour which extends aft over the steering gear. As with the preceeding class, there is no deck armour forward of A turret. Using the US 6"/53 gun with a TA of 30 degrees, this weapon penetrates the belt armour at about 3000m.
There are two M.18 floatplanes for reconnaissance.
RM Luigi Cadorna, Italian Light Cruiser laid down 1928
Displacement:
8,068 t light; 8,380 t standard; 9,828 t normal; 10,986 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
608.99 ft / 590.55 ft x 60.70 ft x 21.33 ft (normal load)
185.62 m / 180.00 m x 18.50 m x 6.50 m
Armament:
8 - 5.98" / 152 mm guns (4x2 guns), 110.23lbs / 50.00kg shells, 1928 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
6 - 5.12" / 130 mm guns in single mounts, 61.73lbs / 28.00kg shells, 1928 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side ends, evenly spread
20 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (5x4 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1928 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 1 raised mount
12 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1928 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships
Weight of broadside 1,286 lbs / 583 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
12 - 23.6" / 600 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 3.94" / 100 mm 370.73 ft / 113.00 m 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Upper: 1.18" / 30 mm 370.73 ft / 113.00 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Main Belt covers 97 % of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 5.31" / 135 mm 2.76" / 70 mm 3.94" / 100 mm
2nd: 1.18" / 30 mm 0.79" / 20 mm -
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -
- Armour deck: 1.39" / 35 mm, Conning tower: 5.91" / 150 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 80,000 shp / 59,680 Kw = 31.81 kts
Range 5,725nm at 20.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,605 tons
Complement:
493 - 641
Cost:
£2.928 million / $11.712 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 162 tons, 1.6 %
Armour: 1,806 tons, 18.4 %
- Belts: 841 tons, 8.6 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 319 tons, 3.2 %
- Armour Deck: 587 tons, 6.0 %
- Conning Tower: 58 tons, 0.6 %
Machinery: 2,491 tons, 25.3 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,560 tons, 36.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,759 tons, 17.9 %
Miscellaneous weights: 50 tons, 0.5 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
11,674 lbs / 5,295 Kg = 108.9 x 6.0 " / 152 mm shells or 1.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.27
Metacentric height 3.6 ft / 1.1 m
Roll period: 13.4 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 51 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.23
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.03
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.450
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.73 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 24.30 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 30.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 3.28 ft / 1.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 26.25 ft / 8.00 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Mid (34 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m (13.12 ft / 4.00 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (20 %): 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
- Stern: 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
- Average freeboard: 16.73 ft / 5.10 m
Ship tends to be wet forward
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 96.0 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 96.5 %
Waterplane Area: 22,864 Square feet or 2,124 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 121 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 99 lbs/sq ft or 486 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.15
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate