Regina Maria Pia or Ancona-class
Venezia of the Roma-class
Part of the Regina Maria Pia-class or also called called Ancona-class broadside ironclads, consisting of the Regina Maria Pia, Ancona, Castelfidardo and San Martino, preceded by the Re d’Italia and succeeded by the Roma-class. Laid down by Arman Brothers. Bordeaux, France on 11 August 1862, launched on 17 October 1864, completed in April 1866, rebuilt as a central battery ship after 1866 and stricken in 1903 and broken up.
Displacement 4.157 (standard)-4.619 (full load) tons and as dimensions 77,51 (between perpendiculars)-81,8 (over all) x 15,16 x 6,36 metres or 268’4”x 49’9” x 20’10”. The machinery consisted of 1 singe expansion steam engine and 8 rectangular boilers supplying 2.548 ihp allowing a speed of 13,74 knots (trials). With a coal bunker capacity of 485 tons and a speed of 10 knots was the range 2.600 nautical miles. Sail area 823 square metres. One screw. The original schooner later converted in to a barque rigging was later removed and replaced by 2 military masts. The armour consisted of a 12,1cm/4.75” thick belt with the battery protected by 10,9cm/4.3”. Their crew numbered 480-495 men. The original armament consisted of 4-20,3cm/8” 72-pd smooth bore muzzle loading Armstrong guns and 22-16,4cm/6”/32pd rifled muzzle loading Armstrong guns mounted in a battery. Finally were the ships armed with a ram lengthening 3 metres/9.8’. Around 1871 armed with 2-25cm/10” guns in the bow and 9-20,3cm/8” guns of which 8 in the casemate and one mounted astern. Later was the armament again changed into then 8-15cm/6” guns mounted in the casemate, 5-12cm/4.7” guns, 4-5,7cm/2.2” guns and 8-3,7cm/1.5” Hotchkiss revolver cannons.
