Regina Margherita-class
Amalfi
Pisa-class
San Giorgio-class
An item referred to some newspapers reporting that engineer Micheli (1) responsible for the designs of the Italian battleships Regina Margherita (2) and Benedetto Brin (3) and the armoured cruisers Amalfi (4), Pisa (5), San Marco (6) and San Giorgio (7) was ordered by the Italian minister of navy (8) to design a 32.000 tons battleship of which the main armament was to consist of 40cm/15.7” guns.(9)
Notes
1. Ruggero Micheli (Volterra, Italy 14 November 1847-19 February 1919 Rome, Italy). Livorno 30 March 1923).
2. Of the Regina Margherita-class consisting of the Regina Margherita and the Benedetto Brin, preceded by the Ammiraglio di Saint Bon-class and succeeded by the Regina Elena-class. Laid down at the La Spezia Naval Shipyard on 20 November 1898, launched on 30 May 1901, completed on 14 April 1904 and sunk by mines on 11 December 1916.
3. Of the Regina Margherita-class consisting of the Regina Margherita and the Benedetto Brin, preceded by the Ammiraglio di Saint Bon-class and succeeded by the Regina Elena-class. Laid down at the Castellammare Naval Shipyard on 30 January 1899, launched on 7 November 1901, completed on 1 September 1905 and destroyed by explosions
4. Of the Pisa-class with as sister ship the Pisa and the Greek cruiser Georgios Averof. Laid down at the Odero, Sestri Ponente, Italy, Italy on 24 July 1905, launched on 5 May 1908, completed on 1 September 1909 and sunk by the Austrian submarine U-26 (the Austria-flagged German submarine UB-14) on a distance of around 20 nautical miles from Venice on 7 July 1915.
5. Of the Pisa-class with as sister ship the Amalfi and the Greek cruiser Georgios Averof. Laid down at the Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando, Livorno, Italy, Italy on 20 February 1905, launched on 15 September 1907, completed on 1 September 1909, reclassified from a 2nd class battleship into a coastal battleship and used as training ship on 1 July 1921, modified to take a Macchi M7 flying boat with her in 1925, training ship for lieutenants and naval cadets 1925-1930, decommissioned on 28 April 1937 and finally broken up.
6. Of the San Giorgio-class wit as sister ship the San Giorgio. Improved Pisa-class design. Building ordered on 18 September 1905, laid down at the Regio Cantieri do Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy on 2 January 1907, launched on 20 December 1908, reclassified as a radio controlled target ship in 1931 and converted between 1931-1935, captured by German forces at La Spezia on 9 September 1943, found back at the end of the war while sunk in 1945, stricken on 27 February 1947 and finally broken up in 1949.
7. Of the San Giorgio-class wit as sister ship the San Marco. Improved Pisa-class design. Building ordered on 3 August 1904, laid down at the Regio Cantieri do Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy on 4 July 1905, launched on 27 July 1908, completed on 1 July 1910, training ship 1930-1935, modernized 1937-1938, scuttled at Tobruk, Libya to prevent capture by the Allies forces on 22 January 22 January 1941, stricken from the navy list on 18 October 1946 and sunk while under tow towards Italy to be broken up in 1952.
8. Probably Giovanni Bettolo (25 May 1846 Genoa, Italy-7 April 1916 Rome, Italy), politician and admiral, minister between 11 December 1909 and 31 March 1910 although being also minister 1899-1900 and 1903.3
9. Never realized. The Dante Alighieri laid down on 6 June 1909 and commissioned on 15 January 1913 had a displacement of 21.600 tons and 12-30,48cm/12” guns and her successor the Conte di Cavour-class laid down in 1910 had a displacement of 23.458 (standard)-25.4899 (deep load) tons and a main armament of 13-30,48cm/12” guns. The Andrea Doria-class laid down in 1912 had a displacement of 24.715/24.729 tons and a main armament of 13-30,48cm/12” guns.
