RN Trento was the first Washington Treaty design cruiser to be built in Italy. She was fast, but not well protected for a heavy cruiser, and not very maneuverable. Her sister ships were RN Trieste and RN Bolzano.
During the war she participated in major fleet and convoy protection actions, including in November 1941 in the distant escort of the "Duisburg" convoy which was completely destroyed. She was lost to a torpedo by HMS Umbra (P.35) in the battle of Mid-June, after she had been immobilised earlier in the day by a torpedo from an RAF Beaufort bomber of 217 Squadron operating from Luqa in Malta.

Career Timeline

8 Feb 1925 laid down at Orlando Shipyard Livorno
4 Oct 1927 launched
3 Apr 1929 commissioned
15 Jun 1942 lost in action
1940-1942 Mediterranean

Technical Data

Displacement: 13,114 tons normal load (13,548 tons fully loaded)
Dimensions: 196.9/195.3 m long (overall); 20.6 m wide; 6.8 m draught
Armour:
Horizontal: 50 mm.
Vertical: 60 mm.
Artillery: 100 mm.
Torrione (observation posts?): 100 mm
Armament at design: 8x203/50; 16x100/47;4 automatic cannons 40/39; 4 machine guns 12.7 mm; 8 torpedo tubes 533 mm.
Aircraft: 3
Armament changes 1937: 8x 37/54 replace the rearward 100/47, 8 machine guns 13,2 mm replace the 4 automatic cannons 40/39 and the 4 machine guns 12.7mm
Propulsion plant: 12x boilers; 4x turbines; 4x propellers; 150,000 HP
Speed: 35 knots
Endurance: 6,950 miles at 12 knots
Fuel capacity: 2,250 tons of fuel oil
Crew: 723

Sources used

Aldo Fraccaroli - Italian Warships of World War II
Andris J. Kursietis - La Regia Marina 1919-1945: The order of battle and Admirals of the Royal Italian Navy

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -