Name This...(394)

[brady]

???

[corey]

oh I KNOW I KNOW (a ship). arn't i smart

[DragonDog]

Looks very much like the Italian Heavy Cruiser Bolzano.  Launched in 1932 and heavily damaged by a British submarine in 1942.  However, the Bolzano mounted aircraft catapults amidships and not forward as on this ship.

[Dr Zhivago]

Well it could be Italian heavy cruiser Zara...

[MiloMorai]

A photo of the Zara in Whitleys WW2 Cruiser book (pg152) has a bi-plane on the fore deck.

The Bolzano was not as 'busy' looking as the Zara arond the bridge area though the genearal layout was simular. It also did not have the very tall aft mast.

[DragonDog]

...would be the Italian Cruiser Gorizia.

[Pepe]

It is definitely a Zara Class Heavy Cruiser.

Zara class was formed by 4 ships: Zara, Fiume, Gorizia and Pola.

I'm sure Pola is not the one depicted, as the bridge structure is different.

I don't think it's Fiume, as the bridge structure is different, and front funnel looks different too.

That leaves Gorizia and Zara as doubt. Being sister ships it's difficult to tell the difference, but my guess would be Zara.

The front funnel in Gorizia features a 3-pipe structure that seems to be absent in the photo.

My guess is Zara.

Regards,

[MiloMorai]

Originally posted by Pepe
It is definitely a Zara Class Heavy Cruiser.

Zara class was formed by 4 ships: Zara, Fiume, Gorizia and Pola.

I'm sure Pola is not the one depicted, as the bridge structure is different.

I don't think it's Fiume, as the bridge structure is different, and front funnel looks different too.

That leaves Gorizia and Zara as doubt. Being sister ships it's difficult to tell the difference, but my guess would be Zara.

The front funnel in Gorizia features a 3-pipe structure that seems to be absent in the photo.

My guess is Zara.

Regards,

The Zara and fiume have the cut away foredecking  while a photo of the Gorizia has a hull simular to the Pola with it not cutaway.

Pepe, was this hull a mod or a photo illusion?

[Pepe]

Originally posted by MiloMorai
The Zara and fiume have the cut away foredecking  while a photo of the Gorizia has a hull simular to the Pola with it not cutaway.

Pepe, was this hull a mod or a photo illusion?

I think hull design was common for the whole pack. Here you can find a nice bunch of pics of the class.

Btw, if you haven't done so, and if you like naval warfare, take a look and read about the Cape Matapan battle. I find it quite similar (of course saving the number of ships involved) to the Graf Spee incident in Bahia de La Plata. Again, the human factor is (IMHO) the single most important factor in the outcome.

Regards,

[MiloMorai]

Thanks Pepe.

The Pola had a different hull to deck layout by the bridge. (see Pola 02 your link) This is what I see in a photo of the Gorizia in MJ Whitley's WW2 cruiser book pg151. (ISBN 1-55750-141-6) It is not a good photo though.

[Pepe]

Hmmm....I see...it can be that way.

Maybe it's because she hasn't the superstructures finished. Take a look at Gorizia #2 and Zara #3.

In any case, compare funnel's down quarter line in Zara  and Gorizia, and layout of additional pipes in them.

Although the pic is not too clear, I would say brady's picture shows the pipes in the back of the funnel as seen here., instead of Gorizia's

Regards,

[brady]

Zara, it is:)


   They were Awsome Ship's the Zara Class.