Italian Assault Craft, 1940-1945

Italian Assault Craft, 1940-1945 PDF Author: Erminio Bagnasco
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1399056115
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
In stark contrast to the rather modest performance of its large surface fleet in the Second World War, the Italian Navy’s smallest units achieved its most spectacular successes. It made a specialty of unconventional methods of attack – explosive motor boats, human torpedoes and miniature submarines – that were employed with ingenuity and daring to surprise, discomfort and baffle the enemy. In December 1941 the whole balance of the naval war in the Mediterranean was altered by six frogmen riding three of the SLC craft they called maiale (‘pigs’) who penetrated Alexandria harbor to cripple the battleships Valiant and Queen Elizabeth, surely one of the most impressive ratios of results to resources in naval history. This book is the first complete history of these craft, both the details of the technology and the history of their deployment. Beginning in the Great War with the extraordinary ‘jumping’ boats designed to scale harbor boom defenses, the story takes in the inter-war development of both lightweight surface craft and underwater systems from small submarines to ‘Gamma’ assault divers. By way of comparison, equivalent developments in other navies are analyzed, including the British ‘chariots’ which were little more than copies of the Italian SLCs. Every operation by these craft is described, cataloging the forces involved and the results, from high-profile successes like the sinking of the cruiser York by explosive motorboat to lesser-known incidents – the use of such craft by the Israelis as late as 1948 for example. Many were carried out by the famous Decima MAS, a unit as legendary in Italy as the SAS in Britain, and this book provides a comprehensive chronicle of their activities. Originally commissioned by CABI Cattaneo that designed and built most of these craft, Italian Assault Craft benefited from unrestricted access to the company’s archives, technical drawings, and photo collection so it is replete with rarely seen illustrations. Very much secret weapons in their day, they are here revealed in full detail for the first time.

Italian Assault Craft, 1940-1945

Italian Assault Craft, 1940-1945 PDF Author: Erminio Bagnasco
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1399056115
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
In stark contrast to the rather modest performance of its large surface fleet in the Second World War, the Italian Navy’s smallest units achieved its most spectacular successes. It made a specialty of unconventional methods of attack – explosive motor boats, human torpedoes and miniature submarines – that were employed with ingenuity and daring to surprise, discomfort and baffle the enemy. In December 1941 the whole balance of the naval war in the Mediterranean was altered by six frogmen riding three of the SLC craft they called maiale (‘pigs’) who penetrated Alexandria harbor to cripple the battleships Valiant and Queen Elizabeth, surely one of the most impressive ratios of results to resources in naval history. This book is the first complete history of these craft, both the details of the technology and the history of their deployment. Beginning in the Great War with the extraordinary ‘jumping’ boats designed to scale harbor boom defenses, the story takes in the inter-war development of both lightweight surface craft and underwater systems from small submarines to ‘Gamma’ assault divers. By way of comparison, equivalent developments in other navies are analyzed, including the British ‘chariots’ which were little more than copies of the Italian SLCs. Every operation by these craft is described, cataloging the forces involved and the results, from high-profile successes like the sinking of the cruiser York by explosive motorboat to lesser-known incidents – the use of such craft by the Israelis as late as 1948 for example. Many were carried out by the famous Decima MAS, a unit as legendary in Italy as the SAS in Britain, and this book provides a comprehensive chronicle of their activities. Originally commissioned by CABI Cattaneo that designed and built most of these craft, Italian Assault Craft benefited from unrestricted access to the company’s archives, technical drawings, and photo collection so it is replete with rarely seen illustrations. Very much secret weapons in their day, they are here revealed in full detail for the first time.

Italian Assault Craft, 1940–1945

Italian Assault Craft, 1940–1945 PDF Author: Erminio Bagnasco
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1399056093
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 529

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Book Description
In stark contrast to the rather modest performance of its large surface fleet in the Second World War, the Italian Navy’s smallest units achieved its most spectacular successes. It made a specialty of unconventional methods of attack – explosive motor boats, human torpedoes and miniature submarines – that were employed with ingenuity and daring to surprise, discomfort and baffle the enemy. In December 1941 the whole balance of the naval war in the Mediterranean was altered by six frogmen riding three of the SLC craft they called maiale (‘pigs’) who penetrated Alexandria harbor to cripple the battleships Valiant and Queen Elizabeth, surely one of the most impressive ratios of results to resources in naval history. This book is the first complete history of these craft, both the details of the technology and the history of their deployment. Beginning in the Great War with the extraordinary ‘jumping’ boats designed to scale harbor boom defenses, the story takes in the inter-war development of both lightweight surface craft and underwater systems from small submarines to ‘Gamma’ assault divers. By way of comparison, equivalent developments in other navies are analyzed, including the British ‘chariots’ which were little more than copies of the Italian SLCs. Every operation by these craft is described, cataloging the forces involved and the results, from high-profile successes like the sinking of the cruiser York by explosive motorboat to lesser-known incidents – the use of such craft by the Israelis as late as 1948 for example. Many were carried out by the famous Decima MAS, a unit as legendary in Italy as the SAS in Britain, and this book provides a comprehensive chronicle of their activities. Originally commissioned by CABI Cattaneo that designed and built most of these craft, Italian Assault Craft benefited from unrestricted access to the company’s archives, technical drawings, and photo collection so it is replete with rarely seen illustrations. Very much secret weapons in their day, they are here revealed in full detail for the first time.

Italian Assault Craft, 1940-1945

Italian Assault Craft, 1940-1945 PDF Author: Erminio Bagnasco
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781399056083
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In stark contrast to the modest performance of its large surface fleet in World War II, the Italian Navy's smallest units achieved its most spectacular successes. It made a specialty of unconventional methods of attack--explosive motorboats, human torpedoes, and miniature submarines--that were employed with ingenuity and daring to surprise, discomfort and baffle the enemy. In December 1941, the whole balance of the naval war in the Mediterranean was altered by six divers riding three of the SLC craft they called maiale ('pigs') who penetrated Alexandria harbor to cripple the battleships Valiant and Queen Elizabeth, surely one of the most impressive ratios of results to resources in naval history. This book is the first complete history of these craft, both the details of the technology and the history of their deployment. Beginning in the Great War with the extraordinary 'jumping' boats designed to scale harbor boom defenses, the story takes in the inter-war development of both lightweight surface craft and underwater systems from small submarines to 'Gamma' assault divers. By way of comparison, equivalent developments in other navies are analyzed, including the British 'chariots' which were little more than copies of the Italian SLCs. Every operation by these craft is described, cataloguing the forces involved and the results, from high-profile successes like the sinking of the cruiser York by explosive motorboat to lesser-known incidents - the use of such craft by the Israelis as late as 1948 for example. Many were carried out by the famous Decima MAS, a unit as legendary in Italy as the SAS in Britain, and this book provides a comprehensive chronicle of their activities. Originally commissioned by CABI Cattaneo that designed and built most of these craft, Italian Assault Craft benefited from unrestricted access to the company's archives, technical drawings, and photo collection so it is replete with rarely seen illustrations. Many secret weapons in their day are revealed here in full detail for the first time.

Italian Navy & Air Force Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–45

Italian Navy & Air Force Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–45 PDF Author: Piero Crociani
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1849088586
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 66

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Book Description
This volume assesses the formidable Special Forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II. Italian Navy Special Forces were particularly active and respected in the Mediterranean, where 10th Motor-Torpedo Boat Flotilla used frogmen, 'two-man torpedoes' and explosive ram-boats. The Italian Air Force formed a special commando unit, ADRA, before the 1943 surrender; it was tasked with attacking Allied airfields and communications in North Africa. Men from ADRA and Army paratroopers formed the new 'Folgore' Regiment, which also continued to fight alongside German forces until 1945. In both cases, the pro-Allied Italian forces also formed 'mirror' units to fight alongside US and British forces, including the Recce Squadron 'F'. Featuring rare photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this book tells the story of the little-known elite forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II, some of whose successors remain in service with today's Italian armed forces.

Naval Power in the Twentieth Century

Naval Power in the Twentieth Century PDF Author: N.A.M. Rodger
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1349138606
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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Book Description
It is a century since Mahan and his disciples taught the world that a battlefleet was indispensable to a great power. Great and not so great powers still keep powerful navies today, but we have no generally-accepted principles to explain why. In this book historians and naval officers from Britain, the United States and other countries study the use of naval power over a century, and ask what it is for, and what it can do. It will be essential reading for modern historians, policy-makers and strategists.

Italian Heavy Cruisers

Italian Heavy Cruisers PDF Author: Maurizio Brescia
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1399098888
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
When the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 effectively banned the building of battleships, competition between the major navies concentrated on the next most powerful category, heavy cruisers limited to 10,000 tons displacement and 8-inch guns. Italy followed this trend, the first design for what became Trento and Trieste being ordered in 1924. These were the fastest of the first generation ‘Treaty’ cruisers but were very lightly armored, and the succeeding Zara class of four ships were slower but better protected. However, before the final ship of this class (Pola) had been completed, there was a return to the earlier fast, lightly protected concept with the Bolzano, although this ship also incorporated aspects of the Zara design. The political background, design history and technical features of these classes are covered in great depth in this volume. They were important ships, subject to incremental improvement so no two were identical, and modelmakers in particular will appreciate the space devoted to the variations in appearance, using both description and illustration. As major units of the Italian battlefleet, they were more active than most during the war and their careers are fully detailed, including analyzes of damage suffered. Tragically, they were all sunk and the full circumstances of each loss is explored. As befits a technical history, the book is thoroughly illustrated with ship and armament plans, detail drawings and color camouflage schemes, as well as an outstanding collection of photographs. Translated from the same series that produced the highly successful Italian Battleships, this volume is a fitting companion.

World War II: the Encyclopedia of the War Years, 1941-1945

World War II: the Encyclopedia of the War Years, 1941-1945 PDF Author: Norman Polmar
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486479625
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 962

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Book Description
This authoritative and comprehensive survey features over 2,400 entries. Subjects range from battles, soldiers, and military activities to politics, culture, and the Holocaust. Enlivened by 85 illustrations, its panoramic perspective encompasses WWII's enduring influences on the American way of life. "A unique and valuable look at the war."—General James Doolittle

A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham

A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham PDF Author: Michael Simpson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000159116
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 222

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Book Description
This book presents an account of the life of naval commander Andrew Cunningham, the best-known and most celebrated British admiral of the Second World War. It supplements Cunningham's papers by Cabinet and Admiralty records, papers of his service contemporaries and of Churchill.

Arming the Warship

Arming the Warship PDF Author: Iver P. Cooper
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476694990
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 306

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Book Description
In the 16th century, warships engaged at close range, sometimes with yards touching, and small arms fire and hand-to-hand combat were at least as important as the "great guns." As time went on, the big guns became more decisive and increased in destructive power, range and accuracy. This book explores how naval armament, armor, ballistics and gunnery evolved from the 16th to 20th centuries from a scientific and technological perspective. It examines the functional aspects--the guns and their distribution on warships, the propellants, the projectiles and so forth--and examines the development of each.

Aerospace Historian

Aerospace Historian PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 646

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Book Description