Profile of Italian light cruiser Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, Condottieri class

Condottieri was a light cruiser class of the Italian Regia Marina, built before World War II to gain predominance in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also known as da Giussano class, from the name of the first ship of this class. RN Giovanni dalle Bande Nere File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... RN Giovanni dalle Bande Nere File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A light cruiser is a warship that is not so large and powerful as a regular (or heavy) cruiser, but still larger than ships like destroyers. ... The Royal Italian Navy, Regia Marina, was created after the Italian unification. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air. ... Satellite image Map of the Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. ...

Between the two World Wars, the world powers started a rush to gain the supremacy on the seas. In 1926, France started to produce a new class of destroyers, which were superior in displacement and firepower to the destroyers of that period. In order to counter the French menace, Regia Marina decided to produce a new class of cruiser that would be of intermediate size between the new French destroyer class and the cruisers built in that period. There have been two world wars, now more commonly known as World War I or First World War (from 1914 to 1918) and World War II or Second World War (from 1939 to 1945). ... 1926 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ...

Condottieri cruisers was designed by general Giuseppe Vian as a class of four ships:

• Alberto di Giussano
• Alberico da Barbiano
• Bartolomeo Colleoni
• Giovanni dalle Bande Nere

The ships were named after military commanders of the Italian Mediaeval and Renaissance periods, and were classified as light cruisers. Giovanni dalle Bande Nere was an Italian Condottieri class light cruiser, that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Her keel was laid down 1928 at Cantieri Navali di Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in... Condottieri were mercenary leaders employed by Italian city-states from the late Middle Ages until the mid-fifteenth century. ... A light cruiser is a warship that is not so large and powerful as a regular (or heavy) cruiser, but still larger than ships like destroyers. ...

Bartolomeo Colleoni sinking during the battle of Cape Spada

Condottieri were fast ships, with a good firepower; however, their design had to sacrifice protection, making these ships very vulnerable to enemy cruisers. In fact, none of these cruisers survived until the end of the war: RN Bartolomeo Colleoni sinking during the battle of Cape Spada. ... RN Bartolomeo Colleoni sinking during the battle of Cape Spada. ...

• Colleoni sank during the battle of Cape Spada (1940)
• da Barbiano and di Giussano were sunk by a group of Royal Navy destroyers, while carrying oil tanks on the decks, in order to refuel Italian aircraft in Libya (1941)
• Bande Nere was hit by a torpedo and sank (1942)