RN Aquila - Italy's Promising, But Doomed, Carrier

The Italian Navy is not the first one you look to, when asked about aircraft carriers. Garibaldi and Cavour are decent enough, within the constraints of their size. Quite good, even.
But, beyond that, the Italians haven't really been at the forefront here. In fact, their one attempt at a proper fleet carrier during WW2 was never completed. That ship, Aquila, was a conversion of an ocean liner.
And was, at bare minimum, at least as good as the Hiyo-class conversions in Japan. At least, in theory.
Unfortunately for Aquila, Italian industrial limitations would prevent her completion. The ship would languish in dock, before ultimately being scrapped.
That doesn't mean her story isn't worth a look, though.
Further Reading:
www.amazon.com/Aircraft-Carri...
www.amazon.com/Mussolinis-Nav...
comandosupremo.com/developmen...
comandosupremo.com/italian-ai...

[@skyneahistory2306]

I know my pronunciations won’t be great here. Italian is a…difficult language for me. Rolling the ‘r’ especially so. Still, I looked things up and did my best.

[@ut000bs]

No worries. You cannot imagine how relieved I am to hear a _human_ voice with the normal, individual idiosyncrasies rather than a damnable AI voice that can pronounce the subject right in one sentence and in the very next one offer an alternative pronunciation. Believe me, your reading is outstanding.

[@richardbennett1856]

You did well, Pisan. Great presentation on something that never gets mentioned in detail.

[@mink99a]

Far better than any robo-voice ❤

[@RayyMusik]

Luckily ‘Aquila‘ doesn’t have an ‘r‘. However, the stress is on the initial ‘A‘ as far as my basic knowledge of Italian suggests: AH-quee-lah.

[@BHuang92]

Like the Graf Zeppelin, the Italians waited too long to make an aircraft carrier and its very questionable whether they had any idea how to use it.

[@Karth3n]

I would like to see a video on the Graf Zeppelin in the future

[@mistersmiley9425]

The Germans didn't really "wait too long". They started as soon as they were legally allowed (1935 official work began, 1936 was when it was laid down). The only reason it wasn't completed was because of the invasion of Norway. It's estimated that had the ship been actually pursued, like never stopped production or no delays, it would have been completed sometime in 1940. Edit: The reason the Norwegian campaign affected it was due to the Germans demanding to use the already installed guns on the Graf Zeppelin as coastal batteries, the 15cm (5.9 inch) guns. Obviously after this there were other major delays but the Norway campaign was the first. Edit: By completed I don't mean commissioned. I mean starting sea trials kind of thing. The Graf Zeppelin was actually launched and was VERY close to completion before WW2 interrupted it.

[@philsalvatore3902]

@@mistersmiley9425 The German Navy wasn't prepared for WWII. All of their planning was to have their fleet ready for combat in 1947. I also do not think they had a very good idea of how they intended to operate what they had. If you look at the US Navy, they had the entire interwar period to develop their tactics and operational art with their aircraft carriers, and with underway replenishment. Every year there was a new "Fleet Problem" exercise off the California coast where tactics and operational art were refined. When WWII erupted the US Navy was ready to go with the right tactics and mostly the right weapons (the TBD Devastator the tragic exception). The Germans never got to the point of having fleet exercises with an aircraft carrier to understand how to use them. Just launching and recovering aircraft efficiently takes a lot of practice. Knowing how long you can go before needing to refuel, having the right support ships in the right numbers, all that takes time to figure out. The Germans and Italians were never there the way the US, Japanese and Royal Navies were.

[@mistersmiley9425]

@@philsalvatore3902 I wasn't talking about the capabilities of the German navy or anything akin to that. I was just saying the Germans didn't skip a beat on building a carrier. Soon as they had permission from the British (Anglo-German Naval Agreement, 1935) they began work on all sorts of things, including a carrier (Graf Zeppelin class)

[@philsalvatore3902]

@@mistersmiley9425 The Germans suspended work on Graf Zepplin several times as priorities changed. First it was on, then work was suspended for other surface ship projects. Then after losing Bismarck to carrier based aircraft it was on again. But later on Hitler, disgusted with the lack of performance of their surface navy ordered all the ships to be laid up and the Kreigsmarine was ordered to concentrate on subs. The Graf Zepplin was incomplete at the end of WWII just like its Italian counterparts.

[@Iron_Blood_Enjoyer1933]

There were plans to convert the dreadnought Francesco Caracciolo into an aircraft carrier. But due to the conversion proposals being too expensive, no work was done. She was then sold to a shipping firm for conversion in to a merchant ship, but again was proven to be too expensive and Francesco Caracciolo was sold for scrap in 1926. Edit: Never-mind, you talk about Caracciolo.

[@Backwardlooking]

Well they actually in reality didn’t require an aircraft carrier as Italy, Sardinian, Pantelleria, Sicily, and their Aegean Islands acted as airbases. My father was torpedoed by an S.M.79 on a Malta convoy run off Tunisia though the aircraft itself was shot down by the other Royal Navy. I still have the photographs.The approximate time aboard H.M.S. Nelson was forever recorded on his gold tank style wristwatch ruined by the ingress of salt water. Unfortunately he had disposed of it before I cleared his possessions. 👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@Leptospirosi]

Well, the Aquila was intended for fleet protection, not as centre of an offensive operation. Again and Again the Regia Aeronautica and the Luftwaffe proved ineffective in providing timely cover for the Italian navy, not to mention when they bombed their own fleet. Obviously the Axis could gather much more effective strength when starting from airbases, but Recon and air umbrella really can save the day when a single Swordfish could ruin a whole operation. After 1942. the tide switched and the air superiority enjoyed by the Axis over the Mediterranean dwindled: Lack of fuel made the Regia Marina less eager to go out in combat and usually not far from Italy as the Convoy war was lost after North Africa was occupied by the Allies. In this scenario the actual use for a ship like Aquila , thirsty of fuel and planes which could be deployed otherwise, really made much less sense then it did in 1941

[@J.R.in_WV]

Why would he throw that away? Christopher Walken did unspeakable things to his own rectum to conceal a watch just to bring it home to a young Bruce Willis!

[@ut000bs]

She would have been a gracefully-lined ship, for sure and those 20mms are insane.

[@HandyMan657]

Thanks for the episode, Skynea. Take care.

[@user-mu8ho3tt7p]

Never knew that the Italians had a experimental carrier. Who knew!! Keep it up Skynea!!!

[@simonkevnorris]

It's in WoWs (World of Warships).

[@bullettube9863]

The Italians had a huge manpower shortage in the ship building industry! Following WW1 many workers were laid off so most immigrated to America and many found their way into American ship yards during the late 1930s. Italy had no iron ore, no coal, and depended upon imports for special metals such as tungsten and copper. Added to this scarcity, they had no oil! Of all the countries in WW2 Japan and Italy were the least able to wage an industrial war! In fact as many historians have noted, only America had the resources within it's own borders plus the industrial infrastructure to actually wage a war on the scale of WW2!

[@59ogre]

Just imagine if they had discovered all that oil in the Libyan desert.

[@ezragoldberg3132]

What about the Soviet Union? They had all the minerals they could ever need, especially after annexing Petsamo from the Finnish

[@bullettube9863]

@@ezragoldberg3132 Yes they had resources, and the annexing of Finnish territory showed they had no morals!

[@warhawk4494]

Cool video on the Italian aircraft carrier. She was doomed from the start but they tried. If they had tried harder in the 1920s and hadnt italy Mountain of issues in terms of logistics, manufacturing, quality control. Etc etc etc. oh and their economy too. I forgot about that. She would have made a good anti submarine warfare carrier carrying helos.

[@John-jl9de]

Thanks, great information.

[@philsalvatore3902]

The MMI's two current aircraft carriers, Cavour and Trieste are both a good 10,000 tons greater displacement than Aquila.

[@ph89787]

Cavour is the same weight as an Essex-Class Carrier and roughly the same dimensions as Enterprise (though the flight deck is wider by 13 feet) after her 1943 refit.

[@philsalvatore3902]

@@ph89787 I'm impressed the Italians are keeping two modern aircraft carriers in active service. The cost of such ships and especially the cost of the air wing and pilots is not trivial. But it is a great capability to have, especially with F-35Bs.

[@Yamashiro_Kai_Nai]

Glad you made this video on a this ship. I’ll say, Italian ship building from the era is some of the most interesting and most impressive out of all the major powers in world war 2. Especially with the fact that they lacked resources and made some interesting designs to say the least. Also have you thought about doing a video on the Impero? I’ve seen place online say that she was going to be converted to a carrier and others say she was going to be fully completed to a battleship. But anyways amazing video like always:)

[@skyneahistory2306]

I already did a video on Impero. Albeit that was a long time ago, now.

[@Yamashiro_Kai_Nai]

@@skyneahistory2306 sorry about that, didn’t see it

[@skyneahistory2306]

It’s fine, that’s an old video.

[@leroysgamesandmore2226]

They modified her stern also during conversion because it was a weak structure they added plates to improve the strength of the stern

[@boomslangCA]

Nicely done. A good story.

[@toffenbe]

You've got a pretty cool channel. I always look forward to new content. Keep it up.

[@pickeljarsforhillary102]

In an alternate universe the Italian Navy sank several Royal Navy warships at Gibraltar.

[@josephhungerford8348]

Very interesting topic keep it up the great content bro ❤

[@lancerevell5979]

Practicality aside, Italy did produce some very handsome ships. But beauty doesn't win wars.

[@ChaddicusMaximuss]

Italian ships where not just beautifull they where also really strong and modern for that time. The inefficiency of the Regia Marina was due to the lack of fuel and poor logistics.

[@straswa]

Great work Skynea. Yes please make a video on the Italian concept carriers. I really like that Rota carrier concept (2:01).

[@robertsolomielke5134]

I could see her do a big hit on Malta if things ever went that way, she could rearm/refuel single seat aircraft for that , but otherwise I dunno if tactical, practicle, since ample land bases in range. TY for bringing her out to us.

[@45641560456405640563]

Agreed. Flying time from Sicily to Malta was something like 15 minutes.

[@jessebauer7372]

I would love to see a video of early carrier designs.

[@petermorris673]

Should it not be RM and not RN?

[@federicodelsarto940]

RN was the official prefix of the Regia Marina, it means Regia Nave Royal Ship

[@petermorris673]

Many thanks. I stand corrected.

[@drazenbicanic3590]

I can't shake the impression that the problem is not a lack of resources. The material and means for 2-3 light cruisers (nere, coleoni...) which proved to be useless anyway, would be enough for one carrier similar to the Hirio class which would drastically change the situation. As in the case of the British, where the RAF stopped the development of naval aviation, so here too the aviation maintained its monopoly.

[@richardbennett1856]

They realized that even though the trains ran on time, it was the little things, like aviation and radar that their sneaky allies had, that would dominate the Italian Sea. Oops.

[@tbm3fan913]

When one thinks of an Italian aircraft carrier one must first ask one question. Why? Second question would be did they know how to operate tactically in the Med no less.

[@tommasogubiani3768]

I mean it didn't needed to do much, scuot for the battlefleet and CAP, the heavy lifting would still have been done by battleships.

[@antoniocappione4259]

Pleased for the information, I didn't know Italy almost had her carrier 2nd W W.....!!!!!

[@mattblom3990]

I've long hoped that the Italians will build a true fleet carrier and they'd name it Aquila. They seem to be moving towards the lighter "assault ship" style carriers though. I think for F-35Bs.

[@69Applekrate]

that's ok. at least they can make good pizza/pasta....

[@maxart3392]

Nice video and your pronunciation isn't that bad - except for the ship in question: it's actually Áquila.

[@alephalon7849]

It's interesting to think of a completed Aquila in post-war service. The Italians always want to project power in the Med, and nothing does that like a carrier.

[@WilliamMurphy-tj7il]

Yah unless its a bunch of hi tail uns...hard to demand respect from a bunch of mob bosses. Guido da knife and ice pick salvor daonilla just don't strike terror on a battle field

[@klipsfilmsmelbourne]

German and Italy only have one carrier zero combat while British, America have plenty of carriers except for Japanese despite poorly plans and codes intercept

[@johncordes7885]

Meatball military

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Italy was in no shape to go to war. This was just Mussolini's stupidity. Of course - Germany was in no shape to take on the UK, US & USSR either ... nor was Japan up to what they took on. One thing all the Axis Powers had in common - was stupidity. In contrast - in WWI - most of the nations involved - were roped into the war because of alliances. The War was caused by Serbia killing the Heir to the Austrian Throne - and his wife. They deserved to be invaded. Then the Russians were stupid for supporting them. Germany, France and Britain - were all sucked in because of obligations of one sort or another. Don't make Alliances with stupid people? Don't be stupid? Yeah ... right ... .

[@whicker59]

The ole MUSS squandered far too much time, material, and financial Italian resources on worthless Ethiopia n East Africa.

[@davidgenie-ci5zl]

Looks to have a Midway class type funnel.