Title:SHIP RECOGNITION - ITALIAN NAVY, PARTS 1-4 [Main Title]
Film Number:AMY 26
Other titles:
Summary: Detailed ship recognition film produced by the Royal Air Force for RAF aircrew, focusing on identifying the ships of the Italian Navy, with a particular emphasis on identifying the ships from the air.
Description: Reels one and two: Part 1 - "General Description":
Reel one: Eight battleships (either in service or under construction). Cavour and Littorio Class ships. Description of superstructures, masts, towers. “Mast Funnel Mast Funnel” stepped design unique to Italian ships. 8 Inch Cruisers, Zara and Trento Class. Nineteen cruisers in total. Condottieri Class 6” Cruisers (twelve in total) subdivided into Type A – E. Models used for recognition at varying distances.
Reel two: Model of Condottieri cruiser used for identification exercise and key points. Italian destroyers at sea. Identifying points explained also the use of Motor Anti-Submarine (MAS) fast patrol boats by the Italian Navy. Recap of the classes of Italian battleships and cruisers. Effectiveness of Italian Navy discussed.
Reels three and four: Part 2 - "Battleships":
Reel three: Cavour and Littorio Class ships. 24,000 tons displacement. Description of guns, superstructures, masts, towers, funnels. Models used to aid identification points. Film of ships at sea from varying angles. Recap of Cavour class ships. Model of Littorio Class used to describe ID points as no film exists of this class. 35,000 tons in weight.
Reel four: In some conditions, at distance, differentiating between the two classes of battleship could prove difficult. At closer range the armament configuration helps to tell between the two classes – Littorio has nine guns in three turrets whereas the Cavour has ten to twelve guns in four turrets. Similarity between the Cavour and Garibaldi (Condottieri Class cruiser) explained and differences to help identitfying. Film of ships at sea and recap.
Reel five: Part 3 - "8 inch Cruisers": Seven 8-inch Cruisers in Italian Navy, 10,000 tons displacement and eight 8” guns. Zara class (4) and Trento (3). “Mast/Funnel/Mast/Funnel” configuration highlighted again. Stepped and flush decks used to help identify. Trento Class cruisers described using models of “Trento” and “Bolzano”. Recap of cruisers in the two classes.
Reel 6: Part 4 - "6 inch Cruisers": 6-inch Cruisers (Condottieri A&B) – 12 in class although only 11 now in service as one (Colleoni) sunk. This film deals with the five ships in the type A and B Condottieri class of cruisers. (C to E type ships also in service). As no film exists, models used to describe identifying points – funnels, masts, superstructure, turret layout etc. of the types in the Class.
