- Yes
- No
History:
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Giuseppe Garibaldi(C551) is a Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi class cruiser of the Condoetteri type of the Italian Navy, originally built before the Great War and operated during WWII. The ship is named after Giuseppe Garibaldi, who is considered one of the three greatest figures in the unification of Italy.
Giuseppe Garibaldi was laid down on December 28, 1933 and commissioned into the Italian Navy on December 1, 1937.
Garibaldi in Taranto, 1938After surviving the Taranto air raid and the Battle of Cape Matapan, Giuseppe Garibaldi, along with her sister ship Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi, was allowed to remain in the Italian Navy after the war. In 1953, the rear turret was removed and the helicopter was used for testing helicopter pads, after which it was placed in reserve and completed its first life.
Garibaldi on July 5, 1953, the 1st helicopter (Bell 47) landing test for the Italian Navy in the Gulf of Gaeta.
In 1957, Giuseppe Garibaldi underwent a major refit as a missile cruiser, a refit that transformed Giuseppe Garibaldi into a class of its own.
Almost the entire superstructure was changed, new antennas and masts were added, as well as the RIM-2 terrier launchers that occupy most of the rear of the hull, and all the archaic main and secondary guns were replaced and armed with the new 135/45 Mod.1958 and 76mm/L62 Allargato.
The refit, carried out at the Arsenal of La Spezia, took five years, but was completed and returned to the Navy in 1961. In doing so, she took over the flagship title from Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi as of 1 May '61, making Giuseppe Garibaldi (C551) the flagship of the Italian Navy.
Garibaldi (C551) in Genoa on February 28, 1963Giuseppe Garibaldi was the First European missile cruiser and flagship of the Italian Navy based at Taranto, and underwent three major maintenance and refits during her service.
The 1st was in ‘64-65, when the Argos 5000 radar antenna was replaced by an improved, aerodynamic version, and the 2nd in ’66-67, when the SET-6B radar was replaced by the SPQ-2 radar.The 3rd modification took place in 1968, when the main cannon was replaced by the OTO/Ansaldo 135/53 instead of the OTO/Ansaldo 135/45. The model of Giuseppe Garibaldi that I am suggesting is of this type.
Garibaldi (C551) with the training ship “Amerigo Vespucci” in Naples, June 4, 1968
However, Giuseppe Garibaldi life was short after that, and he was decommissioned early, not due to obsolescence, but for economic reasons, and was disarmed in 1971.
A plan was then launched to convert the ship, which had suffered a few strange fates, into a museum ship, but this attempt was ultimately unsuccessful and the ship was scrapped in 1978. The second chapter of the most extensively refurbished Great War cruiser in European history came to an end after only 10 short years.
Garibaldi waiting for scrap, 1979
Hull and Engine:
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Although Garibaldi drainage capacity was slightly increased due to extensive modifications, the hull remained close to its original condition in contrast to the superstructure changes, with the only major changes being the reconstruction of the aft hull and the new transom stern.
However, since armor was no longer needed, most of the armored plates were removed with the exception of the turret/barbette and bridge.The engines were modified from the original Garibaldi with some of the boilers and chimneys removed, and the top speed was slightly reduced from the original to 30 knots, but instead the fuel consumption was improved over the original, allowing the ship to sail over greater distances.
Armament:
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OTO/Ansaldo 135/53
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This main cannon was a prototype model that further improved on the 135/45 Mod.1958 that had been installed until then. The loading speed of the main gun was further improved from the Mod.1958, with a rate of fire of 25 rpm per minute, and the bullet speed was increased from 825 m/s to 870 m/s by lengthening the barrel,It is now a more powerful dual-purpose gun.
The 135/53 was considered as an armament for the Audace class, but as a result, the 127mm, which was widely used in NATO, was selected for the Audace class, and the 135/53 was only installed in the Garibaldi test model and never developed further.As to whether the 135/53 could fire VT rounds, I have been unable to find definitive information on the type of rounds used, etc… but the CLT-135/76-1A used as the FCS in the Garibaldi was capable of controlling both 135mm and Allargato, Considering that the Allargato was used as a DP gun, and that the 135mm was modified with its capability as a DP gun in mind, the 135mm is thought to have had some anti-aircraft capability.
Rate of fire: 25 rpm
Bullet type: HE: 33.55kg
Bullet velocity: 870 m/s
Range: 22,000m
Elevation angle: -5/+60
Range Angle:+/- 130
76mm/L62 “Allargato”
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An improved version of the 76mm/L62 SMP3 Sovrapposto, this dual-purpose gun was widely used, especially by frigates,cruisers of the Italian Navy at the time.
Garibaldi was equipped with a total of 8 of these dual-purpose guns, 4 on each side of the deck, controlled by the CLT-76-1A FCS on the sides.
Rate of fire: 60 rpm
Ammunition: HE: 6.296kg
Bullet velocity: 900 m/s
Range: 18,400m(°45),4,000m(°85)
Elevation angle: -15/+85
Range Angle:+/- 180
RIM-2 “Terrier”
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Garibaldi was fitted with a Mk.4 Terrier GMLS purchased from the America aft of the deck, allowing her to operate RIM-2A/RIM-2B. The hull stored missiles vertically and carried 72 rounds of ammunition.
The first launch test was conducted on 11 November 1962, which was the first missile launch for the Italian Navy.
Spec (RIM-2B)
Guidance system: Beam-riding
Max Spead: Mach 1.8
Thrust system: Solid-fueled rocket booster + Solid-fueled rocket sustainer
Range: 19,000m
Explosive mass: 100kg
Option: UGM-27 “Polaris”
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The most unique armament in Garibaldi is the ship-launched ballistic missile. The A-1 has a range of approximately 2,200 km, and Garibaldi was able to carry four of these missiles. However, Garibaldi never actually used this equipment except for testing, since the U.S. never provided him with nuclear missiles and the Italian-made Alfa was never completed. If Polaris were to be added to Garibaldi, it would be the A-1 variant that was test-fired.
Yes… I know. It is next to impossible to implement ballistic missiles in the game with the current specifications, but I can’t talk about Garibaldi without Polaris. It is also an option, as the system may change in the future.
Spec (A-1)
Maximum speed: 12,900 km/h
Propulsion system:1st:Aerojet General solid-fueled rocket+2nd:Aerojet General solid-fueled rocket
Range: 2,200 km
Weight: 13,000 kg
Warhead:W-47 thermonuclear(600 kT)
Specifications:
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Specifications (1968)
Standard displacement 9,195 tons
Full-load displacement: 11,350 tons
Overall length:187.0m
Overall width:18.9m
Draft: 6.7mEngine
6 Yarrow boilers, 2 turbine gears, 2 shafts
Total Power: 85,000hp (63,000kW)
Speed: 30 knots
Range: 4,125 miles at 13 knots
Crew: 665Sensors
AN/SPS-6 Surface surveillance radar
MM/SPQ-2 Navigation/surface surveillance radar
AN/SPS-39 Freescan 3D Anti-air surveillance radar
Argos 5000 Air surveillance radar
AN/SPG-55 Aracking radarsArmament
2×OTO/Ansaldo 135/53 twin cannon
8×76mm/L62 Allargato cannon
1×RIM-2 Terria Mk.4 SAM missile launcher
4× UGM-27 Polaris A-1 missile launcherArmor
Side: 40mm (partial)
Vertical: 100mm
Turret/barbette: 135mm
Bridge:145mm
Photo:
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- Note:That the photos in this section are intended to show the armament arrangement and detailing of the Garibaldi. Therefore, photos of the original (1961), Mod 1st (1965) and Mod 2nd (1967) are also included.
This is because there are very few photos after the 1968 refurbishment, and it is difficult to create a photo section exclusively for this type.
Photo illustrating Giuseppe Garibaldi’s equipment
The photo is original (1961), so it is equipped with old Argos and SET-6B.
Garibaldi(C551) at the Tyrrhenian Sea, 1966
Garibaldi participating in a naval parade in the waters of Naples, 1968
View of Polaris launcher mounted in the rear
View of the newly installed radar and FCS, 1963
Many radars and the CLT-76-1A are clearly visible.
Garibaldi Rear detail,1963
Terrier launcher and view of Argos 5000 (before conversion)
Garbaldi calling at New York, 1962
One of the few color photos.
Source:
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- Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi (1936) - Wikipedia
- Giuseppe Garibaldi (incrociatore 1936) - Wikipedia
- Conway's all the world's fighting ships, 1947-1995 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
- Marina Militare - Italian Navy Cold War
- Missile Cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi (1961)
- Naval Analyses: WARSHIPS OF THE PAST: Giuseppe Garibaldi cruiser of the Italian Navy
- SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM: Incrociatore lanciamissili GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI
- "Condottieri 5th goup" type light cruisers (LUIGI DI SAVOIA DUCA DEGLI ABRUZZI) (1937)
- Tutto storia, storia contemporanea: L'incrociatore lanciamissili Giuseppe Garibaldi
- Oto-Melara 76/62 Allargato gun 76mm 3" 62-caliber
- Navi e Armatori - Approdi di Passione
- http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-27.html
- Mk 4 Terrier GMLS - Shipbucket Wiki
Sources on 135mm
- Gli Incrociatori Italiani 1861-1970 - Giorgio Giorgerini & Augusto Nani
- Storia Militare Briefing n. 45: Incrociatori leggeri classe “Duca degli Abruzzi”" - Michele Cosentino & Augusto de Toro
- Italy 135 mm/45 (5.3") Models 1937 and 1938 - NavWeaps
- https://www.warships.com.cn/navweaps/WNIT_53-53_m1968.htm
Sources on FCS/FCR
- La Condotta del Tiro Navale da Bordo Nella Regia Marina 1900-1945 - Marco Santarini
Special Thanks:u/Phoenix_jz(Informant)
