Viribus Unitis

Ballistics

Armor Model

Overview

The naval race between Italy and Austria-Hungary that had dragged on from the middle of the 19th century peaked before World War I. In response to the construction of the Radezky-class ironclads, Italy began building the Dante Alighieri dreadnought, which was superior to all Austrian ships. This required a symmetrical response. Among the presented preliminary projects, the most promising was a variant with 12 main battery guns housed in four triple-gun turrets. In 1910, the first battleship of a new type, Viribus Unitis, was laid down. Entering service in 1912, she became the flagship of the navy and the strongest battleship in the Mediterranean waters. At the very end of the war, on November 1, 1918, Viribus Unitis, already preparing to be transferred to the Navy of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, was sunk by Italy.