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Marco Polo 1898

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Marco Polo, 4.1918- Cortellazzo, 10.1920- Europa, 1.1921- Volta			R. Cantiere di Castellamare di Stabia	7.1.1890	27.10.1892	21.7.1894	troop transport 4.1918, discarded 1.1922

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	4511
Displacement full, t	4820
Length, m	99.7 pp 106.1 oa
Breadth, m	14.7
Draught, m	5.88
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 VTE, 4 cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	10663
Max speed, kts	17.8
Fuel, t	coal 600
Endurance, nm(kts)	4700(10)
Armour, mm	belt: 100, gunshields: 50, CT: 50, deck: 25
Armament	6 x 1 - 152/40 A91, 10 x 1 - 120/40 A91, 2 x 1 - 75/21 Uchatius 29cwt BL No1, 9 x 1 - 57/40 H, 2 x 1 - 37/25 H lungo, 2 x 1 - 11.4/94, 5 - 450 TT (1 bow, 4 beam)
Complement	402

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Marco Polo, the first Italian armoured cruiser, was designed by Eng Insp Carlo Vigna, who modified an earlier, improved Etna class cruiser design. She was too lightly armed and protected to be considered successful, and her designed speed of 19kts was never attained.

Ship protection

Main 100mm belt protected most part of the length, its lower edge connected with deck slopes.

Modernizations

1911: - 6 x 1 - 120/40, 3 x 1 - 57/40, 1 x 1 - 11.4/80, 1 - 450 TT (bow)

(1917 - 1918, Arsenale di Venezia): ship was converted to troop transport, new armament consisted of light guns only.

Naval service

In 1917-1918 Marco Polo was converted to landing personnel transport Cortelazzo. After war she served hardly more than 3 years, but for this time she was twice renamed. She was and discarded 1.1921 but immediately reinstated in the ship list. She was stricken again 5.1.1922 and sold for BU.