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Benedetto Brin

1905 WORLD WAR 1

The story of Benedetto Brin

Italian naval engineer and later statesman Benedetto Brin (1833-1898) led a huge revival of the Italian navy in the late 18th century. He worked early as an engineer and in 1873 as Under-Secretary of State, working with Admiral Simone Arturo Sanbon, then Acting Minister of the Navy of the Italian Navy.

Several designs emerged during this period, and once able to do so, Breen greatly expanded the capabilities of Italian shipbuilding. The Italian Navy can now rely on local efforts to design, develop and manufacture the components needed for a successful surface warship on a par with other world powers.

Brin lent his design talents to a warship that was eventually named after him after his death - the "Benedetto Brin", a Regina Margaret class Of the former dreadnoughts, only the Regina Margaret belongs. The design is traditional in most respects, with a single mast amidships, located between two funnels, themselves aft of the respective main turrets at the bow and stern positions.

Designed to operate in open water, the Benedetto Brin has been engineered for exceptional speed beyond basic protection. Her seaworthiness proved reliable, and her lack of armor was made up for by armament of cannons and torpedo launchers.

On January 30, 1899, the shipyard was transferred to the Castellammare Naval Shipyard and laid. She was officially completed on September 1, 1905, and officially launched on November 7 of the same year. She displaces a total of 13,400 tons under standard load and 15,000 tons under full load. She measured 455 feet from bow to stern with a beam of 78 feet 3 inches and a draft of 29 feet 6 inches.

The battleship was powered by 28 boilers providing triple-expansion steam engines to 2 shafts in the stern for a total output of 20,475 hp. This allows a maximum sea speed of about 20 knots (under ideal conditions) and a range of up to 11,500 miles (10,000 nautical miles). She defaults to a crew of 812, which increases to 900 in combat conditions. For protection, the Benedetto Brin comes with a 6" thick belt. Her deck plating is 3.1 inches, while the turret benefits from 8 inches of armor protection.

Both the conning tower and its turrets were assigned up to 6 inches of armor protection.

In terms of armament, the Benedetto Breen has access to her 2 x 2 305 mm (12 in)/40 caliber main battery - two guns on two turrets, one turret forward , another turret. These units were supported by 4 x 203 mm (8 in)/40 caliber guns in single turrets mounted around the superstructure and 12 x 152 mm (6 in)/40 caliber guns in single turret mounts.

20 x 76 mm (3 in)/40 caliber guns were provided for close range work, while true close range defense consisted of 2 x 47 mm (1.9 in)/40 caliber and 2 x 37 mm (1.5 in)/40 caliber guns Provide gun. To counter surface threats from a distance, Benedetto Brin deployed 4 x 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes.

Benedetto Brin deployed off the coast of Tripoli in 1911, before entering the Aegean Sea in 1912. However, it ended in disgrace in World War I due to an explosion on the ship. Although Italy initially found itself part of the Triple Alliance that included the German Empire and Austria-Hungary, Italy renounced its allegiance before siding with the Allies on May 23, 1915.

On September 27, 1915, the Benedetto Breen was rocked by an explosion on board, the ship was completely lost in the Italian effort, and her service with the Allies was short-lived. The culprit is believed to be the Austrian saboteur, although some sources claim it was an accidental explosion caused by a volatile Cordite supply. Regardless, the explosion was devastating enough to destroy the ship it was on and kill her 454 crew, leaving only 387 survivors. This ended the reign of the Benedettobrins and their heroic deeds in the Great War.

Her sister - Regina Margherita - was not much better, she was struck by a German U-boat mine on December 11, 1916, killing 675 crew members and 270 surviving.

The loss of two ships meant the end of the entire Regina Margherita class.