Built in 1925-’26 by Ansaldo & Co., Sestri Ponente, Genova as passenger ship ROMA, for Navigazione Generale Italiana. Gt:32,583, L:216,10m. Lbp:202,60m. B:25,18m. 4 Parsons turbines, 4 shafts, 20 kn. pass: 1st class:375, 2nd class:236, 3th class:716, steerage:312.
Service Genova-Napoli-New York. 02-’35 Triest- New York for the Cosulich Line.
In the Italian Navy (Regia Marina), the use of aircraft carriers was not widely accepted: the main causes being a political interest toward other forms of naval power (115 high-sea submarines built at the beginning of the II world war), and diffidence between the highest ranks of the Navy. Projects were made to create a class of "aircraft launchers", fast ships with catapults for launch of airplanes, and hangars for their transport to North Africa.
However Italy planned to build 3 aircraft carriers: Aquila, Sparviero, Bolzano.
Aquila was realized during the years 1941-1943, transforming a cruise liner of the '20s, ROMA. It was almost completed (hull 99%, engines 98%, fittings/armaments 70%) when the works were suspended on june, 22 1943. German forces requisitioned the hull, planning to sink it and block the entrance to the port of Genova, but an Italian frogmen unit sabotaged it on the night between 19 and 20 april 1945.
As Aircraft carrier AQUILA: Displacement:27,800 tons / 28,245 tonnes (deep load).
Length: 680ft 1in /207.3m (pp); 759ft 2in / 231.6m (oa); 700ft / 213.35m (fd).
Beam: 96ft 6in / 29.41m (hull); 83ft / 25.3m (fd).
Draught: 24ft / 7.31m (mean).
Machinery: Belluzzo geared turbines; 8 Thorneycroft boilers; 4 shafts, 140,000 shp. 30 kn.
Bunkerage: 2,800 tons / 2,845 tonnes. Range: 4,000 nm at 18kts.
Aircraft: 36 (50) Re2001 fighters. Hangar 1 (525ft*60ft); lifts 2; catapults 2.
Guns:8 - 5.3” single-mount low-angle; 12 - 65mm. single-mounted; 132 - 20mm. sextuple-mounted.
Complement: 1,420.
She never entered active service, and demolished in 1951 at La Spezia.
(Lesotho 1999, 4 M. StG.?) Internet.