Zara file photo [5337]

Zara

CountryItaly
Ship ClassZara-class Heavy Cruiser
BuilderO.T.O., La Spezia, Liguria, Italy
Laid Down4 Jul 1929
Launched27 Apr 1930
Commissioned20 Oct 1931
Sunk29 Mar 1941
Displacement11,870 tons standard; 14,530 tons full
Length600 feet
Beam67 feet
Draft23 feet
Machinery8 three-drum Thornycroft boilers, 2 Parsons turbines
Power Output95,000 shaft horsepower
Speed33 knots
Range4,500nm at 16 knots, 2,950nm at 25 knots, 1,700nm at 31 knots
Crew841
Armament8x203mm guns, 6x100mm guns, 6x40mm AA guns, 8x13.2mm AA machine guns
Armor100-150mm belt, 70mm deck, 120-140mm turrets, 140-150mm barbettes
Aircraft2 reconnaissance aircraft

Contributor:

ww2dbaseCommissioned in early 1931, Zara was among the newest and most capable heavy cruisers in the world. During the Spanish Civil War, she served off Spain on the side of the Nationalists. In 1940, she participated in the Battle of Calabria and was present during the British raid on Taranto, Italy. On 29 Mar 1941, while under the command of Captain Luigi Corsi, Zara and her sister ships escorted the damaged battleship Vittorio Veneto back to port. En route, sister ship Pola was attacked and disabled by a British torpedo plane, and the two sister ships Zara and Fiume returned with four destroyers to guard her. That night, radar-equipped British ships, including three battleships, attacked the group. After sustaining heavy damage within five minutes of the battle, Corsi ordered Zara abandoned. At the end of the battle, all three Zara-class ships as well as two of the destroyers were sunk.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Dec 2007

Photographs

Heavy cruiser Zara in port, date unknownItalian cruisers Zara, Fiume, Pola, and Gorizia at Trieste, Italy, date unknownZara firing during the Battle of Calabria, 9 Jul 1940

Zara Operational Timeline

20 Oct 1931 Zara was commissioned into service.




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More on Zara
Event(s) Participated:
» The Spanish Civil War
» Malta Campaign
» Battle of Matapan

Heavy Cruiser Zara Photo Gallery
Heavy cruiser Zara in port, date unknown
See all 3 photographs of Heavy Cruiser Zara


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