Italian cruiser Giovanni delle Bande Nere

Plan and profile sketch of the Giussano class
History
Italy
Name	Giovanni delle Bande Nere
Namesake	Giovanni dalle Bande Nere
Builder	Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia
Laid down	31 October 1928
Launched	27 April 1930
Commissioned	1 January 1931
Stricken	1 April 1942
Fate	Sunk by HMS Urge, 1 April 1942
General characteristics
Class and type	Giussano-class cruiser
Displacement	Standard: 5,130 long tons (5,210 t) Full load: 6,844 long tons (6,954 t)
Length	169.3 m (555 ft 5 in) (loa)
Beam	15.5 m (50 ft 10 in)
Draft	5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
Installed power	6 × water-tube boilers 95,000 shp (71,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 × steam turbine sets 2 × screw propellers
Speed	36.5 knots (67.6 km/h; 42.0 mph)
Complement	520
Armament	8 × 152 mm (6 in) guns 6 × 100 mm (3.9 in) guns 8 × 37 mm (1.5 in) AA guns 8 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns 4 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
Armor	Decks: 20 mm (0.79 in) Belt: 24 mm (0.94 in) Turrets: 23 mm (0.91 in) Tower: 25 to 40 mm (0.98 to 1.57 in)
Aircraft carried	2 × seaplanes
Aviation facilities	1 × catapult launcher

Giovanni delle Bande Nere was an Italian light cruiser of the Giussano class, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. She was named after the eponymous 16th-century condottiero and member of the Medici family. Her keel was laid down in 1928 at Cantieri Navali di Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in 1931. Unlike her three sisters, the finish and workmanship on the vessel were not rated highly. She was sunk on 1 April 1942 by the British submarine HMS Urge.

The Giussano type of cruiser sacrificed protection for high speed and weaponry, as a counter to new French large destroyers.