Navis Neptun 1/1250 1531 Gorizia Italian Zara Class Heavy Cruiser
Navis Neptun September 2015 release, quality 1/1250 die-cast metal model of an Italian Zara Class Heavy Cruiser,Gorizia from World War 2
Gorizia survived until she was taken over by the Germans after Italy left the war in 1943. In that year, her armour had the only opportunity to display its effectiveness, when the ship was hit by three bombs, launched by American bombers, but the main deck resisted them all and the ship continued to fire against the high-flying aircraft. Later she was able to reach La Spezia, but the damage to the mid-ship was heavy, with almost all the structures over the armor belt devastated and a 100 mm (3.9 in) turret thrown into the sea. Ironically, at beginning of 1941, a modest British attack, at night, over Naples hit sister ship Zara. There were only two 113 kg (250 lb) bombs, launched at low altitude, but they pierced the hull and almost sank the ship. Gorizia was sunk 26 June 1944 at her moorings in La Spezia, in yet another twist of fate by Italian manned torpedoes, after the Italians joined the Allies.