Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Books/Naval/Italy products

Nordio, Umberto: Onde di guerra 22,95 €

Wed, 13 May 2026 07:05:07 +0200

Umberto Nordio recounts his experiences as a sailor between 1939 and 1945 firsthand, thereby offering a unique insight into a little-known chapter of Italian naval history: operations in Dalmatia against the partisans, the deployment of the 8th Division in Navarino, Greece, and the torpedo boat campaign in Sicily during the Allied landings of 1943. Through episodes, portraits, and anecdotes, the volume vividlyyet without pathosconveys a complex picture of an era encompassing both life aboard ship and international events. Supplemented by explanatory notes, this volume is aimed at scholars and naval historians, as well as anyone wishing to rediscover true, surprising, and hitherto unknown occurrences.

Cernuschi, Enrico: The Italian Navy of World War II 56,95 €

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:10:07 +0200

Based on a lifetime of research and featuring hundreds of rare photographs, this book offers an insightful history of the Italian Navy in World War IIthe least known of the war's major navies. By 1940, the Italian Navy had risen to become the fourth largest in the world. Despite financial, strategic, and political challenges in the 1920s and 30s, and despite defeat in the battle for air supremacy, it possessed a powerful fleet, one of the largest submarine fleets in the world, and pursued an ambitious strategic role. Until now, however, few books have attempted a comprehensive study of the Italian Navy in World War II, and many of these works relied on limited or one-sided sources. In this book, Dr. Enrico Cernuschi, one of Italy's foremost naval historians, presents a comprehensive, richly illustrated, and myth-dispelling history of Italian naval power from Mussolini's rise to power to 1945. He draws on primary Italian, British, German, French, and American sources, as well as high-quality documents from his collection, including the recently rediscovered 1947 technical history of the war by the Italian Naval Staff. The book covers a wide range of topics, from strategic planning to steel production, and is filled with historical revelations, new insights, and little-known episodes of naval history. Featuring hundreds of rare and previously unpublished photographs, it is the essential guide to the Italian fleet in World War II and its operations in the Mediterranean and the Pacific.

Mattesini, Francesco: Il Concorso della Regia Marina alle Operazioni nel Mar Nero 1942-1944 69,95 €

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:45:08 +0200

During World War II, when the Black Sea became a major theater of naval and air operations with the German attack on the Soviet Union, linked to the land front on Soviet soil, particularly in Crimea, a small number of men from the 10th MAS Flotilla of the Italian Navy participated from late May 1942 to September 1943 in one of the least known but most important acts of this vast conflict. They did so with limited but risky equipmentmotorboats for anti-submarine warfare, torpedo boats, explosive boats, and midget submarines. Using an extraordinary collection of documents from the archives of the three Italian armed forcesArmy, Navy, and Air Forceas well as official German, Romanian, and Soviet documents, the book reconstructs the key moments of Italian naval operations in the Black Sea with narrative pace and great historical accuracy. This applies in particular to the torpedo attack and severe damage inflicted on the Soviet cruiser "Molotov" by the MAS-568, which some envious foreigners had attributed to a German torpedo bomber. After years of silence, this fact was immediately exploited in Russia, where, for obvious reasons of prestige, they could not bear to have lost the only naval battle in the Black Sea after the Battle of Costanza in June 1941 against the Romanian Navy. Also significant is the description of the sinking of two Soviet submarines and the torpedoing of two more by midget submarines, whichlike a destroyerfailed to explode. At the same time, the book describes the war effort that had already begun before Italy's intervention with the conflict between the Axis powersGermany, Romania, and Bulgariaand the Soviet Union. This text covers all war activities in the Black Sea up to the Soviet conquest of Romania in August 1944, which ended all naval activity in this inland sea. Furthermore - and this will be noticeable to the reader - the book covers not only the Italian activities but also the entire war effort in the Black Sea, both on the part of the Axis powers and the Soviet Union.

Sobski, Marek: Regia Marina on the Eastern Front 1942-43 26,95 €

Wed, 20 May 2026 07:05:11 +0200

A volume in the Europe @ War series, this is the first English-language study devoted exclusively to Italy's naval operations in the Black Sea and Lake Ladoga during the Second World War. Often overlooked in mainstream historiography, the Italian naval contingent played a significant, albeit small, role in the Axis powers' efforts to disrupt Soviet sea supply lines, particularly during the protracted siege of Sevastopol. This volume examines the political and strategic origins of Italian involvement in the East, from early German-Italian coordination to the complex logistics of transporting torpedo boats, midget submarines, and explosive motorboats through Axis-controlled Europe. Drawing on extensive primary sources, including postwar Italian naval publications, Soviet assessments, and recently declassified operational reports, the book offers a detailed reconstruction of the IV Flottiglia MAS's deployment, its missions in support of German operations, and its eventual retreat in the face of the Red Army's advance. Special attention is given to the technical specifications, modifications, and battlefield performance of the CB-class submarines, the MAS 500 series motor torpedo boats, and the unique manned explosive boats of the Decima MAS. The volume also illuminates Soviet-Italian cooperation at sea during the interwar periodan ironic but strategically important chapter in the history of both naviesas well as the loss of Italian oil tanker convoys in the Black Sea and the Turkish Straits. Despite the modest scale of the Italian effort, the commitment of personnel and material in this little-known theatre of war represents one of the most daring chapters in the war history of the Regia Marina. Their operations conducted with limited resources and far from home waters are a testament to the adaptability of the Italian navy and the complexity of Axis cooperation. With numerous rare photographs, technical diagrams, and specially commissioned maps and artwork, this publication fills an important gap in the historiography of naval warfare in World War II and broadens our understanding of the multinational character of the Axis war effort.

Mattesini, Francesco/Cristini, Luca S.: The Italian Navy in the Black Sea 1942-1943 35,95 €

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:05:10 +0200

In the midst of the Second World War, when the Black Sea became one of the most dangerous theatres of naval warfare, a handful of men from the Italian Royal Navy wrote one of the most daring and unknown chapters in military history. With narrative rhythm and historical accuracy, the book reconstructs the action of MAS 568, the attack motorboat that torpedoed the Soviet cruiser Molotov, a colossus of the Black Sea Fleet, in 1942. Based on eyewitness accounts, archival documents and tactical analyses, the story takes the reader on board these small Italian light boats, which were designed for speed and courage, operated far from home under extreme conditions and were often ignored by historians. A work that sheds light on an extraordinary episode, gives a voice to the protagonists and offers a new perspective on the role of the Italian Navy on a forgotten but crucial front.

Borghese, Junio V.: Decima flottiglia Mas 25,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

The history of the Italian special unit Decima flottiglia Mas from its origins to the armistice in September 1943. Various highly dangerous and spectacular special operations at sea are among the military exploits of this Italian unit.

Pellegrini, Ernesto: La Marina Italiana ed il problema aeronavale 1919-1945 32,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

This article examines the failure of the Italian Navy to resolve its problems with naval aviation, including naval aviation and aircraft carriers, before entering the war against Great Britain and France in June 1940. This problem is examined on the basis of available documentation and in relation to the technological and operational development of naval aviation, particularly aircraft carriers, in the twenty years between the two world wars. The resulting picture shows that the lack of naval aviation, aircraft carriers, and a proven system of procedures for naval aviation cooperation negatively affected the operational capabilities of the Italian Navy during World War II. The article is accompanied by an appendix containing information, characteristics, and profiles of the aircraft carriers, seaplane carriers, and aircraft catapults that were studied, designed, and built by the Italian Navy between 1920 and 1943.

Tarpani, Luca/Spina, Sergio: Il leudo 35,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

This monograph recounts a remarkable journey into a bygone and almost forgotten era: the era of the Leudi, the trucks of the sea. A time full of hardships, risks and dangers, both during the voyage and on returning to land, when the boats were pulled onto the beach a risky undertaking, especially in stormy seas. The distant world of shipyards, where experienced shipbuilders constructed the Leudi, the beautiful working boats of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Thanks to the passion and perseverance of those who are enthusiastic about the ancient art of sailing, we are fortunate to still be able to see some Leudos sailing today with their large lateen sails on their long masts, albeit no longer as modest working boats, but for tourism. The work is divided into six chapters, which cover all aspects related to the construction of this boat used in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It also includes a historical section and a detailed model-building section with the presentation of five different Leudi models in different scales, made by real wood craftsmen.

Mattesini, Francesco: L'agguato di Matapan 34,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:16 +0200

This publication contains numerous updates and is intended to commemorate the 2,308 sailors of all ranks of the Regia Marina who lost their lives in this battle. It was fought in two phases, with a long-range artillery duel on 28 March 1941 south of the island of Gaudo (Crete) and then during the night at the western end of the Peloponnese (Greece) with a close-range attack by the British Mediterranean Fleet. Thanks to reports from its Ultra code-breaking organisation, which reported the exact day on which the Italian fleet would set sail for an operation in the eastern Mediterranean, the British fleet came into contact with the Italian ships. However, the decisive factor was the effectiveness of the attacks by the Albacore torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier Formidable. They first hit the battleship Vittorio Veneto, slowing it down, and then, in a night attack, put the cruiser Pola out of action, allowing the enemy to attack the cruisers of the 1st Marine Group, which had rushed to its aid and had not expected such a surprise at that hour. The cruisers Zara and Fiume and the destroyers Alfieri and Gioberti were sunk before the Pola was dealt the coup de grâce. This incident is of particular significance for Italian naval strategy, as the Supermarina, the operational arm of the Regia Marina General Staff, received permission from Benito Mussolini to no longer allow its ships to operate outside the protection of escort destroyers and thus within a radius of 100 miles from their land bases, which was later reduced to 85 miles. This cautious behaviour allowed the British fleet to operate throughout the Mediterranean, and when Italian ships were confronted with an enemy that appeared to be inferior in terms of naval forces and artillery potential, the results were unfortunately almost always inadequate.

Mattesini, Francesco: La battaglia aeronavale di mezzo agosto 54,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:16 +0200

By early summer 1942, conditions on the British island of Malta, besieged by the Italian Navy and attacked by German and Italian air forces stationed in Sicily, had reached a truly worrying level of resistance. And Malta, despite its highly efficient air force, including approximately 150 Spitfire V and Beaufighter fighters defending it, was on the brink of surrender, as food supplies for a population of 220,000 men and a garrison of 32,000 would last until early September, while even the fuel to power the planes was running low. Under these conditions, the British Admiralty was forced to organize a resupply operation, called Pedestal, by sending a large convoy of 13 steamers and an oil tanker from Clyde (Scotland) on 3 August. The convoy was escorted by 60 ships, including 2 battleships, 4 aircraft carriers, 7 cruisers and 32 destroyers, which were drawn from the most varied fronts where the Royal Navy was engaged against the Axis powers, including the Arctic and the Indian Ocean. The book on the Naval Air Battle of Mid-August deals with the tormented navigation of this convoy, which, heavily attacked by Italian-German naval air forces, lost 1 aircraft carrier, 2 cruisers, 1 destroyer and 10 of its 14 merchant ships, including the oil tanker Ohio which, badly damaged during the voyage, sank on 15 August, immediately after arriving in Malta, and having unloaded its very important cargo of 11,000 tons of aviation gasoline. Despite the losses suffered, in addition to the damage to other ships, including one aircraft carrier and two cruisers, and the 32,000 tons of supplies that arrived in Malta with the five surviving ships of the convoy, the fortress island, the linchpin of British strategy in the Mediterranean, was able to overcome the difficult moment and continue to effectively attack the naval convoys transferring from Italy to Libya, at a time when the great Battle of El Alamein was being fought on the Egyptian land front. For this reason, and also due to the failure to intervene by Italian surface naval forces who, against the wishes of Benito Mussolini, which were not shared by the Supreme Command of the Italian Armed Forces and the operational body of the General Staff of the Royal Navy (Supermarina), were ordered to reverse course when they were heading for Pantelleria, the Battle of Mid-August, which should be considered a tactical victory for the submarines, the light naval forces, and the Italian-German air force, ultimately represented a strategic victory for the British.

Mattesini, Francesco: La battaglia aeronavale di Mezzo Giugno 49,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:16 +0200

During the Second World War, Malta's importance was one of the decisive factors in the Allies' success, as it served as an important air and naval base from which the British were able to attack the Axis convoys in Libya from their enviable strategic position, sometimes with extraordinary results, such as the destruction of the large convoy Beta (Duisburg) in the Ionian Sea on the night of 9 November 1941. It was a priority for London to meet Malta's supply needs by organising heavily escorted convoys that departed from Alexandria and Gibraltar, but also from Clyde in south-west Scotland. This transfer of ships from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean took place at a time when urgent needs forced the convoys in the United Kingdom to be organised with increased escort by units of the Home Fleet, whose main base was Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. Therefore, supplying Malta with fuel, ammunition, weapons, artillery and food between 1940 and 1942 was not only a major logistical problem, but also an enormous operational effort, as naval units often had to be assembled from all areas of operation, from the Arctic to the Indian Ocean, to supply the ships escorted by the Home Fleet.

Mattesini, Francesco: Punta Stilo 34,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:16 +0200

The Battle of Punta Stilo on July 9, 1940, between the Italian and British Mediterranean Fleets, represented not only the first naval engagement between the two navies, which had never faced each other before, but also the first naval air battle in history. Never before had two fleets, including battleships, come to blows with such a massive air force intervention as that which occurred at Punta Stilo. It all began with the Italians' need to escort a large supply convoy to Libya, and the British need to take over the escort of two convoys departing from Malta and bound for Alexandria, Egypt. The Italian fleet, having escorted the convoy north of Benghazi, upon returning to base was ordered to concentrate off the eastern coast of Calabria, because Rome believed, based on decrypted enemy intercepts, including from German sources, that the enemy would attack naval bases in Sicily with torpedo bombers. The plan was to lure the British fleet into a trap with massive air strikes from Sicily and Apulia, and a barrage of submarines. The goal, according to the "Fleet in being" tactic, was to try to weaken the enemy battleships, and then, if necessary, attack the rest of the opposing fleet under favorable conditions. But the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, Admiral Andrew Browne Cunningham, passing unnoticed in a part of the Ionian Sea where Italian air reconnaissance was absent, fully focused on searching for the enemy towards Sicily, unexpectedly arrived behind the Italian ships, winning, in a brief firefight, an undeniable victory. In fact, by hitting the battleship Giulio Cesare, and then also the cruiser Bolzano and the destroyer Alfieri, without having received any hits on his own ships, Cunningham forced the commander of the Italian fleet, Admiral Inigo Campioni, to withdraw from a battle that was no longer convenient for him and to retreat towards the Strait of Messina.

Mattesini, Francesco: Il giallo di Capo Bon 29,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:16 +0200

The Battle of Capo Bon took place in the early hours of 13 December 1941 off the coast of Capo Bon, a peninsula at the northern tip of Tunisia. The battle took place between a formation of two Italian light cruisers, the Da Barbiano and the Di Giussano, accompanied by the torpedo boat Cigno, which had left Palermo under the command of Admiral Antonino Toscano, and a British flotilla of four destroyers, Sikh, Maori, Legion and Isaac Sweers, which had left Gibraltar. The latter was on its way to the British Mediterranean Fleet in Alexandria to take part in the search and attack of an important Italian convoy heading for Tripoli, whose movements had been discovered by the British encryption organisation ULTRA. Due to the importance of this mission, the order was not to engage with any enemy units that might be encountered en route.

Cernuschi, Enrico/Hector, Gareth (Illustr.)/Groult, Edourd A. (Illustr.): Italian MAS & MS Boats 1915–49 14,95 €

Wed, 27 May 2026 07:00:07 +0200

The narrow waters around Italy made fast torpedo boats particularly suitable for the Regia Marina. The first were derived from the glamorous motorboats of the pre-war Venice hotels; although too slow, they achieved remarkable successes against Austria-Hungary, sinking two battleships among other targets and performing valuable and little-known anti-submarine work. Researched from unpublished primary sources, this book is the first authoritative work in English to cover the MAS boats, their larger MS-class successors, and their operations in the Adriatic, the Mediterranean, and beyond. Renowned Italian naval historian Enrico Cernuschi examines their technological development, their missions, and their service in two world wars. Illustrated with unpublished photos and outstanding original artwork, the book traces their history from their famous missions in the First World War, through the difficult search for a truly velocissimo (very fast) MAS boat, to their varied duties in the Second World War, from convoy battles off Malta to the naval battle in the Black Sea. It also sheds light on little-known episodes, such as their dangerous secret missions after 1943, the landing of secret agents and commandos, and their secret battles against Yugoslav communist invaders between 1945 and 1948.

Cristini, Greta: Oltre gli Orizzonti 49,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

The story of a five-month mission in the Indo-Pacific, told in words and pictures. An adventure in distant seas, yet so close to Italy's interests. The Italian carrier strike group, consisting of the aircraft carrier Cavour, the anti-submarine frigate Alpino, and the multi-purpose combat unit Montecuccoli, as well as its fifth-generation combat aircraft, has proven to be Italy's most versatile and flexible instrument for demonstrating power and influence on a global scale, in full harmony with allies and partners. This is the story of a remarkable achievement, made possible thanks to the professionalism and dedication of the Italian carrier strike group; an operation involving almost a thousand men and women who worked at sea for more than a hundred days, covering over 30,000 nautical miles on each of the three ships, while the aircraft on board flew more than a thousand hours of missions.

Cernuschi, Enrico/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Italian Adriatic Fleet 1915–18 18,95 €

Thu, 28 May 2026 06:55:06 +0200

The Adriatic Sea, the narrowest sea front of the First World War, was the scene of almost daily battles and thus perhaps the most active theatre of naval warfare, yet it is little known in the English-speaking world. Although the two war fleets never encountered each other, the Adriatic was fiercely contested by cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats and submarines from Italy and Austria-Hungary. It was a war of lightning attacks, port raids, blockades and evasive manoeuvres, convoy warfare, coastal bombardment and amphibious operations. Drawing on decades of research, naval historian Enrico Cernuschi presents the first complete history of the Italian naval war in the Adriatic and the fleets and flotillas involved. This theatre of war saw the successful deployment of new technologies and tactics, including the first battleship sunk by a torpedo and the extensive use of aircraft and flying boats. With rare and unpublished photos, outstanding original illustrations, 3D maps and diagrams, this book offers an insight into the warships, command structures and secret services of the Regia Marina, as well as its relations with other Allied navies, and a comprehensive account of the naval battles in the Adriatic, most of which have never before been described in English.

Brescia, Maurizio: Mussolini's Navy 31,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

This book is a comprehensive guide to the Regia Marina, the navy that fought for Italy during the Second World War. Starting with the historical background, it describes the development of the navy, its organisation, the institutions that supported it, and the operations it carried out before and after the armistice in 1943. It also contains detailed information on all ships, including complete technical data, plans and photos. In addition, there are chapters on special topics such as camouflage, uniforms, awards and insignia, as well as a Who's Who of important figures in the navy. The reference value of the book is further enhanced by a comprehensive bibliography and a source guide. The illustrations are a remarkable feature of the book, as the author's collection of naval photographs is among the best in Italy. He is also an excellent draughtsman, and his ship plans and colour illustrations are both detailed and accurate, which will be of particular interest to model makers. Of all the major naval forces of this era, the Italian is probably the least well represented in English publications, so this comprehensive handbook will be particularly welcomed by the maritime history community.

Cristini, Luca Stefano (Hrsg.): The Weapons Encyclopedia. Tank, Aircraft, AFV, Ship, Artillery, Vehicles, Secret Weapon. Volume 40: Battleship Roma and other Battleships of the Littorio class 27,95 €

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:05:14 +0200

In the unstable geopolitical climate before the Second World War, Italy commissioned the battleship Roma, the third ship in the prestigious Littorio class after the Vittorio Veneto, the Littorio and the never completed Impero. The last jewel of the Italian fleet, commissioned in June 1942, never had the opportunity to prove itself in battle. Instead, its fate was tragically sealed during Italy's surrender when two revolutionary German glide bombs sent it to the bottom of the Mediterranean on its way to Malta, where it was to join the Allies.

Mattesini, Francesco: Le deludenti missioni della flotta italiana 31,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:25:24 +0200

The Battle of Cape Spada (19 July 1940) was a clash between an Italian convoy and British naval forces in the Aegean Sea. The light cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni of the Regia Marina was sunk by fire from the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney and British destroyers. It was one of the first naval battles of the war, signalling a clear victory for the Allies and demonstrating Italy's vulnerability in the eastern Mediterranean. The Battle of Cape Teulada, also known as the Battle of Cape Spartivento, took place on 27 November 1940, when British and Italian forces clashed to intercept an Italian convoy en route to Libya. The battle was inconclusive, with damage on both sides but no sinking. However, it showed how prudent (or indecisive) the Italian command was in deploying its large ships. On 27 and 29 March 1941, it was Matapan's turn, a disaster for the Regia Marina: an Italian convoy led by the Vittorio Veneto was intercepted and heavily hit by the Royal Navy, which benefited from the interception of Italian communications and the use of radar. Three Italian heavy cruisers (Zara, Fiume, Pola) and two destroyers were sunk. The battle marked the end of the offensive deployment of larger units by the Italian navy. In the Battle of Capo Passero (11-12 October 1940), the Italian torpedo boats Airone, Ariel and Artigliere attacked the British cruiser HMS Ajax and suffered heavy losses: Airone and Ariel were sunk, Artigliere was damaged and sunk the next day. While the battle was valiant, it also highlighted the technological difference, particularly in the use of radar. These battles highlighted the structural difficulties of the Regia Marina: lack of radar, logistical deficiencies and strategic indecision.

Cristini, Luca Stefano (Hrsg.): The Weapons Encyclopedia. Tank, Aircraft, AFV, Ship, Artillery, Vehicles, Secret Weapon. Volume 37: Japanese light tank Type 95 Ha-Go & derived 27,95 €

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:05:14 +0200

During the Second World War, Italy developed numerous special weapons projects, both in the army and in the air force. However, the most daring and fascinating innovations were in the navy. These include the famous attack boats: the pigs (slow-moving torpedoes), the M.A.S. (torpedo-armed speedboats) and the explosive boats, protagonists of glorious operations that culminated in legendary episodes such as the sinking of British ships in the port of Alexandria. In addition to these feats of weaponry, the development of mini-submarines, a field in which Italy was one of the absolute pioneers, is also worth mentioning. In secret bases, extremely daring projects were designed, including the plan, never realised due to the armistice, to attack the port of New York with a mini-submarine aboard a deep-sea submarine, a strategy that demonstrates the ingenuity and courage of Italian designers of the time.