Affondatore embodies the mid-century fascination with steam rams. The Italian officer overseeing construction initially intended the British-built vessel to be unarmed, but an engineer ensured that guns were fitted. Italy then brings the still-incomplete ship into service only a month before Lissa, while the broader fleet remains a confusing mixture of designs and capabilities. The ship shows how naval technology could look modern while fleet organization remained fragile.
Notable Point · 30:18-34:22
Affondatore and the mixed ironclad fleet
The Italian ram Affondatore shows both the appeal of ramming and the hazards of taking a heterogeneous, partly unfinished fleet into battle.