Ok thanks Martin.
Here goes, moderators please delete in the event of copyright problems. I will re-post the entire earlier message for ease of viewing to save on scrolling up and down. All copyright for images rests with original authors. Low resolution images posted for discussion purposes only, no copyright infringement intended. In fact I would highly recommend purchase of both books for any Littorio Class fans.
A question I've been meaning to ask about the Littorio Class, hopefully some Italian Navy expert may know?
Did the Battleship Roma ever carry the red and white aerial recognition stripes on her planked deck aft?
Vittorio Veneto and Littorio certainly did at various points, photos of damaged Vittorio Veneto after being torpedoed at Cape Matapan in March 1941 clearly show it.
The reason I ask about Roma is that if you look at page 249 of this book:
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Littorio-Class-Hardback/p/3107There is a photo listed as taken from Vittorio Veneto with Roma up ahead and appearing to have stripes on her planked deck aft, dated November 12th-13th 1942. It may be an optical illusion caused by shadows of equipment on the deck or the guide rail for the aircraft catapult though? The angle of the photo is too oblique to tell for certain. Photo here:
Attachment:
Roma 1942 taken from Vittorio Veneto.JPG [ 381.86 KiB | Viewed 4508 times ]
Also there is a photo on page 54 of this book:
http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/books-plans/warship-pictorial/wp-37/wp-review.htmlListed as being taken from the aft deck of Vittorio Veneto looking over towards Roma in late 1942. The caption is incorrect however as the ship visible in full is Vittorio Veneto and not Roma. This due to Vittorio Veneto's 1942 splinter camouflage scheme being clearly evident. Unfortunately I don't know the class well enough to tell them apart from views of their aft decks alone. Though obviously the photo is taken from either Littorio or Roma? But it is interesting as it proves that the planked deck aft on at least one of the class was painted in aerial recognition stripes as late as 1942. Photo here:
Attachment:
Vittorio Veneto 1942 taken from other Littorio Class.JPG [ 350.72 KiB | Viewed 4508 times ]
I would be curious to hear does anyone know for definite if Roma ever had the aerial recognition stripes painted on her planked deck aft and if so on what date or dates? Thanks.