06 occurred February 1915: Europe arrives in La Spezia

06/02/14

g in Spezia the auxiliary ship Europa that 20 in the arsenal will be subjected, on a project by the captain of the Naval Engineer Alessandro Guidoni, to transformation works into a seaplane and submarine support vessel. The urgency of having the unit available in a short time meant that the works were completed in a few months also because the construction characteristics of the vessel lent themselves easily enough to a rapid transformation.

The interventions carried out in the La Spezia Arsenal that lasted until June, focused on the bow and stern areas and consisted essentially of the installation of two trussed structure hangers and movable canvas walls: each hangar - about 40 long m - was able to accommodate four seaplanes placed in the sea and recovered through a system of sliding hoists along rails protruding over the edge of the bridge, a more effective solution than the maneuver with load peaks adopted on the Elbe.

The tarpaulins offered a certain degree of protection against the elements and the sea, while the maintenance of the aircraft was ensured by repair shops for engines and structures; Below the hangar were fuel depots and warehouses for spare parts.

Source: Military Navy