GRN Transilvania (BC-1938)
With the striking of the two ex-Austro-Hungarian semi-dreadnoughts of the Radetzky class from the fleet in 1932, the chance was taken by the Galician Navy to utilise the guns and armour from those ships to create 3 major warships and a host of smaller warships. The four twin 12" turrets and barbettes were to be used for the new Battlecruiser, the eight 9.4" turrets were to produce two large cruisers while the 3.9" were to provide secondary armament to the cruisers, light destroyers, and escorts. These were to be the first large ships built by the new shipyards at Constanta. Having the armour from the Radetzkys to work with meant that the new armour foundry only had to produce no larger than 5.1" armour thickness for the deck armour of the battlecruiser and the side armour of the heavy cruisers.
The design of the ship was drawn in conjunction with the Italian yards and featured a converted cruiser design with appropriate design differnces for the size of the capital ship. The bridge details of this ship was also used for the conversion of the Galicia. The triple 5.3" was kept as the dual purpose armament with six turrets being fitted. 37mm and 20mm guns were the light AA armament. A large catapult but no hangar was the aircraft handling arrangements. The Black Sea being small enough where the aircraft were serviced in harbour and only lifted onto the ship when it was due to leave harbour. Like all of the Italian designs these ships were big good looking vessels with a good turn of speed. The Galicians did not follow the Italian program of running trials without armament, but in standard and full load conditions.
| Displacement | 27,400 tons std, 35,400 tons full load |
| Length | 687 ft |
| Breadth | 90 ft |
| Draught | 27 ft |
| Machinery | 4 shaft steam turbines, 140,000shp |
| Speed | 31 knots |
| Range | 8000 miles at 15 knots (3000 at 28knots) |
| Armour | 9.1" side, 5.1" deck, 10"/8"/5.9" turrets |
| Armament | 8 x 12" (4x2) 12 x 5.3" (6x2) 12 x 37mm (6x2) 18 x 20mm (18x1) |
| Aircraft | 2 |
| Torpedoes | nil |
| Complement | 1750 |
| Notes | GRN Transilvania |
Armour scheme of the Transilvania and 3 of the turrets being refurbished ready for fitting to the new ship.