MS Augustus

MS Augustus was a combined ocean liner and cruise ship built in 1926 for the Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI). Augustus operated mostly on the Europe to South and North America routes, on the former being one of, if not the largest and fastest liner to sail on regular crossings.

At the time of its construction, the Augustus was the largest motor ship in the world, and remains to this day the largest quadruple-screw, diesel-powered ocean liner ever built. The ship was later transferred, together with her steam turbine-powered sister ship SS Roma to the new Italian Line after the merger of the Navigazione Generale Italiana with the Lloyd Sabaudo and the Cosulich Line.

During World War II the Augustus was converted into an aircraft carrier by the Regia Marina and first renamed Falco, and at a later time, Sparviero, while the Roma became the aircraft carrier Aquila. Neither of them ever entered combat service under these new roles. In 1944, both ships were taken over by the occupying German troops, but on 25 September of that same year Augustus was scuttled as a blockship at the entrance to the port of Genoa. After the war, she was raised in 1947 and ultimately scrapped in 1951.