Aircraft Carrier Impero - almost the first guided missile warship?

[Joe C-P]

A new book published titled "Aircraft Carrier Impero" is about the planned rebuild of the Italian battleship Impero as an aircraft carrier, possibly including the ability to launch Fi-103s, aka V-1s, and also Caproni-designed radio-guided aircraft. Just when we think we've going past the edge, it turns out someone already had an even odder idea.

Imagine a ship armed with unguided and guided missiles and rockets in the Mediterranean. Of course, there is the issue of guiding by radio over the horizon, but even within visual range guided weapons give a great advantage to flinging explosive metal at a moving target.

[jcf]

... but even within visual range guided weapons give a great advantage to flinging explosive metal at a moving target.

Not in period with systems of the time, the results would be lousier than conventional gunfire.

Getting missiles launched from a moving platform to reliably hit a moving target took a lot
of work post-war.