 The modifications included removing their center main battery turret and boring out the rest of the guns to , strengthening their armor protection, installing new boilers and steam turbines, and lengthening their hulls.The reconstruction work lasted until 1940, by which time Italy was already engaged in World War II.The two ships were moored in Taranto on the night of 11/12 November 1940 when the British launched a carrier strike on the Italian fleet.