Squalo-class submarine explained

The Squalo-class submarines were a group of four submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) during the 1930s. They were built at the Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico (CRDA) shipyard at Monfalcone, and designed by Curio Bernardis.^[1]

Design and description

The Squalo-class submarines were essentially repeats of the preceding . They shared that design's problems with stability and seakeeping and required the same bulging of the hull to rectify the problems. They displaced 920t surfaced and 1125sp=usNaNsp=us submerged. The submarines were 69.80NaN0 long, had a beam of 7.21m (23.65feet) and a draft of 5.190NaN0. They had an operational diving depth of 90m (300feet). Their crew numbered 53 officers and enlisted men.^[2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 15000NaN0 diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650bhp electric motor. They could reach 15.1kn on the surface and underwater. On the surface, the Squalo class had a range of 5650nmi at, submerged, they had a range of 100nmi at .^[3]

The boats were armed with eight internal 53.3cm (21inches) torpedo tubes, four each in the bow and stern. They carried a total of a dozen torpedoes. They were also armed with one 102abbr=onNaNabbr=on deck gun for combat on the surface. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two 13.2mm machine guns.^[2]

Ships

• , sank after a collision off Taranto, 23 March 1943.
• , sunk by the British destroyers and, and RAF aircraft, in the Mediterranean Sea at, 14 January 1943.^[4]
• , withdrawn from service, 9 September 1943.
• , sunk by the British submarine off Brindisi in the Adriatic Sea at 40.75°N 73°W, 18 March 1942.^[4]

See also

Italian submarines of World War II

References

• Book: Bagnasco, Erminio . Submarines of World War Two . 1977 . Naval Institute Press . Annapolis, Maryland . 0-87021-962-6.
• Book: Brescia, Maurizio. Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. 2012. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 978-1-59114-544-8.
• Book: Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Chesneau. Roger. Conway Maritime Press. Greenwich, UK. 1980. 0-85177-146-7.
• Book: Fraccaroli . Aldo . Italian Warships of World War II . 1968 . Ian Allan . Shepperton, UK . 0-7110-0002-6. Aldo Fraccaroli.
• Frank . Willard C. Jr. . Question 12/88 . Warship International . 1989 . XXVI . 1 . 95–97 . 0043-0374.
• Book: Rohwer, Jürgen. Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 2005. Third Revised. 1-59114-119-2. Jürgen Rohwer.

External links

• Sommergibile "DELFINO" (2°)
• Classe Squalo Marina Militare website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Early Bernardis: Squalo class . regiamarina.net . 24 April 2014.
2. Chesneau, p. 308
3. Bagnasco, p. 144
4. Web site: Italian Submarine Casualties in World War Two . US Naval Historical Center . 15 January 2008 . 24 April 2014.