The Balilla class were the first submarines to be built for the Italian navy following the end of World War I. They were large ocean-going cruiser submarines designed to operate in the Indian Ocean based in Italy's East African colonies. The design was double-hulled and based on the German Type UE II submarineU-boats, one of which, U-120 was supplied to the Italians as a war reparation. A 425 horsepower (317kW) auxiliary diesel engine was installed as an extra generator.
During the war, the boats were stationed in the Mediterranean in 1940 but proved too large to be effective patrol submarines. Their only success was the sinking of the British submarine HMSTriad by Enrico Toti on 15 October 1940. After 1941 they were used as transport submarines to supply Italian forces in North Africa. The surviving boats were scrapped after the war.
The design of the Ballila class consisted of a strong double-hull which gave the ships a maximum diving depth of 110m (350ft), though Domenico Millelire reached 122m (400ft) in trials. The boats displaced 1,427 tons surfaced and 1874 tons submerged. They were 86.5m (283ft 10in) long with a beam of 7.8m (25ft 7in) and a draught of 4.7m (15ft 5in). The boats were considered to have poor stability.[1]
The submarines were powered by two Fiatdiesels for surface cruising and two Savigliano electric motors for use while submerged driving two shafts. These created 4,900bhp (3,700kW) and 2,200hp (1,600kW) respectively. The second diesel engine was for auxiliary purposes and for recharging the batteries, novel at the time of the boats' construction. This gave the ships a speed of 16 knots (30km/h; 18mph) surfaced and 7 knots (13km/h; 8.1mph) submerged. However, the initial design called for the ability to reach speeds of 17.5 knots (32.4km/h; 20.1mph) surfaced and 8.9 knots (16.5km/h; 10.2mph) submerged; the subs never reached these marks. The Ballila-class boats had a range of 13,000nmi (24,000km; 15,000mi) at 10 knots (19km/h; 12mph).[1]
The Ballila class was armed with six 533mm (21in)torpedo tubes with four located in the bow and two in the stern. The submarines carried a load of 16 torpedoes, with two reloads for each bow tube and one reload for each stern tube.[1]
The class was also armed with one 1924 model120mm (5in)/27 calibredeck gun that was placed in a shielded mounting in the forward section of the conning tower. In 1934, the class underwent a refit that upgraded the model to a 120mm (5in)/45 calibre gun. The ships also received two 13.2mm (0.52in) machine guns placed two single mounts.[1][2]
Humaytá sub-class
Humaytá was ordered by the Brazilian navy as a deep-diving submarine. Modifications to the standard Ballila design include the placement of the diesel and electric motors further forward, the elimination of the bow planes and a different distribution of the ballast tanks throughout the submarine. The submarine was longer at 87m (285ft 5in) with a shallower draught, 4m (13ft). The vessel displaced 1,390 tons surfaced and 1,884 tons submerged.[3]
The submarine was powered by two Ansaldo diesels with one electric motor creating 4,900bhp (3,700kW) and 900hp (670kW) respectively. This gave the ship a speed of 18.5 knots (34.3km/h; 21.3mph) surfaced and 9.5 knots (17.6km/h; 10.9mph) submerged.[3]
Humaytá differed in armament too. The submarine was equipped with the six 533mm (21in) torpedo tubes with four located in the bow and two in the stern. However, the vessel had only a 4in (102mm) deck gun and carried 16 mines.[3]
Ships
All ships were built by OTO in Muggiano. Humaytá was a modified version of this design built for the Brazilian Navy in 1927. The ship was retired in 1950.
Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-962-6.
Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-59114-544-8.
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-459-4.
The Adua-class submarine was the fourth sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1930s. There were 17 submarines in this class, almost all named after places in Ethiopia which had been an Occupied by Italy since 1936, but only one, Alagi, survived World War II. Three submarines of this class were sold to Brazil before the war and replaced with submarines of the same names.
Enrico Toti was one of four Balilla-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. The boat played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists. She was the only Italian submarine to have sunk a Royal Navy submarine during the Second World War.
The Glauco class was a pair of submarines ordered by the Portuguese government, but were taken over and completed for the Regia Marina during the 1930s. They played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.
The Brin-class submarine was a group of five long-range submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy during the 1930s.
Comandante Faà di Bruno, also referred to by its shortened name Faà di Bruno, was a Marcello-class submarine built for the Royal Italian Navy in the 1930s. It was sunk in 1940 by British and Canadian destroyers escorting a convoy.
The Italian submarine Acciaio was the name ship of her class of submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy during World War II.
The Italian submarine Flutto was the name ship of her class of submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy during World War II. She obtained no successes during her short career, and was sunk by British ships during the Invasion of Sicily in 1943.
The Squalo-class submarines were a group of four submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy during the 1930s. They were built at the Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico (CRDA) shipyard at Monfalcone, and designed by Curio Bernardis.
Domenico Millelire was one of four Balilla-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s.
Balilla was the lead ship of her class of four submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s.
Antonio Sciesa was one of four Balilla-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. She played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.
Ametista was the lead ship of her class of a dozen submarines, the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Diamante was one of a dozen Sirena-class submarines, the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Naiade was one of a dozen Sirena-class submarines, the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Rubino was one of a dozen Sirena-class submarines, the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Sirena was one of a dozen Sirena-class submarines, the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Smeraldo was one of a dozen Sirena-class submarines, the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Narvalo was one of four Squalo-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. The boat served in World War II and was sunk in 1943 by British destroyers and aircraft.
Squalo was the lead ship of her class of four submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. The boat served in World War II and was decommissioned in 1948.
Tricheco was one of four Squalo-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. The boat served in World War II and was sunk in 1942 by the British submarine HMS Upholder.
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