![]() | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Brin-class submarines |
Builders | Tosi |
Operators | ![]() |
Preceded by | Archimede class |
Succeeded by | Liuzzi class |
Built | 1936–1939 |
In commission | 1938–1948 |
Completed | 5 |
Lost | 4 |
Scrapped | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Submarine |
Displacement |
|
Length | 72.47 m (237 ft 9 in) |
Beam | 6.68 m (21 ft 11 in) |
Draft | 4.54 m (14 ft 11 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion | |
Speed |
|
Range |
|
Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
Complement | 58 |
Armament |
|
The Brin-class submarine was a group of five long-range submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) during the 1930s.
The Brin-class submarines were improved versions of the preceding Archimede class. Two boats were replacements for submarines of that class that were secretly transferred to the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. They displaced 1,000 metric tons (980 long tons) surfaced and 1,254 metric tons (1,234 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 72.47 meters (237 ft 9 in) long, had a beam of 6.68 meters (21 ft 11 in) and a draft of 4.54 meters (14 ft 11 in). The class was partially double hulled. [1]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 1,500- brake-horsepower (1,119 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 550-horsepower (410 kW) electric motor. They could reach 17.3 knots (32.0 km/h; 19.9 mph) on the surface and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) underwater. On the surface, the Brin class had a range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph), submerged, they had a range of 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph). [2]
The boats were armed with eight internal 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, four each in the bow and stern. They carried a total of 14 torpedoes. They were also armed with one 100 mm (3.9 in) deck gun for combat on the surface. The gun was initially mounted in the rear of the conning tower, but this was re-sited on the forward deck later in the war in the surviving boats and the large conning tower was re-built to a smaller design. The light anti-aircraft armament consisted of one or two pairs of 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns. [1]
Ship | Namesake | Launched | Fate |
---|---|---|---|
Brin | Benedetto Brin | 3 April 1938 | Surrendered to the Allies in 1943; discarded in February 1948. |
Galvani | Luigi Galvani | 22 May 1938 | Sunk by British sloop HMS Falmouth near Persian Gulf on 26 June 1940. |
Guglielmotti | Alberto Guglielmotti | 11 September 1938 | Sank Greek tanker Atlas in the Red Sea on 6 September 1940. Torpedoed by HMS Unbeaten on 17 March 1942. |
Archimede | Archimedes | 5 March 1939 | Escaped from East Africa in 1941 to Bordeaux. Sunk by US Navy Catalina flying boats off Brazil on 15 April 1943. |
Torricelli | Evangelista Torricelli | 26 March 1939 | Sunk in the Red Sea on 23 June 1940 by British destroyers HMS Kandahar, HMS Khartoum, HMS Kingston, and sloop HMS Shoreham. The submarine was commanded by Salvatore Pelosi. |
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.
Argo was the lead ship of her class of two submarines ordered by the Portuguese government, but taken over and completed for the Regia Marina during the 1930s.
Velella was one of a pair of submarines ordered by the Portuguese government, but taken over and completed for the Regia Marina during the 1930s.
Anfitrite 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.
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.
Nereide 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.
Zaffiro 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.
The Settembrini class was a pair of submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. They played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.
Fratelli Bandiera was the lead ship of her class of four submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s.
Luciano Manara was one of four Bandiera-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. Completed in 1929,
Reggio Settimo was one of two Settembrini-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Serpente was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
Goffredo Mameli was the lead ship of her class of four submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1920s.
Tito Speri was one of four Mameli-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1920s.
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.
The Bragadin-class submarines were built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. Both boats participated in the Second World War and were discarded in 1948.