Foca-class submarine

*Foca*-class submarine
	Foca in 1937
Class overview
Name	Foca class
Builders	Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto
Operators	Regia Marina
Preceded by	Pietro Micca
Succeeded by	None
Built	1936–1938
In service	1936–1947
Completed	3
Lost	1
Scrapped	2
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Minelaying submarine
Displacement	1,326 t (1,305 long tons) (surfaced); 1,651 t (1,625 long tons) (submerged);
Length	82.85 m (271 ft 10 in)
Beam	7.17 m (23 ft 6 in)
Draft	5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Installed power	2,880 bhp (2,150 kW) (diesels); 1,250 hp (930 kW) (electric motors);
Propulsion	2 shafts; diesel-electric ; 2 × diesel engines ; 2 × electric motors ;
Speed	15.2 knots (28.2 km/h; 17.5 mph) (surfaced); 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) (submerged);
Range	7,800 nmi (14,400 km; 9,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (surfaced); 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (submerged);
Test depth	90 m (300 ft)
Complement	60
Armament	6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern); 1 × single 100 mm (3.9 in) deck gun ; 2 × twin 13.2 mm (0.52 in) anti-aircraft guns ; 36 mines ;

Last updated October 09, 2024

The Foca class were a group of three minelaying submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the 1930s. All three sister ships played minor roles during the Second World War. One was lost to unknown causes while trying to lay a minefield off British Palestine in 1940, but the other two survived the war to be discarded in 1947.

Design and description

The Foca-class submarines were improved versions of the preceding Pietro Micca. They displaced 1,326 metric tons (1,305 long tons ) surfaced and 1,625 long tons (1,651 t) submerged. The submarines were 82.85 meters (271 ft 10 in) long, had a beam of 7.17 meters (23 ft 6 in) and a draft of 5.2 meters (17 ft 1 in).^[1] They had an operational diving depth of 90 meters (300 ft).^[2] Their crew numbered 60 officers and men.^[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 1,440- brake-horsepower (1,074 kW ) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 625-horsepower (466 kW) electric motor. They could reach 15.2 knots (28.2 km/h; 17.5 mph) on the surface and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) underwater. On the surface, the Foca class had a range of 7,800 nautical miles (14,400 km; 9,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph), submerged, they had a range of 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).^[2]

The boats were armed with six internal 53.3-centimeter (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern, for which they carried eight torpedoes. They were also armed with one 100-millimeter (4 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. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two pairs of 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns.^[1] The Focas carried a total of 36 mines. Twenty mines were stored in a central chamber, while the remaining 16 mines were kept in two aft chutes through which the mines were ejected.^[2]

Boats

Construction data
Ship	Builder^[3]	Laid down ^[3]	Launched ^[3]	Completed^[3]	Fate^[3]^[4]
Foca	Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto	15 January 1936	26 June 1937	6 November 1937	Lost 13 October 1940 off Haifa, British Palestine
Atropo		10 July 1937	20 November 1938	14 February 1939	Discarded, 23 March 1947
Zoea		3 February 1936	5 December 1937	12 February 1938	Discarded, 23 March 1947

Service

The lead boat, Foca, was lost to unknown causes on 13 October 1940 while laying mines off Haifa.^[4]Atropo and Zoea, the second and third vessels of the class, were used after Italy's 1943 surrender by the Allies for anti-submarine training.^[5] Both were scrapped in 1947.^[1]

Notes

1 2 3 4 Chesneau, p. 305
1 2 3 Bagnasco, p. 156
1 2 3 4 5 Fraccaroli, p. 113
1 2 Rohwer, p. 45
↑ Bagnasco, p. 157

Related Research Articles

Vettor Pisani was the lead ship of her class of four submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. She was named after Vettor Pisani, a Venetian admiral. The submarine played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.

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.

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.

Foca was the lead ship of her class of three submarine minelayers built for the Regia Marina during the late 1930s.

Atropo was one of three Foca-class submarine minelayers built for the Regia Marina during the late 1930s.

Zoea was one of three Foca-class submarine minelayers built for the Regia Marina during the late 1930s.

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.

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.

The Pisani-class submarines were 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.

Des Geneys was one of four Pisani-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. Due to her age, her usefulness was limited, and she saw no real service during World War II. The submarine was decommissioned in 1942 and converted into a battery-charging hulk.

Marcantonio Colonna was one of four Pisani-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. Due to her age, her usefulness was limited, and she saw no real service during the war. The submarine was decommissioned in 1942 and scrapped the following year.

Giovanni Bausan was one of four Pisani-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. Due to her age, her usefulness was limited, and she saw no real service during the war. The submarine was decommissioned in 1942 and converted into an oil barge.

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.

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.

Marcantonio Bragadin was the lead ship of her class of two submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. The boats participated in the Second World War and was discarded in 1948.

Filippo Corridoni was one of two Bragadin-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the late 1920s. The boat participated in the Second World War and was discarded in 1948.

References

Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.

External links

Sommergibili Marina Militare website

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[c5-1] 1 2 3 4 Chesneau, p. 305

[b4-2] 1 2 3 Bagnasco, p. 156

[f3-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Fraccaroli, p. 113

[rohwer45-4] 1 2 Rohwer, p. 45

[5] Bagnasco, p. 157

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Foca-class submarines
Atropo Foca Zoea
Preceded by: Pietro Micca Followed by: None
List of submarines of Italy