Italian 600 Series submarines

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Class overview
Name600 Series
OperatorsFlag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Regia Marina
Subclasses
  • Argonauta class
  • Sirena class
  • Perla class
  • Adua class
  • Acciaio class
Built1932–1941
In commission1933–1942
Completed59
Lost48
Retired11
General characteristics
Type Submarine
Displacement
  • 650–715 tonnes (640–704 long tons) surfaced
  • 810–870 tonnes (800–860 long tons) submerged
Length61.5–60.18 m (201.8–197.4 ft)
Beam5.65–6.44 m (18.5–21.1 ft)
Draught4.64–4.78 m (15.2–15.7 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 diesel 1,500–1,400 hp (1–1 MW)
  • 2 electric 800–800 hp (1–1 MW)
Speed
  • 14–14 knots (26–26 km/h; 16–16 mph)surfaced
  • 8–7.3 knots (14.8–13.5 km/h; 9.2–8.4 mph)submerged
Range
  • 2,300ml surfaced
  • 110-80 ml submerged
Complement44–48
Armament

The Italian 600 Series submarines were a series of submarine classes built for the Italian Royal Navy ( Regia Marina ) during the Inter war years.

Contents

Development

The 600 Series were sea-going submarines, though designated as coastal-type submarines, built for service in the Mediterranean. They were built to conform to the interwar naval treaties arising from the 1922 Washington and 1930 London conferences, which placed restrictions on the number and size of warships of various types that nations could build. [1] The coastal submarine was limited to a 600-ton surface displacement, though there was no limit placed on the numbers of these vessels that could be built.

During this period Italy was involved in a rivalry with France in the Mediterranean, leading to a naval arms race. This provided the impetus for a sustained building programme, and led to Italy having the second largest submarine fleet in the world by outbreak of World War II.

The Italian 600 series was equivalent to the French 600 Series, the British S class, and the German Type VII U-boat.

The first submarines of the Argentine Navy, the Santa Fe class, derived from these Italian ships.

General characteristics

The 600s had a surface displacement just above 600 tons; the earliest vessels displaced 650 tons while the last built were 715 tons. They had an endurance of 2,300 miles at 14 knots, with a submerged speed of 7-8 knots. Their armament was six torpedo tubes (4 forward, 2 aft) with an outfit of 10-12 torpedoes and a single 3.9 inch/100 mm (4 in) gun, and four 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns. They were manned by crews of 44 –48 men.

Construction history

The prototype for the 600s was the Argonauta class, a class of seven single –hulled submarines of a Bernardis design, built in 1929. A further four classes were orders over the next 13 years, eventually totalling 49 submarines completed.

Overall, despite their heavy losses, the 600s proved to be successful boats. They showed good manoeuvrability, their hull was well designed and strongly built to withstand depth pressure and explosions that exceeded their test values. While smaller than contemporary ocean-going submarines, such as the Settembrini class, the 600s were cheaper to build, so that more could be built for the same expenditure. The 600s were not markedly inferior in striking power; six torpedo tubes compared to the Settembrini's eight, though they carried the same number of torpedoes (twelve): Nor in speed; 14 knots on the surface, and 7.7 submerged, compare to the Settembrini's 17 and 8 knots respectively. The 600s' range was less (5000 nautical miles, compared to the Settembrini's 9000), but adequate for operations in the closer waters of the Mediterranean. The success of the 600 Series led to the development of the Flutto class, a wartime design suited for fast production.

War service

The 600 Series submarines served with the Regia Marina during World War II in a full range of front-line duties and missions. During the conflict between 1940 and 1943, 48 of the 59 built (80%) were lost.

Related Research Articles

The Italian submarine fleet of World War II was the largest in the world at the time, with 116 submarines. It saw action during the Second World War, serving mainly in the Mediterranean. During the conflict 88 submarines, some two-thirds of its total strength, were lost.

<i>Acciaio</i>-class submarine Italian submarine class

The Acciaio-class submarine was the fifth subclass of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built by the Regia Marina. They were completed during the early 1940s and saw service in World War II.

<i>Argonauta</i>-class submarine Spanish historical submarine

The Argonauta-class submarine was the first sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1930s. Some of these boats played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists. Of the seven boats built in this class, only a single one survived the Second World War.

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.

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.

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.

Luigi Settembrini was the lead ship of her class of two submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s. She played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.

Argonauta was the lead ship of her class of seven submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.

Fisalia was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.

Jalea was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s. She played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.

Jantina was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s. She played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists, and was later sunk during World War II.

Medusa was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.

Salpa was one of seven Argonauta-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.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Bagnasco p134

Bibliography

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