History | |
---|---|
Italy | |
Name | Balilla |
Builder | Odero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano |
Laid down | 12 January 1925 |
Launched | 2 February 1927 |
Completed | 21 July 1928 |
Decommissioned | 28 April 1941 |
Fate | Scrapped, |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type | Balilla-class submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 86.5 m (283 ft 10 in) |
Beam | 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in) |
Draft | 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
Installed power | |
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range |
|
Test depth | 110 m (350 ft) |
Complement | 77 |
Armament |
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Balilla was the lead ship of her class of four submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the late 1920s.
The Balilla-class submarines were the first cruiser submarines built for the Regia Marina. They displaced 1,450 metric tons (1,427 long tons ) surfaced and 1,904 metric tons (1,874 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 86.5 meters (283 ft 10 in) long, had a beam of 7.8 meters (25 ft 7 in) and a draft of 4.7 meters (15 ft 5 in). [1] They had an operational diving depth of 110 meters (360 ft). [2] Their crew numbered 77 officers and enlisted men. [1]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 2,450- brake-horsepower (1,827 kW ) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 1,100-horsepower (820 kW) electric motor. The submarines were also fitted with an auxiliary diesel cruising engine that gave them a speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) on the surface. They could reach a maximum speed of 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the Balilla class had a range of 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 7 knots; submerged, they had a range of 110 nmi (200 km; 130 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph). [2]
The boats were armed with six internal 53.3-centimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern, for which they carried a dozen torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 120-millimeter (4.7 in) deck gun, forward of the conning tower, for combat on the surface. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns. [1]
Ballila was laid down on 12 January 1925 at the Odero-Terni-Orlando shipyard in Muggiano, La Spezia. She was launched on 20 February 1927 and completed on 21 July 1928. [3]
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.
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 Foca class were a group of three minelaying submarines built for the Regia Marina 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.
Domenico Millelire was one of four Balilla-class 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.
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 Bandiera-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.
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.
Serpente was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s.
The Mameli-class submarine was one of the first classes of the submarines to be built for the Regia Marina after the First World War. Some of these boats played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists. Of the four boats built in this class, all but one survived the Second World War.
Pier Capponi was one of four Mameli-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1920s.
Giovanni Da Procida was one of four Mameli-class submarines built for the Regia Marina during the 1920s. She 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.
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.