The Acciaio-class submarine[1][2] (also sometimes called Platino class[3]) 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.
 Italian Acciaio-class submarine (Porfido)
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Acciaio class |
| Builders | |
| Operators |  Regia Marina |
| Preceded by | Adua class |
| Succeeded by | end of 600 series |
| In commission | 1941–1966 |
| Completed | 13 |
| Lost | 8 |
| General characteristics [1][2] | |
| Type | Submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 60.18 m (197 ft 5 in) |
| Beam | 6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) |
| Draught | 4.78 m (15 ft 8 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | |
| Range | 3,180 nmi (5,890 km) at 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h) surfaced |
| Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement | 45 |
| Armament |
|
Design and description
editThe Acciaios were a development of the Adua and Perla designs, with some improvements, such as a lower conning tower to improve stability and reduce the silhouette.[2] Of the 13 vessels in the class, six were built by CRDA at Monfalcone, four by OTO at Muggiano, and three by Cantieri Tosi in Taranto, the three main Italian shipyards for submarines. They were single-hulled with side tanks, and built to a Bernardis design, though the Tosi vessels had more powerful engines (at the expense of the two stern torpedo tubes), giving a surface speed of 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph).
The word Acciaio means "steel", and all vessels in this class were named for metals and minerals.
Ships
edit| Ship | Builder[1] | Launched[1] | Fate[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acciaio | OTO | 20 July 1941 | torpedoed 13 July 1943 by HMS Unruly |
| Alabastro | CRDA | 18 December 41 | bombed 14 September 1942 by Allied aircraft |
| Argento | Tosi | 22 February 1942 | sunk 3 August 1943 by USS Buck |
| Asteria | CRDA | 25 June 1941 | sunk 17 February 1943 by HMS Easton, HMS Wheatland, |
| Avorio | CRDA | 6 September 1941 | sunk 8 February 1943 by HMCS Regina |
| Bronzo | Tosi | 28 September 1941 | captured 12 July 1943 by British destroyers |
| Cobalto | OTO | 20 July 1941 | rammed 12 August 1942 by HMS Ithuriel |
| Giada | CRDA | 10 July 1941 | surrendered at armistice September 1943 |
| Granito | CRDA | 7 August 1941 | torpedoed 9 November 1942 by HMS Saracen |
| Nichelio | OTO | 12 April 1942 | surrendered at armistice September 1943 |
| Platino | OTO | 1 June 1941 | surrendered at armistice September 1943 |
| Porfido | CRDA | 23 August 1941 | torpedoed 6 December 1942 by HMS Tigris |
| Volframio | Tosi | 9 November 1941 | scuttled at armistice September 1943; raised by Germans, sunk in Allied air raid 1944 |
Service
editOf the 13 vessels completed, eight were lost in action. The submarines served in the Mediterranean.
See also
editReferences
editNotes
editBibliography
edit- Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
- Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Dodson, Aidan & Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: The Fate of Enemy Fleets after Two World Wars. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
- Frampton, Viktor (2010). "Question 22/44: HMS X-2". Warship International. XLVII (3): 218. ISSN 0043-0374.
External links
edit- Acciaio class at regiamarina.net
- Sommergibili Marina Militare website
