Acciaio-class submarine

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:
  • 697 long tons (708 t) surfaced
  • 850 long tons (864 t) submerged
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:
  • 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced
  • 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged
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:

The Italian 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.

Design and description

The 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

ShipBuilder[1]Launched[1]Fate[1]
AcciaioOTO20.7.41torpedoed 13.7.43 by HMS Unruly
AlabastroCRDA18.12.41bombed 14.9.42 by Allied aircraft
ArgentoTosi22.2.42sunk 3.8.43 by USS Buck
AsteriaCRDA25.6.41sunk 17.2.43 by HMS Easton, HMS Wheatland,
AvorioCRDA6.9.41sunk 8.2.43 by HMCS Regina
BronzoTosi28.9.41captured 12.7.43 by British destroyers
CobaltoOTO20.7.41rammed 12.8.42 by HMS Ithuriel
GiadaCRDAc10.7.41surrendered at armistice Sept 1943
GranitoCRDA7.8.41torpedoed 9.11.42 by HMS Saracen
NichelioOTO12.4.42surrendered at armistice Sept 43
PlatinoOTO1.6.41surrendered at armistice Sept 43
PorfidoCRDA23.8.41torpedoed 6.12.42 by HMS Tigris
VolframioTosi9.11.41scuttled at armistice sept 43; raised by Germans, sunk in Allied air raid 1944

Service

Of the 13 vessels completed 8 were lost in action, serving in the Mediterranean theatre of operations.

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Conway p310
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bagnasco p163
  3. ↑ C Adamo at regiamarina.net

Bibliography

  • Bagnasco, E :Submarines of World War Two (1977) ISBN 0 85368 331 X
  • Conway : Conways All the Worlds Fighting Ships 1922-1946 (1980) ISBN 0 85177 146 7
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