Flutto-class submarine
| Company type | Military submarine class |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval shipbuilding |
| Predecessor | Italian 600 Series submarines |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Headquarters | Italy |
| Products | Submarines |
Type I
The initial batch comprised 12 submarines laid down in 1941: six constructed by Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico (CRDA), and three each by Oto Melara (OTO) and Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto (Tosi). Out of these, ten were completed and entered service, participating in wartime operations; two remained unfinished at the time of the Armistice with Italy in September 1943 and were subsequently abandoned. Among the ten operational vessels, three were sunk by Allied forces, while four were deliberately scuttled following the armistice. The Germans later salvaged and refurbished these four submarines; however, all were destroyed in Allied air raids during 1944. Three additional boats surrendered to the Allies survived through the end of the conflict. Notably, two submarines—Grongo and Murena—were equipped with containers designed to carry Maiale manned torpedoes for missions conducted by the Decima MAS special operations unit.
Type II
The second batch of 24 submarines followed the same blueprint but were slightly larger to address stability issues identified in the initial vessels. Construction began in 1942, with 15 units built by CRDA, six by OTO, and three by Tosi. However, Italy's downfall in September 1943 interrupted these projects, and none were finished by that time. Most hulls were seized by German forces, who resumed work on several, yet none became operational prior to Germany's surrender in 1945.
Type III
The third group was intended to replicate the Type II design and was scheduled to commence construction in 1943. Nevertheless, none had been started before Italy's capitulation in September of that year, leading to the cancellation of all planned vessels.
Ships
Type I
- Cernia: Built by Tosi; construction halted at armistice in September 1943; laid up in 1944
- Dentice: Built by Tosi; work stopped at armistice in September 1943; laid up in 1944
- Flutto: Launched by CRDA on 19 November 1942; sunk on 11 July 1943 by British MTBs
- Gorgo: Launched at CRDA on 31 January 1942; sunk on 21 May 1943 by US destroyer Nields
- Grongo: Launched by OTO on 6 May 1943; scuttled at armistice in September 1943; later raised by Germans as UIT 20; destroyed during an air raid in 1944
- Marea: Launched at CRDA on 10 December 1942; surrendered to Allied forces in September 1943
- Murena: Launched by OTO on 11 April 1943; scuttled during armistice; raised by Germans as UIT 16; destroyed in a 1944 air raid
- Nautilo: Launched at CRDA on 20 March 1943; scuttled at armistice; raised as UIT 19 by Germans; destroyed in air attack in 1944
- Sparide: Launched by OTO on 21 February 1943; scuttled at armistice; raised as UIT 15 by Germans; destroyed during air raid in 1944
- Spigola: Built by Tosi; construction halted at armistice in September 1943; dismantled in 1948
- Tritone: Launched at CRDA on 3 January 1942; sunk on 19 January 1943 by destroyer Antelope and corvette Port Arthur
- Vortice: Launched at CRDA on 23 February 1943; surrendered to Allies in September 1943
Type II
- Aluminio: Constructed by OTO; incomplete at armistice in September 1943; dismantled by German forces
- Antinomio: Built by OTO; unfinished at armistice; scrapped by Germans
- Bario: CRDA vessel unfinished at armistice; work resumed under German control and launched as UIT 7 on 23 January 1944; scuttled May 1945
- Cromo: CRDA hull incomplete at armistice and subsequently scrapped by Germans
- Ferro: CRDA unit left unfinished at armistice, continued as UIT 12 under German management, destroyed while incomplete in May 1945
- Fosforo: OTO-built, incomplete at armistice and broken up by Germans
- Litio: CRDA vessel unfinished at armistice, resumed under German control, launched as UIT 8 on 19 February 1944, scuttled May '45
- Manganese: OTO hull unfinished at armistice and dismantled by Germans
- Piombo: CRDA unit unfinished at armistice, continued as UIT13, destroyed incomplete May '45
- Potassio: CRDA hull left incomplete, continued as UIT10, destroyed while unfinished May '45
- Rame: CRDA vessel unfinished at armistice, continued as UIT11, destroyed incomplete May '45
- Silicio: Built by OTO; unfinished at armistice and scrapped by Germans
- Sodio: CRDA hull unfinished at armistice, resumed under German control, launched as UIT9 on 16 March '44, scuttled May '45
- Zinco: CRDA unit unfinished at armistice, continued as UIT14, destroyed incomplete May '45
- Zolfo: OTO-built and left incomplete at armistice; dismantled by Germans
- Amianto: Tosi project not begun before armistice; cancelled
- Magnesio: Tosi design not started prior to armistice; cancelled
- Cadmio: CRDA project not laid down before armistice; cancelled
- Tridio: CRDA design not commenced before armistice; cancelled
- Mercurio: CRDA project not started before armistice; cancelled
- Oro: CRDA design not laid down prior to armistice; cancelled
- Ottone: CRDA project not begun before armistice; cancelled
- Ruthenio: CRDA design not started before armistice; cancelled
- Vanadio: CRDA project not commenced prior to armistice; cancelled
Type III
- (All vessels were never laid down before the armistice and subsequently cancelled)
- Attinio
- Azoto
- Bromo
- Carbonio
- Elio
- Molibdeno
- Osmio
- Osigeno
- Plutonio
- Radio
- Selenio
- Tungsteno
See also
Notes
Bibliography
- Bagnasco, E:Submarines of World War Two (1977) ISBN 0 85368 331 X
- Gardiner, Robert and Roger Chesneau (eds.): Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 (1980), Conway Maritime Press, London, ISBN 0-85177-146-7
- Dodson, Aidan and Serena Cant: Spoils of War: The Fate of Enemy Fleets after Two World Wars (2020), Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, UK, ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1
External links
- Sommergibili – Official website of the Marina Militare
- Regia Marina – Information on the Italian Navy during World War II