Italian submarine Medusa (1931)

Medusa

Company type	Submarine
Industry	Naval military vessel
Founded	10 December 1931
Headquarters	Monfalcone , Italy
Products	Argonauta-class submarines

Medusa belonged to a group of seven vessels constructed for the Template:Lang-IT (Royal Italian Navy) in the early 1930s.

Design and description

The Argonauta class submarines were developed based on the preceding design. Their displacement was approximately when surfaced and increased to around submerged. These submarines measured about in length, with a beam spanning , and a draft of roughly . Operational diving depth for these vessels was rated at , accommodating a crew complement of 44 officers and enlisted personnel.

For propulsion on the surface, the submarines utilized two diesel engines, each producing around , each connected to individual propeller shafts. Submerged movement relied on two electric motors, each delivering approximately , driving the propellers independently. Maximum speeds reached up to while surfaced and about when underwater. Surface cruising range extended to nearly at a steady speed of , whereas submerged endurance was limited to approximately at a speed of .

Armament included six torpedo tubes with a diameter of , arranged with four located at the bow and two at the stern, carrying a total of twelve torpedoes onboard. Additionally, a single deck gun of caliber , specifically the Model 1914 102/35 cannon, was mounted forward of the conning tower for surface engagements. Defensive anti-aircraft weaponry comprised two single-mounted machine guns of caliber, model Breda 1931.

Construction and service history

The submarine Medusa was constructed by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico at their Monfalcone shipyard during 1929–1930. It was officially launched on 10 December 1931 and entered service the following year. On 30 January 1942, Medusa was struck by a torpedo and sunk in the Adriatic Sea near Promontore, Istria, after an attack by the British submarine HMS Thorn.

References

• 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. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Frank, Willard C. Jr. (1989). "Question 12/88". Warship International. XXVI (1): 95–97. ISSN 0043-0374.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.

External links

• Sommergibili Marina Militare website