Italian submarine Squalo (1930)

Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico

Company type	Shipyard
Industry	Shipbuilding
Founded	10 October 1928
Headquarters	Monfalcone , Italy

Squalo was the lead vessel of a quartet of submarines belonging to the Squalo-class submarine series, constructed for the Italian Royal Navy (Template:Lang-it) in the late 1920s. This submarine participated in operations during World War II and was officially retired from service in 1948.

Design and description

The Squalo-class submarines were designed as near replicas of the earlier "Bandiera"-class submarine, sharing many characteristics. They had a displacement of approximately 920 metric tons (910 long tons) when on the surface and increased to around 1,125 metric tons (1,107 long tons) while submerged. The vessels measured about 69.8 meters (229 ft) in length, with a beam spanning 7.21 meters (23 ft 8 in), and a draft depth close to 5.19 meters (17 ft). Their operational maximum diving depth reached around 90 meters (300 ft). The crew complement consisted of 53 officers and enlisted sailors.

For propulsion on the surface, these submarines utilized two diesel engines, each delivering roughly 1,500-brake-horsepower (1,119 kW), each connected to its own propeller shaft. When submerged, propulsion was provided by two electric motors rated at approximately 650-brake-horsepower (485 kW) each, driving the propellers independently. The maximum achievable speed was about 15.1 knots (28.0 km/h; 17.4 mph) while surfaced and approximately 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. Their cruising range extended up to 5,650 nautical miles (10,460 km; 6,500 mi) at a steady speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when surfaced, whereas submerged endurance allowed for about 100 nautical miles (190 km; 120 mi) at a reduced speed of 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph).

Armament included eight internal torpedo tubes with a diameter of 53.3 centimetres (21.0 in), split evenly between bow and stern positions, carrying a total torpedo loadout of twelve units. For surface combat, the submarines were equipped with a single deck gun measuring 102, specifically the Cannon 102/35 Model 1914. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by two single-mounted machine guns, each with a caliber of approximately 13.2, modeled after the Breda Model 1931 design.

Construction and service history

The submarine Squalo, whose name translates to shark, was constructed beginning on 10 October 1928 at the Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico (CRDA) shipyard located in Monfalcone. She was officially launched on 15 January 1930 and reached completion by 10 October of the same year.

See also

Italian submarines of World War II

Bibliography

• Bagnasco, Erminio. Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1977. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
• Brescia, Maurizio. Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 2012. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
• Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press, 1980. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Fraccaroli, Aldo. Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan, 1968. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
• Rohwer, Jürgen. Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Third Revised Edition. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 2005. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.

External links

• Squalo (1930) – Official page on the Marina Militare website