Regia Marina: 4 midget submersible 1938-43: CA-1 to CA-4 First on four articles on Regia Marina’s midget submarines in ww2: The CA class were a secret weapon developed from 1937 by Italy. This first class of midget submarine (Italian “sommergibili tascabili”, the latter traduced rather as “pocket sub”) in the second world war, had a … Read more
Regia Marina: 48 Planned 1942, built 1942-43Tipo I, II, III: 8 completed. The Flutto-class submarines were the last in the 600 Series, and Regia Marina’s most important numerically. They were built with modifications brought by wartime experience and simplified. Seaworthiness was good, with improved internal arrangements, greater hull strength, better AA and the fastest diving … Read more
Regia Marina: 13 built 1941-43: Acciaio, Alabastro, Argento, Asteria, Avorio, Bronzo, Cobalto, Giada, Granito, Nichelio, Platino, Porfido, Volframio The Acciaio-class submarine were the penultimate class in the 600 Series, first WW2 class, decided and ordered aft Junbe 1941 and the Regia Marina already at war. They were still semi-coastal submarines wth solid range, good armament, … Read more
Coastal Submersibles (1931-48): Marcantonio Bragadin, Filippo Corridoni The Bragadin-class were four submarines built for the Regia Marina in 1927-31 by Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto. The class comprised two boats, and they were essentially minelaying versions of the earlier Pisani class, sharing the latter’s stability issues and needed to be modified to correct those … Read more
Coastal Submersibles (1930-48): Delfino, Narvalo, Squalo, Tricheco The Squalo-class were four submarines built for the Regia Marina in 1928-30 by the Cantieri Riuniti dell’Adriatico (CRDA) shipyard at Monfalcone, designed by Curio Bernardis. They were essentially a development of the previous Bandiera class, at 900 tonnes surfaced, and capable of 15 knots. They paid a heavy … Read more
Oceanic Transport Submersibles & Blockade Runners (1942-43). 12 planned, 2 completed: Remo, Romolo (comp. July 1943). The Romolo (or R class) class were 12 planned blockade runner transport submarines, but only 2 were completed, Remo and Romolo (Remus and Romulus), both lost 1943. They were among the most radical designs produced by Italy and a … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles: 1939-41: Ammiraglio Cagni, Ammiraglio Caracciolo, Ammiraglio Millo, Ammiraglio Saint-Bon. The “admirals” was the ending point of almost two decades of Italian oceanic submarine designs, with sixteen planned but due to the war breaking out, only four were completed. At 2200 tonnes underwater and 88 m long they were also among the largest and … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles: 1939-40: Alessandro Malaspina, Leonardo da Vinci, Luigi Torelli, Major Baracca, Michele Bianchi, Guglielmo Marconi. The Marconi class were submersibles built in the years immediately preceding the Second World War built, at CRDA shipyard in Monfalcone. They were the first class of Italian submarines built with electric welding, although it was limited to the … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles (1933-37): Glauco, Otario The Glauco class were two medium oceanic submarines ordered by the Portuguese government originally, but were taken over and completed for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy). They were improved versions of the preceding Squalo class, displacing 1,071 metric tons (1,054 long tons) surfaced, 1,326 metric tons (1,305 long tons) … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles (1930-48): Fratelli Bandiera, Luciano Manara, Ciro Menotti, Santorre Santarosa The Bandiera-class submarines were four light oceanic submersibles built for the Regia Marina in 1928-1930 as improved, enlarged version of the Pisani class by Bernardis. Two were built at Cantiere Navale Triestino, Trieste and two at Odero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano. They played a minor role in … Read more
