| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Cagni-class |
| Builders: | CRDA |
| Operators: | Regia Marina |
| Preceded by: | Marconi-class submarine |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Lost: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Submarine |
| Displacement: | 1,653tons (surfaced) 2,136 (submerged) |
| Length: | 87.9 5m |
| Beam: | 7.76 m |
| Draught: | 5.72 m |
| Propulsion: | (surfaced/submerged) diesel / electric , 2 shafts 4370 hp / 1,800 hp |
| Speed: | 17 / 8.5 knots (surfaced/submerged) |
| Range: | 13,500 nm at 9 kts |
| Complement: | 85 |
| Armament: | 2 x 100mm guns 4 x 13.2mm anti-aircraft 14 x 450mm torpedo tubes (8 bow, 6 stern) 36 torpedoes |
The Cagni- or Ammiraglio Cagni-class was a class of submarines built for Italy's Regia Marina during World War II.
Contents |
These submarines were designed as commerce raiders for oceanic operations. They had high endurance and a large torpedo load for extended patrols. A smaller 450 mm torpedo was chosen, rather than the standard 533 mm, as the Italians believed this was adequate to deal with merchant ships. The boats were designed to have the range to sail non-stop from Italy to Kismayu, Italian Somaliland where a new submarine base was to be built. In order to operate in the Indian Ocean Monsoon the submarines were fitted with large conning towers and armed with two 100 mm guns.
The large conning towers were rebuilt to a smaller German style as a result of war experience. The Ammiraglio Cagni carried out a 4.5 month patrol in the South Atlantic during 1942-43. The other three boats were used as transport submarines to supply Italian forces in North Africa.
All four boats were built by CRDA Monfalcone, laid down in 1939 and completed in 1941
| Ship | Namesake | Launched | Service / Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ammiraglio Cagni | Umberto Cagni | 20 July 1940 | Surrendered to the japanese in Colombo in september 1943, renamed as I-507, broken up in 1948 |
| Ammiraglio Caracciolo | Francesco Caracciolo | 16 October 1940 | Scuttled after damage by HMS Ferndale, near Bardia, 11 December 1941 |
| Ammiraglio Millo | Enrico Millo | 31 August 1940 | Sunk by British submarine HMS Ultimatum, 14 March 1942 |
| Ammiraglio Saint-Bon | Simone Antonio Pacoret de Saint Bon | 6 June 1940 | Sunk by British submarine HMS Upholder, 5 January 1942 |
12 more boats were planned for the 1940 and 1941 ship building programmes but were cancelled as a result of the outbreak of World War II
Her first operational patrol were in the Mediterranean, doing 5 missions of transport and 16 of patrol. Her first mission in the atlantic was of 136 days, sinking to the british tanker Dagomba and the greek sloop Argo (november, 29th, 1942).
In her second mission, she sailed to the Indic Ocean for attack allied convoys. However, in that moment Italy surrendered and Cagni surrendered to the Japanese Navy in Colombo. Completly to the IJN service, she was renamed as I-507 and used as school ship, because to her low speed impeded serve for another function. Mussolini tried to recover to the Cagni in 1944, but the japanese refused this.
In 1945 july, she was attacked and sunk by 2 B-25 bombers in the shallow waters of the Gōtō Islands. The hull was raised by the U.S in november 1945 (2 months after of the japanese surrender) and scrapped in 1948.
In december 11, 1941, she unsuccessful attacked a british convoy and suffered damage by the depth charges and gunfire of the destroyer HMS Ferndale. Then, she was scuttled for avoid to be captured. 53 men were rescued -and done prisoners- by the british destroyer.
She done only 8 missions and this 8 missions was of transport. In march 14, 1942, after of return in a patrol in the waters of Malta, she was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine HMS Ultimatum, with the loss of 57 members of her crew.
She done only 10 missions (of transport). She was sunk by the submarine HMS Upholder in January 5, 1942; only 3 crewman survived.
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