Italian R class submarine

Class overview
Name: Romolo
Builders: Tosi, CRDA
Operators:  Regia Marina
Built: 1942-1943
In service: 1943
Planned: 12
Completed: 2
Cancelled: 10
Lost: 2
General characteristics
Type: Submarine
Displacement: 2,155 tons (surface)
2,560 tons (submerged)
Tons burthen: 600 tons cargo
Length: 86.5 m
Beam: 7.86 m
Draught: 5.34 m
Propulsion: (surfaced/submerged) diesel / electric , 2 shafts
2,600 hp / 900 hp
Speed: 14 / 6.5 knots (surfaced/submerged)
Range: 12,000 nm at 9 knots
Complement: 63
Armament: 2 x 450mm torpedo tubes bow, 3 - 20mm AA guns

The R-class or Romolo-class were a group of submarines built for the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina Italiana) during World War II. These submarines were designed as blockade running transport submarines for transporting high-value cargo from Europe to Japan and from Japan to Europe. Axis-occupied Europe lacked strategic materials such as tungsten and tin and some commodities such as rubber. The cargo capacity was 600 tons. A limited armament was fitted for self defence.

Ships

Twelve boats were ordered, but only two were completed, by Tosi:

The remaining 10 hulls were scuttled incomplete and scrapped after the war.

See also

References