Perla class submarine

Class overview
Name: Perla-class
Builders: Odero Terni Orlando (OTO), Muggiano
Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico (CRDA), Monfalcone
Operators:  Regia Marina
In commission: 1936–1954
Completed: 10
Lost: 6
Retired: 4
General characteristics
Type: Submarine
Displacement: 680 long tons (691 t) surfaced
844 long tons (858 t) submerged
Length: 60.18 m (197 ft 5.3 in)
Beam: 6.45 m (21 ft 1.9 in)
Draught: 4.7 m (15 ft 5.0 in)
Propulsion: 2 shafts
2 Diesel engines, 1,400 hp (1,000 kW)
2 Electric motors, 800 bhp (600 kW)
Speed: 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced
7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) surfaced
74 nmi (137 km) at 4 kn (4.6 mph; 7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 250 ft (76 m)
Complement: 45
Armament: 1 × 100 mm (4 in) gun
4 × 13.2 mm anti-aircraft guns
6 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
12 torpedoes

The Perla-class submarines were a group of submarines built for the Italian Navy in the 1930s. They were the third sub-class of the 600 Series of submarines built by Italy and designed by Bernadis.

The Iride and Onice were lent to the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War as the Gonzales Lopez and Aquilar Tablada respectively. They retained their Italian crews with a Spanish liaison officer. They were returned to the Italian Navy at the end of the conflict.

In 1940–42 the Ambra and Iride were modified as carriers for "Maiale" manned torpedoes for use by the Decima Flottiglia MAS. The "Maiale" were carried in watertight containers on the deck of the submarines. In common with other Italian submarines the survivors were fitted with smaller conning towers in 1942–43.

Ships

Ship Builder Launched Fate
Ambra OTO 28 May 1936 Scuttled at La Spezia, 9 September 1943
Berillo CRDA 14 June 1936 Sunk by HMS Havock and Hasty near Egypt, 2 October 1940
Corallo CRDA 2 August 1936 Sunk by HMS Enchantress, 13 December 1942
Diaspro CRDA 5 July 1936 Struck, 1 February 1948
Gemma CRDA 21 May 1936 Sunk in error by Italian submarine Tricheo, 6 October 1940
Iride OTO 30 July 1936 Sunk in Tobruk by Swordfish aircraft from HMS Eagle, 22 August 1940
Malachite OTO 15 July 1936 Sunk by Dutch submarine Dolfin, 9 February 1943
Onice OTO 15 June 1936 Struck, 23 March 1947
Perla CRDA 3 May 1936 Captured by the British, transferred to Greek service as the Matrozos (Υ-7). Broken up, 1954
Turchese CRDA 19 July 1936 Struck, 1948

References