| 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.
| 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 |
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