Perla class submarine
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Perla class |
| Builders: |
|
| Operators: |
_crowned.svg.png){kind=small} Regia Marina |
| Preceded by: | Sirena class |
| Succeeded by: | Adua class |
| In commission: | 1936–1954 |
| Completed: | 10 |
| Lost: | 6 |
| Retired: | 4 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Type: | Submarine |
| Displacement: | 680 long tons (691 t) surfaced 844 long tons (858 t) submerged |
| Length: | 60.18 m (197 ft 5 in) |
| Beam: | 6.45 m (21 ft 2 in) |
| Draught: | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts 2 Diesel engines, 1,200 bhp (890 kW) 2 Electric motors, 800 hp (600 kW) |
| Speed: | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged |
| 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.
Iride and Onice were lent to the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War, renamed Gonzales Lopez and Aguilar 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 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[1] | Date of loss | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambra | OTO | 28 May 1936 | 9 September 1943 | Scuttled at La Spezia |
| Berillo | CRDA | 14 June 1936 | 2 October 1940 | Sunk by HMS Havock and Hasty near Egypt |
| Corallo | CRDA | 2 August 1936 | 13 December 1942 | Sunk by HMS Enchantress |
| Diaspro | CRDA | 5 July 1936 | 1 February 1948 | Struck |
| Gemma | CRDA | 21 May 1936 | 6 October 1940 | Sunk in error by Italian submarine Tricheco |
| Iride | OTO | 30 July 1936 | 22 August 1940 | Sunk in Tobruk by Swordfish aircraft from HMS Eagle |
| Malachite | OTO | 15 July 1936 | 9 February 1943 | Sunk by Dutch submarine Dolfin |
| Onice | OTO | 15 June 1936 | 23 March 1947 | Struck |
| Perla | CRDA | 3 May 1936 | 9 July 1942 | Captured by the British, transferred to Greek service as the Matrozos. Broken up, 1954 |
| Turchese | CRDA | 19 July 1936 | 1948 | Struck |
References
- Gardiner, Robert and Roger Chesneau. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1947. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1980. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
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