Italian submarine Santorre Santarosa

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History
Kingdom of Italy
NameSantorre Santarosa
BuilderOdero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano
Laid down1928
Launched22 October 1929
Completed1929
FateScuttled, 20 January 1943
General characteristics
Class and type Bandiera-class submarine
Displacement
  • 940 t (925 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 1,097 t (1,080 long tons) (submerged)
Length69.8 m (229 ft 0 in)
Beam7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
Draft5.26 m (17 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 3,000 bhp (2,200 kW) (diesels)
  • 1,300 hp (970 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) (surfaced)
  • 8.2 knots (15.2 km/h; 9.4 mph) (submerged)
Range
  • 4,750 nmi (8,800 km; 5,470 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (surfaced)
  • 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) (submerged)
Test depth90 m (300 ft)
Armament

Santorre Santarosa was one of four Bandiera-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the late 1920s. Completed in 1929, she played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.

Design and description[]

The Bandiera class was an improved and enlarged version of the preceding Pisani-class submarines. They displaced 940 metric tons (925 long tons) surfaced and 1,097 metric tons (1,080 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 69.8 meters (229 ft 0 in) long, had a beam of 7.3 meters (23 ft 11 in) and a draft of 5.26 meters (17 ft 3 in).[1] They had an operational diving depth of 90 meters (300 ft).[2] Their crew numbered 53 officers and enlisted men.[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 1,500-brake-horsepower (1,119 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650-horsepower (485 kW) electric motor. They could reach 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) on the surface and 8.2 knots (15.2 km/h; 9.4 mph) underwater.[2] On the surface, the Bandiera class had a range of 4,750 nautical miles (8,800 km; 5,470 mi) at 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph); submerged, they had a range of 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).[2]

The boats were armed with eight 53.3-centimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes, four each in the bow and stern for which they carried a total of 12 torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 102-millimeter (4 in) deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns.[1][2]

Construction and career[]

Santorre Santarosa was laid down by Odero-Terni-Orlando at their Muggiano shipyard in 1928, launched on 22 October 1929 and completed later that year.[3] During the Spanish Civil War, Santorre Santarosa was attempting to attack the 7,932-gross register ton (GRT) tanker during nightfall on 11 August 1937 off , French Tunisia, when the Italian destroyer Saetta torpedoed and sank the tanker before the submarine could reach firing position.[4]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b c Chesneau, p. 307
  2. ^ a b c d Bagnasco, p. 143
  3. ^ Chesneau, pp. 307–308
  4. ^ Frank, p. 97

References[]

  • Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
  • Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Frank, Willard C., Jr. (1989). "Question 12/88". Warship International. XXVI (1): 95–97. ISSN 0043-0374.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.

External links[]

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