SM U-42

History
German Empire
Name	U-42
Builder	Società FIAT-San Giorgio, Muggiano, La Spezia
Laid down	18 August 1913
Fate	Confiscated by Italian government 8 August 1915
Kingdom of Italy
Name	Balilla
Acquired	8 August 1915
Fate	Sunk by Austrian-Hungarian torpedo boats 65 T and 66 T off Lissa 14 July 1916
General characteristics
Class and type
Displacement	728 metric tons (717 long tons) surfaced 875 metric tons (861 long tons) submerged
Length	65 m (213 ft 3 in)
Beam	6.05 m (19 ft 10 in)
Draught	4.17 m (13 ft 8 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × FIAT 10-cylinder four stroke diesel motors with 2,600 PS (1,910 kW; 2,560 shp) 2 × Savigliano motordynamos with 900 PS (660 kW; 890 shp)
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) surfaced 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range	3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 10 kn surfaced 85 nautical miles (157 km; 98 mi) at 13 kn submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 34 men
Armament	4 × 45 cm (18 in) torpedo tubes 2 × 7.6 cm (3.0 in) deck guns
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy
Operations:	none
Victories:	No ships sunk or damaged

SM U-42 was a laid down on 18 August 1913 in Italy at Società FIAT-San Giorgio, Muggiano, La Spezia. Ordered by the Imperial German Navy the submarine was confiscated by the Italian government on 8 August 1915 after entering war with the Austria-Hungary. Commissioned as Balilla into the Regia Marina the submarine was sunk off Lissa by Austro-Hungarian torpedo boats 65 T and 66 T.

See also[]

• Balilla class submarine

External links[]

• Balilla (1913) Marina Militare website
• Classe Pacinotti Marina Militare website (in Italian)