Settembrini-class submarine

The Settembrini class was a pair of submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the late 1920s. They played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.

Class overview
Builders: Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto
Operators:  Regia Marina
Preceded by: Bragadin class
Succeeded by: Argo class
In commission: 1931–1948
Completed: 2
Lost: 1
Scrapped: 1
General characteristics
Type: Submarine
Displacement:
  • 953 t (938 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 1,153 t (1,135 long tons) (submerged)
Length: 69.11 m (226 ft 9 in)
Beam: 6.61 m (21 ft 8 in)
Draft: 4.45 m (14 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 3,000 bhp (2,200 kW) (diesels)
  • 1,400 hp (1,000 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) (surfaced)
  • 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) (submerged)
Range:
  • 6,200 nmi (11,500 km; 7,100 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) (surfaced)
  • 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) (submerged)
Test depth: 80 m (260 ft)
Crew: 56
Armament:

Design and description

The Settembrini class was an improved and enlarged version of the preceding Mameli-class submarines. They displaced 953 metric tons (938 long tons) surfaced and 1,153 metric tons (1,135 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 69.11 meters (226 ft 9 in) long, had a beam of 6.61 meters (21 ft 8 in) and a draft of 4.45 meters (14 ft 7 in).[1] They had an operational diving depth of 80 meters (260 ft).[2] Their crew numbered 56 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 700-horsepower (522 kW) electric motor. They could reach 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) on the surface and 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) underwater.[2] On the surface, the Settembrini class had a range of 6,200 nautical miles (11,500 km; 7,100 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph);[1] submerged, they had a range of 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 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 or four 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns.[1][2]

Boats
Ship Builder[1] Laid down[3] Launched[3] Completed[3] Fate[3]
Luigi Settembrini Cantiere Navale Triestino, Trieste 16 April 1928 28 September 1930 25 January 1931 Sunk by collision with USS Frament, 15 November 1944
Ruggiero Settimo 16 June 1928 29 March 1931 25 April 1932 Stricken from the Navy List, 23 March 1947

Service history

During the Spanish Civil War, Luigi Settembrini made one patrol in the Eastern Mediterranean in September 1937 during which she sank a Soviet cargo ship.[4]

Notes
  1. Chesneau, p. 308
  2. Bagnasco, p. 147
  3. Fraccaroli, p. 131
  4. Frank, p. 97
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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.
  • Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
  • 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.
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