Class overview
Operators Regis Marina
Preceded byArgonauta class
Succeeded byPerla class
Built1931–1934
In commission1933–1948
Completed12
Lost11
Scrapped1
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • 691 t (680 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 850 t (837 long tons) (submerged)
Length60.18 m (197 ft 5 in)
Beam6.45 m (21 ft 2 in)
Draft4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 1,350 bhp (1,010 kW) (diesels)
  • 800 hp (600 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion
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 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (surfaced)
  • 72 nmi (133 km; 83 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) (submerged)
Armament

The Sirena-class submarines were the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the early 1930s. Of the dozen boats built of this class, only one survived World War II.

Design and description

The Sirena class was an improved and enlarged version of the preceding Argonauta-class submarines. They displaced 691 metric tons (680 long tons) surfaced and 850 metric tons (837 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 61.5 meters (201 ft 9 in) long, had a beam of 5.7 meters (18 ft 8 in) and a draft of 4.7 meters (15 ft 5 in). Their crew numbered 45 officers and enlisted men.[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 675-brake-horsepower (503 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 400-horsepower (298 kW) electric motor. They could reach 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) underwater.[2] On the surface, the Sirena class had a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph);[1] submerged, they had a range of 72 nmi (133 km; 83 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).[2]

The boats were armed with six 53.3-centimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern for which they carried a total of 12 torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 100 mm (3.9 in) deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface. The anti-aircraft armament consisted of two or four 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns.[1]

Ships

SOURCES [1][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Construction data
Ship Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Fate
Ametista Odero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano16 September 193126 April 19331 April 1934Scuttled 12 September 1943
Anfitrite Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone11 July 19315 August 193322 March 1934Sunk 6 March 1941
Diamante Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto11 May 193121 May 193318 November 1933Sunk 20 June 1940
Galatea Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone18 July 19315 October 193325 June 1934Struck 1 February 1948
Naiade 9 May 193127 March 193314 November 1933Sunk 14 December 1940
Nereide 30 May 193125 May 193318 February 1934Sunk 13 July 1943
Ondina 25 July 19312 December 193319 September 1934Sunk 11 July 1942
Rubino Cantieri navali del Quarnaro, Fiume26 September 193129 March 193321 March 1934Sunk 29 June 1940
Sirena Cantieri Reuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone1 May 193126 January 19332 October 1933Scuttled 9 September 1943
Smeraldo Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto25 May 193123 July 193329 November 1933Lost ca. 25 September 1941
Topazio Cantieri navali del Quarnaro, Fiume26 September 193115 May 193326 April 1934Sunk 12 September 1943
Zaffiro Odero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano16 September 193128 June 19334 June 1934Sunk 9 June 1942

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Chesneau, p. 309
  2. 1 2 Bagnasco, p. 148
  3. ↑ uboat.net Ametista (AA) Ametista Accessed 1 May 2022
  4. ↑ uboat.net Anfitrite (AN) Anfitrite Accessed 1 May 2022
  5. ↑ uboat.net Diamante (DI) Diamante Accessed 1 May 2022
  6. ↑ uboat.net Galatea (GT, N.71) Galatea Accessed 1 May 2022
  7. ↑ uboat.net Naiade (NA) Naiade Accessed 1 May 2022
  8. ↑ uboat.net Nereide 1(NE) Nereide Accessed 1 May 2022
  9. ↑ uboat.net Ondina (ON) Ondina Accessed 1 May 2022
  10. ↑ uboat.net Rubino (RU) Rubino Accessed 1 May 2022
  11. ↑ uboat.net Sirena (SI) Sirena Accessed 1 May 2022
  12. ↑ uboat.net Smeraldo (SD) Smeraldo Accessed 1 May 2022
  13. ↑ uboat.net Topazio (TP) Topazio Accessed 1 May 2022
  14. ↑ uboat.net Zaffiro (ZA) Zaffiro Accessed 1 May 2022

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.
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