Italian submarine class
|
| Class overview |
|---|
| Name | Flutto class |
| Builders | |
| Operators |  Regia Marina |
| In commission | 1942–1967 |
| Planned | 48 |
| Completed | 13 |
| General characteristics [1][2] |
|---|
| Type | Submarine |
| Displacement |
- 930 long tons (945 t) surfaced
- 1,093 long tons (1,111 t) submerged
|
| Length | 63.15 m (207 ft 2.2 in) |
| Beam | 6.98 m (22 ft 10.8 in) |
| Draught | 4.87 m (15 ft 11.7 in) |
| Propulsion |
- 2 shafts
- 2 Diesel engines, 2,400 hp (1,800 kW)
- 2 Electric motors, 800 bhp (600 kW)
|
| Speed |
- 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) surfaced
- 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
|
| Range |
- 5,400 nmi (10,000 km; 6,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
- 80 nmi (150 km) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
|
| Test depth | 400 ft (120 m) |
| Complement | 49 |
| Armament | |
The Flutto class were a large class of submarines built for the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) during the Second World War.
The Fluttos were a development of the 600 Series of medium-sized, or seagoing, submarines. They were built to a partial double-hulled Bernardis design, influenced by war-time experience and construction adapted for mass construction.
The Fluttos were good sea-boats with improved internal arrangements, hull strength, anti-aircraft armament and diving times. They are regarded as the best medium-displacement submarines built by Italy up to that time. A total of 48 submarines were ordered, in three series (referred to as "Types"). The name Flutto means “wave”, and the Type I vessels were named for marine terms and sea-creatures. The Type II and Type III vessels all bore names of metals.
Type I
The first series of 12 vessels were laid down in 1941; six from CRDA, and three each from OTO and Tosi. Of these 10 were commissioned and saw action; two others were unfinished at the Italian armistice in September 1943 and work on them was abandoned.
Of the 10 vessels which became operational, three were sunk by the Allies, and four scuttled at the armistice. These were all raised by the Germans and re-fitted, but all four were sunk in Allied air raids during 1944. Three others were surrendered to the Allies and survived the war.
Two vessels, Grongo and Murena, fitted with containers for carrying Maiale manned torpedoes, for operations by the Decima MAS special operations force.
Type II
The second series of 24 were to the same design, though enlarged slightly to resolve trim problems highlighted in the first vessels. These were laid down in 1942, 15 from CRDA, six from OTO and three from Tosi.
These constructions were overtaken by Italy's collapse in September 1943, and none had been completed at that time. Most of these hulls fell into German hands, and work was continued on several, but none became operational before Germany's surrender in 1945.
Type III
The third series were a copy of the Type II design, and were due to be started in 1943, but none had been laid down by the time of Italy's surrender in September of that year. All were subsequently cancelled.
