Oceanic Submersibles: 1939-40: Console Generale Liuzzi, Alpino Bagnolini, Reginaldo Giuliani, Capitano Tarantini. The Liuzzi class were four submersibles all built by Tosi NyD in Taranto for the Regia Marina just before the war. They were an extrapolation of the Brin class design, albeit with their main gun relocated on the deck. They were completed as … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles: 1938-39 Brin, Benedetto Brin, Galvani, Guglielmotti, *Archimede, *Torricelli The Benedetto Brin class were a repetition of Archimede class oceanic submersibles. They were partially double-hulled and differed by hardly more powerful diesels and larger conning tower similar to the one sported by the Foca class, with a 100mm/43 gun installed in it. The last … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles: Lorenzo Marcello, Enrico Dandolo, Sebastiano Veniero, Andrea Provana, Lazzaro Mocenigo, Giacomo Nani, Agostino Barbarigo, Angelo Emo, Francesco Morosini, Comandante Cappellini, Comandante Faà di Bruno (1939-47) The Marcello class were 11 ocean-going submarines of the Regia Marina entering service between 1938 and 1939, very active during the Second World War. They were derived from … Read more
Minelaying Submersibles: Foca, Atropo, Zoea (1936-47) The Foca class were three minelaying submarines (sommergibili posamine) of the Regia Marina, sister ships derived from the earlier Pietro Micca but smaller, cheaper, and yet quite capable. They played minor roles during the Second World War, one being lost to unknown causes off British Palestine in 1940 and … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles: Pietro Calvi, Giuseppe Finzi, Enrico Tazzoli (1936-43) The Calvi class were essentially a modern reboot of the 1920s Balilla class, as three Oceanic Submersibles built in 1935-36 at Oderno-Terni-Orlando in Genoa. In the Mediterranean in the summer of 1940, they were transferred in August to the BETASOM Atlantic submarine base at Bordeaux to … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles (1933-37): Glauco, Otario The Glauco class were two medium oceanic submarines ordered by the Portuguese government originally, but were taken over and completed for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy). They were improved versions of the preceding Squalo class, displacing 1,071 metric tons (1,054 long tons) surfaced, 1,326 metric tons (1,305 long tons) … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles (1930-48): Fratelli Bandiera, Luciano Manara, Ciro Menotti, Santorre Santarosa The Bandiera-class submarines were four light oceanic submersibles built for the Regia Marina in 1928-1930 as improved, enlarged version of the Pisani class by Bernardis. Two were built at Cantiere Navale Triestino, Trieste and two at Odero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano. They played a minor role in … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles (1932-35): Archimede, Galileo Ferraris, Galileo Galilei, Evangelista Torricelli The Archimede class were a four submarines built for the Regia Marina between 1930 and 1934. They were double hull Cavallini design, enlarged version of the Settembrini class with greater specs overall, notably range. They also had two 100 mm guns to maximize sorties against … Read more
Oceanic Submersible (1927-41) Ettore Fieramosca was designed by Bernardis as a cruiser submarine capable initially to carry a seaplane in a waterproof hangar armed armed with a single 203 mm (8 in) gun, partly inspired by the French Surcouf under construction. The completed submarine was much smaller, and the prototype seaplanes tested were not impressive, … Read more
Coastal Submersibles: Giovanni Bausan, Marcantonio Colonna, Des Geneys, Vettor Pisani (1926-29) The Pisani-class submarines were built for the Regia Marina as a parallel development to the Mameli class, a new start for the Interwar Italian submarine arm. Four were built for this design by the Cantiere Navale Triestino, with a single hull but generally features … Read more
