Foca-class submarine
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The Foca class were a group of three minelaying submarines built for the Script error: No such module "Lang". (Royal Italian Navy) during the 1930s. All three sister ships played minor roles during the Second World War. One was lost to unknown causes while trying to lay a minefield off British Palestine in 1940, but the other two survived the war to be discarded in 1947.
Design and description
The Foca-class submarines were improved versions of the preceding Pietro Micca. They displaced Script error: No such module "convert". surfaced and Script error: No such module "convert". submerged. The submarines were Script error: No such module "convert". long, had a beam of Script error: No such module "convert". and a draft of Script error: No such module "convert"..[1] They had an operational diving depth of Script error: No such module "convert"..[2] Their crew numbered 60 officers and men.[1]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two Script error: No such module "convert". diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a Script error: No such module "convert". electric motor. They could reach Script error: No such module "convert". on the surface and Script error: No such module "convert". underwater. On the surface, the Foca class had a range of Script error: No such module "convert". at Script error: No such module "convert"., submerged, they had a range of Script error: No such module "convert". at Script error: No such module "convert"..[2]
The boats were armed with six internal Script error: No such module "convert". torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern, for which they carried eight torpedoes. They were also armed with one Script error: No such module "convert". deck gun for combat on the surface. The gun was initially mounted in the rear of the conning tower, but this was re-sited on the forward deck later in the war in the surviving boats and the large conning tower was re-built to a smaller design. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two pairs of Script error: No such module "convert". machine guns.[1] The Focas carried a total of 36 mines. Twenty mines were stored in a central chamber, while the remaining 16 mines were kept in two aft chutes through which the mines were ejected.[2]
Boats
| Ship | Builder[3] | Laid down[3] | Launched[3] | Completed[3] | Fate[3][4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto | 15 January 1936 | 26 June 1937 | 6 November 1937 | Lost 13 October 1940 off Haifa, British Palestine |
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 10 July 1937 | 20 November 1938 | 14 February 1939 | Discarded, 23 March 1947 | |
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 3 February 1936 | 5 December 1937 | 12 February 1938 |
Service
The lead boat, Foca, was lost to unknown causes on 13 October 1940 while laying mines off Haifa.[4] Atropo and Zoea, the second and third vessels of the class, were used after Italy's 1943 surrender by the Allies for anti-submarine training.[5] Both were scrapped in 1947.[1]
See also
Notes
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References
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External links
- Sommergibili Marina Militare website
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