Italian submarine Medusa (1931)

Italian submarine

For other ships with the same name, see Italian submarine Medusa.

History
Kingdom of Italy
Name| Medusa
Namesake| Medusa
Builder| Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone
Laid down| 1929–1930
Launched| 10 December 1931
Completed| 1932
Fate| Sunk, 30 January 1942
General characteristics
Class and type| Argonauta-class submarine
Displacement|

* 660 t (650 long tons) (surfaced)
* 1,097 t (1,080 long tons) (submerged)

Length| 61.5 m (202 ft)
Beam| 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
Draft| 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power|

* 1,500 bhp (1,100 kW) (diesels)
* 800 hp (600 kW) (electric motors)

Propulsion|

* 2 shafts; diesel-electric
* 2 × diesel engines
* 2 × electric motors

Speed|

* 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) (surfaced)
* 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (submerged)

Range|

* 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (surfaced)
* 110 nmi (200 km; 130 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) (submerged)

Test depth| 80 m (260 ft)
Armament|

* 1 × single 102 mm (4 in) deck gun
* 2 × single 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns
* 6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)

Medusa was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the early 1930s.

## Design and description[edit]

The Argonauta class was derived from the earlier Squalo-class submarines.[1] They displaced 660 metric tons (650 long tons) surfaced and 813 metric tons (800 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).[2] They had an operational diving depth of 80 meters (260 ft).[1] Their crew numbered 44 officers and enlisted men.[2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 750-brake-horsepower (559 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 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater.[1] On the surface, the Settembrini class had a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph);[2] submerged, they had a range of 110 nmi (200 km; 130 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph).[1]

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 102-millimeter (4 in) deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two single 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns.[2]

## Construction and career[edit]

Medusa was laid down by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico at their Monfalcone shipyard in 1929–1930, launched on 10 December 1931 and completed the following year.[2] Medusa was torpedoed and sunk on 30 January 1942 in the Adriatic near Promontore, Istria by the submarine HMS Thorn.

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Bagnasco, p. 146
2. ^ a b c d e Chesneau, p. 309

## References[edit]

* 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.

## External links[edit]

* Sommergibili Marina Militare website

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Italian 600 Series submarines

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