Italian submarine Otaria (1908)

Glauco class submarine of the Royal Italian Navy

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

History

Italy
Name| Otaria
Namesake| Otary
Builder| Regio Arsenale, Venice
Laid down| 10 May 1905
Launched| 25 March 1908
Completed| 1 July 1908
Fate| Stricken 26 September 1918
General characteristics
Class and type| Glauco-class submarine
Displacement|

* 160 t (157 long tons) (surfaced)
* 243 t (239 long tons) (submerged)

Length| 36.8 m (121 ft)
Beam| 4.32 m (14 ft 2 in)
Draft| 2.5 m (8 ft)
Installed power|

* 600 bhp (450 kW) (diesels)
* 170 bhp (130 kW) (electric motors)

Propulsion|

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

Speed|

* 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) (surfaced)
* 6.2 knots (11.5 km/h; 7.1 mph) (submerged)

Range|

* 150 nmi (280 km; 170 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) (surfaced)
* 18 nmi (33 km; 21 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) (submerged)

Test depth| 25 m (82 ft)
Complement| 15
Armament| 3 × 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes (3 bow)

Otaria was one of five Glauco-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the early 1900s. The boat served in World War I and ceased service in 1918.

## Construction and career[edit]

Otaria was laid down on 10 May 1905 at the Regio Arsenale at Venice, launched on 25 March 1908 and completed on 1 July 1908.[1] She was employed as a training ship in the Tyrrhenian Sea.[2]

After an intensive training,[2] in August 1914 the submarine was assigned to the 4th submarines squadron based in Venice[3] and put under the command of Lieutenant Emanuele Ponzio.[4] At the start of the First World War for Italy the ship was re-assigned to the 1st submarines squadron based in the Adriatic Sea and was employed as a defensive unit in the Gulf of Venice.[2]

In June 1916 Otaria was deployed in Taranto, forming a separate unit combined with the twin submarine Glauco[5] and later on January 1917 he was transferred again in Venice and assigned to the 2nd submarines squadron.[6]

In December of the same year the submarine was transferred in Porto Corsini and later in 1918 disarmed and demolished.[5]

Throughout the war, the Otaria had carried out a total of 46 defensive missions.[2][5]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Otaria (6103605)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
2. ^ a b c d "Regio Sommergibile OTARIA" (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-02-21.
3. ^ Favre, pp. 64-98.
4. ^ Favre, pp. 103-164
5. ^ a b c "Classe Glauco (1903)" (in Italian). 5 February 2008. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
6. ^ Favre, p. 206.

## Bibliography[edit]

* Favre, Franco (2008). La Marina nella Grande Guerra. Le operazioni aeree, navali, subacquee e terrestri in Adriatico (in Italian). Gaspari Editore. ISBN 978-88-7541-135-0.

## External links[edit]

* Otaria (1908) Marina Militare website

Portals:

* Italy
* Engineering
* World War I