The Pisani-class submarines were built for the (Royal Italian Navy) during the late 1920s. They played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists.
Design and description
Designed in parallel with the s, the Pisani class was larger to accommodate more fuel and give them more range. They displaced surfaced and submerged. The submarines were long, had a beam of and a draft of . They had an operational diving depth of . Their crew numbered 48 officers and enlisted men.Chesneau, p. 307
For surface running, the boats were powered by two diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a electric motor. Like the Mamelis, their stability was poor and they had to be modified with bulges after completion. This reduced their speeds from on the surface and underwater to and respectively. On the surface, the Pisani class had a range of at ; submerged, they had a range of at .Bagnasco, p. 141
The boats were armed with six torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern for which they carried a total of nine torpedoes. They were also armed with a single deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two machine guns.
Boats + Construction data Ship Builder Laid downFraccaroli, p. 127 Launched Completed Fate Cantiere Navale Triestino, Trieste 27 January 1926 24 March 1927 15 September 1929 Decommissioned 16 April 1942, converted into an oil barge 3 December 1925 26 December 1927 10 July 1929Scrapped, 1943 1 February 1926 14 November 1928 31 October 1929 Decommissioned 16 April 1942, converted into a battery-charging hulk 18 November 1925 24 November 1927 16 June 1929 Decommissioned, 23 March 1947
Service history During the Spanish Civil War, Vettore Pisani made at least one patrol off the Catalan coast in August 1937 during which she made one unsuccessful attack.Frank, p. 96
Notes
References
External links Vettor Pisani Marina Militare website