The Mameli-class submarine was one of the first classes of the submarines to be built for the (Royal Italian Navy) after the First World War. Some of these boats played a minor role in the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 supporting the Spanish Nationalists. Of the four boats built in this class, all but one survived the Second World War.
Design and description The Mameli class was one of the 's first classes of submarines to be built after the First World War. 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 49 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. They could reach on the surface and underwater. On the surface, the Mameli class had a range of at ; submerged, they had a range of at .Bagnasco, p. 140
The boats were armed with six torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern for which they carried a total of 10 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 single machine guns.
Ships SOURCES uboat.net Pier Capponi (CP) Capponi Accessed 30 April 2022uboat.net Giovanni da Procida (DP) Da Procida Accessed 30 April 2022uboat.net Goffredo Mameli (GM) Mameli Accessed 30 April 2022uboat.net Tito Speri (TS) Speri Accessed 30 April 2022
+ Construction data Ship Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Fate Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto 27 August 1925 19 June 1927 19 January 1929 Sunk by 31 March 1941 21 September 1925 1 April 1928 20 January 1929 Stricken 1 February 1948 17 August 1925 20 January 1929 25 May 1928 20 August 1929
Service history Giovanni Da Procida is the only submarine of this class known to have attempted to sink a ship during the Spanish Civil War, albeit unsuccessfully.Frank, p. 96 The Mamelis participated in the Second World War. Three boats survived the war to be discarded in 1948.
Notes
References
External links Classe Mameli Marina Militare website