Italian submarine Squalo (1930)

	Sister ship Tricheco before her christening ceremony
History
Italy
Name	Squalo
Namesake	Shark
Builder	CRDA
Laid down	10 October 1928
Launched	15 January 1930
Commissioned	10 October 1931
Stricken	1 February 1948
General characteristics
Class and type	Squalo-class submarine
Displacement	920 t (905 long tons) (surfaced); 1,125 t (1,107 long tons) (submerged);
Length	69.8 m (229 ft)
Beam	7.21 m (23 ft 8 in)
Draft	5.19 m (17 ft)
Installed power	3,000 kW) (diesels); 1,300 bhp (970 kW) (electric motors);
Propulsion	2 shafts; diesel-electric; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	15.1 knots (28.0 km/h; 17.4 mph) (surfaced); 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (submerged);
Range	5,650 nmi (10,460 km; 6,500 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) (surfaced); 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) (submerged);
Test depth	90 m (300 ft)
Complement	53
Armament	8 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 4 stern); 1 × 102 mm (4 in) deck gun; 2 × single 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns;

Squalo was the

decommissioned

in 1948.

Design and description

The Squalo-class submarines were essentially repeats of the preceding Bandiera class. They displaced 920 metric tons (910 long tons) surfaced and 1,125 metric tons (1,107 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 69.8 meters (229 ft) long, had a beam of 7.21 meters (23 ft 8 in) and a draft of 5.19 meters (17 ft).^[1] They had an operational diving depth of 90 meters (300 ft).^[2] Their crew numbered 53 officers and enlisted men.^[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 1,500-

propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650-brake-horsepower (485 kW) electric motor. They could reach 15.1 knots (28.0 km/h; 17.4 mph) on the surface and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) underwater. On the surface, the Squalo class had a range of 5,650 nautical miles (10,460 km; 6,500 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph), submerged, they had a range of 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph).^[2]

The boats were armed with eight internal 53.3 cm (21 in)

13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns.^[1]

Construction and career

Squalo, named for the

laid down on 10 October 1928 at the Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico (CRDA) shipyard at Monfalcone. She was launched on 15 January 1930 and completed on 10 October.^[3]